Variaciones de la infracomunidad parásita durante la ontogenia de Chromis cyanea(Perciformes: Pomacentridae) en la costa norte de La Habana, Cuba / Variations of the parasitic infracommunity during the ontogeny of Chromis cyanea (Perciformes: Pomacentridae) in the North coast of Havana, Cuba

Chromis cyaneaes una de las especies marinas más comunes y abundantes de los arrecifes cubanos. En este estudio se cuantifica la infracomunidad de parásitos durante el desarrollo ontogenético de Chromis cyanea(Pisces: Pomacentridae) de la costa norte de La Habana, Cuba. Los objetivos son probar que las especies núcleo son responsables de la estructura en la infracomunidad y aparecen antes que las especies raras y estocásticas. Determinar si existe relación entre los descriptores ecológicos de la infraco-munidad parásita con la longitud total. Se capturaron 278 ejemplares de C. cyaneadurante la estación de seca (Abril) del 2010. Se analizó un rango de tallas de 1.5 a 11.5 cm de largo total y se incluyeron ejemplares juveniles y adultos. Se recolectaron 2 861 especímenes parásitos pertenecientes a 20 taxa: Crustacea (5), Nematoda (5), Trematoda (4), Cestoda (2), Monogenea (2), Turbellaria (1) y Ciliophora (1). Los taxa Tetraphyllidea y Anilocra chromisconstituyen el núcleo de la infracomunidad parásita. La secuencia de aparición y la persistencia de estos taxa durante el desarrollo ontogenético apoyan la hipótesis de las especies núcleo. Los cambios en la infracomunidad, a partir de la talla de 6 cm, podrían ser el resultado de un efecto acumulativo unido a cambios en la dieta que provocan la ingestión de nuevos estadíos infectivos. Se concluye que el desarrollo ontogenético de C. cyaneaconstituye una variable importante en la formación de la infracomunidad parásita.

The infracommunity of parasites of Chromis cyanea(Pisces: Pomacentridae) was studied along the ontogenetic development in the North coast of Havana, Cuba. The objectives were: a- to prove that the core species appears before the strange and stochastic species and they are responsible for the structure in the infracommunity, b- to determine if there is a relationship among the ecological describers of the parasitic infracommunity with the total length. A total of 278 specimens of C. cyaneawere captured during the dry season (April) of 2010. The body size range was from 1.5 to 11.5 cm including juvenile and adults. We collected 2 861 parasite specimens belonging to 20 taxa: Crustacea (5), Nematoda (5), Trematoda (4), Cestoda (2), Monogenea (2), Turbellaria (1) and Ciliophora (1). The taxa Tetraphyllidea and Anilocra chromisconstituted the core of the parasitic infracommunity. The sequence of appearance and persistence of these taxa during the ontogenetic development, supported the hypothesis of the core species. The changes in the infracommunity, from 6 cm body size, could be the result of an accumulative effect combined with changes of the diet that caused the ingestion of new parasite infective stages. We concluded that the ontogenetic development of C. cyaneaconstitutes an important variable in the formation of the parasitic infracommunity.

Molecular cloning and expression of a serine protease family from Jellyfish Cyanea capillata / 中国生化药物杂志

Objective To obtain a single toxin component from the jellyfish Cyanea capillata and provide a foundation for the further study on bioactivity and function of the serine proteases from C.capillata.Methods Primers designed with restriction enzyme were used to amplify the coding region of cDNAs (CcSP1, CcSP2 and CcSP3).PCR fragments were ligated with the pET-24a( +) vector to construct the recombinant plasmids (pET24a-CcSP1, pET24a-CcSP2 and pET24a-CcSP3).After screening and identification,the recombinant plasmids were transformed into the Rosetta (DE3).plysS for protein expression.After induction with IPTG, SDS-PAGE and Western-blot were used to detect the expression of the recombinant proteins.Results SDS-PAGE showed that the proteins of rCcSP1, rCcSP2 and rCcSP3 were expressed in a single band at about 34 kDa, 42 kDa and 42kDa, respectively.Western-blot detection with anti-His antibody further confirmed that these recombinant proteins were His-tagged CcSP1, CcSP2 and CcSP3 fusion protein were obtained.Conclusion Prokaryotic recombinant plasmids of C.capillata serine proteases are contructed and recombinant proteins are obtained, which establishes the foundation for future study on the function of serine proteases from jellyfish.

Protein stability and hemolytic activity of tentacle extract from the jellyfish Cya-nea capillata / 药学实践杂志

Objective To investigate the influencing factors of the protein stability and hemolytic activity of tentacle extract ( TE) from the jellyfish Cyanea capillata .Methods Effects of various factors and treatments on the protein stability and hemolytic ac-tivity of TE were explored by protein detection , hemolytic assay and SDS-PAGE analysis.Results TE caused a significant and dose-dependent hemolytic effect , and the HU50 of TE against 0.5%erythrocyte suspensions from SD rats was 226μg/ml.A 40℃water bath for 1 hour could effectively remove the contaminating proteins in TE .TE retained hemolytic activity at 4℃for 28 days but it was unsta-ble when kept at 25℃over 3 days.TE was active in the range from pH 6.0 to 11.0 and the optimum pH was 8.0.Various buffer solu-tions had significantly different effects on the stability and hemolytic activity of TE , and a good salting-out effect was observed on the hemolytic protein of TE while the concentration of ammonium sulfate solutions was greater than 26%.Conclusion A 40℃water bath for 1 hour could effectively remove the contaminating proteins in TE and reduce its viscosity .The optimum conditions for maintaining stability and hemolytic activity of TE were 4℃ and pH 8.0.The salting-out effect from 26% and more ammonium sulfate solutions would be conducive to the enrichment of hemolytic protein .

