A 120-day feeding experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of partial replacement of brown fish meal (BFM) by fermented soybean meal (FSBM) in diets of Chinese soft-shelled turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis). The...A 120-day feeding experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of partial replacement of brown fish meal (BFM) by fermented soybean meal (FSBM) in diets of Chinese soft-shelled turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis). The turtles (initial mean body weight, (115.52 ± 1.05) g) were fed with three experimental diets, in which 0%, 4.72% and 9.44% BFM protein was replaced by 0%, 3% and 6% FSBM, respectively. Results showed that the feeding rate (FR), specific growth rate (SGR) and feed efficiency ratio (FER) of turtles fed with the diet containing 3% FSBM were not significantly different from the control group (0% FSBM) (P > 0.05). However, FR, SGR and FER of turtles fed with the diet containing 6% FSBM were significantly lower than those of the control group (P < 0.05). No significant differences were observed in the activities of serum glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase and glutamicpyruvic transaminase among dietary treatments (P > 0.05). However, the uric acid concentration in turtles fed with the diet containing 3% or 6% FSBM was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the activities of lysozyme, alkaline phosphatase and total superoxide dismutase among dietary treatments (P > 0.05). The results suggested that FSBM could replace 4.72% BFM protein in turtle diets without exerting adverse effects on turtle growth, feed utilization and measured immune parameters.展开更多
The soft-shelled turtle Pelodiscus sinensis is a high-profile turtle species because of its nutritional and medicinal value in Asian countries. However, little is known about the genes that are involved in formation o...The soft-shelled turtle Pelodiscus sinensis is a high-profile turtle species because of its nutritional and medicinal value in Asian countries. However, little is known about the genes that are involved in formation of their nutritional quality traits, especially the molecular mechanisms responsible for unsaturated fatty acid and collagen biosynthesis. In the present study, the transcriptomes from six tissues from Pelodiscus sinensis were sequenced using an IIlumina paired-end sequencing platform. We obtained more than 47 million sequencing reads and 73954 unigenes with an average size of 754 bp by de-novo assembly. In total, 55.19% of the unigenes （40 814） had significant similarity with proteins in the National Center of Biotechnology Information （NCBI） non-redundant protein database and Swiss-Prot database （E-value 〈10-5）. Of these annotated unigenes, 9156 and 11 947 unigenes were assigned to 52 gene ontology categories （GO） and 25 clusters of orthologous groups （COG）, respectively. In total, 26496 （35.83%） unigenes were assigned to 242 pathways using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway database （KEGG）. In addition, we found a number of highly expressed genes involved in the regulation of P. sinensis unsatu- rated fatty acid biosynthesis and collagen formation, including desaturases, growth factors, transcription factors, and extracellular matrix components. Our data represent the most comprehensive sequence resource available for the Chinese soft-shelled turtle and could provide a basis for new research on this turtle as well as the molecular genetics and functional genomics of other terrapins. To our knowledge, we report for the first time, the large-scale RNA se- quencing （RNA-Seq） of terrapin animals and would enrich the knowledge of turtles for future research.展开更多
The heat shock cognate protein 70 (Hsc70) is a member of a 70-kDa heat shock protein (HSP70) family that functions as molecular chaperones.In this study,a novel Hsc70 gene from Chinese soft-shelled turtle (Pelodiscus ...The heat shock cognate protein 70 (Hsc70) is a member of a 70-kDa heat shock protein (HSP70) family that functions as molecular chaperones.In this study,a novel Hsc70 gene from Chinese soft-shelled turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis) (tHsc70) was identified.The tHsc70 full-length complementary DNA (cDNA) is 2 272 bp long with a 1 941-bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding 646 amino acids.Three characteristic signature regions of the HSP70 family,two major domains of an adenosine triphosphate (ATP)/guanosine triphosphate (GTP) binding domain (ABD),and a substrate-binding