BACKGROUND: While commercial poultry and captive birds are exposed to antimicrobials through direct medication, environmental pollution may result in contamination of wild birds. Fluoroquinolones are commonly used medications to treat severe avian bacterial infections; however, their adverse effects on birds remain understudied. Here, we examine toxicity of enrofloxacin and marbofloxacin during the egg incubation period using the chicken (Gallus Gallus domesticus) as a model avian species. Laboratory tests were based on eggs injected with 1, 10 and 100 μg of fluoroquinolones per 1 g of egg weight prior to the start of incubation and monitoring of chick blood biochemistry, reproductive parameters and heart rate during incubation. RESULTS: Eggs treated with fluoroquinolones displayed reduced hatchability due to embryonic mortality, particularly on day 13 of incubation. Total hatching success showed a similar pattern, with a significantly reduced hatchability in low and high exposure groups treated with both enrofloxacin and marbofloxacin. From 15 to 67% of chicks hatching in these groups exhibited joint deformities. Hatching one-day pre-term occurred with a prevalence of 31 to 70% in all groups treated with fluoroquinolones. Embryonic heart rate, measured on days 13 and 19 of incubation, increased in all enrofloxacin-treated groups and medium and high dose groups of marbofloxacin-treated eggs. Blood biochemistry of chicks sampled at hatch from medium dose groups showed hypoproteinaemia, decreased uric acid and increased triglycerides. Chicks from the enrofloxacin-treated group displayed mild hyperglycaemia and a two-fold rise in the blood urea nitrogen to uric acid ratio. Principal components analysis based on blood biochemistry clearly separated the control bird cluster from both enrofloxacin- and marbofloxacin-treated birds. CONCLUSIONS: Fluoroquinolones induce complex adverse effects on avian embryonic development, considerably reducing the performance of incubated eggs and hatching chicks. Cardiotoxicity, which quickens embryonic heart rate, meant that the total number of heart beats required for embryogenesis was achieved earlier than in the standard incubation period, resulting in pre-term hatching. Our data suggest that enrofloxacin has a higher potential for adverse effects than marbofloxacin. To conclude, care should be taken to prevent exposure of reproducing birds and their eggs to fluoroquinolones.
- MeSH
- Anti-Infective Agents toxicity MeSH
- Enrofloxacin toxicity MeSH
- Fluoroquinolones toxicity MeSH
- Hypoproteinemia chemically induced veterinary MeSH
- Chickens * blood MeSH
- Chick Embryo drug effects MeSH
- Poultry Diseases chemically induced MeSH
- Reproduction drug effects MeSH
- Heart Rate drug effects MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Chick Embryo drug effects MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
Efficacies of the Ammi visnaga seeds extract and a majority of substances on larval Culex quinquefasciatus mortality in various development stages including pupae were studied. The effect of exposure time on larval mortality was also studied. The effect of sublethal concentrations or short exposure times on further larval development and subsequent fecundity in adults were studied as well. Lethal doses of the extract were estimated for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th instar of C. quinquefasciatus (LC50 for 18, 23 and 180 mg L(-1), respectively). The majority of furanochromenes, khellin and visnagin, were identified by analysing the extract. Khellin was significantly more effective compared to visnagin, whose LC50 was estimated at 8, 10 and 41 mg L(-1) for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th instar larvae. Khellin showed very fast efficacy on mortality for the 3rd instar larvae in a concentration of 100 mg L(-1). Fifty percent mortality was determined 30 min after application, a time which was considerably shorter compared to the extract (113 min) or visnagin (169 min). The effect of the application of lethal concentrations on C. quinquefasciatus larval mortality was studied. The least number of adults were hatched after application of the extract and khellin (41.8% and 37.9%, respectively), less than after visnagin application (46.7%) or in the control (94.2%). LC50 application caused lower fecundity in the hatched adults, lower hatchability of the eggs, and also very low natality, more than 77% lower for khellin compared to the control. A short exposure, corresponding to our estimated LT30, caused no significant acute toxicity in the larvae (until 24 h) for the extract or visnagin (4.3% and 11.5%, respectively); however, 18 min of action from khellin caused a 54.3% mortality rate of the larvae within 24 h.
