Guide of PUFFER FISH

Draft sequence of puffer fish genome produced by scientists - MIT News Office
25 that they have produced a sixfold sequence coverage of Tetraodon nigroviridis, a type of puffer fish whose genome is estimated to be 350 million DNA letters long.
Tetraodon is a freshwater puffer fish that is 20-30 million years distant from the Fugu rubripes, another type of puffer fish whose genome sequence was announced the same day by the Department of Energy's Joint Genome Institute..
Both fish are considered to be important species to sequence because they are vertebrates and because their genomes are eight times as compact as the human genome, having many of the same genes and regulatory content as humans but with much less 'junk' DNA.
As a result, scientists say, finding genes and regulatory sequences in the puffer fish genome will be easier.
Along with the genome sequences of other species, the sequences of the two puffer fish will provide key tools for gaining insights into the human genome, which will in turn translate into practical knowledge toward developing better therapies in the future.
PUFFER SEQUENCE The tetraodon puffer fish sequence represents a sixfold coverage of its genome; in other words, it covers the length of the Tetraodon genome six times over with overlapping DNA fragments.


PUFFER FISH

Crafts : Jewelry : PMC Puffer Fish Necklace : Home & Garden Television
Form and mold a fish out of any color polymer clay.
Define the features of the fish using clay-shaping tools ( figure A ).
Make the puffer fish 10-percent to 12-percent larger than you want the finished silver piece to be to account for shrinkage of the precious metal clay (PMC).
Bake the puffer fish in a 225-degree oven for 30 minutes to harden.
Once cooled, dust the baked fish with talcum powder as a release agent and press it into a block of mold-making clay ( figure B ).
Remove the fish to reveal the mold ( figure C ).
Apply a light coat of olive oil into the now-cooled fish mold.
Press the PMC into the fish mold making sure it’s depressed firmly into the mold ( figure D ).
Carefully release the fish from the mold being careful not to damage it.
Press seven 24k gold casting pieces into the fish along the gills for sparkle ( figure E ).
Add a PMC bail to the back of the fish for hanging.
Wrap it around a short piece of wood dowel and press the PMC bail onto the back of the fish ( figure H ).
Refine the fish with carving tools and sand paper.
Fire the fully dry PMC fish in the kiln for 30 minutes at 1260-degrees.
Place the fish in a bowl of water to cool.

.

info: PUFFER FISH


Photo by www.aquarist-classifieds.co.uk

Puffer Fish
Science Encyclopedia :: Science Encyclopedia Vol 5 Puffer Fish Puffer fish or globe fish (family Tetraodontidae) are a group of tropical- and warm-temperate-dwelling species that are almost exclusively marine in their habits.
Their closest relatives are the similar-looking porcupine fishes (Didontidae) and the very much larger sun fishes (Molidae).
Most puffer fish are recognized by their short, stout, almost bloated appearance, their small fins, and their large eyes.
These fish swim by side-to-side sculling movements of the dorsal and anal fins, while the pectoral fins assist with balance and direction..
In addition to their characteristic body shape, puffer fishes can be distinguished from most other species by the fact that their bodies are virtually covered with large numbers of spines of unequal length.
When the fish is threatened, however, it inflates its body by a sudden intake of a large volume of water or air, erecting its spines in the process.
Although puffer fish are unable to swim effectively in this position, the strategy is a deliberate antipredator action; instead of swimming, the fish drifts with the ocean current.
In addition to this impressive defensive tactic, most puffer fish also contain a wide range of body toxins, particularly in the liver, gonads, skin, and intestine.

Benefits



swellfish: Definition and Much More from Answers.com
The puffer fish , also called blowfish , swellfish , globefish , balloonfish , bubblefish are fish making up the family Tetraodontidae , within the order Tetraodontiformes .
They are named for their ability to inflate themselves to several times their normal size by swallowing water or air when threatened; the same adaptation is found in the closely related porcupinefish, which have large conspicuous spines (unlike the small, almost sandpaper-like spines of puffer fish).
Female pufferfish lay huge numbers of eggs, up to 200, 000 per fish.
Young puffers are capable of inflating at seven days old when they are less than a half-inch long..
The eyes and internal organs of most puffer fish are highly toxic, but nevertheless the meat is considered a delicacy in Japan and Korea .
The name Fugu is used both for the fish that are eaten and for their meat.
The Korean term for this fish is 'boh-guh' fish..
Curiously, the toxin seems not to be synthesized by the fish itself, but by bacteria associated with the fish.
The fish has a mutation in its own sodium channels which makes it resistant to the effect of the toxin..
Natural defenses The puffer fish's unique and distinctive natural defenses are necessary due to their particular form of locomotion.

PUFFER FISH: