The epidermal collagenase activity and its induction by 20-hydroxyecdysone in Uca pugilator were investigated. Zymographic electrophoresis showed four bands of collagenase activity, 16, 19, 22 and 29 kDa in molecular ...The epidermal collagenase activity and its induction by 20-hydroxyecdysone in Uca pugilator were investigated. Zymographic electrophoresis showed four bands of collagenase activity, 16, 19, 22 and 29 kDa in molecular weight, with the former two accounting for 60% and 36% , respectively, of the total collagenase activity. The collagenase activity varies during the molting cycle. Among the molt stages tested, Premolt Stage Do exhibited the highest epidermal collagenase activity for both the 16 and 19 kDa isoenzymes and, as the molt stage proceeded, the enzymatic activity of these two isoenzymes decreased, with the lowest activity for both found in Premolt Stage D3 -4 - Injection of 20-hydroxyecdysone significantly induced the activity of the 16 kDa eollagenase in the epidermis of Uca pugilator, suggesting that the activity of this isoenzyme is under molting hormone control. Although 20-hydroxyeedysone injection did not result in a statistically significant increase in the activity of the 19 kDa isoenzyme, a tendency of the induction was nonetheless demonstrated. This is the first report on epidermal collagenase activity and its induction by the molting hormone in a crustacean .展开更多
The Atlantic sand fiddler crab Uca pugilator is an extremely abundant crab found along the eastern coast of the United States. Fiddler crabs have a life cycle with an obligatory planktonic larval phase of 30-90 days,w...The Atlantic sand fiddler crab Uca pugilator is an extremely abundant crab found along the eastern coast of the United States. Fiddler crabs have a life cycle with an obligatory planktonic larval phase of 30-90 days,which might be expected to lead to widespread larval dispersal and consequent genetic homogeneity over considerable distances. However,a large amount of morphological and behavioral variation is found between northern and southern populations along the eastern coast. This study was undertaken to determine the population genetic structure of U.pugilator and to determine whether these differences may have a genetic basis. The population structure of the fiddler crab was analyzed using 472 individuals collected from 12 sites along the eastern coast. PCR-based single stand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) was used to investigate between-site variation in the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene of these individuals. Analysis of genetic variation indicated frequent gene flow between nearby localities,but much reduced levels between populations separated by larger geographic distances. Thus,despite the potential for high dispersal by planktonic larvae,population differentiation and isolation by distance is evident between northern and southern populations of U.pugilator. A high amount of genetic differentiation (F ST =0.3468) was found between northern and southern regions suggesting that the morphological and behavioral differences between these two regions have a genetic basis and may represent subspecies.展开更多
文摘The epidermal collagenase activity and its induction by 20-hydroxyecdysone in Uca pugilator were investigated. Zymographic electrophoresis showed four bands of collagenase activity, 16, 19, 22 and 29 kDa in molecular weight, with the former two accounting for 60% and 36% , respectively, of the total collagenase activity. The collagenase activity varies during the molting cycle. Among the molt stages tested, Premolt Stage Do exhibited the highest epidermal collagenase activity for both the 16 and 19 kDa isoenzymes and, as the molt stage proceeded, the enzymatic activity of these two isoenzymes decreased, with the lowest activity for both found in Premolt Stage D3 -4 - Injection of 20-hydroxyecdysone significantly induced the activity of the 16 kDa eollagenase in the epidermis of Uca pugilator, suggesting that the activity of this isoenzyme is under molting hormone control. Although 20-hydroxyeedysone injection did not result in a statistically significant increase in the activity of the 19 kDa isoenzyme, a tendency of the induction was nonetheless demonstrated. This is the first report on epidermal collagenase activity and its induction by the molting hormone in a crustacean .
基金supported by grants from Academic Excellence, Allen Paulson College of Science and Technology and Graduate Funds from Jack N. Averitt College of Graduate Studies, Georgia Southern University
文摘The Atlantic sand fiddler crab Uca pugilator is an extremely abundant crab found along the eastern coast of the United States. Fiddler crabs have a life cycle with an obligatory planktonic larval phase of 30-90 days,which might be expected to lead to widespread larval dispersal and consequent genetic homogeneity over considerable distances. However,a large amount of morphological and behavioral variation is found between northern and southern populations along the eastern coast. This study was undertaken to determine the population genetic structure of U.pugilator and to determine whether these differences may have a genetic basis. The population structure of the fiddler crab was analyzed using 472 individuals collected from 12 sites along the eastern coast. PCR-based single stand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) was used to investigate between-site variation in the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene of these individuals. Analysis of genetic variation indicated frequent gene flow between nearby localities,but much reduced levels between populations separated by larger geographic distances. Thus,despite the potential for high dispersal by planktonic larvae,population differentiation and isolation by distance is evident between northern and southern populations of U.pugilator. A high amount of genetic differentiation (F ST =0.3468) was found between northern and southern regions suggesting that the morphological and behavioral differences between these two regions have a genetic basis and may represent subspecies.