• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.274-282
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• 2019

Female Siberian sturgeon Acipenser baerii were crossed with male Russian sturgeon A. gueldenstaedtii and the development, ontogenetic behavior, and phototactic characteristics of the resultant hybrid prolarvae were examined. The fertilization rate of the hybrid group was similar to that of Siberian sturgeon (the maternal species), and the overall developmental characteristics of hybrid embryos were not significantly different from those of either parental species. The time window from first hatch to the completion of hatching was wider in Russian sturgeon than in Siberian and hybrid sturgeon groups. The prolarval viability of the hybrid group was similar to that of the maternal species, and significantly higher than that of the paternal species. Hybrid prolarvae displayed ontogenetic behavioral patterns that were quite similar to those of Siberian sturgeon. In an illumination preference test, hybrid prolarvae displayed significant positive phototaxis, similar to the maternal species, and clearly distinct from the negative phototactic character of the paternal species. Taken together, our data indicate that the prolarval traits of hybrid sturgeon from this cross more closely resemble those of the maternal than the paternal species.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.15-23
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• 2013

Normal embryonic development at a constant temperature ($18^{\circ}C$) has been described for the Siberian sturgeon Acipenser baerii (Acipenseriformes). Hormone-induced spawning and artificial insemination were performed to prepare embryonic batches for embryologic examination. After insemination, early cleavages of the Siberian sturgeon embryos continued for 7 h post-fertilization (HPF), showing the typical pattern of uneven holoblastic cleavage. Blastulation and gastrulation began at 9 HPF and 19 HPF, respectively. Epiboly formation (2/3 covered) was observed at 25 HPF during gastrulation. Neurulation was initiated with the formation of a slit-like neural groove from the blastopore at 33 HPF. During neurulation, the primary embryonic kidney (pronephros) and s-shaped heart developed. The embryos underwent progressive differentiation, which is typical of Acipenseriform species. A mass hatching was observed at 130 HPF, and the average total length of the hatched prolarvae was 10.5 mm. The hatched prolarvae possessed a typical pigment plug (yolk plug). The results of this study are valuable not only as a reference guide for the artificial propagation of Siberian sturgeon in hatcheries but also as the basis for the derivation of developmental gene expression assays for this species.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.25-34
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• 2013

Early ontogenic development in Siberian sturgeon Acipenser baerii was documented and the effects of different temperatures on embryonic and prelarval development were examined. Photograph-assisted data on morphogenesis in Siberian sturgeon prolarvae agreed well with published descriptions of their ontogeny and ecological behaviors, although certain aspects of differentiation, such as gill covering and scute development, could be rearing condition-sensitive. The present study provides the first characterization of the transient development of teeth during early larval stages; the pattern was congruent with the transition of prolarvae to exogenous feeding. From examinations of embryonic and prelarval development under different temperature conditions ($12-24^{\circ}C$), developmental speed was inversely related with temperature. Overall, hatchability was higher and hatching events were more synchronized at $20^{\circ}C$ than at lower temperatures. After hatching, similar patterns of temperature-dependency were observed in yolk sac absorption and the evacuation of the pigment plug. Our results suggest that the incubation of Siberian sturgeon embryos and prolarvae at temperatures close to $20^{\circ}C$ would be advantageous in hatcheries, based on reductions in the duration and uniformity of egg and prolarval developmental stages.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.41-52
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• 2024

Serotransferrin cDNA from the Siberian sturgeon Acipenser baerii was isolated and its expression patterns during early life intervals were characterized. It contained an ORF encoding a 708-aa-long polypeptide, including a 19-aa signal peptide. Bioinfomatic analysis and 3D modeling indicated a typical bi-lobal structure with conserved iron-coordinating residues. During embryonic development, the potential transition of maternally provisioned transcripts to zygotically de novo transcribed ones occurred around blastula stage. The transferrin mRNA levels peaked at stages responsible for pronephros, heart and erythropoietic component differentiation. After hatching, the transferrin mRNA expression gradually increased at early ontogenic phases (0 to 3 DPH) corresponding to the periods in which prolarvae exhibited increased blood circulation and liver differentiation. The expression decreased at subsequent stages in which prolarvae exhibited benthic movement. The tissue distribution assay indicated liver-predominant expression at fingerling stage. From the microinjection-based challenge with Aeromonas hydrophila at day-0 and day-7, the transcriptional response was modulated toward upregulation, in which the amounts induced at 6, 12 and 24 HPI were greater in prolarvae injected at day-7 than at day-0. Therefore, transferrin plays important roles in both early development and host protective responses to pathogens in the Siberian sturgeon.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.245-257
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• 2020