domain (SBD) were present in the predicted tHsc70 amino acid sequence.The tHsc70 gene was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 and the expression product reacted with the anti-Hsc70 mouse monoclonal antibody by Western blotting.Homology analysis revealed that tHsc70 shared identity from 53.9% to 87.7% at the nucleotide level,and 49.1% to 99.5% at the amino acid level with the known Hsc70s.Phylogenetic analysis showed that tHsc70 was clustered together with the Hsc70 gene of another reptile species (Alligator mississippiensis).The tHsc70 was expressed in the liver,lung,heart,and skeletal muscle.The expression patterns of tHsc70 messenger RNA (mRNA) differed among different tissues under different durations of heat stress at 40 °C.Adaptation at 25 °C for 1 h after heat stress was also different among tissues and length of heat stress.Irrespective of different profiles of expression under heat stress,tHsc70 may play roles in protecting turtles from thermal stress.展开更多
An orthogonal experimental design OA9 （33） was used to evaluate the effects of vitamins （A, B2, and B6） on the growth and digestive ability of the juvenile Chinese soft-shelled turtle, Pelodiscus sinensis （initia...An orthogonal experimental design OA9 （33） was used to evaluate the effects of vitamins （A, B2, and B6） on the growth and digestive ability of the juvenile Chinese soft-shelled turtle, Pelodiscus sinensis （initial weight, 5.9-0.2 g）. A total of 135 turtles were divided into 9 groups, which each included 15 individuals. The results revealed that vitamin A （VA） had the strongest impacts on the growth rate and feed utilization among the three vitamins; 35,000 IU kg^-1 VA had optimal effects on the feeding intake and specific growth rate, and 20,000 IU kg^-1 VA had optimal effects on protein digestibility and the feed conversion ratio. Vitamin B2 （VB2） was essential for regulating protein deposition and the energy efficiency for growth of the turtles; 120 mg kg^-1 VB2 resulted in increased protein and energy deposition, and 180 mg kg^-1 VB2 had greater beneficial effects on the growth rate. Vitamin B6 （VB6） had important effects on protein and feed efficiency; however, VB6 at an excessive level （120 mg kg^-1） restricted turtle growth. Based on the above growth results, dietary supplementation ofVA, VB2 and VB6 at levels of 35,000 IU kg^-1, 180 mg kg^-1 and 70 mg kg^-1, respectively, were recommended for the juvenile soft-shelled turtle.展开更多
The validity of Pelodiscus parviformis within the genus is still not very clear. In this study, molecular and morphological data were combined to evaluate the validity of P parviformis. The phylogeny of some species i...The validity of Pelodiscus parviformis within the genus is still not very clear. In this study, molecular and morphological data were combined to evaluate the validity of P parviformis. The phylogeny of some species in Pelo- discus was reconstructed by maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses based on five mitochondria DNA fragments （5308 bp of 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, ND4, CO1 and Cyt b）. The results ofML, MP and Bayesian analyses suggest that P. parviformis might be paraphyletic to P sinensis, whereas the partitioned Bayesian analyses support the reciprocal monophyly of P. parviformis and P. sinensis. Considering the advantages of heteroge- nous characteristics of sequence evolution, we choose the result of partitioned Bayesian analyses. Furthermore, the mor- phological data lend support the distinct species status of P. parviformis and P. sinensis, such as tubercles on carapace skin, color of plastron skin, dark spots on plastron, basisphenoid characteristics （ratio of the smallest width to the largest width; the smallest width of basisphenoid is restrained by two holes on each side） and the shape of entoplastron. Com- bining the molecular and morphological data, we inferred that P. parviformis is a valid species. In addition, the results of this study suggest a new record of/？. axenaria in Guangxi, China.展开更多
The effects of ration level and feeding frequency on digestibility in juvenile soft-shelled turtle, Pelodiscus sinensis, were investigated. Four ration levels 1.5%, 2.5%, 4.0% and satiation （6.0% BW/d） were used. Ap...The effects of ration level and feeding frequency on digestibility in juvenile soft-shelled turtle, Pelodiscus sinensis, were investigated. Four ration levels 1.5%, 2.5%, 4.0% and satiation （6.0% BW/d） were used. Apparent digestibility （AD） of dry matter （DMAD）, protein （PAD） and protein real digestibility （PRD） were significantly affected by ration level, but not by feeding frequency when the ration level was similar. However, the feeding frequency affected the AD, DMAD, PAD and PRD significantly when the turtles were fed to satiation. The relationship between fecal protein content （Y） and protein intake （At） can be expressed as a quadric equation： Y=-0.1742＋0.1476X-0.0003X^2 （r^2=0.876, n=27, F=93.92, P〈0.01）.展开更多