- MeSH
- Ammi chemistry MeSH
- Time Factors MeSH
- Culex * drug effects MeSH
- Insecticides * chemistry isolation & purification pharmacology MeSH
- Khellin chemistry isolation & purification pharmacology MeSH
- Larva drug effects MeSH
- Lethal Dose 50 MeSH
- Plant Extracts * chemistry isolation & purification pharmacology MeSH
- Seeds chemistry MeSH
- Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Male MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
Moths and butterflies (Lepidoptera) have sex chromosome systems with female heterogamety (WZ/ZZ or derived variants). The maternally inherited W chromosome is known to determine female sex in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. However, little is known about the role of W chromosome in other lepidopteran species. Here we describe two forms of the W chromosome, W and neo-W, that are transmitted to both sexes in offspring of hybrids from reciprocal crosses between subspecies of wild silkmoths, Samia cynthia. We performed crosses between S. c. pryeri (2n=28, WZ/ZZ) and S. c. walkeri (2n=26, neo-Wneo-Z/neo-Zneo-Z) and examined fitness and sex chromosome constitution in their hybrids. The F1 hybrids of both reciprocal crosses had reduced fertility. Fluorescence in situ hybridization revealed not only the expected sex chromosome constitutions in the backcross and F2 hybrids of both sexes but also females without the W (or neo-W) chromosome and males carrying the W (or neo-W) chromosome. Furthermore, crosses between the F2 hybrids revealed no association between the presence or absence of W (or neo-W) chromosome and variations in the hatchability of their eggs. Our results clearly suggest that the W (or neo-W) chromosome of S. cynthia ssp. plays no role in sex determination and reproduction, and thus does not contribute to the formation of reproductive barriers between different subspecies.
- MeSH
- Genetic Markers MeSH
- Hybridization, Genetic * MeSH
- In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence MeSH
- Crosses, Genetic MeSH
- Moths genetics MeSH
- Sex Chromosomes * MeSH
- Sex Determination Processes * MeSH
- Reproduction genetics MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Male MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
In birds, spectrum of egg white proteins deposited into the egg during its formation are thought to be essential maternal effects. Particularly, egg white lysozyme (LSM), exhibiting great between and within species variability, is considered to be essential for developing avian embryos due to its physiological, antimicrobial, and innate immune defense functions. However, there have been few studies investigating effects of LSM on early post-hatching phenotype, despite its broad physiological and protective role during embryogenesis. Here, we test how experimentally increased concentrations of egg white LSM affect hatchability in Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) and chick phenotype immediately after hatching (particularly body weight, tarsus length, plasma LSM concentration, and plasma complement activity). Chicks from eggs with increased LSM concentration displayed reduced tarsus length compared to chicks from control eggs while hatchability, body weight and plasma LSM concentration were unaffected. It is worth noting that no effect of increased in ovo lysozyme on eggs hatchability could be related to pathogen-free environment during artificial incubation of experimental eggs causing minimal pressure on embryo viability. While tangible in vivo mechanisms during avian embryogenesis remain to be tested, our study is the first to document experimentally that egg white LSM appears to have growth-regulation role during embryo development, with possible underlying phenotypic consequences in the early post-hatching period in precocial birds.
- MeSH
- Coturnix anatomy & histology embryology MeSH
- Embryonic Development MeSH
- Phenotype MeSH
- Complement System Proteins metabolism MeSH
- Muramidase blood MeSH
- Ovum enzymology MeSH
- Tarsus, Animal anatomy & histology MeSH
- Body Weight MeSH
- Egg White chemistry MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
The reproductive success of precocial birds depends on investments in clutch formation and incubation. Egg quality strongly affects the phenotypic traits correlated with survival of the hatchling, but parental ability to maintain incubation temperature can also influence hatchling outcomes. The effect of incubation temperature on hatchling phenotype has been widely studied in reptiles but not in birds. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of egg mass and incubation temperature on the incubation period, hatchability, and hatchling phenotype of the mallard (Anas platyrhynchos). Mallard eggs were incubated under six constant incubation temperatures (ranging from 35.0° to 39.0°C). Hatchlings were weighed, and their structural size was measured. Some hatchlings were used for an examination of residual yolk sac mass and basic chemical composition of the yolk-free body. All investigated phenotypic traits except for chemical composition were positively correlated with egg mass. Incubation temperature did not affect hatchling body mass, but increased temperatures led to a decreased yolk-free body mass and structural size of hatchlings and to increased yolk sac mass. Our results suggest that there is a trade-off between the yolk-free body size and energetic reserves in the form of the yolk sac and that this trade-off is modulated by incubation temperature.
