Identification of a female spawn-associated Kazal-type inhibitor from the tropical abalone Haliotis asinina.

Abalone (Haliotis) undergoes a period of reproductive maturation, followed by the synchronous release of gametes, called broadcast spawning. Field and laboratory studies have shown that the tropical species Haliotis asinina undergoes a two-week spawning cycle, thus providing an excellent opportunity to investigate the presence of endogenous spawning-associated peptides. In female H.

Marked changes in neuropeptide expression accompany broadcast spawnings in the gastropod Haliotis asinina.

Introduction: A huge diversity of marine species reproduce by synchronously spawning their gametes into the water column. Although this species-specific event typically occurs in a particular season, the precise time and day of spawning often can not be predicted. There is little understanding of how the environment (e.

Characterization of mucus-associated proteins from abalone (Haliotis) - candidates for chemical signaling.

Living in groups is a widespread phenomenon in the animal kingdom. For free-spawning aquatic animals, such as the abalone (Haliotis), being in the close proximity to potential mating partners enhances reproductive success. In this study, we investigated whether chemical cues could be present in abalone mucus that enable species-specific aggregation.

Expression of prohormone convertase 2 and the generation of neuropeptides in the developing nervous system of the gastropod Haliotis.

Prohormone convertase 2 (PC2) belongs to a family of enzymes involved in the proteolytic maturation of neuropeptide precursors into mature peptides that act as neurotransmitters, neuromodulators or neurohormones. Here we show that a gene encoding a PC2-like enzyme (HasPC2) is expressed during larval development and in the adult ganglia of the vetigastropod Haliotis asinina. HasPC2 exhibits high sequence identity to other gastropod PC2s and thus is likely to function in peptide processing.

Molecular characterization and analysis of a truncated serotonin receptor gene expressed in neural and reproductive tissues of abalone.

In molluscs, the neurotransmitter serotonin (5-HT) has been linked to a variety of biological roles including gamete maturation and spawning. The possible involvement of 5-HT in abalone gamete release was demonstrated by a dose-dependent increase in Haliotis rubra gonad contractile bioactivity following 5-HT stimulation. Physiological functions associated with 5-HT, are mediated through binding to 5-HT receptors.