The Chinese soft-shelled turtle Pelodiscus sinensis is a high-valued freshwater species cultured in China.This study investigated the effects of stocking density on water quality,growth performance and economic return...The Chinese soft-shelled turtle Pelodiscus sinensis is a high-valued freshwater species cultured in China.This study investigated the effects of stocking density on water quality,growth performance and economic return of Pelodiscus sinensis cultured in ponds.P.sinensis were stocked at densities of 1 ind./m^2(LD:low stocking density) and 2 ind./m^2(HD:high stocking density) in 3 000-m^2 ponds,with three replicate ponds for each density.P.sinensis juveniles were fed with a commercial dry pellet feed of 46% crude protein and minced fillet of silver carp ans cultured for 122 days.The results showed that the levels of total nitrogen(TN),total phosphorous(TP),Chlorophyll-a(Chl.a) and turbidity in LD treatment were significantly lower than those in HD treatment(P<0.05).The mean TN and TP concentration in LD treatment was 29.3% and 35.7% lower compared to the HD treatment at the end of the experiment,respectively.Mean survival rates,final weight,average growth rates and PER were significantly higher in LD treatment compared with the HD treatment(P<0.05),respectively.Production was significantly affected by stocking density,which was higher in HD treatment,but the net income was higher in LD treatment.The results suggest that turtles with mean weight 55.6 g rearing at a low stocking density(1 ind./m^2) in ponds had a positive effect on overall economic return and was effective at improving turtle growth performance and water quality.展开更多
The present study was to investigate the effects of feeding time on growth of the Chinese soft-shelled turtle. The experiment was carried out with a photoperiod of 12L （light）： 12D （dark） with lights on at 06：00...The present study was to investigate the effects of feeding time on growth of the Chinese soft-shelled turtle. The experiment was carried out with a photoperiod of 12L （light）： 12D （dark） with lights on at 06：00 and off at 18：00. Turtles were maintained at a temperature of 32 - 0.2 ℃ in tanks throughout the length of the experiment. The turtles in group 1 to group 6 were fed respectively at 00：00, 04：00, 08：00, 12：00, 16：00 and 20：00 with 60 turtles each （Initial body weight 88.27 - 0.09 g）. Acrophases of postprandial RNA/DNA ratio in liver in each group was shown between 5h and 7h after feeding. A positive linear correlation could be seen between specific growth rate （SGR） and RNA/ DNA：SGR=t.1586RNA/DNA-0.7097 （r = 0.9328, P = 0.0066）. The results indicated that the values at the acrophases of about 6h after feeding might be used as an instantaneous growth index in the Chinese soft-shelled turtle. The turtles in group 1 grew better than group 3, group 4, group 5, group 6, because they ate more, but they ate more and grew slower than group 2, whose feed conversion rate was also higher. Meanwhile, the SGR and feeding rate of turtles fed at 12：00 were the lowest from the six groups （P 〈 0.05）. Turtles fed in group 1, group 2 and group 6 developed more heavy final body weight （FBW）, higher feeding rate and SGR than the other three groups. This probably suggested that turtles fed in scotophase grew better than that fed at photophase in total.展开更多
A catalase cDNA was cloned from the liver of the Chinese soft-shelled turtle （Pelodiscus sinensis） using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR） with degenerate primers. Both 3＇-and 5＇-untransla...A catalase cDNA was cloned from the liver of the Chinese soft-shelled turtle （Pelodiscus sinensis） using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR） with degenerate primers. Both 3＇-and 5＇-untranslated regions were isolated by the rapid amplification of cDNA ends method （RACE）. Analysis of nucleotide sequence revealed that the catalase cDNA clone consisted of 2173 bp with an open reading frame of 1587 bp encoding a protein of 528 amino acids. The calculated molecular mass of the mature protein is 59.8 kDa with an estimated pI of 6.84. The peroxisomal targeting signal SNL at the C-terminal and