The Endocrine Mechanism of Coral Reproduction---In Comparison with Teleosts

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Project title

Code/計畫編號

NSC97-2313-B019-012-MY3

Translated Name/計畫中文名

珊瑚生殖之內分泌機制---與魚類生殖系統比較

Project Coordinator/計畫主持人

Ching-Fong Chang

Funding Organization/主管機關

National Science and Technology Council

Department/Unit

Department of Aquaculture

Website

https://www.grb.gov.tw/search/planDetail?id=1661910

Year

2008

Start date/計畫起

01-08-2008

Expected Completion/計畫迄

31-07-2009

Bugetid/研究經費

2000千元

ResearchField/研究領域

漁業

珊瑚不管在海洋生物之多樣性，海洋生產力及生態性均是我國至為重要的海洋生物，珊瑚是由珊瑚蟲所構成，具有特殊的生殖策略，珊瑚每年在農曆3月中旬左右會有集體同時生殖產卵之特性與奇觀。牠們是如何做到如此精確的生殖週期呢？除了水溫潮汐與光照週期等外在可能因子之影響外，牠們內部的因子(例如生殖激素)如何啓動？如何會集體同時生殖產卵？珊瑚之間是否有互相之交互影響？這些均是有待探討之重要問題。根據過去本研究室以長期探討雌珊瑚GnRH，aromatase與sex steroids之初步結果(圖一與圖二，Twan et al, 2003, 2006)，本計畫以腎形真葉珊瑚為材料提出研究假設(圖三)與研究模式圖(圖四)，認為珊瑚確實演化出具有類似脊椎動物之nervous cells以合成及分泌「促性腺生成激素釋放素，GnRH」對生殖腺產生促進作用，合成與分泌性類固醇激素，並促使生殖細胞成長與成熟。並且由研究模式提出珊瑚GnRH可能具有連接外界環境信息至珊瑚體內的作用。這個主軸(nervous cells→生殖腺)對珊瑚生殖及集體同時產卵扮演至為重要的角色。本研究計畫將利用3年期間，利用組織內分泌、內分泌、細胞生物及分子遺傳的策略，進行一系列11項之實驗，包括(1)瞭解雌雄珊瑚生殖細胞的發育與成熟，(2)鑑定與測定雄珊瑚GnRH濃度及與生殖季節的關係，(3)鑑定與測定雄珊瑚性類固醇激素之種類及與生殖季節的關係，(4)定位雌珊瑚GnRH細胞之位置及與生殖季節之關係，(5)瞭解GnRH對珊瑚活體(in vivo)類固醇激素合成及卵細胞的成長影響，(6)瞭解GnRH是否可直接促進珊瑚卵巢組織(in vitro)的類固醇合成作用及醣化作用，並瞭解珊瑚steroidogenic pathway，(7)基因選殖estrogen receptor、aromatase與GnRH receptor，並比較其序列的分子演化，(8)以原位雜交技術，探討estrogen receptor、aromatase與GnRH receptor細胞位置及分佈。經由本研究預期將對珊瑚生殖內分泌及生殖產卵有深入的瞭解，並與魚類生殖內分泌系統比較，瞭解演化的關係，解答珊瑚集體同時產卵之奧妙。 "Corals are very important in marine ecological system in terms of biodiversity, reproduction, and ecology. Corals have special strategies for the reproduction and propagation for their generation. Most broadcast spawning scleractinian corals are synchronously released gametes during a brief annual spawning period. The spawning period is followed the lunar phase (about lunar mid-March in Taiwan). The environmental factors were included temperatures, lunar periodicity, illumination, tidal surge, physical and chemical shock, presence of food, and others. But there were rare studies to elucidate how the endogenous factors may regulate the synchronized gametogenous and mass spawning in female corals. Scleractinian coral Euphyllia ancora is a gonochorism, and spawns in the late spring in Taiwan for external fertilization. According to our previous and preliminary data in female coral, we therefore proposed that endocrine system is one of the endogenous factors to significantly regulate coral reproduction and spawning. We further hypothesize that nervous system (GnRH)-gonadal (sex steroids) axis plays an important role in this regulation. A working model is further proposed in this proposal by selecting E. ancora as a research species. We intend to answer the following questions in corals. 1) Does GnRH and sex steroids also exist in male corals and the types of GnRH and sex steroids in corals as compared to vertebrates? 2) The localization and distribution of GnRH neurons in female and male corals in relation to the non-spawning and spawning season. 3) The biological function and action of GnRH in corals by using in vivo and in vitro systems. 4) The direct regulation of steroidogenesis in coral gonadal tissue by GnRH 5) Molecular cloning of coral aromatase, estrogen receptor and GnRH receptor gene, and their gene evolution as compared to various species included vertebrates. 6) The localization and distribution of estrogen receptor, aromatase and GnRH receptor in corals in relation to spawning and non-spawning season."

Keyword(s)

珊瑚
生殖
產卵
性類固醇激素
促性腺生成激素釋放素
coral
reproduction cycle
spawning
sex steroids
GnRH

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The Endocrine Mechanism of Coral Reproduction---In Comparison with Teleosts

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