What does pufferfish use the poison for? -Investigating based on the localization of TTX in the pufferfish Takifugu niphobles

• Project/Area Number: 23688023
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: General fisheries
• Research Institution: Nihon University
• Principal Investigator: ITOI Shiro 日本大学, 生物資源科学部, 准教授 (30385992)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): ARAKAWA Osamu 長崎大学, 水産・環境科学総合研究科, 教授 (40232037) ; TAKATANI Tomohiro 長崎大学, 水産・環境科学総合研究科, 教授 (90304972) ; SAKAKURA Yoshitaka 長崎大学, 水産・環境科学総合研究科, 教授 (20325682) ; ASAHINA Kiyoshi 日本大学, 生物資源科学部, 教授 (10147671) ; SUZUKI Miwa 日本大学, 生物資源科学部, 准教授 (70409069) ; SUGITA Haruo 日本大学, 生物資源科学部, 教授 (50139052)
• Research Collaborator: KAWANE Mitsuo (財)愛知県水産業振興基金栽培漁業部
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2014)
• Budget Amount: ¥23,400,000 (Direct Cost: ¥18,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥5,400,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥2,860,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥660,000); Fiscal Year 2013: ¥3,640,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥840,000); Fiscal Year 2012: ¥4,940,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,140,000); Fiscal Year 2011: ¥11,960,000 (Direct Cost: ¥9,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥2,760,000)
• Keywords: フグ毒 / テトロドトキシン / TTX / クサフグ / トラフグ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Seasonal changes in the total amount of TTX per individual and the localization of TTX in the body were observed in the pufferfish Takifugu niphobles. The total amount of TTX per individual was higher in the spawning period than in the ordinary period, and in males than in females. In the spawning period, TTX was localized in the ovary of female and in the liver and skin of males.
This study demonstrate an unexpected use of maternal TTX in the early larval stages of the Takifugu pufferfish. Predatory fishes promptly spit the pufferfish larvae (T. niphobles and T. rubripes) out upon ingestion. A small amount of TTX is primarily localized in the skin of the larvae, apparently for protection.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Seasonal changes in the tetrodotoxin content of the pufferfish Takifugu niphobles (2016)
  • Author(s): Itoi S, Ishizuka K, Mitsuoka R, Takimoto N, Yokoyama N, Detake A, Takayanagi C, Yoshikawa S, Sugita H
  • Journal Title: Toxicon Volume: 114 Pages: 53-58
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2016.02.020
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Toxic Takifugu pardalis eggs found in T. niphobles gut: implications for TTX accumulation in the pufferfish (2015)
  • Author(s): Itoi S, Kozaki A, Komori K, Tsunashima T, Noguchi S, Kawane M, Sugita H
  • Journal Title: Toxicon Volume: 108 Pages: 141-146
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2015.10.009
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Journal Article] フグは毒を何に使うのか？トラフグ属の生存戦略 (2014)
  • Author(s): 糸井史朗
  • Journal Title: 化学と生物 Volume: 52 Pages: 403-407
  • NAID: 130005072118
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Larval pufferfish protected by maternal tetrodotoxin (2014)
  • Author(s): Itoi, S., Yoshikawa, S., Asahina, K., Suzuki, M., Ishizuka, K., Takimoto, N., Mitsuoka, R., Yokoyama, N., Detake, A., Takayanagi, C., Eguchi, M., Tatsuno, R., Kawane, M., Kokubo, S., Takanashi, S., Miura, A., Suitoh, K., Takatani, T., Arakawa, O., Sakakura, Y., Sugita, H.