two putative N-glycosylation sites NLSV and NVSQ were found in the catalase. Sequence comparison showed that this catalase, deduced by the amino acid sequence, had high similarity and identity with those of vertebrates recorded in GenBank. Four functional domains and conserved amino acids responsible for binding heme and NAPDH including four essential residues were observed. The 3-D homology model of the turtle catalase was predicted by SwissModel based on the relative domains of bovine catalase structure （PDB ID： 3rgp）. The mRNA expression and enzyme activities in liver, brain, spleen, kidney, heart, gut, lung and muscle were investigated, and the results showed that the mRNA and enzyme activities of catalase in these tissues were species-specific.展开更多
The Chinese soft-shelled turtle(Pelodiscus sinensis)exhibits sexual dimorphism.Compared with females,males are considered to have higher economic value due to their accelerated growth,greater body mass,and longer skir...The Chinese soft-shelled turtle(Pelodiscus sinensis)exhibits sexual dimorphism.Compared with females,males are considered to have higher economic value due to their accelerated growth,greater body mass,and longer skirt width.Studies focused on these sex disparities have largely neglected potential sex differences in growth.Here,we performed RNA sequencing of muscle tissue components from 1-year-old specimens to reveal gene expression patterns in P.sinensis.In our male and female cohorts,our analysis revealed,respectively,388 and 526 upregulated differentially expressed genes(DEGs)and 1129 and 635 downregulated DEGs.Through weighted coexpression network analysis(WGCNA)and integration with phenotype data,we established two main gene modules:a light yellow module encompassing 191 genes(e.g.,ACACB,CTH,HADHA,and CTNNB)that demonstrated a positive correlation with population traits,and a black module comprising 298 genes(e.g.,CAV3,PIK3CD,SMAD3,and VEGFA)that demonstrated a negative correlation with population traits.We also performed a DEG evaluation and gene set enrichment analysis across individuals of different sizes and noted that pathways such as protein digestion and assimilation(ko04974),were substantially augmented in larger specimens.In these pathways,the collagen(COL)and solute carrier(SLC)gene families were noted to be crucial for sustaining body structure and facilitating nutrient and metabolite transportation.In conclusion,we elucidated the essential modules,pivotal genes,and pathways involved in gene expression differences among various P.sinensis size groupings.Our results provide novel insights for future studies on growth discrepancies in P.sinensis.展开更多
While the functions of body coloration have been well characterized in many animal taxa,the molecular mechanisms governing its production remain poorly understood.This study investigated the genetic and biochemical ba...While the functions of body coloration have been well characterized in many animal taxa,the molecular mechanisms governing its production remain poorly understood.This study investigated the genetic and biochemical basis of yellow body coloration in a mutant form of the Yongzhang golden soft-shelled turtle(YGT,Pelodiscus sinensis),which exhibit a striking yellow phenotype.Comparative pigment analysis revealed that YGTs have significantly lower melanin and higher carotenoid pigmentation compared to atrovirens wild-type turtles(AWTs),while pterin concentrations did not differ between the two groups.Functional validation experiments demonstrated that a single amino acid substitution(I481R)in tyrosinase-related protein 1(tyrp1)plays a pivotal role in the reduction of melanin production in YGTs.Expression of tyrp1 from YGTs and AWTs in A375 cells,in which human tyrp1(htyrp1)function was depleted by CRISPR-Cas9,led to a specific reduction in melanin production in cells expressing the YGT-tyrp1 variant.Moreover,bco1 and bco2,genes negatively associated with carotenoid content,showed reduced expression in YGTs,suggesting that yellow coloration is achieved through a reduction in melanin pigmentation combined with an accumulation of carotenoids.These findings elucidate the molecular basis of yellow body coloration in turtles and enhance our understanding of pigment regulation in vertebrates.展开更多
