A review of the application of molecular genetics for fisheries management and conservation of sharks and rays.

Since the first investigation 25 years ago, the application of genetic tools to address ecological and evolutionary questions in elasmobranch studies has greatly expanded. Major developments in genetic theory as well as in the availability, cost effectiveness and resolution of genetic markers were instrumental for particularly rapid progress over the last 10 years. Genetic studies of elasmobranchs are of direct importance and have application to fisheries management and conservation issues such as the definition of management units and identification of species from fins. In the future, increased application of the most recent and emerging technologies will enable accelerated genetic data production and the development of new markers at reduced costs, paving the way for a paradigm shift from gene to genome-scale research, and more focus on adaptive rather than just neutral variation. Current literature is reviewed in six fields of elasmobranch molecular genetics relevant to fisheries and conservation management (species identification, phylogeography, philopatry, genetic effective population size, molecular evolutionary rate and emerging methods). Where possible, examples from the Indo-Pacific region, which has been underrepresented in previous reviews, are emphasized within a global perspective.

Interaction of aflatoxin B1 and cyclopiazonic acid toxicities.

Toxic properties of the mycotoxins cyclopiazonic acid and aflatoxin B1 have been analyzed separately and in combination by monitoring their effects on luminescence in the marine bacterium Photobacterium phosphoreum, Strain NCMB 844. Genotoxicity was analyzed with a dark mutant of this organism whose reversion to the bioluminescent condition is stimulated by compounds attacking guanine sites in deoxyribonucleic acids. In this assay, cyclopiazonic acid, unlike aflatoxin B1, is not enhanced by cyclopiazonic acid when the two mycotoxins are assayed in combination. Cytotoxicity was assessed by the diminution of bioluminescence in a separate assay system with strain NRRLB-1177 of P. phosphoreum. Cyclopiazonic acid is more cytotoxic than aflatoxin B1, and concentrations of cyclopiazonic acid required for cytotoxicity decreases with time, whereas aflatoxin B1 cytotoxic expression does not change significantly with time under most assay conditions. Aflatoxin B1 and cyclopiazonic acid assayed as a dose pair indicate that these mycotoxins elicit their effects by independent modes of action.

Rat intestinal metabolism of crufomate (4-tert-butyl-2-chlorophenyl methyl methylphosphoramidate).

Everted sacs of rat small intestine metabolized crufomate (4-tert-butyl-2-chlorophenyl methyl methylphosphoramidate) under in vitro conditions to form six 14C-labeled metabolites in quantities sufficient for isolation and identification. These metabolites were 4-tert-butyl-2-chlorophenyl methyl phosphoramidate (25%), 2-chloro-4(2-hydroxy-1,1-dimethylethyl)phenyl methyl methylphosphoramidate (19%), 2-[3-chloro-4-[[(methoxy) (methyl-amino)phosphoinyl]oxy]phenyl]-2-methylpropionic acid (2%), 4-tert-butyl-2-chlorophenol (0.8%) and its glucuronide (6%), and the aromatic glucuronide of 2-chloro-4(2-hydroxy-1,1-dimethylethyl)phenol (1%). These intestinal metabolites may represent precursory stages in the overall metabolism of crufomate.