فهرست مطالب

Journal of the Persian Gulf (Marine Science)
Volume:5 Issue: 18, Winter 2014

  • تاریخ انتشار: 1393/12/13
  • تعداد عناوین: 7
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  • Sharareh Savari, Jayesh Petal, Adnan Ali, Alden Warner, Michael Crawford, Sirinart Ananvoranich Pages 1-16
    Integrin linked kinase (ILK) is a serine/threonine protein kinase implicated in the phosphatidylinositol 3’kinase (PI3’K) pathway. Integrin linked kinase has been investigated in different organisms such as mammalian systems (human, mice, rat), insects (Drosophila) and nematodes (Cenorhabditis elegans), however to date little data regarding ILK research on amphibians has been reported. In our study, we isolated and characterized a cDNA clone encoding ILK in Xenopus laevis (X-ILK). The experiments were executed in both embryos and adult tissues to compare the relationship between the ILK expression patterns. Sequence analysis of X-ILK revealed that it is 59% identical to human ILK (HILK) cDNA and 71% identical to H-ILK protein. The wellknown domains of ILK (ankyrin domain, Pleckstrin homology domain, kinase domain and paxillin binding site) are preserved among human, mouse, rat and Drosophila. These domains are also found in Xenopus ILK. Northern blot analysis showed that a 1.8 Kb transcript is present throughout early embryogenesis. However, there was a significant increase in X-ILK expression at the onset of neurulation. Interestingly, expression studies revealed the presence of only one transcript whereas Western blot analysis revealed the expression of two X-ILK proteins during early development. Expression analyses for various adult tissues revealed that Xenopus heart expressed a lower level of X-ILK mRNA, while the protein level in heart was higher than the other tissues examined. We also measured X-ILK kinase activity in embryonic extracts using in vitro kinase assays. Our findings showed that X-ILK activity increased during early embryogenesis. The catalytic activity of X-ILK was also measured in Xenopus adult tissues and as expected, we observed higher X-ILK activity in heart and muscle. Overall results suggest that X-ILK may be an important signaling molecule during early Xenopus embryogenesis, and may have tissue specific functions in adult frogs.
    Keywords: Integrin linked kinase (ILK), Xenopus, Phosphatidyle inositol 3'kinase (PI3'K), Catalytic activity, Development
  • Ehsan Abedi, Eiman Arebi, Vahid Sepahvand, Hamid Rezai, Mahshid Jalili Pages 17-26
    The zooplankton community and environmental conditions were monitored during Dec. 2012 PG-GOOS (Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman Oceanographic Study) oceanographic cruise on board N/V Ja Nayband throughout the northwestern part of the Persian Gulf. Data of temperature, salinity, depth and pH as well as zooplankton community composition and abundance were collected from 17 stations. The zooplankton community was numerically dominated by copepods, with various meroplankton and holoplankton in lower abundances. Mean zooplankton abundance was recorded at 285 (±1.7) ind. m-3 The highest copepod abundance was 274 ind.m-3 at station located at the Mond Protected Area (MPA). Cluster analysis revealed three distinct groups of co-occurring zooplankton taxa distributed in relation to water temperature, but not salinity.
    Keywords: Zooplankton, Abundance, Community Composition, Environmental condition, Persian Gulf, Cluster analysis
  • Behrooz Abtahi, Saeedeh Mosafer Khorjestan, Parviz Ghezellou, Atousa Aliahmadi, Seyed Omid Ranaei Siadat, Seyed Mehdi Kazemi, Alireza Ghassempour, Behzad Fathinia Pages 27-36
    The antibacterial activities of eight snake crude venom (Macrovipera lebetina obtusa, Pseudocerastes persicus, Pseudocerastes urarachnoides, Echis carinatus sochureki, Gloydius halys caucasicus, Naja (naja) oxiana, and two species of true sea snakes Enhydrina schistose and Hydrophis cyanocinctus) were assessed against five important standard pathogenic bacterial strains (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecium and Streptococcus pneumoniae). Broth micro-dilution method, standard disk diffusion assay and bio-autography based on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis were used for this purpose. Snake venom revealed inhibitory effects against S. aureus and E. faecium strains. The moderate effects on S. aureus were showed by venomof P. urarachnoides, P. persicus and N. oxiana with MIC values of 20, 10 and 10 μg/ml respectively. Moreover, venom of E.carinatus, M.lebetina and G. halys showed strong effects (MICs= 40, 80, 160 μg/ml) respectively. In the case of E. faecium tested strain, the best inhibitory effects were exhibited by venom of P. persicus, P.urarachnoides, N. oxiana and M. lebetina (MIC= 10 μg/ml). According to the MIC values and inhibition zones in disk diffusion assays, the strongest antibacterial activity belonged to P. persicus and P. urarachnoides venoms.
