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De Boeck G, Lardon I, Eyckmans M, Vu TN, Laukens K, Dommisse R, Wood CM. Spiny dogfish, Squalus suckleyi, shows a good tolerance for hypoxia but need long recovery times. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 12:coae054. [PMID: 39139733 PMCID: PMC11320369 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coae054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024]
Abstract
Pacific spiny dogfish, Squalus suckleyi, move to shallow coastal waters during critical reproductive life stages and are thus at risk of encountering hypoxic events which occur more frequently in these areas. For effective conservation management, we need to fully understand the consequences of hypoxia on marine key species such as elasmobranchs. Because of their benthic life style, we hypothesized that S. suckleyi are hypoxia tolerant and able to efficiently regulate oxygen consumption, and that anaerobic metabolism is supported by a broad range of metabolites including ketones, fatty acids and amino acids. Therefore, we studied oxygen consumption rates, ventilation frequency and amplitude, blood gasses, acid-base regulation, and changes in plasma and tissue metabolites during progressive hypoxia. Our results show that critical oxygen levels (P crit) where oxyregulation is lost were indeed low (18.1% air saturation or 28.5 Torr at 13°C). However, many dogfish behaved as oxyconformers rather than oxyregulators. Arterial blood PO2 levels mostly decreased linearly with decreasing environmental PO2. Blood gases and acid-base status were dependent on open versus closed respirometry but in both set-ups ventilation frequency increased. Hypoxia below Pcrit resulted in an up-regulation of anaerobic glycolysis, as evidenced by increased lactate levels in all tissues except brain. Elasmobranchs typically rely on ketone bodies as oxidative substrates, and decreased concentrations of acetoacetate and β-hydroxybutyrate were observed in white muscle of hypoxic and/or recovering fish. Furthermore, reductions in isoleucine, glutamate, glutamine and other amino acids were observed. After 6 hours of normoxic recovery, changes persisted and only lactate returned to normal in most tissues. This emphasizes the importance of using suitable bioindicators adjusted to preferred metabolic pathways of the target species in conservation physiology. We conclude that Pacific spiny dogfish can tolerate severe transient hypoxic events, but recovery is slow and negative impacts can be expected when hypoxia persists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gudrun De Boeck
- ECOSPHERE, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaaan 171, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium
- Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, 100 Pachena Rd, Bamfield BC V0R 1B0, Canada
| | - Isabelle Lardon
- ECOSPHERE, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaaan 171, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium
- Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, 100 Pachena Rd, Bamfield BC V0R 1B0, Canada
- INVE Aquaculture, Hoogveld 93, 9200 Dendermonde, Belgium
| | - Marleen Eyckmans
- ECOSPHERE, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaaan 171, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium
- Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, 100 Pachena Rd, Bamfield BC V0R 1B0, Canada
- Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Trung Nghia Vu
- Adrem Data Lab, Department of Computer Science, University of Antwerp, Middelheimlaan 1, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Nobels väg 12A, 171 65 Solna, Sweden
| | - Kris Laukens
- Adrem Data Lab, Department of Computer Science, University of Antwerp, Middelheimlaan 1, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Roger Dommisse
- Department of Chemistry, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Chris M Wood
- Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, 100 Pachena Rd, Bamfield BC V0R 1B0, Canada
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, 6270 University Blvd, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada
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Schoen AN, Weinrauch AM, Bouyoucos IA, Treberg JR, Gary Anderson W. Hormonal effects on glucose and ketone metabolism in a perfused liver of an elasmobranch, the North Pacific spiny dogfish, Squalus suckleyi. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2024; 352:114514. [PMID: 38582175 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2024.114514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
Hormonal influence on hepatic function is a critical aspect of whole-body energy balance in vertebrates. Catecholamines and corticosteroids both influence hepatic energy balance via metabolite mobilization through glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis. Elasmobranchs have a metabolic organization that appears to prioritize the mobilization of hepatic lipid as ketone bodies (e.g. 3-hydroxybutyrate [3-HB]), which adds complexity in determining the hormonal impact on hepatic energy balance in this taxon. Here, a liver perfusion was used to investigate catecholamine (epinephrine [E]) and corticosteroid (corticosterone [B] and 11-deoxycorticosterone [DOC]) effects on the regulation of hepatic glucose and 3-HB balance in the North Pacific Spiny dogfish, Squalus suckleyi. Further, hepatic enzyme activity involved in ketogenesis (3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase), glycogenolysis (glycogen phosphorylase), and gluconeogenesis (phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase) were assessed in perfused liver tissue following hormonal application to discern effects on hepatic energy flux. mRNA transcript abundance key transporters of glucose (glut1 and glut4) and ketones (mct1 and mct2) and glucocorticoid function (gr, pepck, fkbp5, and 11βhsd2) were also measured to investigate putative cellular components involved in hepatic responses. There were no changes in the arterial-venous difference of either metabolite in all hormone perfusions. However, perfusion with DOC increased gr transcript abundance and decreased flow rate of perfusions, suggesting a regulatory role for this corticosteroid. Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase activity increased following all hormone treatments, which may suggest gluconeogenic function; E also increased 3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase activity, suggesting a function in ketogenesis, and decreased pepck and fkbp5 transcript abundance, potentially showing some metabolic regulation. Overall, we demonstrate hormonal control of hepatic energy balance using liver perfusions at various levels of biological organization in an elasmobranch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra N Schoen
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada; Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, Bamfield, BC V0R 1B0, Canada.
| | - Alyssa M Weinrauch
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada; Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, Bamfield, BC V0R 1B0, Canada
| | - Ian A Bouyoucos
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada; Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, Bamfield, BC V0R 1B0, Canada
| | - Jason R Treberg
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - W Gary Anderson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada; Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, Bamfield, BC V0R 1B0, Canada
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da Silva NCF, de Sousa Rangel B, Dos Santos Zacheo É, de Castro Ribeiro D, da Silva Ribeiro C. Metabolic organization of pregnant freshwater stingray and their offspring. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 38800844 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
The elucidation of energetic patterns in adult viviparous elasmobranchs and their offspring can contribute to understanding ecophysiological questions, such as maternal-fetal metabolism and group life-history traits. We characterized the energetic substrates in pregnant individuals and stages of offspring development in the freshwater stingray Potamotrygon amandae. Our results show that the energetic distribution of the yolk is composed of more lipids than proteins, whereas the inverse pattern is observed in the egg and uterus, proving the plasticity of the energy provision of the species. As a novelty, we describe that yolk/intestine transfer occurs in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Carvalho Fabricio da Silva
- Departamento de Biologia e Zootecnia, Laboratório de Estudos em Fisiologia Animal, UNESP, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Ilha Solteira, Brazil
| | - Bianca de Sousa Rangel
- Laboratório de Metabolismo e Reprodução de Organismos Aquáticos, Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Évillyn Dos Santos Zacheo
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biociências-Interunidades FCL/UNESP, Assis e FC/UNESP, Bauru, Departamento de Biologia e Zootecnia, Laboratório de Estudos em Fisiologia Animal, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Ilha Solteira, Brazil
| | - Douglas de Castro Ribeiro
- Departamento de Zoologia e Botânica, Laboratório de Ictiologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas, São José do Rio Preto, Brazil
| | - Cristiéle da Silva Ribeiro
- Departamento de Biologia e Zootecnia, Laboratório de Estudos em Fisiologia Animal, UNESP, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Ilha Solteira, Brazil
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Marciano J, Crawford L, Mukhopadhyay L, Scott W, McElroy A, McDonough C. Per/Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) in a Marine Apex Predator (White Shark, Carcharodon carcharias) in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean. ACS ENVIRONMENTAL AU 2024; 4:152-161. [PMID: 38765060 PMCID: PMC11100321 DOI: 10.1021/acsenvironau.3c00055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Revised: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
Per/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are ubiquitous, highly persistent anthropogenic chemicals that bioaccumulate and biomagnify in aquatic food webs and are associated with adverse health effects, including liver and kidney diseases, cancers, and immunosuppression. We investigated the accumulation of PFASs in a marine apex predator, the white shark (Carcharodon carcharias). Muscle (N = 12) and blood plasma (N = 27) samples were collected from 27 sharks during 2018-2021 OCEARCH expeditions along the eastern coast of North America from Nova Scotia to Florida. Samples were analyzed for 47 (plasma) and 43 (muscle) targeted PFASs and screened for >2600 known and novel PFASs using liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). Perfluoroalkyl carboxylates with carbon chain-length C11 to C14 were frequently detected above the method reporting limits in plasma samples, along with perfluorooctanesulfonate and perfluorodecanesulfonate. Perfluoropentadecanoate was also detected in 100% of plasma samples and concentrations were estimated semiquantitatively as no analytical standard was available. Total concentrations of frequently detected PFASs in plasma ranged from 0.56 to 2.9 ng mL-1 (median of 1.4 ng mL-1). In muscle tissue, nine targeted PFASs were frequently detected, with total concentration ranging from 0.20 to 0.84 ng g-1 ww. For all frequently detected PFASs, concentrations were greater in plasma than in muscle collected from the same organism. In both matrices, perfluorotridecanoic acid was the most abundant PFAS, consistent with several other studies. PFASs with similar chain-lengths correlated significantly among the plasma samples, suggesting similar sources. Total concentrations of PFASs in plasma were significantly greater in sharks sampled off of Nova Scotia than all sharks from other locations, potentially due to differences in diet. HRMS suspect screening tentatively identified 13 additional PFASs in plasma, though identification confidence was low, as no MS/MS fragmentation was collected due to low intensities. The widespread detection of long-chain PFASs in plasma and muscle of white sharks highlights the prevalence and potential biomagnification of these compounds in marine apex predators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Marciano
- Department
of Civil Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
| | - Lisa Crawford
- School
of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony
Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
| | - Leenia Mukhopadhyay
- Department
of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Wesley Scott
- Department
of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Anne McElroy
- School
of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony
Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
| | - Carrie McDonough
- Department
of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
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Dannemiller NG, Cray C, Westmoreland LS, Christiansen EF. Diagnostic agreement between three point-of-care glucose and β-hydroxybutyrate meters and reference laboratory methods in stingrays. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1254340. [PMID: 38173551 PMCID: PMC10761536 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1254340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Point-of-care (POC) glucose and β-hydroxybutyrate (β-HB) meters can potentially provide rapid insight into an elasmobranch's metabolic state in clinical and field research settings. This study evaluated the diagnostic agreement of three commercial POC meters against reference laboratory methods for glucose and β-HB concentrations in stingrays. Blood was collected during anesthetized exams from 28 stingrays representing four species: cownose rays (Rhinoptera bonasus), Atlantic stingrays (Hypanus sabina), southern stingrays (Hypanus americanus), and yellow stingrays (Urobatis jamaicensis). Glucose and β-HB concentrations were measured with each POC meter using whole blood and plasma; in parallel, plasma glucose and β-HB concentrations were measured via reference laboratory methods. Agreement between POC meters and reference laboratory methods was assessed using Bland-Altman methods, Passing-Bablok regression, observed total error, percent relative error, and linear mixed effect models. Plasma glucose and β-HB concentrations determined by reference laboratory methods ranged from <20-63 mg/dL to 0.05-5.38 mmol/L, respectively. One human POC meter-the Precision Xtra-showed the greatest agreement with reference laboratory methods when measuring glucose with whole blood [mean bias and 95% CI: 0 (-3-4) mg/dL] and β-HB with plasma [mean bias and 95% CI: 0.1 (-0.04-0.2) mmol/L]. Stingray sex, weight, buffy coat, and packed cell volume did not significantly affect the agreement between POC meters and reference laboratory methods. Across all three POC meters, mean bias and imprecision for plasma β-HB concentrations were relatively small (0-0.1 mmol/L and 0%, respectively). Utilizing POC meters to measure glucose and β-HB in stingrays may be viable when reference methods are unavailable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas G. Dannemiller
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
