Energy metabolism of swimming trout (Salmo gairdneri)

Pyriproxyfen Contamination in Daphnia magna: Identifying Early Warning Biomarkers

Pyriproxyfen is an insecticide currently employed in numerous countries for the management of agricultural and indoor pests. Several studies indicate that this insecticide has been detected in multiple rivers, with concentrations reaching as high as 99.59 ng/L in the Júcar River in Spain. Therefore, the determination of some biochemical and genetic effects of this insecticide on aquatic organisms could serve as an early warning mechanism to identify potential disruptions in various biomarkers. Based on this, Daphnia magna organisms were exposed to pyriproxyfen sublethal concentrations for 21 days. Some biochemical parameters, including cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, lactate, and LDH activity, were determined. Additionally, some genetic biomarkers associated with oxidative stress, heat shock proteins, lipid metabolism, hemoglobin, metallothioneins, and vitellogenin synthesis were evaluated in daphnids exposed to the insecticide for 21 days. LDH activity increased significantly in those daphnids exposed to the highest insecticide concentration (14.02 µg/L), while cholesterol levels decreased significantly. In contrast, glucose, total proteins, and triglycerides remained unaffected in D. magna exposed to pyriproxyfen. On the other hand, exposure to the insecticide led to notable alterations in gene expression among individuals. Specifically, genes associated with lipid metabolism and reproduction exhibited a significant reduction in gene expression. Fabd expression was decreased by approximately 20% in exposed daphnids, while vtg expression was suppressed as much as 80% when compared to control values. Furthermore, it was observed that the hgb1 and hgb2 genes, associated with hemoglobin synthesis, exhibited significant overexpression. Notably, the dysfunction observed in both hemoglobin genes was linked to an increase in pigmentation in Daphnia magna during the course of the experiment. These alterations in gene expression could serve as effective indicators of early contamination even at low pesticide concentrations.

Protein-Sourced Feedstuffs for Aquatic Animals in Nutrition Research and Aquaculture

Aquatic animals have particularly high requirements for dietary amino acids (AAs) for health, survival, growth, development, and reproduction. These nutrients are usually provided from ingested proteins and may also be derived from supplemental crystalline AA. AAs are the building blocks of protein (a major component of tissue growth) and, therefore, are the determinants of the growth performance and feed efficiency of farmed fish. Because protein is generally the most expensive ingredient in aqua feeds, much attention has been directed to ensure that dietary protein feedstuff is of high quality and cost-effective for feeding fish, crustaceans, and other aquatic animals worldwide. Due to the rapid development of aquaculture worldwide and a limited source of fishmeal (the traditionally sole or primary source of AAs for aquatic animals), alternative protein sources must be identified to feed aquatic animals. Plant-sourced feedstuffs for aquatic animals include soybean meal, extruded soybean meal, fermented soybean meal, soybean protein concentrates, soybean protein isolates, leaf meal, hydrolyzed plant protein, wheat, wheat hydrolyzed protein, canola meal, cottonseed meal, peanut meal, sunflower meal, peas, rice, dried brewers grains, and dried distillers grains. Animal-sourced feedstuffs include fishmeal, fish paste, bone meal, meat and bone meal, poultry by-product meal, chicken by-product meal, chicken visceral digest, spray-dried poultry plasma, spray-dried egg product, hydrolyzed feather meal, intestine-mucosa product, peptones, blood meal (bovine or poultry), whey powder with high protein content, cheese powder, and insect meal. Microbial sources of protein feedstuffs include yeast protein and single-cell microbial protein (e.g., algae); they have more balanced AA profiles than most plant proteins for animal feeding. Animal-sourced ingredients can be used as a single source of dietary protein or in complementary combinations with plant and microbial sources of proteins. All protein feedstuffs must adequately provide functional AAs for aquatic animals.