Effect of various cations on hemolytic activity of tentacle-only extract from jellyfish Cyanea capillata / 第二军医大学学报

Objective To investigate the potential role of the pore-formation in the hemolytic activity of tentacle-only extract (TOE) from the jellyfish Cyanea capillata. Methods The effects of various cations, including K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Mn2+, Zn2+, Cu2+, Fe2+, La3+and NH4+ on the hemolytic activity of TOE were compared in two different test systems: 1% whole blood and 0. 45% erythrocyte suspension with the same erythrocyte concentration. Results The hemolytic activities of TOE in both tests were inhibited by Mn2+, Zn2+, La3+, Cu2+ and Fe2+, and were promoted to a minor extent by K+, Ca2+, Mg2+and NH4 +. The chelating agent EDTA also inhibited the hemolytic activity of TOE. Conclusion The pore-formation mechanism might play an important role in the hemolytic activity of TOE.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes y las enfermedades infecciosas / Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes and infectious diseases

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, además de ameno escritor de best sellers, era médico y escribió excelentes cuentos sobre el ejercicio de su profesión en Inglaterra. Sin embargo, a pesar de mencionar The British Medical Journal y The Lancet en sus historias de Sherlock Holmes, al introducir enfermedades infecciosas en sus tramas, ignora descubrimientos importantes ya realizados en su época en el campo del tétanos. En todo caso, las apariciones de las enfermedades infecciosas en las historias del detective son escasas: una mención del tétanos, otra de la lepra y -la más analizada en la literatura médica- un caso de asesinato realizado mediante la inoculación de una bacteria, probablemente del agente de la melioidosis. También hizo a su héroe descubrir las acciones tóxicas de una medusa y de un trasplante de órganos. Poco para un médico y poco para un autor que también escribía ciencia ficción: pareciera que la historia de los grandes descubrimientos médicos de fines del siglo XX y comienzos del XXI pasó por su lado... y no la vio.

Besides a pleasant author of best sellers, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was a medical doctor, writing excellent short stories about the exercise of his profession in England. However, even he mentions The British Medical Journal and The Lancet in the Sherlock Holmes’s stories, when in the plot introduces infectious diseases, Conan Doyle ignores important discoveries in the field of tetanus. Anyway, the appearing of infectious diseases in the adventures of the detective are rare: one mention of tetanus, another of leprosy and- the most analyzed in medical literature -a case of murder by inoculation of bacteria, probably the agent of melioidosis. Also he makes his hero discovers the toxic actions of a medusa and a transplant of solid organ. Little for a physician and less for an author who also wrote science fiction: it seems that the history of the great medical discoveries at the end of nineteenth century and beginning of the twentieth has passed by his side… and he just couldn’t see it.

Comparison of haemolytic activities of venom separations from jellyfish Cyanea capillata and their influencing factors / 第二军医大学学报

Objective: To separate the nematocyst venom (NV) and tentacle-only extract (TOE) from the jellyfish Cyanea capillata and to analyze the difference between their haemolytic activities and the influencing factors. Methods: NV and TOE were separated by autolysis and centrifugation. The influence of concentration, temperature and pH value on the haemolytic activities of NV and TOE were observed. Results: NV and TOE were successfully separated. The concentration-associated haemolytic curves were "S" shaped for both NV and TOE. The HU50 of NV and TOE were 8 μg/ml and 67 μg/ml, respectively; and the haemolysis of NV was about 8.4 times of that of TOE. Temperature had great influence on haemolysis of both and the highest haemolysis were both at 40°C. pH value also had influence on haemolysis. The strongest haemolysis activity was found both at pH 8 and TOE was more sensitive. Conclusion: NV and TOE both have haemolysis activity, with the activity of NV stronger than that of the latter. The haemolysis activity is influenced by concentration, temperature and pH value.

Therapeutic effect of collagen from Cyanea nozakii on adjuvant arthritis in rats / 中国海洋药物

Objective To investigate the suppressive effects of collagen from Cyanea nozakii on adjuvant induced arthritis inrat.Methods Rats with adjuvant arthritis received different do- ses of Cyanea nozakii collagen by intragastric administration for two weeks.Incidence and severity of arthritis were assessed by calculation of mean arthritis index,the concentrations of NO,MDA and activity of SOD in the serum were examined.Results Cyanea nozakii colla- gen at different doses could ameliorate the adjuvant induced arthritis,suppress the concen- trations of NO,MDA and increase the activity of SOD in the serum.Conclusion Cyanea noza- kii collagen has therapeutic efficacy in treatment of adjuvant arthritis rats,and the mecha- nism of Cyanea nozakii collagen is probably related to the antioxidation.