The present study attempted for the first time to explore the importance of photoperiod in the regulation of seasonal ovarian functions in any subtropical major carp. Adult Indian major carp Catla catla were transferred to a long photoperiod (LP; LD 16:8) or a short photoperiod (SP; LD 8:16) for 30 days on 4 dates corresponding to the beginnings of 4 reproductive phases in an annual cycle, and responsiveness of the ovary was evaluated by comparison with the gonadal weight (IG), relative number of developing oocytes, serum levels of vitellogenin, and the activity of 2 important steroidogenic enzymes, that is, Δ53β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 17.β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, in the ovary of fish in a natural photoperiod. Exposure of fish to LP during the preparatory phase (February-March) resulted in a significant (p < 0.001) increase in the values of vitellogenin and in the activity of both the steroidogenic enzymes but not in the ovarian weight and in the relative number of different stages of oocytes. A more stimulatory influence of LP was noted during the prespawning phase (April-May), when precocious maturation of ovary was evident from a significant (p < 0.001) rise in the values of each studied features of ovarian functions. However, no ovarian response was found when the fish were transferred to LP during the spawning (July-August) and the postspawning (September-October) phases. On the other hand, the SP was found to have an inhibitory influence on ovarian growth and maturation during the prespawning and the spawning phases or to have no influences on ovarian functions during the preparatory and the postspawning phases of an annual cycle. The results of our study provide the first evidence that photoperiod per se plays an important role in the seasonal maturation of ovary in a subtropical freshwater major carp.
Acharia K, Lal B, Singh TP, and Pati AK (2000) Circadian phase dependent thermal stimulation of ovarian recrudescence in Indian catfish, Clarias batrachus. Biol Rhythm Res31:125-135.
2.
Amano M, Ikuta K, Kitamura S, and Aida K (1999) Effects of photoperiod on salmon GnRH mRNA levels in brain of castrated underyearling precocious male masu salmon. Gen Comp Endocrinol115:70-75.
3.
Baggermen B (1980) Photoperiodic and endogenous control of the annual reproductive cycle in teleost fishes. In Environmental Physiology of Fishes, Ali MA, ed, pp 533-567, New York, Plenum.
4.
Bartness TJ and Goldman BD (1989) Mammalian pineal melatonin:a clock for all seasons. Experientia45:939-945.
5.
Bartness TJ, Powers JB, Hastings MH, Bittman EL, and Goldman BD (1993) The timed infusion paradigm for melatonin delivery: what has it taught us about the melatonin signal, its reception and photoperiodic control of seasonal responses?J Pineal Res15:161-190.
6.
Bayarri MJ, Rodriguez L, Zanuy S, Madrid JA, Sanchez-Vazquez FJ, Kagawa H, Okuzawa K, and Carrillo M (2004) Effect of photoperiod manipulation on the daily rhythms of melatonin and reproductive hormones in caged European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax). Gen Comp Endocrinol136:72-81.
7.
Bhattacharya S, Dey R, Basu A, Maitra SK, and Banerji TK (2003) The structure of the pineal complex in a common Indian teleost, Catla catla: evidence for pineal-induced inhibition of testicular function within an annual reproductive cycle. Endocr Res29:141-156.
8.
Bornestaf C, Mayer I, and Borg B (2001) Melatonin and maturation pace in female three-spined stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus. Gen Comp Endocrinol112:341-348.
9.
Breton B and Billard R (1977) Effects of photoperiod and temperature on plasma gonadotropin and spermato-genesis of the rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri Richardson. Ann Biol Anim Biochim Biophys17:331-340.
10.
Bromage N and Duston J (1986) The control of spawning in the rainbow trout using photoperiod techniques. Rep Inst Fres Res Drottn63:26-35.
11.
Bromage NR, Porter MJR, and Randall CF (2001) The environmental regulation of maturationin farmed finfish with special reference to the role of photoperiod and melatonin. Aquaculture197:63-98.
12.
Bromage NR, Randall CF, Porter MJR, and Davis B (1995) How do photoperiod, the pineal, melatonin and circannual rhythms interact to co-ordinate seasonal reproduction in salmonid fish? In Proceedings of the Fifth International Symposium on Reproductive Physiology of Fish, Goetz FW, Thomas P, eds, pp 164-166, Austin, University of Texas.