Nutrition and metabolism of glutamate and glutamine in fish

Glutamate (Glu) and glutamine (Gln) comprise a large proportion of total amino acids (AAs) in fish in the free and protein-bound forms. Both Glu and Gln are synthesized de novo from other α-amino acids and ammonia. Although these two AAs had long been considered as nutritionally non-essential AAs for an aquatic animal, they must be included adequately in its diet to support optimal health (particularly intestinal health) and maximal growth. In research on fish nutrition, Glu has been used frequently as an isonitrogenous control on the basis of the assumption that this AA has no nutritional or physiological function. In addition, purified diets used for feeding fish generally lack glutamine. As functional AAs, Glu and Gln are major metabolic fuels for tissues of fish (including the intestine, liver, kidneys, and skeletal muscle), and play important roles not only in protein synthesis but also in glutathione synthesis and anti-oxidative reactions. The universality of Glu and Gln as abundant intracellular AAs depends on their enormous versatility in metabolism. Dietary supplementation with Glu and Gln to farmed fish can improve their growth performance, intestinal development, innate and adaptive immune responses, skeletal muscle development and fillet quality, ammonia removal, and the endocrine status. Glu (mainly as monosodium glutamate), glutamine, or AminoGut (a mixture of Glu and Gln) is a promising feed additive to reduce the use of fishmeal, while gaining the profitability of global aquaculture production. Thus, the concept of dietary requirements of fish for Glu and Gln is a paradigm shift in the nutrition of aquatic animals (including fish).

Amino acids are major energy substrates for tissues of hybrid striped bass and zebrafish

Fish generally have much higher requirements for dietary protein than mammals, and this long-standing puzzle remains unsolved. The present study was conducted with zebrafish (omnivores) and hybrid striped bass (HSB, carnivores) to test the hypothesis that AAs are oxidized at a higher rate than carbohydrates (e.g., glucose) and fatty acids (e.g., palmitate) to provide ATP for their tissues. Liver, proximal intestine, kidney, and skeletal muscle isolated from zebrafish and HSB were incubated at 28.5 °C (zebrafish) or 26 °C (HSB) for 2 h in oxygenated Krebs-Henseleit bicarbonate buffer (pH 7.4, with 5 mM D-glucose) containing 2 mM L-[U-¹⁴C]glutamine, L-[U-¹⁴C]glutamate, L-[U-¹⁴C]leucine, or L-[U-¹⁴C]palmitate, or a trace amount of D-[U-¹⁴C]glucose. In parallel experiments, tissues were incubated with a tracer and  a mixture of unlabeled substrates [glutamine, glutamate, leucine, and palmitate (2 mM each) plus 5 mM D-glucose]. ¹⁴CO₂ was collected to calculate the rates of substrate oxidation. In the presence of glucose or a mixture of substrates, the rates of oxidation of glutamate and ATP production from this AA by the proximal intestine, liver, and kidney of HSB   were much higher than those for glucose and palmitate. This was also true for glutamate in the skeletal muscle and glutamine in the liver of both species, glutamine in the HSB kidney, and leucine in the zebrafish muscle, in the presence of a mixture of substrates. We conclude that glutamate plus glutamine plus leucine contribute to ~80% of ATP production in the liver, proximal intestine, kidney, and skeletal muscle of zebrafish and HSB. Our findings provide the first direct evidence that the major tissues of fish use AAs (mainly glutamate and glutamine) as primary energy sources instead of carbohydrates or lipids.

Trans-omics approaches used to characterise fish nutritional biorhythms in leopard coral grouper (Plectropomus leopardus)

Aquaculture is now a major supplier of fish, and has the potential to be a major source of protein in the future. Leopard coral groupers are traded in Asian markets as superior fish, and production via aquaculture has commenced. As feeding efficiency is of great concern in aquaculture, we sought to examine the metabolism of leopard coral groupers using trans-omics approaches. Metabolic mechanisms were comprehensively analysed using transcriptomic and metabolomic techniques. This study focused on the dynamics of muscular metabolites and gene expression. The omics data were discussed in light of circadian rhythms and fasting/feeding. The obtained data suggest that branched-chain amino acids played a role in energy generation in the fish muscle tissues during fasting. Moreover, glycolysis, TCA cycles, and purine metabolic substances exhibited circadian patterns, and gene expression also varied. This study is the first step to understanding the metabolic mechanisms of the leopard coral grouper.