- North Carolina Aquariums, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Carolyn Cray
- Division of Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Lori S. Westmoreland
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
- North Carolina Aquariums, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Emily F. Christiansen
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
- North Carolina Aquariums, Raleigh, NC, United States
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Leite RD, Wosnick N, Lopes AP, Saint'Pierre TD, Vianna M, Hauser-Davis RA. Ecotoxicology applied to conservation: Potential negative metal and metalloid contamination effects on the homeostatic balance of the critically endangered Brazilian guitarfish, Pseudobatos horkelii (Elasmobranchii: Rhinobatidae). CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 341:140119. [PMID: 37690553 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Metal contamination poses a significant threat to elasmobranchs, underscoring the need for targeted conservation approaches. The critically endangered Brazilian guitarfish, Pseudobatos horkelii, confronts an array of challenges, notably overexploitation, putting its survival at risk. Our study investigated the potential toxicity arising from arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) contamination across various adult guitarfish tissues from southeastern Brazil. Serological stress indicators, nutritional metabolites, and creatinine, an organ function marker, were also assessed, and Selenium (Se) levels were also investigated for possible protective effects. Our investigation unveiled significant correlations between metal concentrations and the determined physiological markers, shedding light on potential adverse effects. Remarkably, six correlations were indicative of how Hg and Pb negatively impact hepatic metabolite assimilation, while As was shown to influence renal phosphorus dynamics, Cd to affect rectal gland phosphorus regulation, and Pb to influence creatinine production in muscle tissue. Furthermore, Se demonstrated protective properties against Cd, Hg, and Pb, suggesting a role in alleviating the toxicity of these elements. Despite probable protective Se influences, the detected elemental interactions still suggest potential for organ impairment. These findings gain heightened significance within the context of the cumulative stressors faced by the Brazilian guitarfish, with metal contamination exhibiting the capacity to erode this species resilience against both anthropogenic and environmental pressures, thereby disrupting systemic equilibrium and jeopardizing wild populations. By investigating the intricate balance between metal accumulation and physiological consequences, our study contributes with crucial insights into potential conservation strategy formulations towards pollution for this critically endangered elasmobranch species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata Daldin Leite
- Programa de Pós-graduação Em Ecologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal Do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Natascha Wosnick
- Programa de Pós-graduação Em Zoologia, Universidade Federal Do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Amanda Pontes Lopes
- Programa de Pós-graduação Em Biodiversidade e Saúde, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Laboratório de Avaliação e Promoção da Saúde Ambiental, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Marcelo Vianna
- Laboratório de Biologia e Tecnologia Pesqueira, UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; IMAM - AquaRio, Rio de Janeiro Aquarium Research Center, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Rachel Ann Hauser-Davis
- Laboratório de Avaliação e Promoção da Saúde Ambiental, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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Doane MP, Johnson CJ, Johri S, Kerr EN, Morris MM, Desantiago R, Turnlund AC, Goodman A, Mora M, Lima LFO, Nosal AP, Dinsdale EA. The Epidermal Microbiome Within an Aggregation of Leopard Sharks (Triakis semifasciata) Has Taxonomic Flexibility with Gene Functional Stability Across Three Time-points. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2023; 85:747-764. [PMID: 35129649 PMCID: PMC9957878 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-022-01969-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The epidermis of Chondrichthyan fishes consists of dermal denticles with production of minimal but protein-rich mucus that collectively, influence the attachment and biofilm development of microbes, facilitating a unique epidermal microbiome. Here, we use metagenomics to provide the taxonomic and functional characterization of the epidermal microbiome of the Triakis semifasciata (leopard shark) at three time-points collected across 4 years to identify links between microbial groups and host metabolism. Our aims include (1) describing the variation of microbiome taxa over time and identifying recurrent microbiome members (present across all time-points); (2) investigating the relationship between the recurrent and flexible taxa (those which are not found consistently across time-points); (3) describing the functional compositions of the microbiome which may suggest links with the host metabolism; and (4) identifying whether metabolic processes are shared across microbial genera or are unique to specific taxa. Microbial members of the microbiome showed high similarity between all individuals (Bray-Curtis similarity index = 82.7, where 0 = no overlap, 100 = total overlap) with the relative abundance of those members varying across sampling time-points, suggesting flexibility of taxa in the microbiome. One hundred and eighty-eight genera were identified as recurrent, including Pseudomonas, Erythrobacter, Alcanivorax, Marinobacter, and Sphingopxis being consistently abundant across time-points, while Limnobacter and Xyella exhibited switching patterns with high relative abundance in 2013, Sphingobium and Sphingomona in 2015, and Altermonas, Leeuwenhoekiella, Gramella, and Maribacter in 2017. Of the 188 genera identified as recurrent, the top 19 relatively abundant genera formed three recurrent groups. The microbiome also displayed high functional similarity between individuals (Bray-Curtis similarity index = 97.6) with gene function composition remaining consistent across all time-points. These results show that while the presence of microbial genera exhibits consistency across time-points, their abundances do fluctuate. Microbial functions however remain stable across time-points; thus, we suggest the leopard shark microbiomes exhibit functional redundancy. We show coexistence of microbes hosted in elasmobranch microbiomes that encode genes involved in utilizing nitrogen, but not fixing nitrogen, degrading urea, and resistant to heavy metal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael P. Doane
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia Australia
| | - Colton J. Johnson
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA USA
| | - Shaili Johri
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA USA
| | - Emma N. Kerr
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia Australia
| | | | - Ric Desantiago
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA USA
| | - Abigail C. Turnlund
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD Australia
| | - Asha Goodman
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA USA
| | - Maria Mora
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA USA
| | | | - Andrew P. Nosal
- Department of Environmental and Ocean Sciences, University of San Diego, San Diego, CA USA
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California – San Diego, CA La Jolla, USA
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Xu M, Pethybridge HR, Li Y. Trophic niche partitioning of five sympatric shark species in the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean revealed by multi-tissue fatty acid analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 214:113828. [PMID: 35817163 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Fatty acid (FA) analysis of consumer tissues has recently shown utility in drawing further inferences about trophic niche dynamics of marine predators such as sharks. In this study, we examined liver, plasma, and muscle FAs in five coexisting pelagic sharks (blue (Prionace glauca), silky (Carcharhinus falciformis), bigeye thresher (Alopias superciliosus), pelagic thresher (Alopias pelagicus), and smooth hammerhead (Sphyrna zygaena)) inhabiting the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean. Results showed complex inter- and intra-individual and tissue variation among the five shark species. Based on multivariate analysis of the muscle FAs, P. glauca and C. falciformis have the largest FA niche widths, indicating diverse feeding habits or habitat isolation, whereas A. pelagicus and S. zygaena occupied a narrower niche width, reflecting increased trophic specialization. High percentages of muscle FA niche overlap indicated strong resource competition between S.zygaena and C. falciformis and a degree of dietary isolation by P. glauca. Interpretations of feeding ecology differed based on the analysis of plasma FAs, which could be attributed to higher dietary FA turnover rates. The liver was deemed unsuitable to examine FA niche metrics based on high and unexplained intra-specific variance in liver FAs as well as the unique lipid metabolism in chondrichthyans. Overall, our multi-tissue approach revealed the magnitude of potential competitive interactions among coexisting tropical shark species. It also expanded our understanding of inter-tissue variability and best practices when using FA analysis to estimate trophic niche metrics of sharks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Xu
- College of Marine Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Heidi R Pethybridge
- Oceans and Atmosphere, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Yunkai Li
- College of Marine Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Sustainable Exploitation of Oceanic Fisheries Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China; National Engineering Research Centre for Oceanic Fisheries, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Oceanic Fisheries Exploration, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai, China.
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9
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Riverón S, Raoult V, Slip DJ, Harcourt RG. Lipid extraction has tissue-dependent effects on isotopic values (δ 34 S, δ 13 C, and δ 15 N) from different marine predators. RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY : RCM 2022; 36:e9346. [PMID: 35737589 PMCID: PMC9539579 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.9346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE The use of sulfur isotopes to study trophic ecology in marine ecosystems has increased in the past decade. Unlike other commonly used isotopes (e.g., carbon), sulfur can better discriminate benthic and pelagic productivity. However, how lipid extraction affects sulfur isotopic values has not been assessed, despite its frequent use to remove lipid effects on δ13 C values. METHODS We used white muscle and liver samples from two species of sharks and skin samples from two species of pinnipeds (sea lion and fur seal) to assess the effects of lipid extraction on stable isotope values for δ34 S, δ13 C, and δ15 N. Isotopic values were determined using a continuous flow-isotope ratio mass spectrometer coupled to an elemental analyzer. RESULTS Lipid extraction significantly decreased δ34 S values in shark tissues, more so for liver than muscle (-4.6 ± 0.9‰ vs -0.8 ± 0.3‰, average change), with nearly no change in their standard deviations. Lipid extraction did not affect δ34 S values from pinniped skin samples (0.2 ± 0.8‰, average change). After lipid extraction, consistent increases in δ13 C values (0.2‰-7.3‰) were detected as expected, especially in tissue with high lipid content (C:N >4). After lipid extraction, significant increases in δ15 N values (0.5‰-1.4‰) were found in shark muscle and liver tissues. For pinniped skin samples, δ15 N values were not significantly lower after lipid extraction (-0.4‰ to -0.1‰). CONCLUSIONS Lipid extraction did not have a strong impact on δ34 S values of shark muscle and pinniped skin (≤1‰). However, our results suggest it is essential to consider the effects of lipid extraction when interpreting results from δ34 S values of shark liver tissue, as they significantly depleted values relative to bulk tissue (~5‰). This may reflect selective removal of sulfolipids and glutathione present in higher concentrations in the liver than in muscle and skin and requires further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Riverón
- Marine Predator Research Group, School of Natural SciencesMacquarie UniversitySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Vincent Raoult
- School of Environmental and Life SciencesUniversity of NewcastleOurimbahNew South WalesAustralia
- Marine Ecology GroupSchool of Natural SciencesMacquarie UniversitySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - David J. Slip
- Marine Predator Research Group, School of Natural SciencesMacquarie UniversitySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
- Taronga Institute of Science and LearningTaronga Conservation Society AustraliaSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Robert G. Harcourt
- Marine Predator Research Group, School of Natural SciencesMacquarie UniversitySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
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10
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Energetic consequences of resource use diversity in a marine carnivore. Oecologia 2022; 200:65-78. [PMID: 36165921 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05241-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Understanding how intraspecific variation in the use of prey resources impacts energy metabolism has strong implications for predicting long-term fitness and is critical for predicting population-to-community level responses to environmental change. Here, we examine the energetic consequences of variable prey resource use in a widely distributed marine carnivore, juvenile sand tiger sharks (Carcharias taurus). We used carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis to identify three primary prey resource pools-demersal omnivores, pelagic forage, and benthic detritivores and estimated the proportional assimilation of each resource using Bayesian mixing models. We then quantified how the utilization of these resource pools impacted the concentrations of six plasma lipids and how this varied by ontogeny. Sharks exhibited variable reliance on two of three predominant prey resource pools: demersal omnivores and pelagic forage. Resource use variation was a strong predictor of energetic condition, whereby individuals more reliant upon pelagic forage exhibited higher blood plasma concentrations of very low-density lipoproteins, cholesterol, and triglycerides. These findings underscore how intraspecific variation in resource use may impact the energy metabolism of animals, and more broadly, that natural and anthropogenically driven fluctuations in prey resources could have longer term energetic consequences.
