@article{macnamara_mankiewicz_salger_stuart_borski_godwin_drawbridge_2024, title={Temperature regulates sex determination and growth in the paralichthid flatfish California halibut}, volume={4}, ISSN={["2471-5646"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1002/jez.2823}, DOI={10.1002/jez.2823}, abstractNote={California halibut (Paralichthys californicus) is a candidate species for aquaculture and stock enhancement. These applications rely on sex control, either to maximize the production of faster growing females or to match sex ratios in the wild. Other paralichthids exhibit temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), but the presence and pattern of TSD is not well defined in California halibut. Juvenile California halibut were cultured at three distinct temperatures (15°C, 19°C, and 23°C) through the developmental period presumed to be thermosensitive based on findings from congeners. Sex ratios were quantified in each treatment using phenotypic sex identification techniques applied early (molecular biomarkers; 51-100 mm total length [TL]) and late (visual examination of the gonads; ≥100 mm TL) in the juvenile phase. Both techniques indicated similar sex determination trends at each temperature, with overall sex ratios assessed as 49.9% male at 15°C, 74.5% male at 19°C, and 98.2% male at 23°C. Growth rates were highest at 23°C and lowest at 15°C, with intrinsically fast- and slow-growing individuals at all temperatures. At 15°C and 19°C, females comprised a higher proportion among the fast growers than they did among the slow growers. These data show that California halibut exhibit TSD, with temperatures of 19°C and 23°C masculinizing fish while 15°C appears to produce a 1:1 sex ratio. This study will help optimize sex ratios and growth in hatcheries through thermal manipulation. Furthermore, the developed biomolecular tools and identified temperature thresholds will be important in future work to understand the influence of global warming on wild population demographics.}, journal={JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART A-ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY}, author={Macnamara, Ruairi and Mankiewicz, Jamie L. and Salger, Scott A. and Stuart, Kevin and Borski, Russell J. and Godwin, John and Drawbridge, Mark}, year={2024}, month={Apr} }
 @article{deck_salger_reynolds_tada_severance_ferket_egna_fatema_haque_borski_2023, title={Nutritional programming in Nile tilapia <i>(</i>Oreochromis<i> </i>niloticus<i>)</i>: Effect of low dietary protein on growth and the intestinal microbiome and transcriptome}, volume={18}, ISSN={["1932-6203"]}, DOI={10.1371/journal.pone.0292431}, abstractNote={Nutritional programming is the idea that early nutrient contributions can influence organismal structure or function and is documented in a variety of vertebrates, yet studies in fish are largely lacking. Tilapia are an important foodfish, with global production having increased rapidly since the 1990s. They exhibit high disease-resistance and grow well on formulated feeds which makes them an ideal aquaculture species, however incorporating high quality proteins into feeds can be costly. As feed constitutes 50–70% of total production costs in aquaculture, reducing protein content could curb these costs and increase revenue. Thus, we examined the effects of feeding Nile tilapia (O. niloticus) fry a restricted protein diet for the first 7–21 days on growth, gut microbial flora, and the intestinal transcriptome. Fish were fed either a 25% restricted or 48% control crude protein starter (ST) diet for up to 21 days and then switched to a 25% or 38% control crude protein growout (GO) diet. Fish fed a 25% ST diet for 14 days followed by a 38% GO diet had significantly higher lengths and weights and better feed efficiency than fish fed the control 48% ST and 38% GO diet after 56 days of culture. Growth of fry on the 25% ST, 7-day/38% GO and the 25% ST,7-day/25% GO diets did not differ from the those fed the control protein diets, while fish fed the 25% ST diet for 21 days had significantly lower growth and survival rates. We observed no significant differences in either alpha or beta diversity of the gut microbial flora between diets, however species richness (Shannon Index) was higher in fry fed the 25% protein ST diet regardless of the GO diet. Similarly, fish fed the 25% ST diet for 14 days followed by the 38% GO diet had minimal changes to the intestinal transcriptome relative to fish fed the control 48% ST and 38% GO diet. However, those fed 25% ST and GO diets for the entire 56 days exhibited substantial differences in the gut transcriptome from other groups showing gene expression profiles characteristic of detrimental changes to gut physiology, protein metabolism and immune function. Results suggest protein restriction for up to 14 days early in development leads to enhanced growth and feed efficiency with minimal effects on gut microbes or intestinal function. Protein restriction beyond this period appears detrimental to fish growth and health as underscored by expression of disease related genes and higher mortality rates.}, number={10}, journal={PLOS ONE}, author={Deck, Courtney A. and Salger, Scott A. and Reynolds, Hannah M. and Tada, Michael D. and Severance, Madeline E. and Ferket, Peter and Egna, Hillary S. and Fatema, Mst. Kaniz and Haque, Shahroz M. and Borski, Russell J.}, year={2023}, month={Oct} }