In Vivo Molecular Responses of Fast and Slow Muscle Fibers to Lipopolysaccharide in a Teleost Fish, the Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

The physiological consequences of the activation of the immune system in skeletal muscle in fish are not completely understood. To study the consequences of the activation of the immune system by bacterial pathogens on skeletal muscle function, we administered lipopolysaccharide (LPS), an active component of Gram-negative bacteria, in rainbow trout and performed transcriptomic and proteomic analyses in skeletal muscle. We examined changes in gene expression in fast and slow skeletal muscle in rainbow trout at 24 and 72 h after LPS treatment (8 mg/kg) by microarray analysis. At the transcriptional level, we observed important changes in metabolic, mitochondrial and structural genes in fast and slow skeletal muscle. In slow skeletal muscle, LPS caused marked changes in the expression of genes related to oxidative phosphorylation, while in fast skeletal muscle LPS administration caused major changes in the expression of genes coding for glycolytic enzymes. We also evaluated the effects of LPS administration on the fast skeletal muscle proteome and identified 14 proteins that were differentially induced in LPS-treated trout, primarily corresponding to glycolytic enzymes. Our results evidence a robust and tissue-specific response of skeletal muscle to an acute inflammatory challenge, affecting energy utilization and possibly growth in rainbow trout.

The physiology of rainbow trout in social hierarchies: two ways of looking at the same data

Salmonids form dominance hierarchies in environments, where space or food are limiting. Our first objective was to investigate the physiology of individual rainbow trout in 4-fish hierarchies. Our second was to compare conclusions drawn from grouping physiological data on the basis of social rank with those based on relating individual physiology to individual aggressive behavior. To create a social hierarchy, groups of 4 juvenile trout were fed (1 % ration) using a darkened feeding container, twice daily (morning and evening). Each morning feeding was videotaped to record aggressive behavior, thereby facilitating the assignment of a social status rank to each fish. On days 5 and 10-11, physiological parameters were measured in fish fasted for 24 h. Social hierarchies formed in all tested groups. One fish would become dominant, whereas the three subordinate individuals would each assume a stable social rank. When classified according to this social rank, the three subordinate individuals all displayed similar physiology, different from the physiology of the dominant fish. The latter included higher ammonia excretion rate, greater protein utilization in aerobic metabolism, greater feeding, higher specific growth rate, greater increase in condition factor, and lower routine oxygen consumption rate. However, when individual aggression was taken into account, a continuous gradient was observed between aggression and physiology for most parameters, regardless of social status. These relationships could be improved by normalizing the aggression score to the overall level of aggression in each hierarchy. We argue that individual behavior should be considered instead of just social rank when studying the physiology of trout in social hierarchies.

Transcriptomic response of skeletal muscle to lipopolysaccharide in the gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata)

The physiological consequences of the activation of the immune system in fish are not well understood. In particular, skeletal muscle, due to its essential role in locomotion and whole-animal energy homeostasis, is a potentially important target of inflammation. In this study, we have evaluated the in vivo effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the white and red skeletal muscle transcriptome of the gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) by microarray analysis at 24 and 72 h after injection. In white muscle, the transcriptomic response was characterized by an up-regulation of genes involved in carbohydrate catabolism and protein synthesis at 24 h and a complete reversal of this pattern at 72 h. In red muscle, an up-regulation of genes involved in carbohydrate catabolism and protein synthesis was observed only at 72 h after LPS administration. Interestingly, both white and red muscles showed a similar consistent down-regulation of immune genes at 72 h post-injection. However, genes involved in muscle contraction showed a general up-regulation in response to LPS in both types of muscle. In summary, LPS administration causes muscle type-specific responses regarding the expression of genes involved in carbohydrate and protein metabolism and a common decreased expression of immune genes in skeletal muscle, concomitant with increased expression of genes for contractile elements. Our results evidence a robust and tissue-specific transcriptomic response of the skeletal muscle to an acute inflammatory challenge.

Swim performance and energy homeostasis in spottail shiner (Notropis hudsonius) collected downstream of a uranium mill