- MeSH
- Embryo, Nonmammalian embryology MeSH
- Embryonic Development physiology MeSH
- Phenotype MeSH
- Ducks embryology MeSH
- Animals, Newborn MeSH
- Ovum chemistry MeSH
- Temperature * MeSH
- Body Size MeSH
- Yolk Sac chemistry MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
1. Hatching time, hatchability of fertile eggs and embryo mortality in relation to (1) physical quality of fresh eggs and (2) embryonic development during storage and incubation periods were analysed after egg storage for 1, 5 or 10 d at 30°C in the meat-type lines of Japanese quail, HG and LG, divergently selected for high and low relative weight gain between 11 and 28 d of age, respectively, and constant body weight at 49 d of age. 2. In both lines, the increase of egg storage temperature from 12°C (standard level) to 30°C increased the egg weight loss during storage, shortened the incubation period and reduced the hatching success. 3. Similar to standard egg storage temperature, LG quail hatched earlier than HG quail after egg storage at 30°C and early and late mortality of both lines increased with a prolonged period of egg storage. In contrast to the standard egg storage conditions, no line differences in hatchability were observed. 4. The results did not identify a relationship between the decrease in hatchability or embryo viability and line differences in external egg parameters as well as any important role of undesirable changes induced by a high storage temperature on albumen viscosity. 5. The pattern of embryonic death, low developmental rate of embryos and a dichotomy between the development of the extra-embryonic vascular system and the embryo itself during egg storage at high temperature implied that an insufficient nutrient supply in consequence of developmental delay could represent a key factor in increasing early and late embryo mortality.
- MeSH
- Time Factors MeSH
- Coturnix embryology genetics physiology MeSH
- Embryo, Nonmammalian embryology physiology MeSH
- Oviparity MeSH
- Ovum physiology MeSH
- Selection, Genetic * MeSH
- Temperature MeSH
- Hot Temperature MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Male MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
Oostatic peptides are organic molecules, which influence an insect reproduction due to a regulation of the eggs development. It was proved that decapeptide-H-Tyr-Asp-Pro-Ala-Pro-Pro-Pro-Pro-Pro-Pro-OH (YDPAPPPPPP)-isolated from mosquito Aedes aegypti, inhibits trypsin activity in the midgut of the mosquito. Therefore, it was named trypsin-modulating oostatic factor (Aea-TMOF). Feeding the recombinant cells with cloned and expressed TMOF on the coat protein of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) to mosquito larvae, caused larval mortality. The TMOF was therefore designed for usage as a new biorational insecticide against mosquito. Similarly, a hexapeptide-H-Asn-Pro-Thr-Asn-Leu-His-OH (NPTNLH)-was isolated from the grey flesh fly Neobellieria bullata. This peptide and some of its analogs inhibited trypsin-like synthesis by the midgut in female flies and was therefore entitled Neb-TMOF. Interestingly, the synthetic Aea-TMOF and mainly its C-terminus shorten analogs, including those containing D-amino acids or methylene-oxy isosteric bond, quickly and strongly inhibited the hatchability and egg development in the flesh fly N. bullata.
- MeSH
- Aedes embryology genetics metabolism MeSH
- Diptera chemistry embryology genetics metabolism MeSH
- Oligopeptides chemistry genetics metabolism MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Male MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- Review MeSH
1. Hatching time, hatchability of fertile eggs and embryo mortality under standard egg storage (1 or 5 days at 12 ± 1°C and 55% relative humidity) and incubation conditions (37.5 ± 0.2°C and 50% relative humidity) were analysed in lines long-term selected for high (HG) and low (LG) relative weight gain between 11 and 28 d of age, respectively, and constant body weight at 49 d of age. 2. Egg storage duration did not have an effect on average hatching time. LG quail, characterised by a fast postnatal growth rate immediately after hatching, hatched earlier than HG quail with a low early growth rate (about 391 vs. 406 h after egg setting, respectively). 3. In contrast to hatching time, the hatchability of fertile eggs was influenced by line as well as egg storage duration. Extended storage decreased hatching success in both lines. However, LG eggs exhibited a higher hatchability than HG eggs (1 d storage: 96.0 vs. 82.5%; 5 d storage: 88.7 vs. 72.7%, respectively). 4. Lower hatchability resulted mostly from a higher frequency of embryo death during early (up to d 7) and late (d 14 and later) phases of incubation. 5. An inadequate nutrient supply to embryos in consequence of developmental delay seems to be a key factor decreasing viability of embryos during incubation.