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11
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Iosilevskii G, Kong JD, Meyer CG, Watanabe YY, Papastamatiou YP, Royer MA, Nakamura I, Sato K, Doyle TK, Harman L, Houghton JDR, Barnett A, Semmens JM, Maoiléidigh NÓ, Drumm A, O'Neill R, Coffey DM, Payne NL. A general swimming response in exhausted obligate swimming fish. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022. [PMID: 36147936 DOI: 10.5061/dryad.7pvmcvdv4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Marine organisms normally swim at elevated speeds relative to cruising speeds only during strenuous activity, such as predation or escape. We measured swimming speeds of 29 ram ventilating sharks from 10 species and of three Atlantic bluefin tunas immediately after exhaustive exercise (fighting a capture by hook-and-line) and unexpectedly found all individuals exhibited a uniform mechanical response, with swimming speed initially two times higher than the cruising speeds reached approximately 6 h later. We hypothesized that elevated swimming behaviour is a means to increase energetic demand and drive the removal of lactate accumulated during capture via oxidation. To explore this hypothesis, we estimated the mechanical work that must have been spent by an animal to elevate its swim speed and then showed that the amount of lactate that could have been oxidized to fuel it comprises a significant portion of the amount of lactate normally observed in fishes after exhaustive exercise. An estimate for the full energetic cost of the catch-and-release event ensued.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Iosilevskii
- Department of Aerospace Engineering, Technion Haifa, 32000 Israel
| | - J D Kong
- School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - C G Meyer
- Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii, Kaneohe, HI 96744, USA
| | - Y Y Watanabe
- National Institute of Polar Research, Tachikawa, Japan
| | - Y P Papastamatiou
- Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33180, USA
| | - M A Royer
- Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii, Kaneohe, HI 96744, USA
| | - I Nakamura
- Organization for Marine Science and Technology, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Nagasaki 851-2213, Japan
| | - K Sato
- International Coastal Research Center, Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, Iwate, Japan
| | - T K Doyle
- Zoology, Ecology and Plant Science, Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, Cork T23 XE10, Ireland
| | - L Harman
- Zoology, Ecology and Plant Science, Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, Cork T23 XE10, Ireland
| | - J D R Houghton
- Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, County Antrim BT9 7BL, UK
| | - A Barnett
- James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | - J M Semmens
- Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
| | | | - A Drumm
- Marine Institute, Newport, County Mayo, Ireland
| | - R O'Neill
- Marine Institute, Newport, County Mayo, Ireland
| | - D M Coffey
- Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii, Kaneohe, HI 96744, USA
| | - N L Payne
- School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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12
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Hoopes LA, Clauss T, Wetherbee BM, Fox DA. Baseline Health and Nutritional Parameters of Wild Sand Tigers Sampled in Delaware Bay. JOURNAL OF AQUATIC ANIMAL HEALTH 2022; 34:101-115. [PMID: 35437805 PMCID: PMC9796768 DOI: 10.1002/aah.10156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Species-specific hematological reference values are essential for diagnosis and treatment of disease and maintaining overall health of animals. This information is lacking for many species of elasmobranchs maintained in zoos and aquaria, thus reducing the effectiveness of care for these animals. Descriptive statistics and reference intervals were calculated for hematocrit and complete blood cell counts, biochemistry and protein electrophoresis parameters, trace minerals, vitamins, heavy metals, reproductive hormones, and fatty acids in the blood of 153 wild Sand Tigers Carcharias taurus of both sexes and a range of sizes caught in Delaware Bay (Delaware, USA). Mean hematocrit, total white blood cell counts, lymphocyte differentials, glucose, phosphorus, amylase, and aspartate aminotransferase levels were significantly higher in juveniles than in adults. Levels of estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, and differences in selenium and eicosapentaenoic acid (a polyunsaturated fatty acid) between males and females suggest that they are important parameters for improving Sand Tiger breeding success in managed care. Finally, blood metal levels for arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury suggest low levels of contaminant exposure for Sand Tigers during their summer residence in Delaware Bay. The results of this study provide baseline health parameters for wild Sand Tigers that will aid in effective maintenance of aquarium animals and contribute to a greater understanding of the biology of these sharks and efforts to accomplish sustainable management of their populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa A. Hoopes
- Georgia Aquarium, Department of Research and Conservation225 Baker Street NorthwestAtlantaGeorgia30313USA
| | - Tonya Clauss
- Georgia Aquarium, Department of Animal and Environmental Health225 Baker Street NorthwestAtlantaGeorgia30313USA
| | - Bradley M. Wetherbee
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Rhode Island9 East Alumni RoadKingstonRhode Island02881USA
- Guy Harvey Research InstituteNova Southeastern UniversityDania BeachFlorida33004USA
| | - Dewayne A. Fox
- Department of Agriculture and Natural ResourcesDelaware State University1200 North Dupont HighwayDoverDelaware19901USA
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13
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Iosilevskii G, Kong JD, Meyer CG, Watanabe YY, Papastamatiou YP, Royer MA, Nakamura I, Sato K, Doyle TK, Harman L, Houghton JDR, Barnett A, Semmens JM, Maoiléidigh NÓ, Drumm A, O'Neill R, Coffey DM, Payne NL. A general swimming response in exhausted obligate swimming fish. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:211869. [PMID: 36147936 PMCID: PMC9490326 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.211869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Marine organisms normally swim at elevated speeds relative to cruising speeds only during strenuous activity, such as predation or escape. We measured swimming speeds of 29 ram ventilating sharks from 10 species and of three Atlantic bluefin tunas immediately after exhaustive exercise (fighting a capture by hook-and-line) and unexpectedly found all individuals exhibited a uniform mechanical response, with swimming speed initially two times higher than the cruising speeds reached approximately 6 h later. We hypothesized that elevated swimming behaviour is a means to increase energetic demand and drive the removal of lactate accumulated during capture via oxidation. To explore this hypothesis, we estimated the mechanical work that must have been spent by an animal to elevate its swim speed and then showed that the amount of lactate that could have been oxidized to fuel it comprises a significant portion of the amount of lactate normally observed in fishes after exhaustive exercise. An estimate for the full energetic cost of the catch-and-release event ensued.
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Affiliation(s)
- G. Iosilevskii
- Department of Aerospace Engineering, Technion Haifa, 32000 Israel
| | - J. D. Kong
- School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - C. G. Meyer
- Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii, Kaneohe, HI 96744, USA
| | | | | | - M. A. Royer
- Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii, Kaneohe, HI 96744, USA
| | - I. Nakamura
- Organization for Marine Science and Technology, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Nagasaki 851-2213, Japan
| | - K. Sato
- International Coastal Research Center, Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, Iwate, Japan
| | - T. K. Doyle
- Zoology, Ecology and Plant Science, Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, Cork T23 XE10, Ireland
| | - L. Harman
- Zoology, Ecology and Plant Science, Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, Cork T23 XE10, Ireland
| | - J. D. R. Houghton
- Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, County Antrim BT9 7BL, UK
| | - A. Barnett
- James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | - J. M. Semmens
- Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
| | | | - A. Drumm
- Marine Institute, Newport, County Mayo, Ireland
| | - R. O'Neill
- Marine Institute, Newport, County Mayo, Ireland
| | - D. M. Coffey
- Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii, Kaneohe, HI 96744, USA
| | - N. L. Payne
- School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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Osmorespiratory compromise in an elasmobranch: oxygen consumption, ventilation and nitrogen metabolism during recovery from exhaustive exercise in dogfish sharks (Squalus suckleyi). J Comp Physiol B 2022; 192:647-657. [PMID: 35838789 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-022-01447-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
The functional trade-off between respiratory gas exchange versus osmolyte and water balance that occurs at the thin, highly vascularized gills of fishes has been termed the osmorespiratory compromise. Increases in gas exchange capacity for meeting elevated oxygen demands can end up favoring the passive movement of osmolytes and water, potentially causing a disturbance in osmotic balance. This phenomenon has been studied only sparsely in marine elasmobranchs. Our goal was to evaluate the effects of exhaustive exercise (as a modulator of oxygen demand) on oxygen consumption (MO2), branchial losses of nitrogenous products (ammonia and urea-N), diffusive water exchange rates, and gill ventilation (frequency and amplitude), in the Pacific spiny dogfish (Squalus suckleyi). To that end, MO2, osmolyte fluxes, diffusive water exchange rate, and ventilation dynamics were first measured under resting control conditions, then sharks were exercised until exhaustion (20 min), and the same parameters were monitored for the subsequent 4 h of recovery. While MO2 nearly doubled immediately after exercise and remained elevated for 2 h, ventilation dynamics did not change, suggesting that fish were increasing oxygen extraction efficiency at the gills. Diffusive water flux rates (measured over 0-2 h of recovery) were not affected. Ammonia losses were elevated by 7.6-fold immediately after exercise and remained elevated for 3 h into recovery, while urea-N losses were elevated only 1.75-fold and returned to control levels after 1 h. These results are consistent with previous investigations using different challenges (hypoxia, high temperature) and point to a tighter regulation of urea-N conservation mechanisms at the gills, likely due to the use of urea as a prized osmolyte in elasmobranchs. Environmental hyperoxia offered no relief from the osmorespiratory compromise, as there were no effects on any of the parameters measured during recovery from exhaustive exercise.
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Wosnick N, Leite RD, Giareta EP, Morick D, Hauser-Davis RA. Unraveling Metabolite Provisioning to Offspring Through Parental Fluids: A Case Study of the Brazilian Guitarfish, Pseudobatos horkelii. Front Physiol 2022; 13:911617. [PMID: 35795650 PMCID: PMC9251413 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.911617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Elasmobranchs have a very distinct metabolism, and many aspects related to the energetic dynamics of these animals remain poorly investigated. The reproductive period is particularly vulnerable for viviparous species, as part of the energy reserves of the parental biomass is reallocated for gamete production and embryo development. In this context, this study aimed to characterize parental metabolite provisioning to the offspring (both sperm and developing embryos) of the Brazilian Guitarfish, Pseudobatos horkelii, through glucose, β-hydroxybutyrate, triglycerides, and total cholesterol determinations in the uterine liquid (UL) and serum of pregnant females and in the seminal fluid (SF) and serum of males during the copulation period. No significant difference was observed for the analyzed markers between the UL and SF. Except for triglycerides, higher in female serum samples, all other energy markers were present at similar concentrations in the serum of both females and males. When comparing female UL and serum, significant differences were observed for triglycerides and total cholesterol. No differences were observed between SF and serum in males. The results indicate that all markers are being made available to offspring, possibly complementary to the yolk in the case of maternal liquid, and as an additional source for sperm mobilization required during egg fertilization in the case of the paternal fluid. Correlations between the markers in the parental matrices were also noted, compatible with the metabolic pathways activated during energy mobilization in vertebrates. Moreover, distinct marker predominance patterns were also noted for both UL and SF. Energy mobilization characterization directed to offspring through parental fluids aids in unraveling metabolic dynamics during the reproduction stage while also providing support for stress physiology studies to evaluate the indirect effects of parental allostatic overload in both sperm and developing embryos. Finally, energy mobilization assessments of parental fluids may also help elucidate how internal fertilization and viviparity evolved in this very distinct taxonomic group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natascha Wosnick
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Natascha Wosnick, ; Rachel Ann Hauser-Davis,
| | - Renata Daldin Leite
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
| | | | - Danny Morick
- Morris Kahn Marine Research Station, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- Department of Marine Biology, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- Hong Kong Branch of Southern Marine Science and Engineering, Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Rachel Ann Hauser-Davis
- Laboratório de Avaliação e Promoção da Saúde Ambiental, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Natascha Wosnick, ; Rachel Ann Hauser-Davis,
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16
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Shipley ON, Olin JA, Whiteman JP, Bethea DM, Newsome SD. Bulk and amino acid nitrogen isotopes suggest shifting nitrogen balance of pregnant sharks across gestation. Oecologia 2022; 199:313-328. [PMID: 35718810 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05197-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Nitrogen isotope (δ15N) analysis of bulk tissues and individual amino acids (AA) can be used to assess how consumers maintain nitrogen balance with broad implications for predicting individual fitness. For elasmobranchs, a ureotelic taxa thought to be constantly nitrogen limited, the isotopic effects associated with nitrogen-demanding events such as prolonged gestation remain unknown. Given the linkages between nitrogen isotope variation and consumer nitrogen balance, we used AA δ15N analysis of muscle and liver tissue collected from female bonnethead sharks (Sphyrna tiburo, n = 16) and their embryos (n = 14) to explore how nitrogen balance may vary across gestation. Gestational stage was a strong predictor of bulk tissue and AA δ15N values in pregnant shark tissues, decreasing as individuals neared parturition. This trend was observed in trophic (e.g., Glx, Ala, Val), source (e.g., Lys), and physiological (e.g., Gly) AAs. Several potential mechanisms may explain these results including nitrogen conservation, scavenging, and bacterially mediated breakdown of urea to free ammonia that is used to synthesize AAs. We observed contrasting patterns of isotopic discrimination in embryo tissues, which generally became enriched in 15N throughout development. This was attributed to greater excretion of nitrogenous waste in more developed embryos, and the role of physiologically sensitive AAs (i.e., Gly and Ser) to molecular processes such as nucleotide synthesis. These findings underscore how AA isotopes can quantify shifts in nitrogen balance, providing unequivocal evidence for the role of physiological condition in driving δ15N variation in both bulk tissues and individual AAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver N Shipley
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA. .,Beneath the Waves, PO Box 126, Herndon, VA, 20172, USA.