The Key Lake uranium milling operation (Saskatchewan, Canada) releases complex effluent into the local watershed. The objective of the current study was to investigate whether fish from an effluent-receiving waterbody exhibited differences in swimming performance and energy homeostasis compared to fish from a local reference site. Juvenile spottail shiner (Notropis hudsonius) were collected from a lake downstream of the uranium mill, and compared to fish collected from a nearby reference lake. Critical swimming speed (U(crit); fatigue velocity), tail beat frequency, and tail amplitude did not differ significantly when comparing fish collected from the exposure lake and reference lake. Captured shiner used in swim tests were considered fatigued, and metabolic endpoints were compared between this group and non-fatigued fish, which were treated similarly but not subjected to swim tests. In both non-fatigued and fatigued shiner, liver glycogen was significantly greater in fish collected from the exposure lake compared to the reference lake. However, it is unclear if this effect, and others related to condition, were the result of contaminant exposure or other environmental factors. While there were no differences in plasma lactate, hematocrit or liver triglycerides in non-fatigued fish between sites, only fatigued reference fish had increased lactate and hematocrit and decreased triglycerides. In non-fatigued fish, plasma glucose did not significantly differ between sites, but significantly decreased after swimming only in fish from the exposure lake. In summary, shiner from the exposure site demonstrated similar swim endurance and possessed greater energy stores despite metabolic alterations compared to shiner from the reference site. Therefore, because fish collected downstream of the uranium mill operation had similar swimming ability as fish from the reference lake, U(crit) test results presented here may not reflect or be indicative of metabolic effects of complex effluent exposure.

Proteomic signature of muscle atrophy in rainbow trout

Muscle deterioration arises as a physiological response to elevated energetic demands of fish during sexual maturation and spawning. Previously, we used this model to characterize the transcriptomic mechanisms associated with fish muscle degradation and identified potential biological markers of muscle growth and quality. However, transcriptional measurements do not necessarily reflect changes in active mature proteins. Here we report the characterization of proteomic profile in degenerating muscle of rainbow trout in relation to the female reproductive cycle using a LC/MS-based label-free protein quantification method. A total of 146 significantly changed proteins in atrophying muscles (FDR <5%) was identified. Proteins were clustered according to their gene ontology identifiers. Muscle atrophy was associated with decreased abundance in proteins of anaerobic respiration, protein biosynthesis, monooxygenases, follistatins, and myogenin, as well as growth hormone, interleukin-1 and estrogen receptors. In contrast, proteins of MAPK/ERK kinase, glutamine synthetase, transcription factors, Stat3, JunB, Id2, and NFkappaB inhibitor, were greater in atrophying muscle. These changes are discussed in light of the mammalian muscle atrophy paradigm and proposed fish-specific mechanisms of muscle degradation. These data will help identify genes associated with muscle degeneration and superior flesh quality in rainbow trout, facilitating identification of genetic markers for muscle growth and quality.

Changes in white muscle transcriptome induced by dietary energy levels in two lines of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) selected for muscle fat content

Energy intake and genetic background are major determinants of muscle fat content in most animals, including man. We combined genetic selection and dietary energy supply to study the metabolic pathways involved in genetic and nutritional control of fat deposition in the muscle of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Two experimental lines of rainbow trout, selected for lean (L) or fat (F) muscle, were fed with diets containing either 10 or 23 % lipids from the first feeding, up to 6 months. At the end of the trial, trout exhibited very different values of muscle fat content (from 4.2 to 10.1 % wet weight). Using microarrays made from a rainbow trout multi-tissue cDNA library, we analysed the molecular changes occurring in the muscle of the two lines when fed the low-energy or high-energy diet. The results from microarray analysis revealed that eleven metabolism-related genes were differentially expressed according to the diet while selection resulted in expression change for twenty-six genes. The most striking observation was the increased level of transcripts encoding the VLDL receptor and fatty acid translocase/CD36 following both the high-fat diet and upward selection for muscle fat content, suggesting that these two genes are relevant molecular markers of fat deposition in the white muscle of rainbow trout.

Effects of propanil on the European eel Anguilla anguilla and post-exposure recovery using selected biomarkers as effect criteria

The aim of this study was to assess the physiological response of Anguilla anguilla to propanil and the degree of recovery after being moved to clean water. Preliminary acute toxicity test was carried out in the laboratory and the median lethal concentration (LC50) at 96 h was calculated as 31.33 mg/L (29.60-33.59 mg/L). NOEC and LOEC values (at 96 h) were also calculated as 20 and 25mg/L, respectively. The fish were exposed to 0.63 and 3.16 mg/L of propanil for 72 h and allowed to recover for 144 h. Total proteins (TPs), gamma-glutamil transpeptidase (gamma-GT), alanin aminotransferase (AlAT), alkaline phosphatase (AP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and water content (WC) were assayed in muscle and liver tissues, liver somatic index (LSI) was also determined. Liver TPs and gamma-GT activity decreased after propanil exposure while AlAT and LDH increased. Muscular AP, AlAT and proteins decreased in intoxicated eels while LDH and gamma-GT activities increased. WC increased in both tissues after herbicide exposure as well as LSI. These results revealed that propanil affects the intermediary metabolism of A. anguilla and that the assayed enzymes can be used as good biomarkers of herbicide contamination. However a longer recovery period should be necessary to re-establish eel physiology. The parameters measured in the present study can be used as herbicide toxicity indicators and are recommended for environmental monitoring assessments.

