• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.313-322
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• 2010

Edible tunicate Halocynthia roretzi, one of the most commercially important aquatic organisms in Korea, has been killed by tunic softness syndrome since last decade. The intracellular protistan parasite observed by the transmission electron microscope in hemocytes of the tunicate was considered to be the causative agent of the mass mortality. The goal of the present work is to examine the characteristic features of the parasite by identifying the 18S rDNA sequences of the parasite. The experiments conducted include amplification of presumptive 18S rDNA from diseased tunicate tissues with UNonMet-PCR and sequencing the product. A preliminary phylogenetic analysis was performed on the presumptive parasite rDNA. A digoxigenin labeled DNA probe was designed on the basis of the sequences of rDNA. Dig-ISH assay was conducted to diagnose the protistan parasite. A PCR using UNonMet-PCR primer generated 595 bp SSU rDNA fragment. Subsequently, PCRs with primer pair expended this sequence to 1542 bp. This is the first partial sequences of SSU rDNA gene to be published on the protistan parasite that has presumed causing the mass mortality of tunicate. Since the Dig-ISH technique demonstrated the presence of infection in hemocytes on the all host tissues, the fragment was confirmed to be the intracellular protistan parasite SSU rDNA. A phylogenetic analysis suggested that the protistan parasite may be a unique eukaryote that is closely related to Apicomplexa.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.57-64
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• 1980

Seed tunicates of Halocynthia roretzi (v. DRASCHE) which were artificially settled in Chungmu area were transplanted to Seonyudo and Eochungdo to know the feasibility of the tunicate culturing in the western coast of Korea. From April 1978 to March 1979, the growth of the transplanted tunicate in the two area was compared and analyzed in reference to the ecological factors. At the time when the seeds were transplanted, the mean body height of Halocynthia roretzi(V. DRASCHE) was 1.84 mm, body breadth 1.42 mm, and the body weight 15.0 mg. After 333 days the mean body height was 10.77 mm, body breadth 6.75 mm, and body weight 201 mg in Seonyudo area. In Eochungdo area the mean body height was 13.5 mm, body breadth 11.51 mu and body weight 880 mg. According to above results, it is possible to culture the seeds in Eochungdo area. Salinity $(29.2-32.0\%_{\circ})$ was favorable, water temperature $(6.8-26.8^{\circ}C)$ was not a critical factor, but the growth of the tunicate was affected by the high temperature$(over\;25.0^{\circ}C)$ in July. Transparency lower than 1.0 m seriously affects the growth of the tunicate, and it was one of the important factors inhibiting the growth of the tunicate. Seonyudo area was found out to be inadequate for the culture of the sea spuirt Halocynthie roretzi because of the retarded growth in body breadth and weight while showing extended growth in body length then leading to higher mortality owing to large amount of silting and fouling of the colonial tunicate, Didemnum (didemnum) moseleyi.