A test of the hypothesis that the members of the order Acipenseriformes (sturgeons and paddlefishes) possess a slowed rate of molecular evolution was carried out by conducting relative-rate comparisons with representatives of four groups of teleost fishes (Cypriniformes, Elopomorpha, Salmonidae, and Percomorpha) using 21 nuclear or mitochondrial protein loci and the nuclear and mitochondrial sm...

Social interactions and relative positions within a dominance hierarchy have helped shape the evolution of reproduction in many animals. Since reproduction is crucial in all animals, and rank typically regulates access to reproductive opportunities, understanding the mechanisms that regulate socially-induced reproductive processes is extremely important. How does position in a dominance hierarc...

Aquaporins are believed to be involved in homeosmotic mechanisms of marine teleosts. Increasing data suggest that these molecular water channels play critical roles associated with the adaptation of gametes and early embryos to the external spawning environment. In this mini-review, we discuss recent studies suggesting the function of aquaporin-mediated fluid homeostasis during spermatozoa acti...

Teleost fishes are a large and diverse animal group that represent close to 50% of all described vertebrate species. This review consolidates what is known about the claudin (Cldn) family of tight junction (TJ) proteins in teleosts. Cldns are transmembrane proteins of the vertebrate epithelial/endothelial TJ complex that largely determine TJ permeability. Cldns achieve this by expressing barrie...

Recent work in teleosts has renewed interest in the dermomyotome, which was initially characterized in the late 19th century. We review the evidence for the teleost dermomyotome, comparing it to the more well-characterized amniote dermomyotome. We discuss primary myotome morphogenesis, the relationship between the primary myotome and the dermomyotome, the differentiation of axial muscle, append...

background: the present study investigated the effects of lead nitrate on the histo-cytological changes in the corpuscles of stannius (cs) of heteropneustes fossilis. methods: catfish, heteropneustes fossilis were subjected to 657.6 mg/l and 164.4 mg/l of lead nitrate for 96 h and 28 days, respectively. blood from fish was collected on 24, 48, 72 and 96 h in short-term and after 7, 14, 21, and ...

Following the two rounds of whole-genome duplication that occurred during deuterostome evolution, a third genome duplication event occurred in the stem lineage of ray-finned fishes. This teleost-specific genome duplication is thought to be responsible for the biological diversification of ray-finned fishes. DEAD-box polypeptide 3 (DDX3) belongs to the DEAD-box RNA helicase family. Although thei...

Teleost fish possess an adaptive immune system associated with each of their mucosal body surfaces. Evidence obtained from mucosal vaccination and mucosal infection studies reveal that adaptive immune responses take place at the different mucosal surfaces of teleost. The main mucosa-associated lymphoid tissues (MALT) of teleosts are the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT), skin-associated lym...

Trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs) in mammals recently have been shown to function as olfactory receptors. We have delineated the taar gene family in jawless, cartilaginous, and bony fish (zero, 2, and >100 genes, respectively). We conclude that taar genes are evolutionary much younger than the related OR and ORA/V1R olfactory receptor families, which are present already in lamprey, a jaw...

Insight into interplay of some molecular chaperones in a hill stream teleost, Barilius bendelisis under wide seasonal and diurnal thermal fluctuationsSaurabh Dewan,Yashpal Singh,JP Bhatt