Changes in plasma amino acid levels in a euryhaline fish exposed to different environmental salinities

Previous studies have shown that Senegalese sole is partially euryhaline in the juvenile phase, being able to adapt to a wide range of salinities in a short-time period, due to changes at the osmoregulatory and metabolic level. This study aimed to assess the effects of acclimation of sole to a wide range of salinities, with a special emphasis on the role of plasma amino acids during this process. Sole juveniles were acclimated for 2 weeks to different salinities: 5, 15, 25, 38, and 55 g L(-1). Plasma levels of cortisol, glucose, osmolality, and free amino acids were assessed at the end. Changes in plasma levels of cortisol, glucose, and amino acids indicate that fish reared at 5 and 55 g L(-1) were facing extra energy costs. Amino acids seem to play an important role during salinity acclimation, either as energy sources or as important osmolytes for cell volume regulation.

Changes induced by dietary energy intake and divergent selection for muscle fat content in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), assessed by transcriptome and proteome analysis of the liver

BACKGROUND

Growing interest is turned to fat storage levels and allocation within body compartments, due to their impact on human health and quality properties of farm animals. Energy intake and genetic background are major determinants of fattening in most animals, including humans. Previous studies have evidenced that fat deposition depends upon balance between various metabolic pathways. Using divergent selection, we obtained rainbow trout with differences in fat allocation between visceral adipose tissue and muscle, and no change in overall body fat content. Transcriptome and proteome analysis were applied to characterize the molecular changes occurring between these two lines when fed a low or a high energy diet. We focused on the liver, center of intermediary metabolism and the main site for lipogenesis in fish, as in humans and most avian species.

RESULTS

The proteome and transcriptome analyses provided concordant results. The main changes induced by the dietary treatment were observed in lipid metabolism. The level of transcripts and proteins involved in intracellular lipid transport, fatty acid biosynthesis and anti-oxidant metabolism were lower with the lipid rich diet. In addition, genes and proteins involved in amino-acid catabolism and proteolysis were also under expressed with this diet. The major changes related to the selection effect were observed in levels of transcripts and proteins involved in amino-acid catabolism and proteolysis that were higher in the fat muscle line than in the lean muscle line.

CONCLUSION

The present study led to the identification of novel genes and proteins that responded to long term feeding with a high energy/high fat diet. Although muscle was the direct target, the selection procedure applied significantly affected hepatic metabolism, particularly protein and amino acid derivative metabolism. Interestingly, the selection procedure and the dietary treatment used to increase muscle fat content exerted opposite effects on the expression of the liver genes and proteins, with little interaction between the two factors. Some of the molecules we identified could be used as markers to prevent excess muscle fat accumulation.

Depletion of high energy phosphates implicates post-exercise mortality in carp and trout; an in vivo 31P-NMR study

As in vivo 31P-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy is currently the state of the art method to measure continuously intracellular pH (pH(i)) and energy status of muscle tissue, we used this method to study the recovery from exhaustive exercise. The biochemical changes during recovery are not well understood and it was suggested that post-exercise mortality could be caused by low pH(i); other studies however indicate that energy depletion might be more important. To analyse the mechanism of post-exercise recovery pH(i), ATP, P(i), and PCr must be measured at the same time, which is possible using in vivo 31P-NMR. Common carp and rainbow trout of about 100 g were exercised to exhaustion in a swim tunnel. After swimming 10 h at 1.5 body lengths (BL)/s (aerobic control), 50% of the fish were forced to swim at 6 BL/s until exhaustion. Recovery of energy rich phosphates was found to be faster in carp (1.2-1.9 h) than in trout (1.5-2.3 h). The same applied for the recovery from acidosis, which took 1.75 h in carp and 5.75 h in trout. In parallel experiments the energy phosphates and lactate levels were measured in liver, red muscle, and white muscle. Exhaustion caused a significant drop in the energy status of red and white muscle tissue of trout and carp (corroborates NMR data), while no change at all was observed in liver tissue. The lactate levels were increased in the muscle but not in liver and blood. While all experimental animals looked healthy after exhaustion, 40-50% of the carp as well as trout died during the recovery phase. The energy status of those individuals measured by 31P-NMR was much lower than that of the survivors, while in contrast there was no difference in pH(i). Thus, it appears that not acidosis but depletion of high energy phosphates disabled muscle function and therefore may have been the cause of death of the non-survivors.