| | - Jill A Olin
- Biological Sciences, Great Lakes Research Center, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI, 49931, USA
| | - John P Whiteman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, 23529, USA
| | - Dana M Bethea
- NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office, Saint Petersburg, FL, 33701, USA
| | - Seth D Newsome
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
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17
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Acute Stress in Lesser-Spotted Catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula Linnaeus, 1758) Promotes Amino Acid Catabolism and Osmoregulatory Imbalances. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12091192. [PMID: 35565621 PMCID: PMC9105869 DOI: 10.3390/ani12091192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In catsharks (Scyliorhinus canicula), air exposure induces amino acid catabolism altogether with osmoregulatory imbalances. This study describes a novel NHE isoform being expressed in gills that may be involved in ammonium excretion. Abstract Acute-stress situations in vertebrates induce a series of physiological responses to cope with the event. While common secondary stress responses include increased catabolism and osmoregulatory imbalances, specific processes depend on the taxa. In this sense, these processes are still largely unknown in ancient vertebrates such as marine elasmobranchs. Thus, we challenged the lesser spotted catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula) to 18 min of air exposure, and monitored their recovery after 0, 5, and 24 h. This study describes amino acid turnover in the liver, white muscle, gills, and rectal gland, and plasma parameters related to energy metabolism and osmoregulatory imbalances. Catsharks rely on white muscle amino acid catabolism to face the energy demand imposed by the stressor, producing NH4+. While some plasma ions (K+, Cl− and Ca2+) increased in concentration after 18 min of air exposure, returning to basal values after 5 h of recovery, Na+ increased after just 5 h of recovery, coinciding with a decrease in plasma NH4+. These changes were accompanied by increased activity of a branchial amiloride-sensitive ATPase. Therefore, we hypothesize that this enzyme may be a Na+/H+ exchanger (NHE) related to NH4+ excretion. The action of an omeprazole-sensitive ATPase, putatively associated to a H+/K+-ATPase (HKA), is also affected by these allostatic processes. Some complementary experiments were carried out to delve a little deeper into the possible branchial enzymes sensitive to amiloride, including in vivo and ex vivo approaches, and partial sequencing of a nhe1 in the gills. This study describes the possible presence of an HKA enzyme in the rectal gland, as well as a NHE in the gills, highlighting the importance of understanding the relationship between acute stress and osmoregulation in elasmobranchs.
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18
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Alves LMF, Lemos MFL, Cabral H, Novais SC. Elasmobranchs as bioindicators of pollution in the marine environment. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 176:113418. [PMID: 35150988 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Bioindicator species are increasingly valuable in environmental pollution monitoring, and elasmobranch species include many suitable candidates for that role. By measuring contaminants and employing biomarkers of effect in relevant elasmobranch species, scientists may gain important insights about the impacts of pollution in marine ecosystems. This review compiles biomarkers applied in elasmobranchs to assess the effect of pollutants (e.g., metals, persistent organic pollutants, and plastics), and the environmental changes induced by anthropogenic activities (e.g., shifts in marine temperature, pH, and oxygenation). Over 30 biomarkers measured in more than 12 species were examined, including biotransformation biomarkers (e.g., cytochrome P450 1A), oxidative stress-related biomarkers (e.g., superoxide anion, lipid peroxidation, catalase, and vitamins), stress proteins (e.g., heat shock protein 70), reproductive and endocrine biomarkers (e.g., vitellogenin), osmoregulation biomarkers (e.g., trimethylamine N-oxide, Na+/K+-ATPase, and plasma ions), energetic and neurotoxic biomarkers (e.g., lactate dehydrogenase, lactate, and cholinesterases), and histopathological and morphologic biomarkers (e.g., tissue lesions and gross indices).
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Affiliation(s)
- Luís M F Alves
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ESTM, Politécnico de Leiria, Portugal.
| | - Marco F L Lemos
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ESTM, Politécnico de Leiria, Portugal
| | | | - Sara C Novais
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ESTM, Politécnico de Leiria, Portugal
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19
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Evolutionary conservation of a regulative pathway of erythropoiesis in Poikilothermic vertebrates. Sci Rep 2022; 12:3307. [PMID: 35228540 PMCID: PMC8885823 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-06617-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Apoptosis, programmed cell death, plays a central role in haematopoiesis. Mature erythrocytes of non-mammalian vertebrates maintain a permanent nucleus; these cells can undergo apoptosis (eryptosis), as do other somatic cells of a given non-mammalian vertebrate. In this study, we have investigated the expression and subcellular distribution of Bcl-2, Bcl-XL and Bax proteins in the maturation phases and after X-ray irradiation of nucleated erythrocytes of Torpedo marmorata and Caretta caretta and the effect of X-ray irradiation on nucleated circulating erythrocytes of Torpedo marmorata. The cellular distribution of proteins was detected in erythrocytes by using immunocytochemistry at light microscopy and immunoelectron microscopy. The electrophoretic separation and immunoblotting of pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins of immature and mature erythroid cells was performed too, after X-ray irradiation of torpedoes. The results of the immunocytochemical analyses show an increase, in the expression level of Bax in mature as compared to young erythrocytes and a corresponding decrease of Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL. This maturation pattern of Bax, Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL was abrogated in X-ray irradiated torpedo erythrocytes. On the basis of these observations, Bax, Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL seems to play a role in the erythropoiesis of Torpedo marmorata Risso and in Caretta caretta. In conclusion, the same apoptotic proteins of somatic cells appear to be conserved in circulating nucleated erythrocytes thus suggesting to play a role in the maturation of these cells.
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20
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Cabrera-Busto J, Mancera JM, Ruiz-Jarabo I. Cortisol and Dexamethasone Mediate Glucocorticoid Actions in the Lesser Spotted Catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula). BIOLOGY 2021; 11:biology11010056. [PMID: 35053054 PMCID: PMC8772811 DOI: 10.3390/biology11010056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 12/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Simple Summary For the first time, glucocorticoid actions of corticosteroids are evidenced in vivo and ex vivo in sharks, highlighting the importance of carbohydrate metabolism in situations of high-energy expenditure in this taxonomical group. Long-term (7 days) in vivo administration of dexamethasone (DEX, a synthetic glucocorticoid) decreased 1α-hydroxycorticosterone (1α-OHB, the main corticosteroid hormone in sharks), while also modified carbohydrates metabolism in liver and white muscle. Short-term (1 to 5 h) ex vivo incubation of liver and muscle explants with cortisol (corticosteroid not present in sharks) and DEX revealed glucose secretion mediated by glucocorticoid receptors (GR), as seen by the employment of mifepristone (a GR inhibitor). Abstract Corticosteroids are hormones produced in vertebrates exerting gluco- and mineralocorticoid actions (GC and MC) mediated by specific receptors (GR and MR, respectively). In elasmobranchs, the major circulating corticosteroid is the 1α-hydroxycorticosterone (1α-OHB). This hormone acts as a MC, but to date its role as a GC has not been established. As there is no 1α-OHB standard available, here we employed a set of in vivo and ex vivo approaches to test GC actions of other corticosteroids in the lesser spotted catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula). Dexamethasone (DEX, a synthetic corticosteroid) slow-release implants decreased plasma 1α-OHB levels after 7 days, and modified carbohydrates metabolism in liver and white muscle (energy stores and metabolic enzymes). In addition, ex vivo culture of liver and white muscle explants confirmed GC actions of corticosteroids not naturally present in sharks (cortisol and DEX) by increasing glucose secretion from these tissues. Dose–response curves induced by cortisol and DEX, altogether with the use of specific GR inhibitor mifepristone, confirmed the involvement of GR mediating glucose secretion. This study highlights the influence of corticosteroids in the glucose balance of S. canicula, though the role of 1α-OHB as a GC hormone in sharks should be further confirmed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juncal Cabrera-Busto
- Departament of Biology, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Campus de Excelencia Internacional del Mar (CEI-MAR), Universidad de Cádiz, 11510 Puerto Real, Spain; (J.C.-B.); (J.M.M.)
| | - Juan M. Mancera
- Departament of Biology, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Campus de Excelencia Internacional del Mar (CEI-MAR), Universidad de Cádiz, 11510 Puerto Real, Spain; (J.C.-B.); (J.M.M.)
| | - Ignacio Ruiz-Jarabo
- Departament of Biology, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Campus de Excelencia Internacional del Mar (CEI-MAR), Universidad de Cádiz, 11510 Puerto Real, Spain; (J.C.-B.); (J.M.M.)
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University Complutense Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-913944984
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21
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de Lima CL, Morales-Gamba RD, Malcher Neto TS, Barcellos JFM, Heinzmann BM, Schmidt D, Baldisserotto B, Marcon JL. Eugenol and Lippia alba essential oils as effective anesthetics for the Amazonian freshwater stingray Potamotrygon wallacei (Chondrichthyes, Potamotrygonidae). FISH PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY 2021; 47:2101-2120. [PMID: 34807332 DOI: 10.1007/s10695-021-01029-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This study assessed the potential of eugenol and the essential oil of Lippia alba (EOLA) in providing suitable anesthetic induction and recovery times, and their consequent effects on the blood and respiratory physiology, as well as the gill architecture of an Amazonian freshwater stingray, Potamotrygon wallacei, shortly after reaching the recovery and 48 h later. Juveniles of P. wallacei were exposed to increasing concentrations of eugenol (75, 100, 125, and 150 µL L-1) and EOLA (150, 175, 200, and 225 µL L-1) in an immersion bath. Anesthetic induction was found to be faster with the use of eugenol compared to EOLA. On the other hand, the stingrays anesthetized with eugenol displayed a longer recovery time than those exposed to EOLA. The highest concentrations of eugenol caused moderate to severe histological changes in the gills. No significant changes were found for hematocrit and plasma energy metabolites in the stingrays anesthetized with all concentrations of both eugenol and EOLA shortly after reaching the recovery from the ansthesia, when compared to those recovered after 48 h. Investigations regarding the potential use of these natural anesthetics are unprecedented for freshwater stingray species, and 200 μL L-1 EOLA is recommended as the most suitable anesthetic for use in juveniles of P. wallacei.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristiano Lopes de Lima
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Aquicultura, Universidade Nilton Lins, Av. Prof. Nilton Lins, 3259, 69058-030, Manaus, Amazonas, Brasil
- Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Amazonas - IFAM, Campus Manaus Zona Leste- CMZL, Av. Cosme Ferreira, 8045, 69083-000, Manaus, Amazonas, Brasil
| | - Ruben Dario Morales-Gamba
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Amazonas (UFAM), Av. Rodrigo Octavio 1200, 6200, 69080-900, Manaus, Amazonas, Brasil
| | - Thiago Santana Malcher Neto
- Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Amazonas - IFAM, Campus Manaus Zona Leste- CMZL, Av. Cosme Ferreira, 8045, 69083-000, Manaus, Amazonas, Brasil
| | - José Fernando Marques Barcellos
- Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal Do Amazonas (UFAM). Av. Gen. Rodrigo Octávio, 6200 Coroado I. 69080-900, Manaus, Amazonas, Brasil
| | - Berta Maria Heinzmann
- Departamento de Farmácia Industrial, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Av. Roraima, 1000, 97105-900, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil
| | - Denise Schmidt
- Departamento de Ciências Agronômicas e Ambientais, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Campus de Frederico Westphalen, Frederico Westphalen, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil
| | - Bernardo Baldisserotto
- Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Av. Roraima, 1000, 97105-900, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil
| | - Jaydione Luiz Marcon
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Aquicultura, Universidade Nilton Lins, Av. Prof. Nilton Lins, 3259, 69058-030, Manaus, Amazonas, Brasil.
- Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Amazonas (UFAM). Av. Gen. Rodrigo Octávio, 6200. Coroado I. 69080-900. Manaus, Amazonas, Brasil.