清溪乌鳖(Qingxi black strain of Pelodiscus sinensis)是基于太湖花鳖(Taihu strain of P.sinensis)体色黑化个体选育而成的新品种,为研究体色黑化对中华鳖群体分化的影响,通过测定太湖花鳖、清溪乌鳖的23项形态学指标、3项生物学指...清溪乌鳖(Qingxi black strain of Pelodiscus sinensis)是基于太湖花鳖(Taihu strain of P.sinensis)体色黑化个体选育而成的新品种,为研究体色黑化对中华鳖群体分化的影响,通过测定太湖花鳖、清溪乌鳖的23项形态学指标、3项生物学指标及营养组成,对太湖花鳖和清溪乌鳖种质性状进行系统评估。结果显示:(1)形态学指标的主成分分析、聚类分析结果一致且两者形态差异主要表现在背甲、腹甲、四肢和头部的形态差异;差异系数分析结果显示两者尚未达到亚种分化水平。(2)太湖花鳖的可食净重占比显著高于清溪乌鳖;而背甲重占比,太湖花鳖显著低于清溪乌鳖。(3)太湖花鳖肌肉中的粗蛋白含量(♂:18.15%,♀:18.08%)显著低于清溪乌鳖(♂:18.85%,♀:18.89%);而粗脂肪含量,太湖花鳖(♂:0.56%,♀:0.56%)显著高于清溪乌鳖(♂:0.43%,♀:0.45%)。(4)清溪乌鳖肌肉中的必需氨基酸/非必需的含量比值(♂:84.44%,♀:85.54%)和呈味氨基酸/总氨基酸的含量比值(♂:38.65%,♀:38.35%)显著高于太湖花鳖(♂:80.59%,♀:81.82%)、(♂:37.88%,♀:37.36%);而必需氨基酸/总氨基酸的含量比值(太湖花鳖♂:50.46%,♀:50.70%;清溪乌鳖♂:51.01%,♀:51.44%),两者之间无显著差异;太湖花鳖裙边中的羟脯氨酸含量(♂:16.08%,♀:16.12%)显著高于清溪乌鳖(♂:15.77%,♀:15.69%)。(5)太湖花鳖和清溪乌鳖肌肉中饱和脂肪酸含量(太湖花鳖♂:31.89%,♀:30.92%;清溪乌鳖♂:31.64%,♀:32.88%)、单不饱和脂肪酸含量(太湖花鳖♂:30.50%,♀:30.160%;清溪乌鳖♂:30.55%,♀:30.71%)、多不饱和脂肪酸含量(太湖花鳖♂:30.94%,♀:30.58%;清溪乌鳖♂:31.98%,♀:32.72%)和EPA+DHA的含量(太湖花鳖♂:12.63%,♀:12.39%;清溪乌鳖♂:12.98%,♀:12.82%)基本接近,仅在个别脂肪酸的含量存在显著差异。展开更多
基金financially supported by the Project of Hangzhou Producing, Study and Researching Cooperation of China (Grant No. 20092632E27)
文摘A 120-day feeding experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of partial replacement of brown fish meal (BFM) by fermented soybean meal (FSBM) in diets of Chinese soft-shelled turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis). The turtles (initial mean body weight, (115.52 ± 1.05) g) were fed with three experimental diets, in which 0%, 4.72% and 9.44% BFM protein was replaced by 0%, 3% and 6% FSBM, respectively. Results showed that the feeding rate (FR), specific growth rate (SGR) and feed efficiency ratio (FER) of turtles fed with the diet containing 3% FSBM were not significantly different from the control group (0% FSBM) (P > 0.05). However, FR, SGR and FER of turtles fed with the diet containing 6% FSBM were significantly lower than those of the control group (P < 0.05). No significant differences were observed in the activities of serum glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase and glutamicpyruvic transaminase among dietary treatments (P > 0.05). However, the uric acid concentration in turtles fed with the diet containing 3% or 6% FSBM was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the activities of lysozyme, alkaline phosphatase and total superoxide dismutase among dietary treatments (P > 0.05). The results suggested that FSBM could replace 4.72% BFM protein in turtle diets without exerting adverse effects on turtle growth, feed utilization and measured immune parameters.
基金Project supported by the National Basic Research Program (973) of China (No.2011CB111500)the Natural Science Foundation of Ningbo City,China (Nos.2011A610012 and 2011A610017)+1 种基金the Zhejiang Provincial Project of Selective Breeding of Aquatic New Varieties,China (No.2012C12907)the Zhejiang Provincial Top Key Discipline of Modern Microbiology and Application,China (Nos.KF2010005 and KF2012003)
文摘The soft-shelled turtle Pelodiscus sinensis is a high-profile turtle species because of its nutritional and medicinal value in Asian countries. However, little is known about the genes that are involved in formation of their nutritional quality traits, especially the molecular mechanisms responsible for unsaturated fatty acid and collagen biosynthesis. In the present study, the transcriptomes from six tissues from Pelodiscus sinensis were sequenced using an IIlumina paired-end sequencing platform. We obtained more than 47 million sequencing reads and 73954 unigenes with an average size of 754 bp by de-novo assembly. In total, 55.19% of the unigenes （40 814） had significant similarity with proteins in the National Center of Biotechnology Information （NCBI） non-redundant protein database and Swiss-Prot database （E-value 〈10-5）. Of these annotated unigenes, 9156 and 11 947 unigenes were assigned to 52 gene ontology categories （GO） and 25 clusters of orthologous groups （COG）, respectively. In total, 26496 （35.83%） unigenes were assigned to 242 pathways using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway database （KEGG）. In addition, we found a number of highly expressed genes involved in the regulation of P. sinensis unsatu- rated fatty acid biosynthesis and collagen formation, including desaturases, growth factors, transcription factors, and extracellular matrix components. Our data represent the most comprehensive sequence resource available for the Chinese soft-shelled turtle and could provide a basis for new research on this turtle as well as the molecular genetics and functional genomics of other terrapins. To our knowledge, we report for the first time, the large-scale RNA se- quencing （RNA-Seq） of terrapin animals and would enrich the knowledge of turtles for future research.
