The God Fish is a native freshwater fish with the Latin name Torsoro, is a freshwater fish from the family Cyprinidae yang terdapat di Indonesia. Spesies T. soro It’s known as the kancra fish in Sumedang and Kuningan (West Java), while in North Sumatra it’s called the Batak fish. Batak fish are used as a requirement for traditional ceremonies such as weddings and childbirth. In Kuningan, West Java, the kancra fish is better known as a sacred fish because it’s considered a bad luck fish if caught or eaten.
Unfortunately, the existence of T. soro Their numbers in nature have begun to decline due to habitat degradation and differing gonad maturity times between males and females. Furthermore, overfishing and other factors such as water pollution have threatened the population. T. soro. Upaya budidaya T. soro It has been done, but the availability of seeds is still an obstacle.
These facts underlie Suci Lestari, a permanent lecturer in the Biology Education Study Program at Muhammadiyah Prof. Dr. Hamka University (UHAMKA) to conduct research to obtain a doctoral degree in the Biology Postgraduate Study Program, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA UI).
In her doctoral studies, Suci conducted research on honey, which is considered to have strong antioxidant properties and acts as a protectant in the preservation of genetic material in the form of sperm. The research was conducted at the Freshwater Fisheries Germplasm Research Installation in Cijeruk, West Java, where fish sperm samples were collected. Torsoro dan proses fertilisasi.
Through his dissertation entitled HONEY AS AN ANTIOXIDANT AGENT IN GODDESS FISH SPERMATOZOA (Torsoro) 48-HOUR POST-PRESERVATION, Suci explained that this research was conducted as a development of genetic studies to be applied in efforts to preserve the nearly extinct godfish.
“The main objective of this research is to evaluate honey as an antioxidant agent in terms of its potential as a protector in the process of preserving genetic material in the form of sperm,” said Suci in her presentation at the Doctoral Promotion Session of the Biology Postgraduate Study Program, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Indonesia, on Thursday, December 29, 2022, at the UI Campus, Depok.
Development of cold storage techniques (cold storage) and cryopreservation have brought about important changes in animal reproductive biotechnology. The preservation techniques used in aquaculture are short-term storage (cold-storage) and cryopreservation of spermatozoa. However, cryopreservation techniques are difficult to perform in some species due to poor semen quality and intrinsic properties, so cold storage (cold-storage) is a feasible, inexpensive, and simple procedure to perform.
The development of a cold storage protocol for fish spermatozoa makes it possible to solve the problem of asynchrony between sexually mature males and females, in addition to reducing the costs required for broodstock maintenance and artificial fertilization.
“In general, spermatozoa contain high levels of mycotodons but low levels of cytoplasm and antioxidants. This makes them highly susceptible to damage from free radicals after storage,” Suci told the testing team.
“Therefore, antioxidants are an important factor in combating oxidative stress induced by free radicals due to the increase in Reactive Oxygen Species. “Oxidative stress is one of the effects caused by the preservation process,” he said.
Meanwhile, the selection of honey as an antioxidant is based on its content. senyawa fenolik which has the potential to be a powerful anti-oxidative agent. Several studies have been conducted to find a protectant or protector in the process of spermatozoa storage in the form of a combination of 0.1% honey solution and 10% methanol showing the highest percentage of motility (89.4 ± 5.45%), viability (85.75 ± 4.79%), and fertilization percentage (98.55 ± 1.69%).
Furthermore, Suci, who focuses her research in the field of animal biopreservation, hopes that the results of her research can contribute to the development of biological science, including the field of reproductive technology. cryobanking, and genetics. Furthermore, the research findings can be used to enrich teaching and learning content in biology education, particularly in courses on cell and molecular biology, conservation biotechnology, and genetics.
Suci’s success in pursuing education and research in the doctoral study program at FMIPA UI, cannot be separated from the guidance of Prof. Dr. Drs. Abinawanto, M.Si. (Professor of Biology, FMIPA UI) as promoter and Anom Bowolaksono, Ph.D. (Lecturer & Researcher in Biology, FMIPA UI), and Prof. Dr. Ir. Rudhy Gustiano, M.Sc. (Main Expert Researcher, Center for Biosystematics and Evolution Research, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN)) as Co-Promoter