Effect of starvation on global gene expression and proteolysis in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Background

Fast, efficiently growing animals have increased protein synthesis and/or reduced protein degradation relative to slow, inefficiently growing animals. Consequently, minimizing the energetic cost of protein turnover is a strategic goal for enhancing animal growth. Characterization of gene expression profiles associated with protein turnover would allow us to identify genes that could potentially be used as molecular biomarkers to select for germplasm with improved protein accretion.

Results

We evaluated changes in hepatic global gene expression in response to 3-week starvation in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Microarray analysis revealed a coordinated, down-regulated expression of protein biosynthesis genes in starved fish. In addition, the expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism/transport, aerobic respiration, blood functions and immune response were decreased in response to starvation. However, the microarray approach did not show a significant increase of gene expression in protein catabolic pathways. Further studies, using real-time PCR and enzyme activity assays, were performed to investigate the expression of genes involved in the major proteolytic pathways including calpains, the multi-catalytic proteasome and cathepsins. Starvation reduced mRNA expression of the calpain inhibitor, calpastatin long isoform (CAST-L), with a subsequent increase in the calpain catalytic activity. In addition, starvation caused a slight but significant increase in 20S proteasome activity without affecting mRNA levels of the proteasome genes. Neither the mRNA levels nor the activities of cathepsin D and L were affected by starvation.

Conclusion

These results suggest a significant role of calpain and 20S proteasome pathways in protein mobilization as a source of energy during fasting and a potential association of the CAST-L gene with fish protein accretion.

Microarray gene expression analysis in atrophying rainbow trout muscle: a unique nonmammalian muscle degradation model

Muscle atrophy is a physiological response to diverse physiological and pathological conditions that trigger muscle deterioration through specific cellular mechanisms. Despite different signals, the biochemical changes in atrophying muscle share many common cascades. Muscle deterioration as a physiological response to the energetic demands of fish vitellogenesis represents a unique model for studying the mechanisms of muscle degradation in non-mammalian animals. A salmonid microarray, containing 16,006 cDNAs, was used to study the transcriptome response to atrophy of fast-switch muscles from gravid rainbow trout compared with sterile fish. Eighty-two unique transcripts were upregulated and 120 transcripts were downregulated in atrophying muscles. Transcripts having gene ontology identifiers were grouped according to their functions. Muscle deterioration was associated with elevated expression of genes involved in the catheptic and collagenase proteolytic pathways; the aerobic production, buffering, and utilization of ATP; and growth arrest; whereas atrophying muscle showed downregulation of genes encoding a serine proteinase inhibitor, enzymes of anaerobic respiration, muscle proteins as well as genes required for RNA and protein biosynthesis/processing. Therefore, gene transcription of the trout muscle atrophy changed in a manner similar to mammalian muscle atrophy. These changes result in an arrest of normal cell growth, protein degradation, and decreased glycolytic cellular respiration that is characteristic of the fast-switch muscle. For the first time, other changes/mechanisms unique to fish were discussed including genes associated with muscle atrophy.

Removal of the chorion before hatching results in increased movement and accelerated growth in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)embryos