  • Journal Title: Toxicon Volume: 78 Pages: 35-40
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2013.11.003
  • NAID: 120006986794
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] Difference in the localization of tetrodotoxin between the female and male pufferfish Takifugu niphobles, during spawning (2012)
  • Author(s): Shiro Itoi
  • Journal Title: Toxicon Volume: 60 Issue: 6 Pages: 1000-1004
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2012.07.006
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Presentation] フグにおけるTTXの生物学的役割 (2015)
  • Author(s): 糸井史朗
  • Organizer: 新学術領域研究「天然物ケミカルバイオロジー」地区ミニシンポジウム（名古屋）
  • Place of Presentation: 名古屋大学（名古屋市）
  • Year and Date: 2015-05-14
  • Invited
• [Presentation] フグにおけるTTXの生物学的役割 (2015)
  • Author(s): 糸井史朗
  • Organizer: 新学術領域研究「天然物ケミカルバイオロジー」地区ミニシンポジウム
  • Place of Presentation: 名古屋大学野依記念物質科学研究館（愛知県名古屋市）
  • Year and Date: 2015-05-14
  • Invited
• [Presentation] フグは毒を何に使うのか？ (2015)
  • Author(s): 糸井史朗
  • Organizer: 平成26年度 水産・海洋学講座（下田市教育委員会主催）
  • Place of Presentation: 下田市民文化会館（静岡県下田市）
  • Year and Date: 2015-02-27
  • Invited
• [Presentation] TTXを保有する多岐腸目ヒラムシ類の系統分類 (2014)
  • Author(s): 綱島忠相、伊澤心、山田理子、糸井史朗、萩谷盛雄、杉田治男
  • Organizer: 平成26年度日本水産学会秋季大会
  • Place of Presentation: 九州大学（福岡市）
  • Year and Date: 2014-09-20
• [Presentation] Maternal TTX in the pufferfish babies contribute to beneficial strategies for increasing the survival of egg and larvae (2014)
  • Author(s): Itoi S, Yoshikawa S, Asahina K, Suzuki M, Ishizuka K, Takimoto N, Mitsuoka R, Yokoyama N, Detake A, Takayanagi C, Eguchi M, Tatsuno R, Kawane M, Kokubo S, Takanashi S, Miura A, Suitoh K, Takatani T, Arakawa O, Sakakura Y, Sugita H
  • Organizer: The 10th Asia-Pacific Marine Biotechnology Conference (APMBC2014)
  • Place of Presentation: Taipei, Taiwan
  • Year and Date: 2014-05-06
• [Presentation] 日本列島近海におけるクサフグの集団遺伝学的研究 (2012)
  • Author(s): 野口俊輔、細谷政人、三浦愛、高柳智江、出竹歩美、吉川沙織、糸井史朗、杉田治男
  • Organizer: 平成24年度日本水産学会春季大会
  • Place of Presentation: 東京海洋大学
  • Year and Date: 2012-03-28
• [Presentation] クサフグおよびトラフグの仔稚魚におけるTTXの局在 (2011)
  • Author(s): 吉川沙織、辰野竜平、小久保翔太、出竹歩美、高柳智江、河根三雄、水藤勝喜、高谷智裕、荒川修、阪倉良孝、糸井史朗、鈴木美和、朝比奈潔、杉田治男
  • Organizer: 平成23年度日本水産学会秋季大会
  • Place of Presentation: 長崎大学
  • Year and Date: 2011-10-01
• [Presentation] クサフグは同属の有毒卵からもTTXを摂取する
  • Author(s): 糸井史朗、石塚健人、瀧本成美、光岡涼子、横山直人、高梨志保里、野口俊輔、杉田治男
  • Organizer: 平成25年度マリンバイオテクノロジー学会大会
  • Place of Presentation: 沖縄県市町村自治会館
• [Presentation] A possible process of tetrodotoxin accumulation in marine pufferfish of the genus Takifugu
  • Author(s): Itoi, S., Uchida, J., Ishizuka, K., Takimoto, N., Mitsuoka, R., Takanashi, S., Noguchi, S., Ishikawa, K., Okamura, T., Komori, K., Tamai, M., Domeki, S., Sugita, H.
  • Organizer: The 10th International Marine Biotechnology Conference (IMBC2013)
  • Place of Presentation: Brisbane, Australia
• [Presentation] フグの仔魚は母親由来のTTXによって守られている
  • Author(s): 糸井史朗、吉川沙織、朝比奈潔、鈴木美和、石塚健人、瀧本成美、光岡涼子、横山直人、出竹歩美、高柳智江、江口美帆、小久保翔太、高梨志保里、三浦愛、河根三雄、水藤勝喜、辰野竜平、高谷智裕、荒川修、阪倉良孝、杉田治男
  • Organizer: 平成26年度日本水産学会春季大会
  • Place of Presentation: 北海道大学水産学部
• [Presentation] Distribution of tetrodotoxin in the larvae of the genus Takifugu pufferfish
  • Author(s): Shiro Itoi
  • Organizer: 6th World Fisheries Congress (WFC2012)
  • Place of Presentation: Edinburgh, UK
• [Presentation] Distribution of TTX gland like structure in the body surface of the pufferfish Takifugu niphobles
  • Author(s): Shiro Itoi
  • Organizer: The 9th Asia-Pacific Marine Biotechnology Conference (APMBC2012)
  • Place of Presentation: 高知市文化プラザかるぽーと
• [Presentation] クサフグ腸内容物から検出された卵の種同定および毒性について
  • Author(s): 糸井史朗
  • Organizer: 平成24年度日本水産学会秋季大会
  • Place of Presentation: 水産大学校
• [Book] 水族館と海の生き物たち (2014)
  • Author(s): 糸井史朗（杉田治男編）
  • Total Pages: 193
  • Publisher: 恒星社厚生閣
• [Remarks] Even baby puffer fish may be poison to predators
  • URL: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/12/24/pufferfish-poison-japan/4051565/