Behavioral response to a diel photoperiodicity (500 lx for 16 h, 5 lx for 4 h and < 0.5 lx for 4 h) and phototactic characteristics in dark conditions were examined with Siberian sturgeon Acipenser baerii (Chondrostei, Actinopterygii) prelarvae. Siberian sturgeon prelarvae represented both qualitative and quantitative changes in their behavioral patterns according to different light intensities in a diel photoperiodicity. Under daylight conditions (500 lx), prelarvae displayed saltatory changes of behavioral features with ages (Day 0-Day 9) in a general order of swimming-up/drifting, swimming in the upper water column, benthic swimming with rheotaxis, schooling and post-schooling behavior. Compared to daylight conditions, prelarvae tended to show more benthic performances and quantitative reductions of schooling and post-schooling behaviors under dimlight conditions (5 lx). Under dark conditions (< 0.5 lx), prelarvae exhibited a fairly uniform behavioral pattern characterized by the benthic swimming across the bottom of the tank. From phototaxis tests under dark conditions, navigational responses of prelarvae to a spotlight illumination were quantitatively changed as their ages increased. The phototactic responses reached the peak on Day 2, continued until Day 4, and then gradually decreased until Day 8. A partial recovery of positive phototaxis was observed on Day 9. Data from this study suggest that the diel light cycle as well as the light intensity of each interval in the cycle should be considered as important components of a practical guide for evaluating fitness and developmental states of artificially propagated Siberian sturgeon prelarvae.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.279-288
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• 2020

Changes of gonadal morphology and mRNA expression patterns of vitellogenin were investigated in Siberian sturgeon Acipenser baerii (Chondrostei) during its early gonadal maturation period. Early differentiations and morphological transitions of both ovaries and testes appeared to occur actively until the age of 3 years, however from then on, the maturation patterns to full maturity were largely gender-dependent, in which males showed a faster progression of maturation than did females while females experienced a steady-state progress with a lagged interval before entering the final maturation. Expression of vitellogenin mRNAs are closely correlated with transitional patterns of gonadal appearances. In both females and males, hepatic mRNA levels of vitellogenin exponentially increased in the earliest interval (up to 1-year-old). However, in subsequent periods, vitellogenin expression in females continued to increase with age, whereas in males, the expression stabilized at a younger age. Nevertheless, at the age older than or equal to 7-year-old, fully matured individuals showed a quite low level of vitellogenin expression in both females and males. Collectively, results from this study could be useful as a fundamental guideline to address the gonad maturation of this sturgeon species, which is helpful for making practical decisions about farming practices and management for caviar production on local sturgeon farms.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.16.1-16.8
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• 2016

To culture germline stem cells in vitro, establishment of the cell lines that can be used as the feeder cells is a prerequisite. In this study, we tried to establish gonad-derived cell lines in Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii). Five 1-year-old A. baerii were used as a donor of gonad tissues, and gonad-dissociated cells were cultured in vitro. Subsequently, determination of growth conditions, long-term culture, characterization, and cryopreservation of the cell lines were also conducted. Five gonad-derived cell lines were stably established and cultured continuously over at least the 73th passage and 402 culture days under the media containing 20 % fetal bovine serum at $28^{\circ}C$. All cell lines consisted of two main cell types based on morphology even if the ratio of the two cell types was different depending on cell lines. Despite long-term culture, all cell lines maintained diploid DNA contents and expression of several genes that are known to express in the A. baerii gonad. After freezing and thawing of the cell lines, post-thaw cell viabilities between 57.6 and 92.9 % depending on cell lines were indentified, suggesting that stable cryopreservation is possible. The results and the cell lines established in this study will contribute to the development of an in vitro system for A. baerii germline stem cell culture.