A NON-INVASIVE IMMUNOASSAY FOR SEXUAL MATURITY IN FISH

THE RAPIDLY GROWING AQUACULTURE INDUSTRY IS DEDICATED TO PRODUCING FOOD FISH IN CAPTIVITY. AMONG THE MANY PROBLEMS CURRENTLY FACING THE COMMERCIAL AQUACULTURE INDUSTRY ARE DIFFICULTIES IN RAPIDLY AND ACCURATELY IDENTIFYING THE SEX AND SEXUAL MATURITY OF PUTATIVE BREEDING STOCK. THIS IS DIFFICULT BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF SEXUAL DIMORPHISM AMONG MANY FISH OF COMMERCIAL IMPORTANCE. VITELLOGENIN, AN EGG YOLK PRECURSOR SECRETED BY THE LIVER, IS A MARKER FOR FEMALEFISH AND CAN SERVE AS AN INDICATOR OF SEXUAL MATURITY. LEVELS OF VITELLOGENIN IN A SEXUALLY MATURE FEMALE FISH REACH EXCEEDINGLY HIGH LEVELS. DURING THE REACH OF VITELLOGENESIS, VITELLOGENIN BECOMES THE PRIMARY PROTEIN IN THE BLOODSTREAM OF FISH, AND, IN AT LEAST SOME SPECIES, IS DETECTABLE IN THE SKIN MUCUS COVERING THE FISH. IN THE EFFORTS DESCRIBED HERE, WE INTEND TO DEVELOP A NON-INVASIVE IMMUNOASSAY CAPABLE OF MEASURING VITELLOGENIN IN STRIPED BASS, AND TO CONFIRM ITS UTILITY AS AN INDICATOR OF SEXUAL MATURITY IN FEMALE FISH.