Impact of ammonia exposure on coagulation in white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei.
Ammonia (un-ionized plus ionized ammonia as nitrogen), the end product of protein catabolism, is produced by decomposing organic matter. In aquaculture, shrimp are commonly exposed to high concentrations of ammonia that induces immunological and histological changes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects on hemolymph coagulation time, transglutaminase (TG) activity as well as TG and clottable protein (CP) genes expressions in Litopenaeus vannamei when exposed to ambient ammonia-nitrogen (N) at 0, 1, 5, and 10mg/L for 0, 2, and 7 days. The actual concentrations in control and tests solution were 0.001, 1.15, 5.11, and 11.68mg/L for ammonia-N, and 7×10(-5), 0.080, 0.357, and 0.815mg/L for NH3-N (unionized ammonia). Delayed coagulation time following exposure to 5 and 10mg/L of ambient ammonia-N for 7 days, and increased transglutaminase (TG) activity following exposure to 5 and 1mg/L of ambient ammonia-N for 2 and 7 days, respectively, were observed. Downregulated TG expression and upregulated clottable protein (CP) expression in the hemocytes of L. vannamei exposed to 10 and 5mg/L of ambient ammonia-N for 2 and 7 days, respectively, were shown. These results indicated that ambient ammonia-N (>5mg/L) and NH3-N (>0.357mg/L) interrupted coagulation and down-regulated TG gene expression in L. vannamei, which caused ecotoxicity on immune deficiencies and may contribute the increased susceptibility to infection by pathogens.
Department of Aquaculture, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 91201, Taiwan, ROC.
Zhong-Wen
ZW
Chang
Department of Aquaculture, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 91201, Taiwan, ROC.
Pei-Chi
PC
Chiang
Department of Aquaculture, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 91201, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: winton@mail.npust.edu.tw.
Winton
W
Cheng
Department of Aquaculture, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 91201, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: changcc@mail.npust.edu.tw.
Chin-Chyuan
CC
Chang
D000641:Ammonia / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D060829:Arthropod Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D006458:Hemolymph / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000187:drug effects*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000633:toxicity; D033561:Penaeidae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D011503:Transglutaminases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
D060829:Arthropod Proteins; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D000641:Ammonia; D011503:Transglutaminases; D009584:Nitrogen
Ammonia; Clottable protein; Litopenaeus vannamei; Transglutaminase; coagulation time