 @article{andersen_clark_mcginty_hopper_kenter_salger_schilling_hodson_kovach_berlinsky_et al._2021, title={Volitional tank spawning of domestic striped bass (Morone saxatilis) using human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and gonadotropin releasing hormone analogue (GnRHa)- induced 'pace-setting' females}, volume={532}, ISSN={["1873-5622"]}, DOI={10.1016/j.aquaculture.2020.735967}, abstractNote={Seventy-one tank spawning trials were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of exogenous hormone compounds and a novel "pace-set" strategy for inducing volitional tank spawning behavior in 5th generation domestic striped bass. Female fish (4.74 ± 0.73 kg; mean ± standard deviation) were treated with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG; 29 trials), gonadotropin releasing hormone analog (GnRHa; 39 trials) or received no hormone treatment (control; 3 trials). Spawning trials were conducted using single females placed in spawning tanks with two (12 trials) or three (38 trials) males or with paired females placed in spawning tanks with three (4 trials) males. Significant differences in egg production, fry production, hatching rate, and fry/kg female body weight were generally not observed between exogenous hormone treatment groups (alpha = 0.05), with the exception of egg production differing between paired females spawning with three males (Student's t-test, p = 0.0255). However, a trend suggesting that increasing the number of males or females within the tanks improves yield of larvae (fry/kg female body weight) was observed. The untreated control females failed to spawn within 7 days. The pace-set spawning was conducted whereby one female treated with either hCG (7 trials) or GnRHa (7 trials) was placed in a spawning tank with one untreated female and multiple males. The results of these trials show for the first time that a hormone-induced female striped bass can be used to stimulate successful volitional spawning of an untreated female in the same tank with fry/kg female body weight production similar to that of hormone-treated fish. Microsatellite-based parentage of select tank spawns and four additional trials conducted with an increased number of males (19 trials total) showed that female striped bass typically spawn with at least two males; a single pair mating was only observed for one spawning trial. These data allowed for the determination of effective broodstock size (Nb) of each tank spawning trial at between 2.00 and 5.60 when considering all male contributions. The Nb generally increased as the number of males and female fish in the tank increased (from 2.53 for one female and two males to 5.52 for two females and six males). These results indicate that domestic striped bass are promiscuous and will generally reproduce in captivity using tank spawning procedures that allow for a high level of genetic diversity to be retained among the offspring. The pace-set method reduces hormone use and may be applied to commercial striped bass production as well as captive spawning of other fish species.}, journal={AQUACULTURE}, author={Andersen, L. K. and Clark, R. W. and McGinty, A. S. and Hopper, M. S. and Kenter, L. W. and Salger, S. A. and Schilling, J. and Hodson, R. G. and Kovach, A. I. and Berlinsky, D. L. and et al.}, year={2021}, month={Feb} }
 @article{salger_reza_deck_wahab_baltzegar_murr_borski_2020, title={Enhanced biodiversity of gut flora and feed efficiency in pond cultured tilapia under reduced frequency feeding strategies}, volume={15}, ISSN={["1932-6203"]}, DOI={10.1371/journal.pone.0236100}, abstractNote={Feed constitutes 50–70% of total production costs of tilapia, one of the most widely cultured finfishes in the world. We evaluated reduced-feeding strategies for improving production efficiency of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). In a 12-week pond trial, fish were fed daily, every other day, every third day, or not at all. Ponds were fertilized to enhance natural foods. In a fifth group fish were fed daily without pond fertilization. Fish fed daily with or without pond fertilization and fish fed every other day had higher specific growth rates, survivability, and net production than the other two treatments. Fish feed efficiency and benefit to cost ratio was highest for treatments fed in a pulsatile manner (i.e. fed every other day or every third day) with fish fed on alternate days providing the best net return among all groups. Fish fed on alternate days had more moderate gene expression levels of intestinal nutrient transporters which may allow for a more balanced and efficient nutrient uptake. Fecal microbe analyses identified 145 families of prokaryotic and 132 genera of eukaryotic organisms in tilapia. The highest diversity of prokaryotes was found in fish fed either every other day or daily in fertilized ponds and the highest diversity of eukaryotes was found in fish fed every other day. These studies indicate feeding Nile tilapia on alternate days along with weekly pond fertilization has no deleterious effects on growth, survivability, or production versus daily feeding regimes, but enhances feed efficiency by 76% and provides the greatest net return on investments. Our studies also suggest for the first time that combining alternate-day feeding with pond fertilization produces the greatest microbial biodiversity in the intestine that could contribute to enhanced feed efficiency and overall health of tilapia.}, number={7}, journal={PLOS ONE}, author={Salger, Scott A. and Reza, Jimi and Deck, Courtney A. and Wahab, Md Abdul and Baltzegar, David A. and Murr, Alexander T. and Borski, Russell J.}, year={2020}, month={Jul} }
 @article{levine_apperson_levin_kelly_kakumanu_ponnusamy_sutton_salger_caldwell_szempruch_2017, title={Stable Transmission of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Stricto on the Outer Banks of North Carolina}, volume={64}, ISSN={1863-1959}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/zph.12302}, DOI={10.1111/zph.12302}, abstractNote={Summary}, number={5}, journal={Zoonoses and Public Health}, publisher={Wiley}, author={Levine, J. F. and Apperson, C. S. and Levin, M. and Kelly, T. R. and Kakumanu, M. L. and Ponnusamy, L. and Sutton, H. and Salger, S. A. and Caldwell, J. M. and Szempruch, A. J.}, year={2017}, month={Aug}, pages={337–354} }