We investigated the effects of the chorion on movement and growth in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) embryos. To test if the chorion restricts movement and growth before hatching, we manually removed the chorion 3–6 days before the natural time of hatching (dechorionated) and compared movement, growth and oxygen consumption in dechorionated embryos and in embryos whose chorions remained intact until the time of hatching(chorionated). Dechorionated embryos exhibited 36 times more movement before hatching compared with intact embryos. By 10 h post-hatch there was no difference in the number of movements between the two groups. At the time of hatching [30 days post-fertilization (d.p.f.)], dechorionated embryos had a significantly greater embryonic body dry mass compared with chorionated embryos, which persisted up to 45 d.p.f. At first feeding (50 d.p.f.) there was no significant difference in embryonic body dry mass between the two groups. Dechorionated embryos had a significantly greater embryonic body protein content after hatching (32, 33 d.p.f.) compared with chorionated embryos. Despite the differences in movement and growth, there were no significant differences in oxygen consumption between chorionated and dechorionated embryos. Furthermore, there was no correlation between the number of movements and oxygen consumption in rainbow trout embryos(chorionated, dechorionated, and hatched). Taken together, the data indicate that rainbow trout embryos have the capacity to be relatively active before hatching, but that the chorion restricts or inhibits movement. Moreover,precocious activity in pre-hatch embryos is correlated with accelerated growth and higher protein content, suggesting that the exercise training effect observed in adult salmonids is also present in early developmental stages.

Molecular characterization of muscle atrophy and proteolysis associated with spawning in rainbow trout

Severe muscle deterioration is a physiological response to the energetic demands of fish spawning. This response represents a suitable model to study mechanisms of muscle degradation in fish where typical tetrapod methods, such as muscle unloading, are not applicable. Enzyme activities and mRNA accumulations of genes in major proteolytic pathways, including cathepsins, calpains and the multi-catalytic proteasome, were measured in white muscles of rainbow trout during spawning and post-spawning seasons of gravid fish for comparisons to sterile fish. Fertile fish at spawning had less muscle tissue and less muscle protein compared to sterile fish and post-spawning fertile fish. Muscle deterioration of the fertile fish during spawning was associated with greater mRNA accumulation and elevated activity of cathepsin-L. Concurrently, muscle of spawning fish showed increased mRNA accumulations of cathepsin-D, the calpain regulatory subunit and the proteasome catalytic subunit alpha without corresponding increases in enzyme activities. In addition, elevated activity and increased mRNA accumulation of caspase-9, but not caspase-3, were observed in fertile fish during spawning. This study indicates that cathepsins mediate protein catabolism during spawning in rainbow trout and the catabolic process may involve activation of the apoptosis mediator, caspase-9, but not the apoptosis executioner, caspase-3.

Salmon spawning migration and muscle protein metabolism: the August Krogh principle at work

The August Krogh principle, stating that for any particular question in biology, nature holds an ideal study system, was applied by choosing the anorexic, long-distance migration of salmon as a model to analyze protein degradation and amino acid metabolism. Reexamining an original study done over 20 years ago on migrating sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka), data on fish migration and starvation are reviewed and a general model is developed on how fish deal with muscle proteolysis. It is shown that lysosomal activation and degradation of muscle protein by lysosomal cathepsins, especially cathepsin D and sometimes cathepsin L, are responsible for the degradation of muscle protein during fish migration, maturation and starvation. This strategy is quite the opposite to mammalian muscle wasting, including starvation, uremia, cancer and others, where the ATP-ubiquitin proteasome in conjunction with ancillary systems, constitutes the overwhelming pathway for protein degradation in muscle. In mammals, the lysosome plays a bit part, if any. In contrast, the proteasome plays at best a subordinate role in muscle degradation in piscine systems. This diverging strategy is put into the context of fish metabolism in general, with its high amino acid turnover, reliance on amino acids as oxidative substrates and flux of amino acids from muscle via the liver into gonads during maturation. Brief focus is placed on structure, function and evolution of the key player in fishes: cathepsin D. The gene structure of piscine cathepsin D is outlined, focusing on the existence of duplicate, paralogous, cathepsin D genes in some species and analyzing the relationship between a female and liver-specific aspartyl protease and fish cathepsin Ds. Evolutionary relationships are developed between different groups of piscine cathepsins, aspartyl proteases and other cathepsins. Finally, based on specific changes in muscle enzymes in fish, including migrating salmon, common strategies of amino acid and carbon flux in fish muscle are pointed out, predicting some metabolic concepts that would make ideal application grounds for the August Krogh principle.