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Schoen AN, Treberg JR, Wheaton CJ, Mylniczenko N, Gary Anderson W. Energy and corticosteroid mobilization following an induced stress response in an elasmobranch fish, the North Pacific spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias suckleyi). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2021; 310:113799. [PMID: 33961877 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2021.113799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The dominant corticosteroid in elasmobranchs, 1α-hydroxycorticosterone (1α-OHB), has a described role in mineral regulation but a presumptive role in energy balance. Energy demand in vertebrates following exposure to a stressor typically involves an immediate but transient release of glucocorticoids as a means of mobilizing available energy stores, usually in the form of glucose. Although a glucocorticoid role for 1α-OHB would be expected, direct glucocorticoid function of this steroid has yet to be reported in any elasmobranch. In addition, elasmobranchs also utilize the metabolite β-hydroxybutyrate (β-HB), which is thought to replace the role fatty acids play in most vertebrates as a predominant fuel source in extrahepatic tissues. To determine the mobilization of metabolites and corticosteroids during a stress event, North Pacific spiny dogfish, Squalus acanthias suckleyi, were cannulated and held in a darkened isolation box to recover (24-48 h) before being subjected to an acute air exposure or corticosterone injection. Dogfish were then serially blood sampled at nine timepoints over 48 h. Glucose, β-HB, 1α-OHB, corticosterone, as well as lactate, pH, and osmolality were quantified in plasma samples. All measured variables increased in control and treatment groups within 48 h from the start of experimentation, and β-HB and 1α-OHB remained elevated for the duration of the experiment. There was no linear correlation between glucose and 1α-OHB, but there was a weak (R2 = 0.230) although significant (p = 0.001), positive correlation between β-HB and 1α-OHB. Interestingly, there were also significant correlations between increasing circulating glucose and corticosterone (R2 = 0.349; p < 0.001), and decreasing β-HB and corticosterone concentrations (R2 = 0.180; p = 0.008). Our data suggest that following successive stressors of capture, surgery, and confinement, 1α-OHB was not correlated with circulating glucose, only weakly correlated with circulating β-HB concentrations (R2 = 0.230; p = 0.001), and that corticosterone may also serve a role in energy mobilization in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra N Schoen
- Department of Biological Sciences, 50 Sifton Road, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg R3T 2N2, Manitoba, Canada; Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, 100 Pachena Road, Bamfield R3T 0A8, British Columbia, Canada.
| | - Jason R Treberg
- Department of Biological Sciences, 50 Sifton Road, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg R3T 2N2, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Catharine J Wheaton
- Disney Animals, Science and Environment, Disney's Animal Kingdom® and the Seas with Nemo and Friends®, Lake Buena Vista 32830, FL, USA
| | - Natalie Mylniczenko
- Disney Animals, Science and Environment, Disney's Animal Kingdom® and the Seas with Nemo and Friends®, Lake Buena Vista 32830, FL, USA
| | - W Gary Anderson
- Department of Biological Sciences, 50 Sifton Road, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg R3T 2N2, Manitoba, Canada; Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, 100 Pachena Road, Bamfield R3T 0A8, British Columbia, Canada
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23
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Prado AC, Wosnick N, Adams K, Leite RD, Freire CA. Capture‐induced vulnerability in male Shortnose guitarfish during their reproductive period. Anim Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Aline Cristina Prado
- Laboratório de Fisiologia Comparativa de Osmorregulação Departamento de Fisiologia Universidade Federal do Paraná Curitiba Paraná Brazil
| | - Natascha Wosnick
- Programa de Pós‐graduação em Zoologia Universidade Federal do Paraná Curitiba Paraná Brazil
| | - Kye Adams
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Western Australia, Crawley WA Australia
| | - Renata Daldin Leite
- Laboratório de Fisiologia Comparativa de Osmorregulação Departamento de Fisiologia Universidade Federal do Paraná Curitiba Paraná Brazil
| | - Carolina Arruda Freire
- Laboratório de Fisiologia Comparativa de Osmorregulação Departamento de Fisiologia Universidade Federal do Paraná Curitiba Paraná Brazil
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24
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Wosnick N, Niella Y, Hammerschlag N, Chaves AP, Hauser-Davis RA, da Rocha RCC, Jorge MB, de Oliveira RWS, Nunes JLS. Negative metal bioaccumulation impacts on systemic shark health and homeostatic balance. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 168:112398. [PMID: 33906010 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2020] [Revised: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Contamination by metals is among the most pervasive anthropogenic threats to the environment. Despite the ecological importance of marine apex predators, the potential negative impacts of metal bioaccumulation and biomagnification on the health of higher trophic level species remains unclear. To date, most toxicology studies in sharks have focused on measuring metal concentrations in muscle tissues associating human consumption and food safety, without further investigating potential impacts on shark health. To help address this knowledge gap, the present study evaluated metal concentrations in the gills, muscle, liver and rectal gland of coastal sharks opportunistically sampled from Brazilian waters and tested for potential relationships between metal bioaccumulation and general shark health and homeostatic balance metrics. Results revealed high metal concentrations in all four tissue types, with levels varying in relation to size, sex, and life-stage. Metal concentrations were also associated with serum biomarkers (urea, lactate, ALT, triglycerides, alkaline phosphatase, and phosphorus) and body condition, suggesting potential negative impacts on organismal health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natascha Wosnick
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Brazil.
| | - Yuri Niella
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Neil Hammerschlag
- Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Florida, United States
| | - Ana Paula Chaves
- Analytical and System Toxicology Laboratory, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (USP), SP, Brazil
| | - Rachel Ann Hauser-Davis
- Laboratório de Avaliação e Promoção da Saúde Ambiental, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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25
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Lyons K, Adams DH, Bizzarro JJ. Evaluation of muscle tissue as a non-lethal proxy for liver and brain organic contaminant loads in an elasmobranch, the Bonnethead Shark (Sphyrna tiburo). MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 167:112327. [PMID: 33873040 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Elasmobranch ecotoxicological investigations are complicated because accessing organs that accumulate organic contaminants is usually lethal. Several metrics among liver, muscle, and brain were evaluated to determine their relative organic contaminant loads and the efficacy of using muscle as a non-lethal proxy for liver. Liver contained the highest concentrations (368-4020 ng/g wet weigth [ww]) and greatest estimated total load of contaminants. Brain had higher toxin concentrations than muscle (4.18-84.2 ng/g ww versus 0.94-4.73 ng/g ww). Liver and brain were similar to each other in terms of contaminant detection occurrence and signature overlap, whereas muscle poorly reflected those of liver and brain. However, the identity of contaminants detected in muscle constituted those that substantially contributed to summed liver and brain concentrations. Thus, studies utilizing muscle as a non-lethal liver alternative to study organic contaminant exposure in elasmobranchs should craft questions with care, considering its limited ability to serve as an accurate proxy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kady Lyons
- Georgia Aquarium, 225 Baker St NW, Atlanta, GA 30313, USA.
| | - Douglas H Adams
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Melbourne FL, USA
| | - Joseph J Bizzarro
- Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, Moss Landing CA, USA; University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz CA, USA
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26
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Lyons K, Wynne-Edwards KE. Sublethal, sex-specific, osmotic, and metabolic impairments in embryonic and adult round stingrays from a location exposed to environmental contamination in southern California, USA. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:27493-27510. [PMID: 33511533 PMCID: PMC8164579 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-12546-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Organic contaminants are known to affect a suite of physiological processes across vertebrate clades. However, despite their ancient lineage and important roles in maintaining healthy ecosystems, elasmobranchs (sharks, skates, and rays) are understudied with regard to sublethal effects of contaminant exposure on metabolic processes. Perturbations resulting from contaminant exposure can divert energy away from maintaining physiological homeostasis, particularly during energetically challenging life stages, such as pregnancy and embryonic development. Using the round stingray (Urobatis halleri) as a model elasmobranch species, we captured adult males and pregnant females (matrotrophic histotrophy) and their embryos from two populations differing in their environmental exposure to organic contaminants (primarily polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)). Pregnant females from the PCB-exposed population experienced significant decreases from early- to late-pregnancy in tissue mass and quality not seen in reference females. PCB-exposed pregnant females also failed to maintain plasma urea concentrations as pregnancy progressed, which was accompanied by a loss in muscle protein content. Despite the energetic demands of late-term pregnancy, females had significantly greater liver lipid content than reproductively inactive adult males. PCB-exposed adult males also had high metabolic capacity (i.e., enzyme activity) for most substrate groupings of all sex-site groups, suggesting that males may be even more negatively impacted by contaminant exposure than pregnant females. Evidence that in utero exposure to PCBs via maternal offloading impairs embryo outcomes is accumulating. Embryos from the PCB-contaminated site had lower tissue quality measures and indications that sex-based differences were manifesting in utero as males had higher metabolic capacities than females. This study indicates that accumulated PCB contaminants are not physiologically inert in the stingray.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kady Lyons
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada.
- Georgia Aquarium, 225 Baker St NW, Atlanta, GA, 30313, USA.
| | - Katherine E Wynne-Edwards
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Dr. NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada
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27
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Moorhead SG, Gallagher AJ, Merly L, Hammerschlag N. Variation of body condition and plasma energy substrates with life stage, sex, and season in wild-sampled nurse sharks Ginglymostoma cirratum. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2021; 98:680-693. [PMID: 33161578 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/07/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Reported here are the relationships among morphological (i.e., body condition) and biochemical (i.e., plasma concentrations of triglycerides, cholesterol, free fatty acids, and ketone bodies and ketone body ratios) parameters related to energy storage and use, as well as the variation of such parameters, for 107 free-ranging nurse sharks Ginglymostoma cirratum sampled off South Florida. Immature G. cirratum exhibited a higher variance in body condition, plasma free fatty acid concentrations and ketone body ratios compared to adults. Mature female G. cirratum had significantly higher body condition than mature males, driven by a seasonal increase in mature female body condition during the wet season. Mature male G. cirratum showed a decrease in the ketone body β-hydroxybutyric acid during the dry season. Taken together, this study provides a baseline assessment of body condition and internal physiological state for a data-poor marine species and demonstrates significant ontogenetic, sexual and seasonal variation in G. cirratum energetic state. As concluded by other studies of energy metabolism in free-ranging sharks, this research highlights the importance of considering intraspecific patterns and sampling context for inferring the drivers of variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon G Moorhead
- Department of Marine Ecosystems and Society, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Austin J Gallagher
- Beneath the Waves, Herndon, Virginia, USA
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Liza Merly
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Neil Hammerschlag
- Department of Marine Ecosystems and Society, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
- Leonard and Jayne Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, USA
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28
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Pahl KB, Yurkowski DJ, Wintner SP, Cliff G, Dicken ML, Hussey NE. Determining the appropriate pretreatment procedures and the utility of liver tissue for bulk stable isotope (δ 13 C and δ 15 N) studies in sharks. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2021; 98:829-841. [PMID: 33251592 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Stable-isotope analysis (SIA) provides a valuable tool to address complex questions pertaining to elasmobranch ecology. Liver, a metabolically active, high turnover tissue (~166 days for 95% turnover), has the potential to reveal novel insights into recent feeding/movement behaviours of this diverse group. To date, limited work has used this tissue, but ecological application of SIA in liver requires consideration of tissue preparation techniques given the potential for high concentrations of urea and lipid that could bias δ13 C and δ15 N values (i.e., result in artificially lower δ13 C and δ15 N values). Here we investigated the effectiveness of (a) deionized water washing (WW) for urea removal from liver tissue and (b) chloroform-methanol for extraction of lipids from this lipid rich tissue. We then (a) established C:N thresholds for deriving ecologically relevant liver isotopic values given complications of removing all lipid and (b) undertook a preliminary comparison of δ13 C values between tissue pairs (muscle and liver) to test if observed isotopic differences correlated with known movement behaviour. Tests were conducted on four large shark species: the dusky (DUS, Carcharhinus obscurus), sand tiger (RAG, Carcharias taurus), scalloped hammerhead (SCA, Sphyrna lewini) and white shark (GRE, Carcharodon carcharias). There was no significant difference in δ15 N values between lipid-extracted (LE) liver and lipid-extracted/water washed (WW) treatments, however, WW resulted in significant increases in %N, δ13 C and %C. Following lipid extraction (repeated three times), some samples were still biased by lipids. Our species-specific "C:N thresholds" provide a method to derive ecologically viable isotope data given the complexities of this lipid rich tissue (C:N thresholds of 4.0, 3.6, 4.7 and 3.9 for DUS, RAG, SCA and GRE liverLEWW tissue, respectively). The preliminary comparison of C:N threshold corrected liver and muscle δ13 C values corresponded with movement/habitat behaviours for each shark; minor differences in δ13 C values were observed for known regional movements of DUS and RAG (δ13 CDiffs = 0.24 ± 0.99‰ and 0.57 ± 0.38‰, respectively), while SCA and GRE showed greater differences (1.24 ± 0.63‰ and 1.08 ± 0.71‰, respectively) correlated to large-scale movements between temperate/tropical and pelagic/coastal environments. These data provide an approach for the successful application of liver δ13 C and δ15 N values to examine elasmobranch ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Blue Pahl
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
| | - David J Yurkowski
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institute, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Sabine P Wintner
- KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board, Maritime Centre of Excellence, Umhlanga Rocks, Umhlanga, South Africa
- Biomedical Resource Unit, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
- College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Geremy Cliff
- KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board, Maritime Centre of Excellence, Umhlanga Rocks, Umhlanga, South Africa
- Biomedical Resource Unit, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
- College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Matthew L Dicken
- KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board, Maritime Centre of Excellence, Umhlanga Rocks, Umhlanga, South Africa
- Department of Development Studies, School of Economics, Development and Tourism, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
- College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Nigel E Hussey
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
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29
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Physiology: An Important Tool to Assess the Welfare of Aquatic Animals. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10010061. [PMID: 33467525 PMCID: PMC7830356 DOI: 10.3390/biology10010061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2020] [Revised: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Ensuring a good quality of life for animals is a matter of concern. Welfare assessment has been quite well developed for many terrestrial species, but it is less well characterized for aquatic animals. Classic methodologies, such as behavioral observation, seem unable to improve the wellbeing of aquatic animals when used alone, mainly due to the large number of species and the difficulty to obtain comparative results among taxa. For this reason, it is necessary to identify more methodologies that may be common to the main aquatic taxa of interest to humans: Fish, cephalopods, and crustaceans. Here we present a physiological framework for these taxa as a proxy to evaluate aquatic animal welfare. Physiology is a useful tool in this regard, since animals maintain their homeostasis in a range of values determined for each parameter. Changes occur depending on the type and degree of stress to which animals are subjected. Therefore, understanding the physiology of stress can offer information that helps improve the welfare of aquatic animals. Abstract The assessment of welfare in aquatic animals is currently under debate, especially concerning those kept by humans. The classic concept of animal welfare includes three elements: The emotional state of the organism (including the absence of negative experiences), the possibility of expressing normal behaviors, and the proper functioning of the organism. While methods for evaluating their emotions (such as fear, pain, and anguish) are currently being developed for aquatic species and understanding the natural behavior of all aquatic taxa that interact with humans is a task that requires more time, the evaluation of internal responses in the organisms can be carried out using analytical tools. This review aims to show the potential of the physiology of crustaceans, cephalopods, elasmobranchs, teleosts, and dipnoans to serve as indicators of their wellbeing. Since the classical methods of assessing welfare are laborious and time-consuming by evaluation of fear, pain, and anguish, the assessment may be complemented by physiological approaches. This involves the study of stress responses, including the release of hormones and their effects. Therefore, physiology may be of help in improving animal welfare.
