Coadministration of citric acid allows oxytetracycline dose reduction in yellowtail Seriola quinqueradiata infected with Vibrio anguillarum.

Oxytetracycline (OTC) has been commonly used as an effective antibiotic against various fish bacterial diseases, including vibriosis. In this study, the absorption-enhancing effect of citric acid on oral OTC pharmacokinetics and treatment of artificial Vibrio anguillarum infection was evaluated in juvenile yellowtail Seriola quinqueradiata followed by serum OTC concentration analysis. When 25 mg kg-1 body weight (BW) OTC was administered in combination with 1250 mg kg-1 BW citric acid, the serum OTC concentration reached almost the same concentration as that of the group treated with 50 mg kg-1 BW OTC. This coadministration successfully suppressed mortality due to vibriosis similar to the group treated with 50 mg kg-1 BW OTC. Conversely, poor efficacy was observed when only 25 mg kg-1 BW OTC was administered. These results suggest that coadministration of citric acid can be beneficial in reducing the dose of OTC needed for effective treatment, and thus contributes to the goal of reduced use of this antibiotic in aquaculture.

Purification and identification of a glycoprotein that induces the attachment of oncomiracidia of Neobenedenia girellae (Monogenea, Capsalidae).

Neobenedenia girellae, a monogenean skin parasite, shows low host specificity. N. girellae is an important pathogen in marine cultured fish such as yellowtail and amberjack. An effective control method is required but none has yet been established. To clarify the mechanisms of host specificity, we purified and identified the attachment-inducing substances of oncomiracidia from tiger puffer fish. The attachment-inducing substances were mainly included in skin mucous extract. Skin mucous extract lost its ability to induce attachment after boiling and/or exposure to the reducing agent dithiothreitol, suggesting that attachment-inducing substances are of a proteinaceous nature. Since lectins such as Con A, WGA, PHA-L, and PSA inhibited the induction of attachment, attachment-inducing proteins were suspected to be glycoproteins. Glycoproteins specifically interacting with Con A were collected and purified by anion exchange chromatography, resulting in two active peaks (peaks 3-A and 6). The active component in peak 3-A was identified as Wap 65-2 by N-terminal amino acid sequencing, while the glycoprotein in peak 6 could not be identified. These results suggested that oncomiracidia recognised Wap 65-2 and another glycoprotein of their host.

Expression of vasa (vas)-related genes in germ cells and specific interference with gene functions by double-stranded RNA in the monogenean, Neobenedenia girellae.

Neobenedenia girellae, a monogenean, is an important pathogen in marine cultured fish such as yellowtail and amberjack. An effective control method is required but none has yet been established. Aiming to establish a new control method by interfering with the gametogenesis of N. girellae, we focused on vasa (vas)-related genes that are expressed exclusively in the germline granules in Drosophila, Caenorhabditis elegans and other animals. Three vas-related genes (N. girellae vasa-like gene, Ngvlg1, Ngvlg2 and Ngvlg3) were isolated by PCR and Ngvlg1 and Ngvlg2 were shown to be expressed only in germ cells. We demonstrated that introduction of double-stranded Ngvlg1 or Ngvlg2 RNA by soaking resulted in partial or complete loss of germ cells. Moreover, the hatching rate of eggs from animals showing partial loss of germ cells decreased significantly. These results suggest that Ngvlg1 and Ngvlg2 are essential genes for germ cell quantity and quality. The possibility that a new control method can be developed by controlling gametogenesis of N. girellae was proven, because sterilised N. girellae could be produced.