 @article{salger_reading_noga_2017, title={Tissue localization of piscidin host-defense peptides during striped bass (Morone saxatilis) development}, volume={61}, ISSN={["1095-9947"]}, DOI={10.1016/j.fsi.2016.12.034}, abstractNote={Infectious diseases are a major cause of larval mortality in finfish aquaculture. Understanding ontogeny of the fish immune system and thus developmental timing of protective immune tissues and cells, may help to decrease serious losses of larval fishes when they are particularly vulnerable to infection. One component of the innate immune system of fishes is the host-defense peptides, which include the piscidins. Piscidins are small, amphipathic, α-helical peptides with a broad-spectrum of action against viral, bacterial, fungal, and protozoan pathogens. We describe for the first time the cellular and tissue localization of three different piscidins (1, 3, and 4) during striped bass (Morone saxatilis) larval ontogeny using immunofluorescent histochemistry. From 16 days post hatch to 12 months of age, piscidin staining was observed in cells of the epithelial tissues of gill, digestive tract, and skin, mainly in mast cells. Staining was also seen in presumptive hematopoietic cells in the head kidney. The three piscidins showed variable cellular and tissue staining patterns, possibly relating to differences in tissue susceptibility or pathogen specificity. This furthers our observation that the piscidins are not a monolithic family of antimicrobials, but that different AMPs have different (more specialized) functions. Furthermore, no immunofluorescent staining of piscidins was observed in post-vitellogenic oocytes, embryos, or larvae from hatch to 14 days post hatch, indicating that this critical component of the innate immune system is inactive in pre-hatch and young larval striped bass.}, journal={FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY}, author={Salger, Scott A. and Reading, Benjamin J. and Noga, Edward J.}, year={2017}, month={Feb}, pages={173–180} }
 @article{salger_cassady_reading_noga_2016, title={A Diverse Family of Host-Defense Peptides (Piscidins) Exhibit Specialized Anti-Bacterial and Anti-Protozoal Activities in Fishes}, volume={11}, ISSN={["1932-6203"]}, DOI={10.1371/journal.pone.0159423}, abstractNote={Conventional antibiotics and other chemical-based drugs are currently one of the most common methods used to control disease-related mortality in animal agriculture. Use of the innate immune system to decrease disease related mortalities is a novel alternative to conventional drugs. One component of the innate immune system is the host-defense peptides, also known as antimicrobial peptides. Host-defense peptides are typically small, amphipathic, α-helical peptides with a broad-spectrum of action against viral, bacterial, fungal, and/or protozoal pathogens. Piscidins are host-defense peptides first discovered in the hybrid striped bass (white bass, Morone chrysops, x striped bass, M. saxatilis). In this paper we identify four new piscidin isoforms in the hybrid striped bass and describe their tissue distributions. We also determine the progenitor species of origin of each piscidin (orthology) and propose a revised nomenclature for this newly described piscidin family based on a three class system. The Class I piscidins (22 amino acids in length; striped bass and white bass piscidin 1 and piscidin 3) show broad-spectrum activity against bacteria and ciliated protozoans, while the Class III piscidins (55 amino acids in length; striped bass and white bass piscidin 6 and striped bass piscidin 7) primarily show anti-protozoal activity. The Class II piscidins (44–46 amino acids in length; striped bass and white bass piscidin 4 and white bass piscidin 5) have a level of activity against bacteria and protozoans intermediate to Classes I and III. Knowledge of piscidin function and activity may help in the future development of disease-resistant lines of striped bass and white bass that could be used to produce superior hybrids for aquaculture.}, number={8}, journal={PLOS ONE}, author={Salger, Scott A. and Cassady, Katherine R. and Reading, Benjamin J. and Noga, Edward J.}, year={2016}, month={Aug} }
 @article{williams_reading_amano_hiramatsu_schilling_salger_williams_gross_sullivan_2014, title={Proportional Accumulation of Yolk Proteins Derived From Multiple Vitellogenins is Precisely Regulated During Vitellogenesis in Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis)}, volume={321}, ISSN={["2471-5646"]}, url={http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/24648375}, DOI={10.1002/jez.1859}, abstractNote={ABSTRACT}, number={6}, journal={JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART A-ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY}, author={Williams, Valerie N. and Reading, Benjamin J. and Amano, Haruna and Hiramatsu, Naoshi and Schilling, Justin and Salger, Scott A. and Williams, Taufika Islam and Gross, Kevin and Sullivan, Craig V.}, year={2014}, month={Jul}, pages={301–315} }
 @article{ruangsri_salger_caipang_kiron_fernandes_2012, title={Differential expression and biological activity of two piscidin paralogues and a novel splice variant in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L.)}, volume={32}, number={3}, journal={Fish & Shellfish Immunology}, author={Ruangsri, J. and Salger, S. A. and Caipang, C. M. A. and Kiron, V. and Fernandes, J. M. O.}, year={2012}, pages={396–406} }