Sperm cryopreservation is helpful for maintaining the genetic diversity of fish species. This study was aimed at developing efficient methods to cryopreserve the sperm of three fish species, including koi carp (Cyprinus carpio L.), Ya fish (Schizothorax prenanti), and Glyptosternum maculatum. Firstly, based on the analysis of sperm viability, the cryomedium, dilution ratio, volume, and cooling procedure were assessed and optimized in koi carp. The results showed that the highest sperm viability was up to 63.23 ± 1.36% after a 14-day cryopreservation using the optimal method, briefly, sperm frozen with a volume of 50 μL (Vol.sperm:Vol.cryomedium = 1:9) of cryomedium containing 10% DMSO and 3% sucrose in D17 through ultrarapid cooling. Secondly, both the mitochondrial membrane potential and the DNA fragmentation index of sperm were examined and found to be significantly damaged after the cryopreservation. Intriguingly, the fertilization rate of sperm after 14-day cryopreservation is up to 63.03 ± 1.36% and the elongation of cryopreservation time (210 days) just slightly affected the fertilization rate (55.09 ± 4.70%) in koi carp. Thirdly, the optimal cryopreservation method was applied to cryopreserve Glyptosternum maculatum sperm; the cell viability was 45.39 ± 4.70%. And then this method, after a minor modification (3% sucrose of cryomedium replaced with 3% SMP) was adopted to cryopreserve Ya fish sperm, the cell viability was up to 70.45 ± 2.23%. Lastly, the ultrastructure and morphology of sperm was observed by SEM, and it was found that the cryopreservation prominently caused sperm head swelling and tail shortening in three fish species. In conclusion, this study established effective methods for cryopreserving sperm in three fish species and elaborated the injuries on sperm caused by cryopreservation. And the findings facilitate developing more protocols with practical value to cryopreserve sperm in different fish species.
Using Illumina next-generation sequencing (NGS), the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of the hybrid species of Schizothorax oconnori (♀) × Schizothorax waltoni (♂) was described in this study. 16,592bp long circular molecule consisted of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes, and a control region. This study discovered the 99.8% sequence identity between the hybrid and its female parent, which confirmed the maternal inheritance pattern followed. The phylogenetic tree showed the hybrid was closer relationships with Schizothorax oconnori. The results would be a useful basis for conservation and phylogenetics of this hybrid.
Aeromonas salmonicida is a major pathogenic bacterium that poses a significant threat to salmonid fish. Yadong County, located in the Xizang Autonomous Region, is renowned for its characteristic industry of Salmo trutta aquaculture. In recent years, the outbreak of Bacterial Gill Disease (BGD) has led to substantial economic losses for S. trutta farmers. Our prior research identified A. salmonicida as one of the primary culprits behind BGD. To mitigate the impact of A. salmonicida on S. trutta, we conducted a comprehensive study aimed at identifying genes associated with resistance to A. salmonicida. This involved transcriptome sequencing and 16S rRNA sequencing of intestinal flora, providing valuable insights for the study of disease resistance in S. trutta. In this study, we identified 324 genera with 5171 ASVs in the susceptible group and 293 genera with 5669 ASVs in the resistant group. Notably, Methylobacterium and Sphingomonas were common bacteria present in the salmon’s gut, and their proportions remained relatively stable before and after infection. Shewanella, with its antagonistic relationship with Aeromonas, may play a crucial role in the salmon’s defense against A. salmonicida. Several related genes were identified, including angptl4, cipcb, grasp, ccr9a, sulf1, mtmr11, B3GNT3, mt2, PLXDC1, and ank1b.
An experimental study was conducted in the laboratory to investigate the interactive effects of fish and algae on growth patterns and water quality. Body length and body weight of Carassius carassius, Microcystis aeruginosa (M. aeruginosa) density, and concentrations of nutrients were monitored continuously over a period of 92 days. It was noted that fish growth was significantly higher in the absence of M. aeruginosa compared to its presence (p < 0.05). This can be partly attributed to toxin production by M. aeruginosa. The densities and growth rates of M. aeruginosa in groups with Carassius carassius were significantly higher than those in fishless groups (p < 0.05), and this was attributable to fish metabolism and bioturbation, which led to a considerable increase in ammonia and total dissolved nitrogen concentrations, as well as a significant impact on proportions of nutrients. The growth rate of Carassius carassius firstly increased and then decreased with increasing M. aeruginosa densities, and a quantitative relationship was established using the Gompertz equation and Logistic equation (R2 = 0.914–0.955). Based on the above results, we concluded that interactions between fish and algae are greatly related to their consequences on water qualities, by employing equations, a more detailed interpretation of the processes occurring in the fish–algae system can be achieved.