BACKGROUND Calpains, a superfamily of intracellular calcium-dependent cysteine proteases, are involved in the cytoskeletal remodeling and wasting of skeletal muscle. Calpains are generated as inactive proenzymes which are activated by N-terminal autolysis induced by calcium-ions. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS In this study, we characterized the full-length cDNA sequences of three calpain gen...

Channel catfish (Ictalurus spp.) is an economically important species in freshwater aquaculture around the world and occupies a prominent position in the aquaculture industry of the United States. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in the regulation of almost every biological process in eukaryotes; however, there is little information available concerning miRNAs in channel catfish. In this...

Seasonal variations in the aromatase activity in H. fossilis estimated by a microassay were correlated with the sex steroids, vitellogenin in and ovarian weight during circannual reproductive cycle. In the female catfish, aromatase activity was detectable in the hypothalamus throughout the year whereas in ovary only during active vitellogenesis. In the catfish, hypothalamic aromatase levels inc...

Recent increases in imports of catfish, shrimp, and crawfish have caused concern as to their impact on domestic prices. This study seeks to identify the linkages between imports of these goods and producer prices. Increases in imports of catfish and shrimp are shown to decrease related domestic prices. However, recent trends show a simultaneous increase in both imports and domestic prices of cr...

Previously, a series of clonal alloantigen-dependent T cell lines established from the channel catfish revealed distinctly different TCR beta rearrangements. Here, a follow-up study of the junctional diversity of these TCR gene rearrangements focuses on characterization of the genomic organization of the TCRB locus. Surprisingly, a total of 29 JB genes and two substantially different CB genes w...

The South American silver catfish (Rhamdia quelen) is a widely distributed species in Central and South America in areas east of the Andes between Venezuela and the northern parts of Argentina. The bottom dwelling species occurs in lakes and reservoirs as well as in rivers. Between June 2000 and December 2001, sixteen silver catfish were tracked during fourteen 24-h cycles in two-hour-intervals...

In order to support analysis of channel catfish populations and genetic improvement programs, the channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, mitochondrial genome was completely sequenced and revealed gene structure and gene order common to vertebrates. Nucleotide sequence comparisons of cytochrome b (Cytb) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) demonstrated genetic separation of the genera Ictalur...

Recent increases in imports of catfish, shrimp, and crawfish have caused concern as to their impact on domestic prices. This study seeks to identify the linkages between imports of these goods and producer prices. Increases in imports of catfish and shrimp are shown to decrease related domestic prices. However, recent trends show a simultaneous increase in both imports and domestic prices of cr...

A quantitative bioassay employing immersion exposure was developed for the infection of channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus with the protozoan parasite Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, commonly referred to as ich. This bioassay as well as waterborne challenge of channel catfish with channel catfish virus (CCV) was used to investigate the effect of confinement stress on the sensitivity of the fish ...

Flavobacterium columnare, the causative agent of columnaris disease, is a significant pathogen of many freshwater fish species worldwide and is considered one of the most important pathogens impacting the channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus Rafinesque) industry in the United States. Recent research has demonstrated that F. columnare exhibits a chemotactic response to mucus from the skin of cat...