基金Project (No.20082332Y03) supported by the Science and Technology Department of Hangzhou City,China
文摘The heat shock cognate protein 70 (Hsc70) is a member of a 70-kDa heat shock protein (HSP70) family that functions as molecular chaperones.In this study,a novel Hsc70 gene from Chinese soft-shelled turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis) (tHsc70) was identified.The tHsc70 full-length complementary DNA (cDNA) is 2 272 bp long with a 1 941-bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding 646 amino acids.Three characteristic signature regions of the HSP70 family,two major domains of an adenosine triphosphate (ATP)/guanosine triphosphate (GTP) binding domain (ABD),and a substrate-binding domain (SBD) were present in the predicted tHsc70 amino acid sequence.The tHsc70 gene was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 and the expression product reacted with the anti-Hsc70 mouse monoclonal antibody by Western blotting.Homology analysis revealed that tHsc70 shared identity from 53.9% to 87.7% at the nucleotide level,and 49.1% to 99.5% at the amino acid level with the known Hsc70s.Phylogenetic analysis showed that tHsc70 was clustered together with the Hsc70 gene of another reptile species (Alligator mississippiensis).The tHsc70 was expressed in the liver,lung,heart,and skeletal muscle.The expression patterns of tHsc70 messenger RNA (mRNA) differed among different tissues under different durations of heat stress at 40 °C.Adaptation at 25 °C for 1 h after heat stress was also different among tissues and length of heat stress.Irrespective of different profiles of expression under heat stress,tHsc70 may play roles in protecting turtles from thermal stress.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos.30972261,31172085,31272315 and 41606137)
文摘An orthogonal experimental design OA9 （33） was used to evaluate the effects of vitamins （A, B2, and B6） on the growth and digestive ability of the juvenile Chinese soft-shelled turtle, Pelodiscus sinensis （initial weight, 5.9-0.2 g）. A total of 135 turtles were divided into 9 groups, which each included 15 individuals. The results revealed that vitamin A （VA） had the strongest impacts on the growth rate and feed utilization among the three vitamins; 35,000 IU kg^-1 VA had optimal effects on the feeding intake and specific growth rate, and 20,000 IU kg^-1 VA had optimal effects on protein digestibility and the feed conversion ratio. Vitamin B2 （VB2） was essential for regulating protein deposition and the energy efficiency for growth of the turtles; 120 mg kg^-1 VB2 resulted in increased protein and energy deposition, and 180 mg kg^-1 VB2 had greater beneficial effects on the growth rate. Vitamin B6 （VB6） had important effects on protein and feed efficiency; however, VB6 at an excessive level （120 mg kg^-1） restricted turtle growth. Based on the above growth results, dietary supplementation ofVA, VB2 and VB6 at levels of 35,000 IU kg^-1, 180 mg kg^-1 and 70 mg kg^-1, respectively, were recommended for the juvenile soft-shelled turtle.
基金supported by the grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31071892) to Yuezhao WANGthe "Hundred Talents Program" of Chinese Academy of Sciences (KSCX2-YW-R-077) to Yezhong TANG
文摘The validity of Pelodiscus parviformis within the genus is still not very clear. In this study, molecular and morphological data were combined to evaluate the validity of P parviformis. The phylogeny of some species in Pelo- discus was reconstructed by maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses based on five mitochondria DNA fragments （5308 bp of 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, ND4, CO1 and Cyt b）. The results ofML, MP and Bayesian analyses suggest that P. parviformis might be paraphyletic to P sinensis, whereas the partitioned Bayesian analyses support the reciprocal monophyly of P. parviformis and P. sinensis. Considering the advantages of heteroge- nous characteristics of sequence evolution, we choose the result of partitioned Bayesian analyses. Furthermore, the mor- phological data lend support the distinct species status of P. parviformis and P. sinensis, such as tubercles on carapace skin, color of plastron skin, dark spots on plastron, basisphenoid characteristics （ratio of the smallest width to the largest width; the smallest width of basisphenoid is restrained by two holes on each side） and the shape of entoplastron. Com- bining the molecular and morphological data, we inferred that P. parviformis is a valid species. In addition, the results of this study suggest a new record of/？. axenaria in Guangxi, China.
基金Project supported by the Scientific and Research Bureau of Shenzhen, China
文摘The effects of ration level and feeding frequency on digestibility in juvenile soft-shelled turtle, Pelodiscus sinensis, were investigated. Four ration levels 1.5%, 2.5%, 4.0% and satiation （6.0% BW/d） were used. Apparent digestibility （AD） of dry matter （DMAD）, protein （PAD） and protein real digestibility （PRD） were significantly affected by ration level, but not by feeding frequency when the ration level was similar. However, the feeding frequency affected the AD, DMAD, PAD and PRD significantly when the turtles were fed to satiation. The relationship between fecal protein content （Y） and protein intake （At） can be expressed as a quadric equation： Y=-0.1742＋0.1476X-0.0003X^2 （r^2=0.876, n=27, F=93.92, P〈0.01）.
