Antibody-producing cells correlated to body weight in juvenile chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) acclimated to optimal and elevated temperatures

Mapping the cellular landscape of Atlantic salmon head kidney by single cell and single nucleus transcriptomics

Single-cell transcriptomics is the current gold standard for global gene expression profiling, not only in mammals and model species, but also in non-model fish species. This is a rapidly expanding field, creating a deeper understanding of tissue heterogeneity and the distinct functions of individual cells, making it possible to explore the complexities of immunology and gene expression on a highly resolved level. In this study, we compared two single cell transcriptomic approaches to investigate cellular heterogeneity within the head kidney of healthy farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). We compared 14,149 cell transcriptomes assayed by single cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) with 18,067 nuclei transcriptomes captured by single nucleus RNA-Seq (snRNA-seq). Both approaches detected eight major cell populations in common: granulocytes, heamatopoietic stem cells, erythrocytes, mononuclear phagocytes, thrombocytes, B cells, NK-like cells, and T cells. Four additional cell types, endothelial, epithelial, interrenal, and mesenchymal cells, were detected in the snRNA-seq dataset, but appeared to be lost during preparation of the single cell suspension submitted for scRNA-seq library generation. We identified additional heterogeneity and subpopulations within the B cells, T cells, and endothelial cells, and revealed developmental trajectories of heamatopoietic stem cells into differentiated granulocyte and mononuclear phagocyte populations. Gene expression profiles of B cell subtypes revealed distinct IgM and IgT-skewed resting B cell lineages and provided insights into the regulation of B cell lymphopoiesis. The analysis revealed eleven T cell sub-populations, displaying a level of T cell heterogeneity in salmon head kidney comparable to that observed in mammals, including distinct subsets of cd4/cd8-negative T cells, such as tcrγ positive, progenitor-like, and cytotoxic cells. Although snRNA-seq and scRNA-seq were both useful to resolve cell type-specific expression in the Atlantic salmon head kidney, the snRNA-seq pipeline was overall more robust in identifying several cell types and subpopulations. While scRNA-seq displayed higher levels of ribosomal and mitochondrial genes, snRNA-seq captured more transcription factor genes. However, only scRNA-seq-generated data was useful for cell trajectory inference within the myeloid lineage. In conclusion, this study systematically outlines the relative merits of scRNA-seq and snRNA-seq in Atlantic salmon, enhances understanding of teleost immune cell lineages, and provides a comprehensive list of markers for identifying major cell populations in the head kidney with significant immune relevance.

Pathogenicity of members of the vibrionaceae family to cultured juvenile sablefish

Sablefish Anoplopoma fimbria are a prized seafood species due to their high oil content and white flaky flesh. Raising these species in culture can help to provide an important source of protein for humans and relief to declining wild fish populations. Understanding the environmental factors that influence the production of Sablefish is important for successful culturing. The significance of host-pathogen interactions in Sablefish culture and the resulting environmental implications are unknown. Pathogens could potentially cause losses of cultured Sablefish stocks due to disease, while Sablefish cultured in net pens may also serve as reservoirs for pathogens and potentially transmit disease to wild fish species. In this initial study, the susceptibility of juvenile Sablefish to three bacterial pathogens from the family Vibrionaceae was examined. Listonella anguillarum, Vibrio ordalii, and V. splendidus can pose serious economic threats to cultured fish and shellfish. Groups of juvenile Sablefish were exposed to five concentrations of each of the pathogens. Sablefish were susceptible to L. anguillarum, but were resistant to V. ordalii and V. splendidus at exposure concentrations of ≤ 1.32 × 10⁷ CFU/mL and ≤ 3.57 × 10⁶ CFU/mL, respectively. The greatest L. anguillarum concentration examined (8.7 × 10⁶ CFU/mL) resulted in 24% mortality in juvenile Sablefish. A 24% loss of Sablefish stock could significantly influence an aquaculture program. As determined by multiple logistic regression, the survival of Sablefish to L. anguillarum exposure was significantly affected by their body mass, and larger fish had a greater probability of survival. Aquaculture operations could employ various strategies to minimize the loss of juvenile Sablefish by accounting for their size and known susceptibilities to pathogens.

Immunogenicity of pressure inactivated Edwardsiella tarda bacterin to Anguilla japonica (Japanese eel)

Japanese eel Anguilla japonica were immunized with inactivated Edwardsiella tarda bacterin preparations (formalin-killed cells, FKC (0.4%), formalin with heat-killed cells, FHKC (0.1% and 70 degreesC for 10 min), heat-killed cells, HKC (70 degrees C for 15 min), potassium chloride-killed cells, KKC (0.6%), tannic acid-killed cells, TKC (0.9%), citric acid-killed cells, CAKC (0.9%), pressure-killed cells, PKC (600 psi for 5 min) and electric current-killed cells, ECKC (100 mA at 12 v DC for 5 sec) via intraperitoneal injection in order to develop adequate inactivating method. Immune parameters in the immunized eel were measured to compare responses to different bacterins. Generally, eel rose agglutinating antibody titer in the serum within 2 week and the maximum titer occurred at 6 weeks post immunization. Elevated and significantly higher titer was produced with the PKC of E. tarda than other bacterin preparations. An Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), to determine specific anti-E. tarda antibody in the serum, also showed significantly higher antibody titer with PKC than the other antigen preparations. Bacteriostatic assay with serum and live E. tarda indicated significantly higher activity in the PKC-immunized fish. Immunization with PKC also showed the increased level ofphagocytosis. PKC-inactivated vaccine at an immunization dose of 10(6) cells/fish induced high protection against experimental infection. Coincident with higher immune parameters and protection in the fish immunized with the PKC bacterin strongly suggested that pressure-killing is an effective inactivating method to develop an effective vaccine against edwardsiellosis.

Peripheral blood and head kidney leucocyte populations during out-of-season (0+) parr-smolt transformation and seawater transfer of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.)

Using monoclonal antibodies (MAb) and flow cytometry, Atlantic salmon neutrophils and Ig+ cells in blood and head kidney were studied in under-yearling out-of-season (0+) smolts, and 2 and 4 weeks after transfer to seawater. The parr-smolt transformation was induced using a phase advanced simulated natural photoperiod regime, and sampling of four fish was performed at regular intervals, starting on the date of the photoperiod initiation. During the freshwater period the proportion of neutrophils in the head kidney leucocytes (HKL) remained quite stable and only gradual changes in Ig+ cells were observed. In the peripheral blood leucocytes (PBL), the proportion of neutrophils markedly increased during the last month prior to seawater transfer. The most notable changes in the proportions of MAb+ leucocytes were observed in PBL after seawater transfer, with a significant increase in Ig+ cells and a significant decrease in neutrophils after two weeks in seawater. In the freshwater samples, although there were fluctuations, a decrease in the numbers of total leucocytes per millilitre blood and per gram head kidney during parr-smolt transformation was observed. The number of MAb+ cells in blood appeared to be relatively stable, while the number in head kidney tended to decrease. Following seawater transfer, the numbers of total and MAb+ leucocytes in both blood and head kidney increased markedly. The results suggest that changes in both distribution and numbers of leucocytes in peripheral blood and head kidney take place during parr-smolt transformation, and that marked changes are associated with seawater transfer. Some mechanisms possibly involved are indicated.