Effects of sustained swimming on hepatic glucose production of rainbow trout

The rate of hepatic glucose production (R(a)glucose) was measured by continuous infusions of 6-[(3)H]glucose in live rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) before, during and after swimming for 3 h at 1.5 body lengths s(−)(1) in a swim tunnel. Contrary to expectation, we found that sustained swimming causes a 33 % decline in the R(a),(glucose) of trout (from 7.6+/−2.1 to 5.1+/−1.3 (μ)mol kg(−)(1)min(−)(1), means +/− s.e.m., N=7), even though exercise of the same intensity elicits a two- to fourfold increase in all the mammalian species investigated to date. Measurements of catecholamine levels show that circulating [epinephrine] decreases by 30 % during exercise (from 4.7+/−0.3 to 3.3+/−0.4 nmol l(−)(1), N=8), suggesting that this hormone is partly responsible for controlling the decline in R(a)glucose. The inhibiting effect of swimming on hepatic glucose production persists for at least 1 h after the cessation of exercise. In addition, rainbow trout can maintain a steady blood glucose concentration throughout sustained exercise by closely matching hepatic glucose production with peripheral glucose utilization, even though this species is generally considered to be a poor glucoregulator. This study provides the first continuous measurements of glucose kinetics during the transition from rest to work in an ectotherm and it suggests that circulating glucose is not an important fuel for aerobic locomotion in trout.

Respiratory gas exchange, nitrogenous waste excretion, and fuel usage during starvation in juvenile rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss

Oxygen consumption, CO2 excretion, and nitrogenous waste excretion (75% ammonia-N and 25% urea-N) were measured daily in 4-g rainbow trout over a 15-day starvation period. Oxygen consumption and CO2 excretion declined while N excretion increased transiently in the mid-part of the starvation period but was unchanged from control levels at the end. Component losses (as percentage of total fuel used) of protein, lipid, and carbohydrate were 66.5, 31.1, and 2.4% respectively, as measured from changes in body weight and body composition, the latter relative to a control group at day 0. Instantaneous fuel use, as calculated from the respiratory quotients and nitrogen quotients, indicated that relative protein use rose during starvation, but contributed at most 24% of the aerobic fuel (as carbon). Lipid metabolism fell from about 68 to 37%, and was largely replaced by carbohydrate metabolism which rose from 20 to 37%. We conclude that the two approaches measure different processes, and that the instantaneous method is preferred for physiological studies. The compositional method is influenced by greater error, and measures the fuels depleted, not necessarily burned, because of possible interconversion and excretion of fuels.

Fatty acid metabolism in freshwater fish with particular reference to polyunsaturated fatty acids

Fatty acids in fish can arise from two sources: synthesis de novo from non-lipid carbon sources within the animal, or directly from dietary lipid. Acetyl-CoA derived mainly from protein can be converted to saturated fatty acids via the combined action of acetyl-CoA carboxylase and fatty acid synthetase. The actual rate of fatty acid synthesis de novo is inversely related to the level of lipid in the diet. Freshwater fish can desaturate endogenously-synthesized fatty acids to monounsaturated fatty acids via a delta 9 desaturase but lack the necessary enzymes for complete de novo synthesis of polyunsaturated fatty acids which must therefore be obtained preformed from the diet. Most freshwater fish species can desaturate and elongate 18:2(n-6) and 18:3(n-3) to their C20 and C22 homologues but the pathways involved remain ill-defined. Cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase enzymes can convert C20 polyunsaturated fatty acids to a variety of eicosanoid products. The dietary ratio of (n-3) to (n-6) polyunsaturated fatty acids influences the pattern of eicosanoids formed. The beta-oxidation of fatty acids can occur in both mitochondria and peroxisomes but mitochondrial beta-oxidation is quantitatively more important and can utilise a wide range of fatty acid substrates.

Biochemical background for an analysis of cost-benefit interrelations in aggression

Aggression consumes important amounts of energy (e.g., in fish the effort of "routine" social life may be as costly as life-long forced swimming at moderate speeds). In fish the amount of energy spent and the metabolic compartment mobilized seem to depend on the length of cohabitation, the number of contestants and the result of the fight. In mammals, metabolic preparations for fights were shown. The fights cause elevations of both body temperature and metabolic rate, as well as important changes in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. There are evidences which show that the energetic aspects of aggressive behavior have a significant impact on the behavioral tactics and survival chances in free living animals. The relevance of these studies to game theoretical analyses and to practical aspects of the aggression-energy metabolism interrelationship are also outlined. Although many details of the phenomenon are known, important issues have to be clarified, among them the possible neuroendocrinologic co-regulation of this behavior and of its energetic background.