RESUMO
Isostichopus badionotus and Isostichopus sp. are two holothuroids exploited in the Caribbean region of Colombia. Until recently, they were considered a single species. During one year, 222 individuals of Isostichopus sp. and 114 of I. badionotus were collected in two bays of the Santa Marta region to study their reproductive biology and collect information on their size, weight and habitat. Both sea cucumber morphotypes showed an annual reproductive cycle, with a reproductive season from September to November, closely related to the increase in water temperature and rainfall. In both sea cucumbers the population structure exhibited a unimodal distribution composed of mature individuals and a sex ratio of 1:1. Isostichopus sp. had an average size and weight (193 ± 52 mm and 178 ± 69 g) and size and weight at first maturity (175 mm and 155 g) that was much lower than I. badionotus (respectively, 324 ± 70 mm and 628 ± 179 g; 220 mm and 348 g). While 98% of Isostichopus sp. individuals were collected in the upper 2.5 m, on rocky bottoms between cracks, 73% of I. badionotus individuals were found between 3 and 7.8 m depth, exposed on sandy bottoms. These differences imply that management measures (e.g. minimum catch size) should not be the same for both sea cucumbers morphotypes.
Assuntos
Ecossistema , Reprodução , Pepinos-do-Mar/fisiologia , Aclimatação , Animais , Tamanho Corporal , Pepinos-do-Mar/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Estações do AnoRESUMO
Functional studies on echinoderms have been reduced to the use of pharmacological treatments. The ability to modulate the genetic expression of regenerating tissues can elucidate potential effectors during this process. Here we describe an effective transfection protocol that allows the introduction of Dicer-substrate interference RNAs (DsiRNAs) for the modulation of gene expression and its characterization during regeneration.
Assuntos
Interferência de RNA , Pepinos-do-Mar/genética , Pepinos-do-Mar/fisiologia , Animais , Eletroporação/métodos , Regulação da Expressão Gênica , RNA Interferente Pequeno/genética , Regeneração , Pepinos-do-Mar/anatomia & histologia , Transfecção/métodosRESUMO
Echinoderms possess an incredible regenerative capacity. Within this phylum, holothurians, better known as sea cucumbers, can regenerate most of their internal and external organs. While regeneration has been studied in several species, the most recent and extensive studies have been done in the species Holothuria glaberrima, the focus of most of our discussion. This chapter presents the model system and integrates the work that has been done to determine the major steps that take place, during regeneration of the intestinal and nervous system, from wound healing to the reestablishment of original function. We describe the cellular and molecular events associated with the regeneration processes and also describe the techniques that have been used, discuss the results, and explain the gaps in our knowledge that remain. We expect that the information provided here paves the road for new and young investigators to continue the study of the amazing potential of regeneration in members of the Echinodermata and how these studies will shed some light into the mechanisms that are common to many regenerative processes.
Assuntos
Modelos Biológicos , Regeneração/fisiologia , Pepinos-do-Mar/fisiologia , Animais , Intestinos/fisiologia , Sistema Nervoso , CicatrizaçãoRESUMO
Age and growth analysis is essential to fisheries management. Indirect methods to calculate growth are widely used; however, length frequency data analysis in sea cucumbers is complicated by high data variability caused by body wall elasticity. Here we calculated Isostichopus badionotus parameters of the von Bertalanffy growth function. In order to address bias produced by body wall elasticity, we compared the performance of four measurements and one compound index that combines different biometric parameters: the square root of the length-width product (SLW). Results showed that variability in length data due to body wall elasticity was controlled by using body length (Le) from the SLW compound index. Growth in I. badionotus follows a negative allometric tendency. Slow or zero growth periods were observed during October and November, when weather conditions were adverse.
