Ploidy Manipulation Using Diploid Sperm of a Wild Tetraploid Ginbuna (Japanese Silver Crucian Carp, Carassius auratus langsdorfii)

Tetraploid strains are important sources of diploid gametes available for further expansion of ploidy manipulation. Although artificial induction of tetraploid strains has been attempted by inhibition of a mitotic cell division of zygotes using hydrostatic pressure or temperature treatments at the early developmental stage, successful examples of viable and fertile tetraploid fish were very rare. Because most resultant tetraploid progeny exhibited extremely high mortality. Natural tetraploid variants are considered another source of diploid gametes. In the present study, we tried to induce new strains of tetraploid, triploid and androgenetic diploid using diploid sperm of a tetraploid ginbuna (Japanese silver crucian carp Carassius auratus langsdorfii), which caught at the Jounuma lake, Gunma Prefecture, Japan. New tetraploids, i.e., neo-tetraploids were induced by fertilizing eggs of a diploid goldfish Carassius auratus auratus with diploid sperm of the tetraploid ginbuna, followed by heatshock (40°C for 45, 60 and 75 s) to inhibit the second polar body release at 5 min after fertilization. Although a small number of neo-tetraploid fish survived, we could not obtain any fertile gametes from them in the present study. Triploids were successfully induced by fertilizing eggs of a diploid goldfish with diploid sperm of the tetraploid ginbuna. Some resultant triploid males produced aneuploid sperm at the age of maturation. Androgenetic diploids were induced by fertilizing UV-irradiated eggs of diploid goldfish with diploid sperm of the tetraploid ginbuna. A mature androgenetic diploid produced fertile haploid sperm