13.
Chakrabarti NM (1998) Biology, Culture and Production of Indian Major Carp: A Review. Delhi, India: Narendra Publishing House.
14.
Chaube R and Joy KP (2002) Effects of altered photoperiod and temperature, serotonin-affecting drugs, and melatonin on brain tyrosine hydroxylase activity in female catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis: a study correlating ovarian activity changes. J Exp Zool293:585-593.
15.
Datta SR and Bhattacharya S (1997) Gonadotropin triggers the generation of proteinaceous factor in vitellogenic perch (Anabas testudineus) oocyte which stimulates ovarian aromatase activity. Ind J Exp Biol35:815-821.
16.
Davis B, Bromage N, and Swanson P (1999) The brain-pituitary-gonadal axis of female rainbow trout, Oncor hynchus mykiss: effects of photoperiod manipulation. Gen Comp Endocrinol115:155-166.
17.
Dey R, Bhattacharya S, and Maitra SK (2005) Temporal pattern of ovarian activity in a major carp Catla catla and its possible environmental correlates in an annual cycle. Biol Rhythm Res. In press.
18.
Dey R, Bhattacharya S, Maitra SK, and Banerji TK (2003) The morpho-anatomy and histology of the pineal complex in a major Indian carp, Catla catla: identification of the pineal photoreceptor cells and their responsiveness to constant light and constant darkness during different phases of the annual reproductive cycle. Endocrine Res29:429-443.
19.
Follett B (1984) Birds. In Marshalls Physiology of Reproduction, Lamming G, ed, Vol. 1, 4th ed., pp 238-350, New York, Churchill Livingstone.
20.
Garcia-Allegue R, Madrid JA, and Sanchez-Vazquez FJ (2001) Melatonin rhythms in European sea bass plasma and eye: influence of seasonal photoperiod and temperature. J Pineal Res31:68-75.
21.
Garg SK (1988) Role of pineal and eyes in the regulation of ovarian activity and vitellogenin levels in the catfish exposed to continuous light or continuous darkness. J Pineal Res5:1-12.
22.
Garg SK (1989) Effect of pinealectomy, eye enucleation, and melatonin treatment on ovarian activity and vitellogenin level or long photoperiod. J Pineal Res7:91-104.
23.
Garg SK and Jain SK (1985) Effect of photoperiod and temperature on ovarian activity in the Indian murrel, Channa (Ophicephalus) punctatus (Bloch). Can J Zool63:834-842.
24.
Gillet C, Breton B, and Billard R (1978) Seasonal effects of exposure to temperature and photoperiod regimes on gonadal growth and plasma gonadotropin in goldfish (Carassius auratus). Ann Biol Anim Biochim Biophys18:1045-1049.
25.
Guraya SS, Saxena PK, and Gill M (1976) Effects of long photoperiod on the maturation of ovary of the catfish, Mystus tengara (Ham.). Acta Morphol Neerl Scand14:331-338.
26.
Hontela Aand Peter RE (1978) Daily cycles in serum gonadotropin levels in the goldfish: effect of photoperiod, temperature and sexual condition. Can J Zool56:2430-2442.
27.
Jarabak J (1969) Soluble 17.β-hydroxysteriod dehydrogenase of human placenta. Methods Enzymol15:746-752.
28.
Joy KP and Agha AK (1989) Seasonal effects of pinealectomy on the ovary of the catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch) under normal photothermal conditions. J Pineal Res7:281-289.
29.
Joy KP and Khan IA (1991) Pineal-gonadal relationship in the teleost Channa punctatus (Bloch): evidence for possible involvement of hypothalamic serotonergic system. J Pineal Res11:12-22.
30.
Koya Y and Kamiya E (2000) Environmental regulation of annual reproductive cycle in the mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis. J Exp Zool286:204-211.
31.
Lillie RD (1954) Histopathologic Technique and Practical Histochemistry. New York: McGraw-Hill.
32.
Lowry OH, Rosebrough NJ, Farr AL, and Randall RJ (1951) Protein measurement with folin-phenol reagent. J Biol Chem193:265-275.
33.
Maitra SK (1987) Photorefractoriness of the male blossomheaded parakeet Psittacula cyanocephala Forster. Indian J Exp Biol25:519-522.
34.
Maitra SK and Dey M (1992) Importance of photoperiods in determining temporal pattern of annual testicular events in rose-ringed parakeet (Psittacula krameri). J Biol Rhythms7:13-25.
35.
Nagahama Y (1994) Endocrine regulation of gametogenesis in fish. Int J Dev Biol38:217-229.
36.
Nath P and Sundararaj BI (1981) Isolation and identification of female specific serum lipophosphoprotein (vitellogenin) in the catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch). Gen Comp Endocrinol43:184-190.
37.
Nicholls TJ, Goldsmith AR, and Dawson A (1988) Photorefractoriness in birds and mammals. Physiol Rev68:133-176.
38.
Singh MS and Joy KP (1998) Precocious recrudescence of seminal vesicle and testis in catfish, Clarias batrachus (Linn.), subjected to a long photoperiod regime. Indian J Exp Biol36:1264-1268.
39.
Srivastava SJ and Singh R (1991) Effects of constant photoperiod-temperature regimes on the ovarian activity during the annual reproductive cycle in the murrel, Channa punctatus (Bloch). Aquaculture96:383-391.
40.
Srivastava SJ and Singh R (1992a) Effects of constant photoperiod-temperature regimes on the testicular activity of Channa punctatus (Bloch). Asian Fish Sci5:231-240.
41.
Srivastava SJ and Singh R (1992b) Effects of constant photoperiod-temperature regimes on the ovary and pituitary gonadotropic cells of the murrel, Channa punctatus (Bloch) during the annual reproductive cycle. Boil Struct Morphogen1:28-31.
42.
Srivastava SJ and Singh R (1993) Effects of constant photoperiod-temperature regimes on testes and pituitary gonadotropic cells of the murrel, Channa punctatus (Bloch) during the annual reproductive cycle. Annal Endocrinol (Paris)54:203-206.
43.
Sundararaj BI and Sehgal A (1970a) Effects of long or an increasing photoperiod on the initiation of ovarian recrudescence during the preparatory period in the catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch). Biol Reprod2:413-423.
44.
Sundararaj BI and Sehgal A (1970b) Response of the pituitary and ovary of the catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch) to accelerated light regimen of a decreasing followed by an increasing photoperiod during the postspawning period. Biol Reprod2:435-443.
45.
Sundararaj BI and Vasal S (1973) Photoperiod regulation of reproductive cycle in the catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch). In International Congress series no. 273 Excerpts Media, Amsterdam, Progress in Endocrinology, Proceedings of the IVth International Congress of Endocrinology, Washington, DC.
46.
Sundararaj BI and Vasal S (1976) Photoperiod and temperature control in the regulation of reproduction in the female catfish Heteropneustes fossilis. J Fish Res Biol Can33:959-973.
47.
Sundararaj BI, Vasal S, and Halberg F (1982) Circannual rhythmic ovarian recrudescence in the catfish. Adv Biosci41:319-337.
48.
Vasal S and Sundararaj BI (1976) Response of the ovary in the catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch) to various combinations of photoperiod and temperature. J Exp Zool197: 247-264.
49.
Verghese PU (1970) Preliminary experiments on the modification of the reproductive cycle of an Indian carp, Cirrhina reba (Ham.) by control of light and temperature. Proc Indo-Pac Fish Counc13:171-184.
50.
Verghese PU (1975) Internal rhythm of sexual cycle in a carp Cirrhina reba (Ham.) under artificial conditions of darkness. J Inland Fish Soc India7:182-188.
51.
Vivien-Roels B (1985) Interactions between photoperiod, temperature, pineal and seasonal reproduction in non-mammalian vertebrates. In The Pineal Gland: Current State of Pineal Research, Mess B, Ruzsas CS, Tima L, Pvet P, eds, pp 187-209, Budapest, Hungary, Elsevier Sciences.
52.
Vogel AI (1975) A Quantitative Inorganic Analysis. 3rd ed.London: ELBS.
53.
Wiebe PJ (1976) Steroidogenesis in rat Leydig cells: changes in activity of 5-ane and 4-ene 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase during sexual maturation. Endocrinology98:505-513.