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30
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Iki A, Anderson WG, Deck CA, Ogihara MH, Ikeba K, Kataoka H, Hyodo S. Measurement of 1α hydroxycorticosterone in the Japanese banded houndshark, Triakis scyllium, following exposure to a series of stressors. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2020; 292:113440. [PMID: 32067929 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2020.113440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Revised: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
An endocrine glucocorticoid response following exposure to a stressor has been well described for many vertebrates. However, despite demonstration of secondary stress responses in a number of elasmobranchs, our understanding of the endocrine control of these responses is lacking. This is largely due to the unusual structure of the dominant corticosteroid in elasmobranch fish, 1α-hydroxycorticosterone (1α-OH-B). Here we describe plasma extraction and HPLC separation procedures that allowed for the measurement of 1α-OH-B and corticosterone from plasma samples in the cannulated, conscious free-swimming Japanese banded houndshark, Triakis scyllium. While patterns of concentration in the plasma for 1α-OH-B and corticosterone were found to be similar in all experiments conducted, circulating levels of 1α-OH-B were consistently 100-fold greater than circulating levels of corticosterone. Immediately following cannulation surgery, circulating levels of 1α-OH-B increased 7-fold compared to pre-surgery levels, while the levels were 11-fold higher than pre-stress levels 30 min post a repeated handling/air-exposure stress. A three week period of fasting resulted in a 22-fold increase in circulating levels of 1α-OH-B in the banded houndshark. This is the first report of direct measurement of changes in circulating levels of the primary corticosteroid in elasmobranch fish, 1α-OH-B, following exposure to a stressor such as handling/air-exposure. Data indicate the steroid may respond similarly to the classic glucocorticoid response, such as cortisol in teleosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayuko Iki
- Laboratory of Physiology, Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8564, Japan
| | - W Gary Anderson
- Laboratory of Physiology, Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8564, Japan; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, 50 Sifton Road, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Courtney A Deck
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, 3510 Thomas Hall Campus Box 7614 Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Mari H Ogihara
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8562, Japan
| | - Kiriko Ikeba
- Laboratory of Physiology, Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8564, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kataoka
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8562, Japan
| | - Susumu Hyodo
- Laboratory of Physiology, Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8564, Japan.
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31
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AtallahBenson L, Merly L, Cray C, Hammerschlag N. Serum Protein Analysis of Nurse Sharks. JOURNAL OF AQUATIC ANIMAL HEALTH 2020; 32:77-82. [PMID: 32012365 DOI: 10.1002/aah.10100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Serum protein electrophoresis (EPH) is used to assess relative concentrations of blood proteins in clinical and biological studies. Serum EPH fractions have been determined for elasmobranchs using mammalian albumin, alpha 1-, alpha 2-, beta-, and gamma-globulin fractions, and have been deemed fractions 1 through 5, respectively. However, serum EPH fraction concentration reference intervals (RIs) have not been widely established for different elasmobranch species. In this study, RIs for fractions 1 through 5 were determined from 45 wild-caught Nurse Sharks Ginglymostoma cirratum (27 females and 23 males) in South Florida. Serum samples were isolated from whole blood following caudal venipuncture. Body condition was also measured in the field to assess the relative health of the individuals sampled. There was no relationship between body condition and serum EPH fraction concentrations. In addition, there was no difference in body condition or serum EPH fraction concentrations between females and males. Total solids and total protein values were significantly different (P < 0.001). Nurse Shark serum EPH fraction 1 was found within the mammalian albumin migrating band distance and was negligible. Fraction 2 showed no peak in the mammalian alpha 1-globulin range. A thin, medium peak in the mammalian alpha 2-globulin range represented fraction 3. In the mammalian beta-globulin range, fraction 4 consisted of the majority of protein observed. It was represented by a smooth, broad peak. A short, medium broad peak in the mammalian gamma-globulin range represented fraction 5. The Nurse Shark serum EPH fraction RIs provided in this study may be utilized to clinically evaluate the health of Nurse Sharks in captivity and in the wild, and to compare the health of their populations around the world experiencing various anthropogenic stressors and other environmental impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leila AtallahBenson
- Department of Marine Ecosystems and Society, Rosenstiel School of Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, Florida, 33149, USA
- Shark Research and Conservation Program, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, Florida, 33149, USA
| | - Liza Merly
- Shark Research and Conservation Program, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, Florida, 33149, USA
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, Florida, 33149, USA
| | - Carolyn Cray
- Division of Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Post Office Box 016960 R46, Miami, Florida, 33101, USA
| | - Neil Hammerschlag
- Department of Marine Ecosystems and Society, Rosenstiel School of Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, Florida, 33149, USA
- Shark Research and Conservation Program, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, Florida, 33149, USA
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Otway NM. Capture-induced exertional rhabdomyolysis in the Shortfin Mako Shark, Isurus oxyrinchus. Vet Clin Pathol 2020; 49:23-41. [PMID: 32090365 DOI: 10.1111/vcp.12824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2018] [Revised: 02/13/2019] [Accepted: 05/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Shortfin Mako sharks (Isurus oxyrinchus) are top-order predators in oceanic food chains. They are captured worldwide by commercial and recreational fisheries, but little is known about the effects that fishing has on the homeostasis and longevity of these animals. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to assess the health of Shortfin Mako sharks captured by recreational fishers off eastern Australia. METHODS Twenty-four sharks were captured, and their gender, length, weight, reproductive maturity, and stage were recorded. After blood and urine collection, serum analytes were quantified using standard biochemical methods, whereas urine was analyzed using semi-quantitative reagent strips, microscopic examination, centrifugation, and ammonium sulfate precipitation tests. RESULTS Six Makos presented with red-brown urine. The means of notable serum analytes were as follows: sodium 276 mmol/L, potassium 15.6 mmol/L, inorganic phosphate 10.6 mmol/L, magnesium 3.3 mmol/L, urea 325 mmol/L, creatinine 52 μmol/L, AST 2806 U/L, CK 240938 U/L, lactate 44.4 mmol/L, osmolarity 1160 mmol/L, and pH 7.13. These analytes differed from the respective sand tiger shark reference interval, which was used as a proxy for Makos. The red-brown urine was due to myoglobin and had a mean pH of 5.76 that, when combined with red-brown casts, led to a diagnosis of fishing-induced exertional rhabdomyolysis that occurred secondary to lactic acidosis, hypoxia, and hypovolemia. It was further exacerbated by hyperkalemia and acute renal failure, serious complications that often lead to mortality. CONCLUSIONS Practitioners caring for sharks and rays should consider collecting urine from free-living or aquarium animals when they are captured for examination and/or treatment, particularly at times with maximal seawater temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas M Otway
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, Taylors Beach, NSW, Australia
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Morash AJ, Lyle JM, Currie S, Bell JD, Stehfest KM, Semmens JM. The endemic and endangered Maugean Skate ( Zearaja maugeana) exhibits short-term severe hypoxia tolerance. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 8:coz105. [PMID: 31976076 PMCID: PMC6969080 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coz105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Revised: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The endangered and range-restricted Maugean skate (Zearaja maugeana) is subjected to large environmental variability coupled with anthropogenic stressors in its endemic habitat, Macquarie Harbour, Tasmania. However, little is known about the basic biology/physiology of this skate, or how it may respond to future environmental challenges predicted from climate change and/or increases in human activities such as aquaculture. These skate live at a preferred depth of 5-15 m where the dissolved oxygen (DO) levels are moderate (~55% air saturation), but can be found in areas of the Harbour where DO can range from 100% saturation to anoxia. Given that the water at their preferred depth is already hypoxic, we sought to investigate their response to further decreases in DO that may arise from potential increases in anthropogenic stress. We measured oxygen consumption, haematological parameters, tissue-enzyme capacity and heat shock protein (HSP) levels in skate exposed to 55% dissolved O2 saturation (control) and 20% dissolved O2 saturation (hypoxic) for 48 h. We conclude that the Maugean skate appears to be an oxyconformer, with a decrease in the rate of O2 consumption with increasing hypoxia. Increases in blood glucose and lactate at 20% O2 suggest that skate are relying more on anaerobic metabolism to tolerate periods of very low oxygen. Despite these metabolic shifts, there was no difference in HSP70 levels between groups, suggesting this short-term exposure did not elicit a cellular stress response. The metabolic state of the skate suggests that low oxygen stress for longer periods of time (i.e. >48 h) may not be tolerable and could potentially result in loss of habitat or shifts in their preferred habitat. Given its endemic distribution and limited life-history information, it will be critical to understand its tolerance to environmental challenges to create robust conservation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea J Morash
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, 15-21 Nubeena Crescent, Taroona, Tasmania, Australia 7053, Australia
| | - Jeremy M Lyle
- Fisheries and Aquaculture Centre, Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, 15-21 Nubeena Crescent, Taroona, Tasmania, Australia 7053, Australia
| | - Suzanne Currie
- Department of Biology, Acadia University, 15 University Avenue PO Box 107 Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada B4P 2R6, Canada
| | - Justin D Bell
- Fisheries and Aquaculture Centre, Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, 15-21 Nubeena Crescent, Taroona, Tasmania, Australia 7053, Australia
| | - Kilian M Stehfest
- Fisheries and Aquaculture Centre, Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, 15-21 Nubeena Crescent, Taroona, Tasmania, Australia 7053, Australia
| | - Jayson M Semmens
- Fisheries and Aquaculture Centre, Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, 15-21 Nubeena Crescent, Taroona, Tasmania, Australia 7053, Australia
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Gallagher AJ, Meyer L, Pethybridge HR, Huveneers C, Butcher PA. Effects of short-term capture on the physiology of white sharks Carcharodon carcharias: amino acids and fatty acids. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2019. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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Ruiz-Jarabo I, Barragán-Méndez C, Jerez-Cepa I, Fernández-Castro M, Sobrino I, Mancera JM, Aerts J. Plasma 1α-Hydroxycorticosterone as Biomarker for Acute Stress in Catsharks ( Scyliorhinus canicula). Front Physiol 2019; 10:1217. [PMID: 31616315 PMCID: PMC6764463 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.01217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Glucocorticoids are pleiotropic steroid hormones mediating redistribution of energy. They induce breakdown of glycogen stores and consequent plasma hyperglycaemia after stressful situations. Glucocorticoid actions in most vertebrate species are exerted by cortisol and corticosterone. However, 1α-hydroxycorticosterone is the dominant corticosteroid hormone in elasmobranchs, though its effects as a glucocorticoid are unknown. Here we demonstrate, by using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry for the quantification of 1α-hydroxycorticosterone in plasma of the elasmobranch Scyliorhinus canicula, the response of this hormone to an acute-stress situation and for the first time its glucocorticoid action in elasmobranchs. After an acute air-exposure challenge, S. canicula increased plasma levels of 1α-hydroxycorticosterone altogether with enhanced glycolysis and gluconeogenesis pathways to fuel energy demanding tissues, such as white muscle, during the first hours after the stress situation. We foresee our study as a starting point to evaluate stress responses in elasmobranchs, as well as for future applications in the management of these key ecosystem species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio Ruiz-Jarabo
- Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Department of Biology, Instituto Universitario de Investigación Marina (INMAR), Campus de Excelencia Internacional del Mar (CEI-MAR), Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Cristina Barragán-Méndez
- Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Department of Biology, Instituto Universitario de Investigación Marina (INMAR), Campus de Excelencia Internacional del Mar (CEI-MAR), Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Ismael Jerez-Cepa
- Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Department of Biology, Instituto Universitario de Investigación Marina (INMAR), Campus de Excelencia Internacional del Mar (CEI-MAR), Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Miriam Fernández-Castro
- Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Department of Biology, Instituto Universitario de Investigación Marina (INMAR), Campus de Excelencia Internacional del Mar (CEI-MAR), Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Ignacio Sobrino
- Centro Oceanográfico de Cádiz, Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO), Cádiz, Spain
| | - Juan M. Mancera
- Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Department of Biology, Instituto Universitario de Investigación Marina (INMAR), Campus de Excelencia Internacional del Mar (CEI-MAR), Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Johan Aerts