基金Supported by a grant from the National Scientific and Technological Supporting Program of China(No.2012BAD27B02-6)the Opening Foundation of the Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory for Characteristic Aquatic Species Breeding(No.CASB1306)the Knowledge Innovation Project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(KSCX2-YW-N-47-06)
文摘The Chinese soft-shelled turtle Pelodiscus sinensis is a high-valued freshwater species cultured in China.This study investigated the effects of stocking density on water quality,growth performance and economic return of Pelodiscus sinensis cultured in ponds.P.sinensis were stocked at densities of 1 ind./m^2(LD:low stocking density) and 2 ind./m^2(HD:high stocking density) in 3 000-m^2 ponds,with three replicate ponds for each density.P.sinensis juveniles were fed with a commercial dry pellet feed of 46% crude protein and minced fillet of silver carp ans cultured for 122 days.The results showed that the levels of total nitrogen(TN),total phosphorous(TP),Chlorophyll-a(Chl.a) and turbidity in LD treatment were significantly lower than those in HD treatment(P<0.05).The mean TN and TP concentration in LD treatment was 29.3% and 35.7% lower compared to the HD treatment at the end of the experiment,respectively.Mean survival rates,final weight,average growth rates and PER were significantly higher in LD treatment compared with the HD treatment(P<0.05),respectively.Production was significantly affected by stocking density,which was higher in HD treatment,but the net income was higher in LD treatment.The results suggest that turtles with mean weight 55.6 g rearing at a low stocking density(1 ind./m^2) in ponds had a positive effect on overall economic return and was effective at improving turtle growth performance and water quality.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.31172085)
文摘The present study was to investigate the effects of feeding time on growth of the Chinese soft-shelled turtle. The experiment was carried out with a photoperiod of 12L （light）： 12D （dark） with lights on at 06：00 and off at 18：00. Turtles were maintained at a temperature of 32 - 0.2 ℃ in tanks throughout the length of the experiment. The turtles in group 1 to group 6 were fed respectively at 00：00, 04：00, 08：00, 12：00, 16：00 and 20：00 with 60 turtles each （Initial body weight 88.27 - 0.09 g）. Acrophases of postprandial RNA/DNA ratio in liver in each group was shown between 5h and 7h after feeding. A positive linear correlation could be seen between specific growth rate （SGR） and RNA/ DNA：SGR=t.1586RNA/DNA-0.7097 （r = 0.9328, P = 0.0066）. The results indicated that the values at the acrophases of about 6h after feeding might be used as an instantaneous growth index in the Chinese soft-shelled turtle. The turtles in group 1 grew better than group 3, group 4, group 5, group 6, because they ate more, but they ate more and grew slower than group 2, whose feed conversion rate was also higher. Meanwhile, the SGR and feeding rate of turtles fed at 12：00 were the lowest from the six groups （P 〈 0.05）. Turtles fed in group 1, group 2 and group 6 developed more heavy final body weight （FBW）, higher feeding rate and SGR than the other three groups. This probably suggested that turtles fed in scotophase grew better than that fed at photophase in total.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31172383)
文摘A catalase cDNA was cloned from the liver of the Chinese soft-shelled turtle （Pelodiscus sinensis） using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR） with degenerate primers. Both 3＇-and 5＇-untranslated regions were isolated by the rapid amplification of cDNA ends method （RACE）. Analysis of nucleotide sequence revealed that the catalase cDNA clone consisted of 2173 bp with an open reading frame of 1587 bp encoding a protein of 528 amino acids. The calculated molecular mass of the mature protein is 59.8 kDa with an estimated pI of 6.84. The peroxisomal targeting signal SNL at the C-terminal and two putative N-glycosylation sites NLSV and NVSQ were found in the catalase. Sequence comparison showed that this catalase, deduced by the amino acid sequence, had high similarity and identity with those of vertebrates recorded in GenBank. Four functional domains and conserved amino acids responsible for binding heme and NAPDH including four essential residues were observed. The 3-D homology model of the turtle catalase was predicted by SwissModel based on the relative domains of bovine catalase structure （PDB ID： 3rgp）. The mRNA expression and enzyme activities in liver, brain, spleen, kidney, heart, gut, lung and muscle were investigated, and the results showed that the mRNA and enzyme activities of catalase in these tissues were species-specific.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32302992)the Central Public-Interest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund+1 种基金CAFS(No.2023TD36 and YFI202406)the National Freshwater Aquatic Germplasm Resource Center(FGRC18537).
