Molecular Antioxidant Functions are Enhanced in Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (, .) Larvae Fed Selenium-Enriched Rotifers .

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element for fish with more than 40 selenoproteins identified, many exhibiting antioxidant functions. This study investigated the effect of dietary Se supplementation on physiological parameters, selenoprotein and antioxidant enzyme gene expression in Atlantic bluefin tuna (ABT, ) larvae. First-feeding ABT larvae were divided into triplicate groups and fed rotifers enriched with five different levels of Se (0, 3, 10, 30, and 100 µg Se·L) until 14 days after hatching.

Histogenesis and cell differentiation in the retina of Thunnus thynnus: A morphological and immunohistochemical study.

This study examines the anatomical development of the visual system of Atlantic bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus, during the first 15 days of life at histological level, with emphasis in the immunohistochemical characterization of different cell types. As an altricial fish species, the retina was not developed at hatching. The appearance of eye pigmentation and the transformation of the retina from an undifferentiated neuroblastic layer into a laminated structure occurred during the first two days of life.

A severe microsporidian disease in cultured Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus).

One of the most promising aquaculture species is the Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) with high market value; disease control is crucial to prevent and reduce mortality and monetary losses. Microsporidia (Fungi) are a potential source of damage to bluefin tuna aquaculture. A new microsporidian species is described from farmed bluefin tunas from the Spanish Mediterranean.

Monitoring of Caged Bluefin Tuna Reactions to Ship and Offshore Wind Farm Operational Noises.

Underwater noise has been identified as a relevant pollution affecting marine ecosystems in different ways. Despite the numerous studies performed over the last few decades regarding the adverse effect of underwater noise on marine life, a lack of knowledge and methodological procedures still exists, and results are often tentative or qualitative. A monitoring methodology for the behavioral response of bluefin tuna () when exposed to ship and wind turbine operational noises was implemented and tested in a fixed commercial tuna feeding cage in the Mediterranean sea.

Correction: Relationship between weight and linear dimensions of Bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) following fattening on western Mediterranean farms.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

First estimates of metabolic rate in Atlantic bluefin tuna larvae.

Atlantic bluefin tuna is an iconic scombrid species with a high commercial and ecological value. Despite their importance, many physiological aspects, especially during the larval stages, are still unknown. Metabolic rates are one of the understudied aspects in scombrid larvae, likely due to challenges associated to larval handling before and during respirometry trials.

Molecular and functional characterisation of a putative elovl4 gene and its expression in response to dietary fatty acid profile in Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus).

Elongation of very long-chain fatty acid 4 (Elovl4) proteins are involved in the biosynthesis of very long-chain (>C) fatty acids and in many teleost fish species they are key enzymes in the pathway for the production of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n-3) from eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5n-3). Therefore, Elovl4 may be particularly important in Atlantic bluefin tuna (ABT; Thunnus thynnus) characterised by having high DHA to EPA ratios. The present study cloned and characterised both the function and expression of an elovl4 cDNA from ABT.

Performance, feed utilization, and hepatic metabolic response of weaned juvenile Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus L.): effects of dietary lipid level and source.

Two trials were performed using extruded diets as on-growing feeds for weaned Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus; ABT) to establish adequate dietary levels of both lipid and omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs), and impacts on lipid metabolism via liver gene expression. In trial A, ABT were fed with either a commercial feed (Magokoro®; MGK) as a reference diet or two experimental feeds differing in lipid levels (15 or 20%) using krill oil (KO) as the single lipid source in order to estimate suitable lipid content. Fish fed MGK displayed the highest growth, followed by 15KO, and therefore a dietary lipid content of 15% was considered preferable to 20% at this stage.

Relationship between weight and linear dimensions of Bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) following fattening on western Mediterranean farms.

This study presents various models based on formulae relating weight and dimensions (length, height and width) of Bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus (L.), fattened in captivity. The main aim of establishing these expressions is to design tools for indirectly predicting the weight of a Bluefin tuna from measurements of one or more dimensions obtained using non-invasive methods such as stereoscopic cameras.

Lipid metabolism-related gene expression pattern of Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus L.) larvae fed on live prey.

The present study is the first to evaluate lipid metabolism in first-feeding Atlantic bluefin tuna (ABT; Thunnus thynnus L.) larvae fed different live prey including enriched rotifers Brachionus plicatilis and Acartia sp. copepod nauplii from 2 days after hatch.

Fin spine bone resorption in atlantic bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus, and comparison between wild and captive-reared specimens.

Bone resorption in the first spine of the first dorsal fin of Atlantic bluefin tuna (ABFT) has long been considered for age estimation studies. In the present paper spine bone resorption was assessed in wild (aged 1 to 13 years) and captive-reared (aged 2 to 11 years) ABFT sampled from the Mediterranean Sea. Total surface (TS), solid surface (SS) and reabsorbed surface (RS) were measured in spine transverse sections in order to obtain proportions of SS and RS.

The Atlantic Bonito (Sarda sarda, Bloch 1793) transcriptome and detection of differential expression during larvae development.

The Atlantic bonito (Sarda sarda, Bloch 1793) belongs to the important marine fish species with a wide geographical distribution covering the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean and its bordering seas. Aquaculture practices for this species are still in their infancies and scientific studies are seldom undertaken, mainly because of difficulties in sampling. Thus for small tuna species like the Atlantic bonito only little is known about its biology and regarding the molecular background even less information is available.

Intra-pituitary relationship of follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone during pubertal development in Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus).

As part of the endeavor aiming at the domestication of Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT; Thunnus thynnus), first sexual maturity in captivity was studied by documenting its occurrence and by characterizing the key hormones of the reproductive axis: follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). The full length sequence encoding for the related hormone β-subunits, bftFSHβ and bftLHβ, were determined, revealing two bftFSHβ mRNA variants, differing in their 5' untranslated region. A quantitative immuno-dot-blot assay to measure pituitary FSH content in BFT was developed and validated enabling, for the first time in this species, data sets for both LH and FSH to be compared.

Developmental origin of a major difference in sensory patterning between zebrafish and bluefin tuna.

The posterior lateral line system (PLL) of teleost fish comprises a number of mechanosensory organs arranged in defined patterns on the body surface. Embryonic patterns are largely conserved among teleosts, yet adult patterns are highly diverse. Although changes in pattern modify the perceptual abilities of the system, their developmental origin remains unknown.

Development of the posterior lateral line system in Thunnus thynnus, the Atlantic blue-fin tuna, and in its close relative Sarda sarda.

The lateral line system of amphibians and fish comprises a large number of individual mechanosensory organs, the neuromasts, and their sensory neurons. The pattern of neuromasts varies markedly between species, yet the embryonic pattern is highly conserved from the relatively basal zebrafish, Danio rerio, to more derived species. Here we examine in more detail the development of the posterior lateral line (PLL) in embryos and early larvae of one of the most derived fish species, the blue-fin tuna Thunnus thynnus, and of its close relative, the Atlantic bonito Sarda sarda.