- Stress Physiology Research Group, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Ostend, Belgium
- Stress Physiology Research Group, Animal Sciences Unit, Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Ostend, Belgium
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Lyons K, Bigman JS, Kacev D, Mull CG, Carlisle AB, Imhoff JL, Anderson JM, Weng KC, Galloway AS, Cave E, Gunn TR, Lowe CG, Brill RW, Bedore CN. Bridging disciplines to advance elasmobranch conservation: applications of physiological ecology. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 7:coz011. [PMID: 31110763 PMCID: PMC6519003 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coz011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2018] [Revised: 02/02/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
A strength of physiological ecology is its incorporation of aspects of both species' ecology and physiology; this holistic approach is needed to address current and future anthropogenic stressors affecting elasmobranch fishes that range from overexploitation to the effects of climate change. For example, physiology is one of several key determinants of an organism's ecological niche (along with evolutionary constraints and ecological interactions). The fundamental role of physiology in niche determination led to the development of the field of physiological ecology. This approach considers physiological mechanisms in the context of the environment to understand mechanistic variations that beget ecological trends. Physiological ecology, as an integrative discipline, has recently experienced a resurgence with respect to conservation applications, largely in conjunction with technological advances that extended physiological work from the lab into the natural world. This is of critical importance for species such as elasmobranchs (sharks, skates and rays), which are an especially understudied and threatened group of vertebrates. In 2017, at the American Elasmobranch Society meeting in Austin, Texas, the symposium entitled `Applications of Physiological Ecology in Elasmobranch Research' provided a platform for researchers to showcase work in which ecological questions were examined through a physiological lens. Here, we highlight the research presented at this symposium, which emphasized the strength of linking physiological tools with ecological questions. We also demonstrate the applicability of using physiological ecology research as a method to approach conservation issues, and advocate for a more available framework whereby results are more easily accessible for their implementation into management practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Lyons
- Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - J S Bigman
- Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
| | - D Kacev
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - C G Mull
- Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
| | | | - J L Imhoff
- Florida State University Coastal and Marine Laboratory, St. Teresa, FL, USA
| | - J M Anderson
- University of Hawai`i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - K C Weng
- Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Gloucester Point, VA, USA
| | - A S Galloway
- South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, SC, USA
| | - E Cave
- Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, USA
| | - T R Gunn
- Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA USA
| | - C G Lowe
- California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA, USA
| | - R W Brill
- Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Gloucester Point, VA, USA
| | - C N Bedore
- Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA USA
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Meyer L, Pethybridge H, Nichols PD, Beckmann C, Huveneers C. Abiotic and biotic drivers of fatty acid tracers in ecology: A global analysis of chondrichthyan profiles. Funct Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Meyer
- Southern Shark Ecology Group College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University Bedford Park South Australia Australia
| | | | | | | | - Charlie Huveneers
- Southern Shark Ecology Group College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University Bedford Park South Australia Australia
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38
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Connan M, Hall G, Smale M. Effects of pre-treatments on bulk stable isotope ratios in fish samples: A cautionary note for studies comparisons. RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY : RCM 2019; 33:291-302. [PMID: 30414205 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.8344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2018] [Revised: 10/28/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Stable isotope analysis (SIA) has revolutionised ecological studies over the past thirty years. One of the major fields where SIA is applied in the marine environment is related to the definition of ecosystem structure and function. With marine top predators such as sharks, SIA is a method of choice because tissue samples can be collected without the sacrifice of the animal. In elasmobranch research, the influence of compounds such as urea, trimethylamine oxide and lipids must be considered when using stable isotopes as ecological markers. Currently, a range of pre-treatments are used to chemically remove these molecules prior to SIA. METHODS This study investigated the impact of eleven commonly used pre-treatments on carbon and nitrogen contents and C:N atomic ratio, as well as carbon and nitrogen SI ratios in elasmobranch tissues and its prey, measured by isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Three tissues were tested: blood and muscle of the ragged-tooth shark Carcharias taurus, and muscle of one teleost species, the Cape knifejaw Oplegnathus conwayi. RESULTS Compared with untreated samples, no trend or generalisation could be highlighted with the influence of pre-treatments being species-, tissue- and chemical-element-dependent. For the δ13 C and δ15 N values, differences among pre-treatments were as high as 3‰, therefore potentially leading to erroneous ecological interpretation. CONCLUSIONS The chemical properties of compounds (e.g. urea, lipids) combined with the polarity of solutions (e.g. water, solvents) explained a large part of these observations. This study highlights that pre-treatments need to be considered especially when comparing carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios between studies. The results of this study provide a call to all stable isotope researchers to make a concerted effort to standardise pre-treatment methods. This is crucial as global reviews are becoming increasingly more informative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maëlle Connan
- Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, Marine Apex Predator Research Unit, Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela University, PO Box 77000, Port Elizabeth, 6031, South Africa
| | - Grant Hall
- UP Stable Isotope Laboratory, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield, 0028, South Africa
| | - Malcolm Smale
- Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, Marine Apex Predator Research Unit, Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela University, PO Box 77000, Port Elizabeth, 6031, South Africa
- Port Elizabeth Museum, PO Box 13147 Humewood, Port Elizabeth, 6013, South Africa
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Amino acid isotope discrimination factors for a carnivore: physiological insights from leopard sharks and their diet. Oecologia 2018; 188:977-989. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-018-4276-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2018] [Accepted: 10/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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40
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Leigh SC, Papastamatiou YP, German DP. Seagrass digestion by a notorious 'carnivore'. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:rspb.2018.1583. [PMID: 30185641 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.1583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2018] [Accepted: 08/13/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
What an animal consumes and what an animal digests and assimilates for energetic demands are not always synonymous. Sharks, uniformly accepted as carnivores, have guts that are presumed to be well suited for a high-protein diet. However, the bonnethead shark (Sphyrna tiburo), which is abundant in critical seagrass habitats, has been previously shown to consume copious amounts of seagrass (up to 62.1% of gut content mass), although it is unknown if they can digest and assimilate seagrass nutrients. To determine if bonnetheads digest seagrass nutrients, captive sharks were fed a 13C-labelled seagrass diet. Digestibility analyses, digestive enzyme assays and stable isotope analyses were used to determine the bonnethead shark's capacity for digesting and assimilating seagrass material. Compound-specific stable isotope analysis showed that sharks assimilated seagrass carbon (13.6 ± 6.77‰ δ13C mean ± s.d. for all sharks and all amino acid types analysed) with 50 ± 2% digestibility of seagrass organic matter. Additionally, cellulose-component-degrading enzyme activities were detected in shark hindguts. We show that a coastal shark is digesting seagrass with at least moderate efficiency, which has ecological implications due to the stabilizing role of omnivory and nutrient transport within fragile seagrass ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha C Leigh
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Yannis P Papastamatiou
- Marine Sciences Program, Department of Biological Science, Florida International University, 3000 NE 151st Street, Miami, FL 33181, USA
| | - Donovan P German
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
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Soliño L, Costa PR. Differential toxin profiles of ciguatoxins in marine organisms: Chemistry, fate and global distribution. Toxicon 2018; 150:124-143. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2018.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Revised: 05/11/2018] [Accepted: 05/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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42
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Hammerschlag N, Skubel RA, Sulikowski J, Irschick DJ, Gallagher AJ. A Comparison of Reproductive and Energetic States in a Marine Apex Predator (the Tiger Shark, Galeocerdo cuvier). Physiol Biochem Zool 2018; 91:933-942. [DOI: 10.1086/698496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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43
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Zimmer AM, Wright PA, Wood CM. Ammonia and urea handling by early life stages of fishes. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 220:3843-3855. [PMID: 29093184 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.140210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Nitrogen metabolism in fishes has been a focus of comparative physiologists for nearly a century. In this Review, we focus specifically on early life stages of fishes, which have received considerable attention in more recent work. Nitrogen metabolism and excretion in early life differs fundamentally from that of juvenile and adult fishes because of (1) the presence of a chorion capsule in embryos that imposes a limitation on effective ammonia excretion, (2) an amino acid-based metabolism that generates a substantial ammonia load, and (3) the lack of a functional gill, which is the primary site of nitrogen excretion in juvenile and adult fishes. Recent findings have shed considerable light on the mechanisms by which these constraints are overcome in early life. Perhaps most importantly, the discovery of Rhesus (Rh) glycoproteins as ammonia transporters and their expression in ion-transporting cells on the skin of larval fishes has transformed our understanding of ammonia excretion by fishes in general. The emergence of larval zebrafish as a model species, together with genetic knockdown techniques, has similarly advanced our understanding of ammonia and urea metabolism and excretion by larval fishes. It has also now been demonstrated that ammonia excretion is one of the primary functions of the developing gill in rainbow trout larvae, leading to new hypotheses regarding the physiological demands driving gill development in larval fishes. Here, we highlight and discuss the dramatic changes in nitrogen handling that occur over early life development in fishes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex M Zimmer
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1N 6N57
| | - Patricia A Wright
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1
| | - Chris M Wood
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z4.,Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada L8S 4K1
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Lambert FN, Treberg JR, Anderson WG, Brandt C, Evans AN. The physiological stress response of the Atlantic stingray (Hypanus sabinus) to aerial exposure. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2018; 219-220:38-43. [PMID: 29482030 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2018.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2017] [Revised: 02/19/2018] [Accepted: 02/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Although secondary stress physiology of elasmobranchs is fairly well studied, gaps remain in our understanding of species differences, including stress recovery. We examined the physiological stress response to air exposure in Atlantic stingrays (Hypanus sabinus) using a serial sampling method requiring minimal handling. Many elasmobranch stress studies exclusively quantify glucose, although there is evidence that elasmobranchs are unusually reliant on ketone bodies. Therefore, we also tested the hypothesis that ketone bodies play a significant role in the elasmobranch stress response by examining plasma β-hydroxybutyrate. Plasma osmolality, urea, trimethylamine-N-oxide, and a suite of ions were also measured to characterize departures from homeostasis due to air exposure. H. sabinus were exposed to air for 30 min and serially sampled at 0, 15, and 30 min, as well as 48 h after the stressor to assess the extent of recovery. Blood lactate and acidosis increased significantly during the stressor and returned to basal levels by 48 h. Glucose values were significantly affected, with the highest values observed at 48 h, suggesting that animals were not fully recovered as initially indicated by other metrics. Average plasma β-hydroxybutyrate was unaffected by the stressor. This suggests that ketone bodies may not be a major fuel source used during acute stress, at least in the timeframe examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faith N Lambert
- Department of Coastal Sciences, Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, University of Southern Mississippi, 703 E Beach Dr., Ocean Springs, MS 39564, USA.