    Keywords: Antibacterial activity, Chemotherapy, Iran, Persian Gulf
  • Jafar Azizpour, Vahid Chegini, Maziar Khosravi, Abbas Einali Pages 37-48
    The present study covers the results from the CTD observations of the PG-GOOS cruises. CTD profiles were collected in eight cruises at 169 stations, from fall 2012 to the late summer 2013. Spatial and temporal distributions of the temperature, salinity and density were investigated. In summer, water column at deep stations was strongly stratified and at shallow stations water column was moderately well-mixed. The coincidence of surface heating resulted in the strength of summer stratification. Increasing in temperature and particularly salinity near the bottom in southern stations of the Strait of Hormuz indicated trace of the Persian Gulf Water outflow. Strong and weak thermocline layers are formed in summer (Δ􀜶 􀵎 12􀔨) and winter in deep stations (Δ􀜶 􀵎 6􀔨), respectively. T-S diagrams at deep part of the Strait of Hormuz showed two water masses i.e. the Indian Ocean Surface Water (IOSW) inflow to the Persian Gulf and Persian Gulf outflow dense water. The movement of scatter plots along temperature and salinity axes indicated the influence of the seasonal variations of the Indian Ocean Surface Water (IOSW). The results of this project are the most historically magnificent oceanographic survey of the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman with wide range of applications.
    Keywords: Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman, PG, GOOS, Physical Oceanography, Hydrography
  • Keivan Kabiri, Masoud Moradi Pages 49-56
    The capability of Degree Heating Weeks index (DHWs) was examined for prediction of bleaching events in the coral reef communities of the Kish Island located in the north of the Persian Gulf. In doing so, weekly Sea Surface Temperature (SST) values (in 1°×1° spatial resolution) prepared by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), coupled with documented bleaching events, such as official reports, published papers, and direct field observations were employed. The SST values of the study area were extracted between 1982 and 2014; subsequently, the corresponding DHWs were determined for the same period. Thereafter, a threshold for DHWs was specified, based on the historical recorded bleaching events. Moreover, for quality assessment of the results, the accuracy of the applied methodology was quantified using Peirce Skill Score (PSS) technique. This technique enabled us to quantify the quality of our hind-casts /forecasts, based on hit rate and alarm rate factors. The results demonstrated that a DHW threshold value equal to 5.3 can be selected as an alarm for prediction of bleaching in the studied area. In addition, PSS was equal to 0.62, where (3/4=0.75) and (3/23=0.13) values were calculated for hit rate and false alarm rate factors, respectively. Also, the determined threshold value showed the higher resistance of coral reefs in the study area to positive SST anomalies compared with other similar studied areas.
    Keywords: Coral reef, Bleaching, Remote Sensing, SST, Persian Gulf
  • Ali Moghaddam, Shahrbanoo Oryan, Nader Shabanipour Pages 57-62
    In the present research, modification of the zona radiata (ZR) around the molly (Poecilia sphenops, Valencinnes 1846) and bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis, Richardson 1845) oocytes and in the zygotes were studied for pre- and post-fertilization stages and its relationship with the reproductive strategy. Light and scanning electron microscopic studies on the histological sections of ovary in viviparous molly and oocytes of the oviparous bighead carp showed that in post-vitellogenic (mature) oocytes, the traces of pore-canal system (organization) of the ZR were seen and after fertilization, the zona radiata of both species gained further simplicity and reduced in thickness, that could show a change in its role from nutritional type to protectoral one particularly in bighead carp. Obvious difference in thickness, architecture and number of pore-canals was seen among the ZR of the pre- and post-fertilized eggs of two species. It appeared that in both pre- and post-fertilization stages, the ZR of the molly eggs was simpler and thinner when compared to other fish eggs. The result was logical, because of reproductive manner of these fishes. Bighead carp spawns in fast waters and ZR protects its eggs from large mechanical pressure, but molly is viviparous and its eggs do not undergo large mechanical pressure.
  • Neda Mehdipour, Neda Sheijooni Fumani, Reza Rahnama Pages 63-72
    The nutritional values of the three Caspian Sea macroalgae species, Cladophora glomerata, Enteromorpha intestinalis and Laurencia caspica were evaluated based on proximate and fatty acid composition. The investigated species demonstrated low lipid composition (0.20±0.03- 1.62±0.26 % DW) and high carbohydrate (21.70±0.17-26.1±1.27%DW) and protein contents (13.34±2.41-28.08±0.51%DW). The ash content varied from 17.87±0.20 to 30.36±0.98% DW and the amount of moisture ranged from 5.09±0.10 to 12.00±0.23% DW. Myristic acid was recorded as the most abundant saturated fatty acid. 8-octadecenoic and 9-octadecenoic acids were presented as the major monounsaturated fatty acids. Linoleic acid in green algae and arachidonic acid in red alga were detected as the predominant polyunsaturated fatty acids.
    Keywords: Iranian National Institute for Oceanography, Atmospheric Science, Tehran, IR Iran