Seed losses of Pacific oysters Crassostrea gigas have been associated with an ostreid herpesvirus-1 (OsHV-1) in Europe, and in 2002, a similar OsHV was detected in Tomales Bay, California, USA. In May of 2003, 5 stocks of seed Pacific oysters were planted at 2 sites (Inner Bay and Outer Bay) in Tomales Bay and monitored for mortality, presence/prevalence of OsHV (using polymerase chain reaction [PCR] and histology), and growth. Temperature (°C) and salinity data were collected every half an hour at each site. OsHV was detected at both the Inner and Outer Bay sites on the same sample date and mean temperature predicted OsHV presence (p < 0.005). High levels of mortality occurred 2 wk (Inner Bay site) and 4 wk (Outer Bay site) after OsHV detection. OsHV presence predicted mortality (p = 0.01). Temperature maximums and overall temperature exposure were greater at the Inner Bay site and may explain why mortality affected these oysters sooner than oysters planted at the Outer Bay site. Differences in cumulative mortality were significant among stocks (p < 0.0001), but not between sites (p > 0.05). OsHV prevalence was similar among stocks (p > 0.05) and between sites (p > 0.05). No evidence of herpesvirus-induced Cowdry type A nuclear inclusions or other pathogens were observed. Changes in tissue and cellular architecture including dilation of the digestive tubules and nuclear chromatin margination and pycnosis were observed in OsHVinfected oysters, consistent with previously observed OsHV infections. Stocks with smaller oysters had higher mortality rates than those with larger oysters; growth rate did not correlate with mortalities (p > 0.05). Taken together, these data suggest that the OsHV may cause or act in synergy with temperature to kill Pacific oyster seed in Tomales Bay, but further investigation of OsHV etiology in seed oysters is needed. KEY WORDS: Pacific oyster · Oyster herpesvirus · Mortality · Tomales Bay · California · Temperature Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherDis Aquat Org 72: [31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43] 2006 tion (between 4 d and 2 wk), cause high levels of losses (up to 100%), and are associated with temperatures in excess of 25°C (for example: Le Deuff et al. 1996or Arzul et al. 2001b. Interestingly, OsHV infects multiple hosts, which is unique among members of the family Herpesviridae (Davison 2002). Larval Pacific oysters Crassostrea gigas (Hine et al. 1992, Nicolas et al. 1992, Manila clams Venerupis (=Ruditapes) phillippinarum , European clams Ruditapes decussates (Arzul et al. 2001c, flat oysters Tiostrea chilensis (Hine et al. 1998), European oysters C. angulata (Arzul et al. 2001b), and French scallops Pecten maximus (Arzul et al. 2001a) are all susceptible to OsHV infection-induced mortalities. Mortality of juvenile Pacific oysters and European flat oysters Ostrea edulis has been associated with OsHV (Comps & Cochennec 1993, Renault et al. 1994, 2000a, Friedman et al. 2005, but the ability of the virus to...

In some animals, such as fish, insects, and cephalopods, the thick egg coat has a narrow canal-a micropyle-through which spermatozoa enter the eggs. In fish, there is no indication that spermatozoa are attracted by eggs from a distance, but once spermatozoa come near the outer opening of the micropyle, they exhibit directed movement toward it, suggesting that a substance exists in this defined region to attract spermatozoa. Since Coomassie Blue (CB) binds preferentially to the micropyle region in flounder, herring, steelhead, and other fish, it probably stains this sperm guidance substance. This substance-a glycoprotein based on lectin staining-is bound tightly to the surface of the chorion, but can be removed readily by protease treatment. Although fertilization in fish (flounder) is possible after removal of this substance, its absence makes fertilization inefficient, as reflected by a drastic reduction in fertilization rate. The sperm "attraction" to the micropyle opening is species specific and is dependent on extracellular Ca(2+). Eggs of some insects, including Drosophila, have distinct micropyle caps with CB affinity, which also may prove to assist sperm entry. Our attempts to fertilize fly eggs in vitro were not successful.

Sperm of the Pacific herring, Clupea pallasi, are unique in that they are immotile upon spawning in the environment. Herring sperm have evolved to remain motionless for up to several days after spawning, yet are still capable of fertilizing eggs. An egg chorion ligand termed ''sperm motility initiation factor'' (SMIF) induces motility in herring sperm and is required for fertilization. In this study, we show that SMIF induces calcium influx, sodium efflux, and a membrane depolarization in herring sperm. Sperm motility initiation by SMIF depended on decreased extracellular sodium (<350 mM) and could be induced in the absence of SMIF in very low sodium seawater. Motility initiation depended on > 1 mM extracellular calcium. Calcium influx caused by SMIF involved both the opening of voltage-gated calcium channels and reverse sodiumcalcium (Na ؉ ͞Ca 2؉ ) exchange. Membrane depolarization was slightly inhibited by a calcium channel blocker and markedly inhibited by a Na ؉ ͞Ca 2؉ exchange inhibitor. Sodium efflux caused by SMIF-initiated motility was observed when using both extracellular and intracellular sodium probes. A Na ؉ ͞Ca 2؉ exchange antigen was shown to be present on the surface of the sperm, primarily over the midpiece, by using an antibody to the canine Na ؉ ͞Ca 2؉ exchanger. This antibody recognized a 120-kDa protein that comigrated with the canine myocyte Na ؉ ͞Ca 2؉ exchanger. Sperm of Pacific herring are now shown to use reverse Na ؉ ͞Ca 2؉ exchange in motility initiation. This mechanism of regulation of motility initiation may have evolved for both maintenance of immotility after spawning as well as ligand-induced motility initiation.T eleost fish sperm are quiescent within the testes and seminal plasma before spawning, but most initiate motility after dilution into the external medium (freshwater or seawater for most species) in which spawning occurs (1). In salmonids, motility initiation occurs with dilution in freshwater, specifically from a reduction in extracellular potassium that drives a membrane hyperpolarization and an increase in intracellular calcium ([Ca 2ϩ ] i ) (2-6). Changes in the concentrations of specific ions (Ca 2ϩ , K ϩ , and possibly Na ϩ and Cl Ϫ ) also have been linked to motility initiation in Atlantic croaker sperm (7). A hyperpolarization of the sperm membrane also has been documented in carp sperm, reportedly linked to the opening of voltage-gated Ca 2ϩ channels and an increase in [Ca 2ϩ ] i (8). In other freshwater teleost sperm (goldfish, zebra fish), as well as in marine teleost sperm (puffer, flounder), motility is believed to occur as a result of nonspecific hypo-or hyperosmotic changes that drive changes in intracellular ion concentrations (5, 9, 10). Thus, in all systems studied to date, a membrane hyperpolarization leads to an increase in [Ca 2ϩ ] i and the initiation of motility.Although the stimulation of sperm motility in the vicinity of eggs has been reported in some teleost fish, only herring sperm have been shown to require an egg chorion-derived ligand for ...