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Published on: July 30, 2012
Identification of Fusarium solani species complex from infected zebrafish (Danio rerio)
Xiaoli Ke1, Maixin Lu2, Jianguo Wang2
1The Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resource Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Science, Guangzhou, China (Ke, Lu)Laboratory of Healthy Aquaculture, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China (Wang) xiaolike2012@163.com.
Abstract:
Although Fusarium sp. infections have been reported in aquatic invertebrates, studies of Fusarium spp. as fish pathogens remain very limited. In our study, a fungus was isolated from diseased zebrafish (Danio rerio). DNA sequence analysis of the fungus, based on a partial region of the translation elongation factor 1α gene (EF-1α), the internal transcribed spacer region and domains D1 and D2 of the large subunit of the ribosomal RNA gene (ITS plus LSU), and the RNA polymerase II subunit gene (RPB2), showed 99.9-100% homology to Fusarium solani species complex sequences. Multilocus sequence typing analysis based on 3-locus haplotypes (EF-1α, ITS plus LSU, and RPB2) suggests that the isolated strain was type 3+4-P. Challenge experiments showed that this organism could be pathogenic to zebrafish, but usually does not infect healthy subjects under normal circumstances.
Insights
This study identified Fusarium solani species complex as a pathogen in zebrafish (Danio rerio). While capable of causing disease, it typically does not infect healthy fish under normal conditions.
Area of Science:
- Aquatic microbiology
- Fish pathology
- Mycology
Background:
- Fusarium sp. infections are documented in aquatic invertebrates.
- Research on Fusarium spp. as fish pathogens is limited.
- Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are a common model organism in aquatic research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and characterize a fungal pathogen isolated from diseased zebrafish.
- To determine the pathogenicity of the isolated fungus in zebrafish.
- To contribute to the understanding of Fusarium spp. as fish pathogens.
Main Methods:
- Isolation and identification of the fungus from diseased zebrafish.
- DNA sequence analysis using translation elongation factor 1α (EF-1α), internal transcribed spacer (ITS), large subunit ribosomal RNA gene (LSU), and RNA polymerase II subunit gene (RPB2).
- Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) using 3-locus haplotypes (EF-1α, ITS plus LSU, RPB2).
- Pathogenicity challenge experiments in zebrafish.
Main Results:
- DNA sequence analysis showed 99.9-100% homology to Fusarium solani species complex.
- Multilocus sequence typing identified the isolate as type 3+4-P.
- Challenge experiments confirmed the organism's pathogenicity to zebrafish.
- The fungus typically does not infect healthy zebrafish under normal circumstances.
Conclusions:
- The isolated fungus belongs to the Fusarium solani species complex.
- This Fusarium strain is pathogenic to zebrafish, though opportunistic.
- Further research is needed to understand the ecological and epidemiological role of Fusarium solani in fish.