OBJECTIVES: The present study was aimed at evaluation of the response of Japanese quails to cyanobacterial biomass administered in feed using biochemical profiles and parameters of reproduction. DESIGN: Effects of cyanobacterial biomass were studied according to the OECD 206 Guideline on Avian Reproduction Toxicity. A total of 16 control and 16 experimental pairs (32 males and 32 females) were analyzed. The chronic exposure of parent birds lasted eight weeks with the daily sum of 61.62 microg MCs including 26.54 microg MC-RR, 7.62 microg MC-YR and 27.39 microg MC-LR. RESULTS: There was no mortality both in control and cyanobacterial-biomass-exposed adults during the present study. Nor did the birds show any clinical signs of intoxication. Lactate dehydrogenase activity was increased about three-fold in exposed birds. No other biochemical parameters were showing significant differences. A total of 824 and 821 eggs were laid by control and exposed birds, respectively, during the eight-week study period. Eggs laid by cyanobacterial-biomass-exposed hens had lower weight than in controls (11.99+/-1.13g and 12.40+/-1.27g, respectively; p<0.01). Egg viability, hatchability, and the effect of hatching in control and experimental birds were 79.6+/-9.3 and 86.8+/-8.2% (p<0.05), 83.2+/-12.6 and 90.1+/-9.3%, and 65.2+/-17.7 and 77.7+/-15.2% (p<0.05), respectively. There was also a statistically significant difference in the number of 14-day old survivors per hen per day in control and experimental birds (0.38+/-0.02 and 0.43+/-0.01 %, respectively). CONCLUSION: The lower weight of eggs produced by exposed parental hens was not reflected in their biological quality. On the contrary, reproductive parameters in cyanobacterial-biomass-exposed birds were better than in the control group. It might be hypothesized that compounds of hormonal activity could be present in the complex cyanobacterial biomass. However, further research into this issue is necessary.
- MeSH
- Time Factors MeSH
- Coturnix blood physiology MeSH
- Diet MeSH
- L-Lactate Dehydrogenase blood MeSH
- Random Allocation MeSH
- Ovum physiology MeSH
- Reproduction physiology MeSH
- Cyanobacteria MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Male MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
Expression of the Bacillus thuringiensis beetle-specific toxin Cry3Aa, which renders a genetically modified potato cultivar resistant to the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, exerts a deleterious effect on the polyphagous moth Spodoptera littoralis. The caterpillars of S. littoralis feed less and produce smaller pupae on the genetically modified cultivar (NewLeaf Superior) than on the parental nontransgenic cultivar (Superior). The conversion efficiencies of total dry matter, combustion heat, carbon, and nitrogen from leaves to insect biomass are similar on both cultivars. In spite of similar food utilization and a relatively small difference in the body mass at pupation, female adults that developed from caterpillars fed on NewLeaf Superior lay a mean of 309 eggs compared to a mean of 713 eggs deposited by females that developed from caterpillars fed on Superior. Because of this difference and a simultaneous reduction in fertility (egg hatchability) from 78 to 48%, a pair of adults that fed as larvae on NewLeaf Superior produces only 148 larvae, whereas a pair of adults that fed as larvae on Superior produces 556 larvae. We suggest that small amounts of Cry3Aa that accumulate in insect tissue and persist until the adult stage are responsible for the decline in reproduction.
- MeSH
- Bacterial Proteins pharmacology genetics MeSH
- Bacterial Toxins pharmacology genetics MeSH
- Endotoxins pharmacology genetics MeSH
- Financing, Organized MeSH
- Hemolysin Proteins MeSH
- Larva growth & development MeSH
- Recombinant Proteins pharmacology MeSH
- Solanum tuberosum genetics MeSH
- Spodoptera physiology growth & development MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Female MeSH
- Animals MeSH