| | - Jason R Treberg
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada; Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - W Gary Anderson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Catherine Brandt
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Andrew N Evans
- Department of Coastal Sciences, Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, University of Southern Mississippi, 703 E Beach Dr., Ocean Springs, MS 39564, USA
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Giacomin M, Schulte PM, Wood CM. Differential Effects of Temperature on Oxygen Consumption and Branchial Fluxes of Urea, Ammonia, and Water in the Dogfish Shark (Squalus acanthias suckleyi). Physiol Biochem Zool 2017; 90:627-637. [DOI: 10.1086/694296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Yeam CT, Chng YR, Ong JLY, Wong WP, Chew SF, Ip YK. Molecular characterization of two Rhesus glycoproteins from the euryhaline freshwater white-rimmed stingray, Himantura signifer, and changes in their transcript levels and protein abundance in the gills, kidney, and liver during brackish water acclimation. J Comp Physiol B 2017; 187:911-929. [PMID: 28324156 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-017-1067-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2016] [Revised: 02/05/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Himantura signifer is a freshwater stingray which inhabits rivers in Southeast Asia. It is ammonotelic in fresh water, but retains the capacities of urea synthesis and ureosmotic osmoregulation to survive in brackish water. This study aimed to elucidate the roles of Rhesus glycoproteins (Rhgp), which are known to transport ammonia, in conserving nitrogen (N) in H. signifer during brackish water acclimation when N became limited resulting from increased hepatic urea synthesis. The complete coding sequence of rhbg from H. signifer consisted of 1383 bp, encoding 460 amino acids with an estimated molecular mass of 50.5 kDa, while that of rhcg comprised 1395 bp, encoding for 464 amino acids with an estimated molecular mass of 50.8 kDa. The deduced amino sequences of Rhbg and Rhcg contained ammonia binding sites, which could recruit NH4+ to be deprotonated, and a hydrophobic pore with two histidine residues, which could mediate the transport of NH3. Our results indicated for the first time that brackish water acclimation resulted in significant decreases in the expression levels of rhbg/Rhbg and rhcg/Rhcg in the gills of H. signifer, which offered a mechanistic explanation of brackish water-related decreased ammonia excretion reported elsewhere. Furthermore, rhbg/Rhbg expression levels increased significantly in the liver of H. signifer during brackish water acclimation, indicating that the ammonia produced by extra-hepatic tissues and released into the blood could be channeled into the liver for increased urea synthesis. Overall, these results lend support to the proposition that H. signifer becomes N-limited upon utilizing urea as an osmolyte in brackish water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng T Yeam
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Kent Ridge, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
| | - You R Chng
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Kent Ridge, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
| | - Jasmine L Y Ong
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Kent Ridge, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
| | - Wai P Wong
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Kent Ridge, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
| | - Shit F Chew
- Natural Sciences and Science Education, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Nanyang Walk, Singapore, 637616, Singapore
| | - Yuen K Ip
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Kent Ridge, Singapore, 117543, Singapore. .,The Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore, Kent Ridge, Singapore, 119227, Singapore.
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47
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Gallagher AJ, Skubel RA, Pethybridge HR, Hammerschlag N. Energy metabolism in mobile, wild-sampled sharks inferred by plasma lipids. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2017; 5:cox002. [PMID: 28852506 PMCID: PMC5570055 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cox002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2016] [Revised: 12/28/2016] [Accepted: 01/05/2017] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Evaluating how predators metabolize energy is increasingly useful for conservation physiology, as it can provide information on their current nutritional condition. However, obtaining metabolic information from mobile marine predators is inherently challenging owing to their relative rarity, cryptic nature and often wide-ranging underwater movements. Here, we investigate aspects of energy metabolism in four free-ranging shark species (n = 281; blacktip, bull, nurse, and tiger) by measuring three metabolic parameters [plasma triglycerides (TAG), free fatty acids (FFA) and cholesterol (CHOL)] via non-lethal biopsy sampling. Plasma TAG, FFA and total CHOL concentrations (in millimoles per litre) varied inter-specifically and with season, year, and shark length varied within a species. The TAG were highest in the plasma of less active species (nurse and tiger sharks), whereas FFA were highest among species with relatively high energetic demands (blacktip and bull sharks), and CHOL concentrations were highest in bull sharks. Although temporal patterns in all metabolites were varied among species, there appeared to be peaks in the spring and summer, with ratios of TAG/CHOL (a proxy for condition) in all species displaying a notable peak in summer. These results provide baseline information of energy metabolism in large sharks and are an important step in understanding how the metabolic parameters can be assessed through non-lethal sampling in the future. In particular, this study emphasizes the importance of accounting for intra-specific and temporal variability in sampling designs seeking to monitor the nutritional condition and metabolic responses of shark populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin J. Gallagher
- Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Beneath the Waves, Inc., Miami, FL, USA
| | - Rachel A. Skubel
- Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
- Leonard and Jayne Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | | | - Neil Hammerschlag
- Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
- Leonard and Jayne Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
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Marra NJ, Richards VP, Early A, Bogdanowicz SM, Pavinski Bitar PD, Stanhope MJ, Shivji MS. Comparative transcriptomics of elasmobranchs and teleosts highlight important processes in adaptive immunity and regional endothermy. BMC Genomics 2017; 18:87. [PMID: 28132643 PMCID: PMC5278576 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-016-3411-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2016] [Accepted: 12/12/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Comparative genomic and/or transcriptomic analyses involving elasmobranchs remain limited, with genome level comparisons of the elasmobranch immune system to that of higher vertebrates, non-existent. This paper reports a comparative RNA-seq analysis of heart tissue from seven species, including four elasmobranchs and three teleosts, focusing on immunity, but concomitantly seeking to identify genetic similarities shared by the two lamnid sharks and the single billfish in our study, which could be linked to convergent evolution of regional endothermy. RESULTS Across seven species, we identified an average of 10,877 Swiss-Prot annotated genes from an average of 32,474 open reading frames within each species' heart transcriptome. About half of these genes were shared between all species while the remainder included functional differences between our groups of interest (elasmobranch vs. teleost and endotherms vs. ectotherms) as revealed by Gene Ontology (GO) and selection analyses. A repeatedly represented functional category, in both the uniquely expressed elasmobranch genes (total of 259) and the elasmobranch GO enrichment results, involved antibody-mediated immunity, either in the recruitment of immune cells (Fc receptors) or in antigen presentation, including such terms as "antigen processing and presentation of exogenous peptide antigen via MHC class II", and such genes as MHC class II, HLA-DPB1. Molecular adaptation analyses identified three genes in elasmobranchs with a history of positive selection, including legumain (LGMN), a gene with roles in both innate and adaptive immunity including producing antigens for presentation by MHC class II. Comparisons between the endothermic and ectothermic species revealed an enrichment of GO terms associated with cardiac muscle contraction in endotherms, with 19 genes expressed solely in endotherms, several of which have significant roles in lipid and fat metabolism. CONCLUSIONS This collective comparative evidence provides the first multi-taxa transcriptomic-based perspective on differences between elasmobranchs and teleosts, and suggests various unique features associated with the adaptive immune system of elasmobranchs, pointing in particular to the potential importance of MHC Class II. This in turn suggests that expanded comparative work involving additional tissues, as well as genome sequencing of multiple elasmobranch species would be productive in elucidating the regulatory and genome architectural hallmarks of elasmobranchs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Marra
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.,Save Our Seas Shark Research Center and Guy Harvey Research Institute, Nova Southeastern University, 8000 North Ocean Drive, Dania Beach, FL, 33004, USA
| | - Vincent P Richards
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 29634, USA
| | - Angela Early
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Steve M Bogdanowicz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Paulina D Pavinski Bitar
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Michael J Stanhope
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
| | - Mahmood S Shivji
- Save Our Seas Shark Research Center and Guy Harvey Research Institute, Nova Southeastern University, 8000 North Ocean Drive, Dania Beach, FL, 33004, USA.
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van de Pol I, Flik G, Gorissen M. Comparative Physiology of Energy Metabolism: Fishing for Endocrine Signals in the Early Vertebrate Pool. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2017; 8:36. [PMID: 28303116 PMCID: PMC5332387 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2017.00036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2016] [Accepted: 02/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Energy is the common currency of life. To guarantee a homeostatic supply of energy, multiple neuro-endocrine systems have evolved in vertebrates; systems that regulate food intake, metabolism, and distribution of energy. Even subtle (lasting) dysregulation of the delicate balance of energy intake and expenditure may result in severe pathologies. Feeding-related pathologies have fueled research on mammals, including of course the human species. The mechanisms regulating food intake and body mass are well-characterized in these vertebrates. The majority of animal life is ectothermic, only birds and mammals are endotherms. What can we learn from a (comparative) study on energy homeostasis in teleostean fishes, ectotherms, with a very different energy budget and expenditure? We present several adaptation strategies in fish. In recent years, the components that regulate food intake in fishes have been identified. Although there is homology of the major genetic machinery with mammals (i.e., there is a vertebrate blueprint), in many cases this does not imply analogy. Although both mammals and fish must gain their energy from food, the expenditure of the energy obtained is different. Mammals need to spend vast amounts of energy to maintain body temperature; fishes seem to utilize a broader metabolic range to their advantage. In this review, we briefly discuss ecto- and endothermy and their consequences for energy balance. Next, we argue that the evolution of endothermy and its (dis-)advantages may explain very different strategies in endocrine regulation of energy homeostasis among vertebrates. We follow a comparative and evolutionary line of thought: we discuss similarities and differences between fish and mammals. Moreover, given the extraordinary radiation of teleostean fishes (with an estimated number of 33,400 contemporary species, or over 50% of vertebrate life forms), we also compare strategies in energy homeostasis between teleostean species. We present recent developments in the field of (neuro)endocrine regulation of energy balance in teleosts, with a focus on leptin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris van de Pol
- Department of Animal Ecology and Physiology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Gert Flik
- Department of Animal Ecology and Physiology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- *Correspondence: Gert Flik,
| | - Marnix Gorissen
- Department of Animal Ecology and Physiology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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50
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Burgess KB, Bennett MB. Effects of ethanol storage and lipid and urea extraction on δ 15 N and δ 13 C isotope ratios in a benthic elasmobranch, the bluespotted maskray Neotrygon kuhlii. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2017; 90:417-423. [PMID: 27730640 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.13164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2016] [Accepted: 08/29/2016] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Ethanol storage and lipid and urea extraction had no effect on bluespotted maskray Neotrygon kuhlii muscle δ13 C values whereas urea-removal and ethanol storage increased δ15 N values. Results presented here show a significant δ15 N increase post-urea removal and provide additional support for this approach in future elasmobranch stable-isotope analysis (SIA) studies. Further experimental work on other elasmobranch species is needed to assess extraction and preservation effects on stable-isotope (SI) values.
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Affiliation(s)
- K B Burgess
- Shark and Ray Research Group, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - M B Bennett
- Shark and Ray Research Group, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
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