文摘The Chinese soft-shelled turtle(Pelodiscus sinensis)exhibits sexual dimorphism.Compared with females,males are considered to have higher economic value due to their accelerated growth,greater body mass,and longer skirt width.Studies focused on these sex disparities have largely neglected potential sex differences in growth.Here,we performed RNA sequencing of muscle tissue components from 1-year-old specimens to reveal gene expression patterns in P.sinensis.In our male and female cohorts,our analysis revealed,respectively,388 and 526 upregulated differentially expressed genes(DEGs)and 1129 and 635 downregulated DEGs.Through weighted coexpression network analysis(WGCNA)and integration with phenotype data,we established two main gene modules:a light yellow module encompassing 191 genes(e.g.,ACACB,CTH,HADHA,and CTNNB)that demonstrated a positive correlation with population traits,and a black module comprising 298 genes(e.g.,CAV3,PIK3CD,SMAD3,and VEGFA)that demonstrated a negative correlation with population traits.We also performed a DEG evaluation and gene set enrichment analysis across individuals of different sizes and noted that pathways such as protein digestion and assimilation(ko04974),were substantially augmented in larger specimens.In these pathways,the collagen(COL)and solute carrier(SLC)gene families were noted to be crucial for sustaining body structure and facilitating nutrient and metabolite transportation.In conclusion,we elucidated the essential modules,pivotal genes,and pathways involved in gene expression differences among various P.sinensis size groupings.Our results provide novel insights for future studies on growth discrepancies in P.sinensis.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32030013)Project of Hebei Agricultural Innovation Team of Freshwater Aquaculture(HBCT2023230204)。
文摘While the functions of body coloration have been well characterized in many animal taxa,the molecular mechanisms governing its production remain poorly understood.This study investigated the genetic and biochemical basis of yellow body coloration in a mutant form of the Yongzhang golden soft-shelled turtle(YGT,Pelodiscus sinensis),which exhibit a striking yellow phenotype.Comparative pigment analysis revealed that YGTs have significantly lower melanin and higher carotenoid pigmentation compared to atrovirens wild-type turtles(AWTs),while pterin concentrations did not differ between the two groups.Functional validation experiments demonstrated that a single amino acid substitution(I481R)in tyrosinase-related protein 1(tyrp1)plays a pivotal role in the reduction of melanin production in YGTs.Expression of tyrp1 from YGTs and AWTs in A375 cells,in which human tyrp1(htyrp1)function was depleted by CRISPR-Cas9,led to a specific reduction in melanin production in cells expressing the YGT-tyrp1 variant.Moreover,bco1 and bco2,genes negatively associated with carotenoid content,showed reduced expression in YGTs,suggesting that yellow coloration is achieved through a reduction in melanin pigmentation combined with an accumulation of carotenoids.These findings elucidate the molecular basis of yellow body coloration in turtles and enhance our understanding of pigment regulation in vertebrates.
文摘清溪乌鳖(Qingxi black strain of Pelodiscus sinensis)是基于太湖花鳖(Taihu strain of P.sinensis)体色黑化个体选育而成的新品种,为研究体色黑化对中华鳖群体分化的影响,通过测定太湖花鳖、清溪乌鳖的23项形态学指标、3项生物学指标及营养组成,对太湖花鳖和清溪乌鳖种质性状进行系统评估。结果显示:(1)形态学指标的主成分分析、聚类分析结果一致且两者形态差异主要表现在背甲、腹甲、四肢和头部的形态差异;差异系数分析结果显示两者尚未达到亚种分化水平。(2)太湖花鳖的可食净重占比显著高于清溪乌鳖;而背甲重占比,太湖花鳖显著低于清溪乌鳖。(3)太湖花鳖肌肉中的粗蛋白含量(♂:18.15%,♀:18.08%)显著低于清溪乌鳖(♂:18.85%,♀:18.89%);而粗脂肪含量,太湖花鳖(♂:0.56%,♀:0.56%)显著高于清溪乌鳖(♂:0.43%,♀:0.45%)。(4)清溪乌鳖肌肉中的必需氨基酸/非必需的含量比值(♂:84.44%,♀:85.54%)和呈味氨基酸/总氨基酸的含量比值(♂:38.65%,♀:38.35%)显著高于太湖花鳖(♂:80.59%,♀:81.82%)、(♂:37.88%,♀:37.36%);而必需氨基酸/总氨基酸的含量比值(太湖花鳖♂:50.46%,♀:50.70%;清溪乌鳖♂:51.01%,♀:51.44%),两者之间无显著差异;太湖花鳖裙边中的羟脯氨酸含量(♂:16.08%,♀:16.12%)显著高于清溪乌鳖(♂:15.77%,♀:15.69%)。(5)太湖花鳖和清溪乌鳖肌肉中饱和脂肪酸含量(太湖花鳖♂:31.89%,♀:30.92%;清溪乌鳖♂:31.64%,♀:32.88%)、单不饱和脂肪酸含量(太湖花鳖♂:30.50%,♀:30.160%;清溪乌鳖♂:30.55%,♀:30.71%)、多不饱和脂肪酸含量(太湖花鳖♂:30.94%,♀:30.58%;清溪乌鳖♂:31.98%,♀:32.72%)和EPA+DHA的含量(太湖花鳖♂:12.63%,♀:12.39%;清溪乌鳖♂:12.98%,♀:12.82%)基本接近,仅在个别脂肪酸的含量存在显著差异。