Assuntos
Pepinos-do-Mar/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Pepinos-do-Mar/fisiologia , Animais , Elasticidade/fisiologia , PesqueirosRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Retrotransposons are mobile genetic elements that constitute a sizable proportion of eukaryote genomes. Although retroelements are known to play significant roles in embryogenesis, stress reactions, and disease progression, they have never been studied in the context of animal regeneration. RESULTS: In this study, high-throughput transcriptome analysis revealed unexpectedly large-scale changes in transcriptional activity of retrotransposons in regenerating radial organs of the sea cucumber Holothuria glaberrima. In particular, we identified 36 long terminal repeat (LTR) retroelements, of which 20 showed significant changes in their expression during regeneration (11 up-regulated, 8 down-regulated, and one was initially up-regulated, but later down-regulated). We then studied in detail the most significantly up-regulated element, Gypsy-1_Hg. This transposon showed a drastic (>50-fold) increase in expression in regeneration and started to return to the normal levels only after the anatomical organization of the injured tissues was restored. All cells expressing Gypsy-1_Hg were located in the vicinity of the wound and included glia and neurons of the radial nerve. The retrotransposon-expressing cells survived programmed cell death and contributed to regeneration. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate considerable changes in transcriptional activity of retrotransposons (both over-expression and down-regulation) associated with posttraumatic regeneration in an echinoderm.
Assuntos
Regeneração/fisiologia , Retroelementos/genética , Pepinos-do-Mar/fisiologia , Sequências Repetidas Terminais/genética , Animais , Extremidades/fisiologia , Perfilação da Expressão Gênica , Regulação da Expressão Gênica , Regeneração/genéticaRESUMO
The Isostichopus fuscus fishery in Mexico was heavily exploited until 1994, when it was closed due to overfishing. However, no information existed on the status of the populations. The fishery was evaluated through an age structured simulation model, and according to our analysis of the stock, the fishery can be feasible and sustainable as long as fishing mortality and age of first catch are optimized. In order to evaluate exploitation strategies, several scenarios were simulated considering different combinations of fishing intensities and ages of first catch. Input data for the model included population parameters, commercial catch and costs and benefits of the fishing operations. Yield production was strongly influenced by the fishing pressure and by the age of first capture. When the first one increased, significant decreases in yield and profits occurred. The best exploitation strategy was these parameters: fishing mortality level F = 0.15, age at first capture t(c) = 4 years, and yielding of approximately 430 tons. However, since the species reproduces for the first time at 5 years, extracting younger specimens would collapse the population. The critical value of fishing mortality was detected at Fc = 0.25. If exceeded, the population tends to exhaustion and the fishery is no longer profitable. In conclusion, I. fuscus fishery is highly vulnerable to overfishing and age of catch. It must be taken into account that the management policies should be considered as pilot and used on a regional basis. Continuous monitoring of the stock, control of the number of fishing licenses and extracting only specimens 5 yeasr-old and older (around 20 cm and >400 g), will allow the populations to recover from fishing activities
Assuntos
Animais , Biomassa , Conservação dos Recursos Naturais , Pesqueiros/normas , Pepinos-do-Mar/fisiologia , Abastecimento de Alimentos , Doenças dos Peixes/mortalidade , Pesqueiros/economia , México/epidemiologia , Oceano Pacífico , Dinâmica PopulacionalRESUMO
The Isostichopus fuscus fishery in Mexico was heavily exploited until 1994, when it was closed due to overfishing. However, no information existed on the status of the populations. The fishery was evaluated through an age structured simulation model, and according to our analysis of the stock, the fishery can be feasible and sustainable as long as fishing mortality and age of first catch are optimized. In order to evaluate exploitation strategies, several scenarios were simulated considering different combinations of fishing intensities and ages of first catch. Input data for the model included population parameters, commercial catch and costs and benefits of the fishing operations. Yield production was strongly influenced by the fishing pressure and by the age of first capture. When the first one increased, significant decreases in yield and profits occurred. The best exploitation strategy was these parameters: fishing mortality level F = 0.15, age at first capture t(c) = 4 years, and yielding of approximately 430 tons. However, since the species reproduces for the first time at 5 years, extracting younger specimens would collapse the population. The critical value of fishing mortality was detected at Fc = 0.25. If exceeded, the population tends to exhaustion and the fishery is no longer profitable. In conclusion, I. fuscus fishery is highly vulnerable to overfishing and age of catch. It must be taken into account that the management policies should be considered as pilot and used on a regional basis. Continuous monitoring of the stock, control of the number of fishing licenses and extracting only specimens 5 yeasr-old and older (around 20 cm and >400 g), will allow the populations to recover from fishing activities. Rev. Biol. Trop.