Recombinant Fsh and Lh therapy for spawning induction of previtellogenic and early spermatogenic arrested teleost, the flathead grey mullet (Mugil cephalus)

Sandra Ramos-Júdez, Ignacio Giménez, Josep Gumbau-Pous, Lucas Stephen Arnold-Cruañes, Alicia Estévez, Neil Duncan

Present address: S2AQUAcoLAB, Av. Do Parque Natural da Ria Formosa s/n, 8700-194, Olhão, Portugal; IRTA, Sant Carles de la Ràpita, Ctra. de Poble Nou km. 5.5, 43540, Sant Carles de la Ràpita, Tarragona, Spain; Rara Avis Biotec, S. L., Valencia, Spain

Abstract: With the expansion and diversification of global aquaculture, efforts continue to develop new bio-technologies for assisted reproduction in species that present reproductive dysfunctions. Flathead grey mullet (Mugil cephalus) males held in intensive conditions in the Mediterranean region do not produce fluent milt and most females are arrested at previtellogenesis. The weekly injections of recombinant follicle stimulating hormone (rFsh) and luteinizing hormone (rLh) induced and completed vitellogenesis in treated females (n = 21), and treated males produced fluent sperm (n = 9). The application of a priming dose of 30 µg kg−1 rLh and resolving dose of 40 mg kg−1 Progesterone, or priming and resolving doses of 30 µg kg−1 rLh, resulted in the induction of maturation, ovulation, and spontaneous spawns with a spawning success of the 85% (8 of 9 females) and 100% (n = 6), respectively. The eggs collected had 63 ± 21% fertilization with embryo development and 58 ± 23% hatching. In comparison, control individuals did not show advances in gonadal development and did not produce fluent sperm. The present results confirm the possibility of controlling oogenesis from previtellogenesis to the completion of maturation and fertilised tank spawning using exclusively rFsh and rLh in a teleost species.

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Nature, Scientific Reports (2022) 12:6563 – https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-10371-0
Received: 30 November 2021; Accepted: 28 March 2022; Published online: 21 April 2022