The antioxidant enzyme activity and malondialdehyde(MDA) content of Cephalothrix hongkongiensis were studied to assess variations in the biochemical/physiological parameters of nemerteans under heavy metal stress.Worm...The antioxidant enzyme activity and malondialdehyde(MDA) content of Cephalothrix hongkongiensis were studied to assess variations in the biochemical/physiological parameters of nemerteans under heavy metal stress.Worms were exposed to copper,zinc and cadmium solutions at different concentrations,and the activity of three antioxidant enzymes,catalase(CAT),superoxide dismutase(SOD),and glutathione peroxidase(GPX),and MDA content were measured.The results show that the activity of each enzyme changed immediately after exposure to heavy metals.CAT was invariably inhibited throughout the experimental period,while the SOD activity was significantly elevated by exposure to Cu^(2+) for 48h,but then decreased.SOD was inhibited by Zn^(2+) during the first 12h of exposure,but activated when exposed for longer periods.Under Cd^(2+) stress,SOD activity decreased within 72h.GPX activity varied greatly,being significantly increased by both Cu^(2+) and Zn^(2+),but significantly inhibited by Cd^(2+) in the first 12-24h after exposure.MDA content increased on Cu^(2+) exposure,but normally decreased on Zn^(2+) exposure.MDA content followed an increase-decrease-increase pattern under Cd^(2+) stress.In conclusion,the antioxidant system of this nemertean is sensitive to heavy metals,and its CAT activity may be a potential biomarker for monitoring heavy metal levels in the environment.展开更多
The limited knowledge about the relationships between environmental factors and the maturation and reproductive seasonality of nemerteans is mostly obtained from field studies, and in many cases is conjectural. Few sp...The limited knowledge about the relationships between environmental factors and the maturation and reproductive seasonality of nemerteans is mostly obtained from field studies, and in many cases is conjectural. Few species have been studied under well-controlled laboratory conditions. In this work, the effects of temperature and photoperiod on gonad development and spawning of Cephalothrix hongkongiensis were observed by rearing worms under different temperatures and photoperiods. Worms reared at 4~C and 6~C showed no growth or gonadal development, and all died within 109 days. At 8~C and 12~C, gonads could be seen from 90 days to the termination of the 360-day experiment, but no spawning was observed. Worms maintained at 16, 24, and 28~C showed both gonadal development and spawning, and matured faster at higher temperatures. Under a fixed temperature （16℃）, photoperiod did not have any significant impact on maturation and spawning. It is likely that temperature plays a major role in regulating the maturation and reproductive cycle of C. hongkongiensis.展开更多
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.30270235)
文摘The antioxidant enzyme activity and malondialdehyde(MDA) content of Cephalothrix hongkongiensis were studied to assess variations in the biochemical/physiological parameters of nemerteans under heavy metal stress.Worms were exposed to copper,zinc and cadmium solutions at different concentrations,and the activity of three antioxidant enzymes,catalase(CAT),superoxide dismutase(SOD),and glutathione peroxidase(GPX),and MDA content were measured.The results show that the activity of each enzyme changed immediately after exposure to heavy metals.CAT was invariably inhibited throughout the experimental period,while the SOD activity was significantly elevated by exposure to Cu^(2+) for 48h,but then decreased.SOD was inhibited by Zn^(2+) during the first 12h of exposure,but activated when exposed for longer periods.Under Cd^(2+) stress,SOD activity decreased within 72h.GPX activity varied greatly,being significantly increased by both Cu^(2+) and Zn^(2+),but significantly inhibited by Cd^(2+) in the first 12-24h after exposure.MDA content increased on Cu^(2+) exposure,but normally decreased on Zn^(2+) exposure.MDA content followed an increase-decrease-increase pattern under Cd^(2+) stress.In conclusion,the antioxidant system of this nemertean is sensitive to heavy metals,and its CAT activity may be a potential biomarker for monitoring heavy metal levels in the environment.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.30970333,31172046)
文摘The limited knowledge about the relationships between environmental factors and the maturation and reproductive seasonality of nemerteans is mostly obtained from field studies, and in many cases is conjectural. Few species have been studied under well-controlled laboratory conditions. In this work, the effects of temperature and photoperiod on gonad development and spawning of Cephalothrix hongkongiensis were observed by rearing worms under different temperatures and photoperiods. Worms reared at 4~C and 6~C showed no growth or gonadal development, and all died within 109 days. At 8~C and 12~C, gonads could be seen from 90 days to the termination of the 360-day experiment, but no spawning was observed. Worms maintained at 16, 24, and 28~C showed both gonadal development and spawning, and matured faster at higher temperatures. Under a fixed temperature （16℃）, photoperiod did not have any significant impact on maturation and spawning. It is likely that temperature plays a major role in regulating the maturation and reproductive cycle of C. hongkongiensis.
