Class switch recombination was the last of the lymphocyte-specific DNA modification reactions to appear in the evolution of the adaptive immune system. It is absent in cartilaginous and bony fish, and it is common to all tetrapods. Class switching is initiated by activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID), an enzyme expressed in cartilaginous and bony fish that is also required for somatic hyp...

We tested the hypothesis that rotifer species in the microand mesozooplankton are a potential food source for zebra mussels. We labeled phytoplankton with 14C, fed them to two species of rotifers (140–210 mm length) that were previously found abundantly in the Hudson River and had declined following a zebra mussel invasion, and estimated the assimilation of carbon. Assimilation efficiencies wer...

Snakehead rhabdovirus (SHRV) affects warm-water fish in Southeast Asia and belongs to the genus Novirhabdovirus by virtue of its "nonvirion" (NV) gene. To examine the function of the NV gene, we used a recently developed reverse genetic system to produce a viable recombinant SHRV carrying an NV gene deletion. The recombinant virus was produced at the same rate and same final concentrations as t...

background: ferroportin (fpn), a regulator of iron homeostasis is a conserved membrane protein that exports iron across the enterocytes, macrophages and hepatocytes into the blood circulation. fpn has also critical influence on survival of microorganisms whose growth is dependent upon iron, thus preparation of fpn is needed to study the role of iron in immunity and pathogenesis of micoorganisms...

coccidiosis and gizzard erosion are rare conditions in cage bird. a male zebra finch was presented with a history of watery diarrhea, anorexia, ruffled feathers, weight loss, and lethargy and died finally. gross necropsy revealed small areas of erosions and hemorrhages on the gizzard wall. the intestine was oedematous. the spleen appeared pale and small. the testes were asymmetric.histologicall...

The structure of aquatic food webs has changed dramatically at the global scale. Overfishing, persistent chemical contamination, and the rapid spread of non-indigenous species have caused the loss of the “big fish”—traditional predator species that once formed the basis of the fishing industry. This decline in pelagic diversity, coupled with the effect of invasive species like the zebra mussel,...