Acronym GROWCOD
Category
Marine Biotechnology
Title Impact of photoperiod and sexual maturation on growth performance of Atlantic cod: a genomic perspective Programme National Programme
Instrument (FP6)
Contact Type (FP7)
Strand (Interreg)
NA
Theme (FP7)
Activity Area (FP6)
Regional Area (Interreg)
Action (COST)
NA
Specific Programme (FP7)
NA
Funding source National Coordinator Jorge Fernandes Coordinator email Jorge.fernandes@uin.no
Coordinator institution
UIN - Nord University (Norway)
Institutions involved
NA - CODFARMERS ASA (Norway) ,
NA - National Research Council - Institute of Marine Engineering (Italy) ,
USTAN - University of St Andrews (United Kingdom) ,
NA - University of Tokyo (Japan) ,
Start year 2009 End year 2013 Funding (€) € NA Website http://www.growcod.com/ Summary Production of cod in aquaculture has seen a notable increase since 2000 and it is poised to expand, as wild cod stocks are at record low levels. Norway is the main cod producer worldwide but profitability of the industry is restricted by the reduction in growth associated with premature sexual maturation. This adds significantly to production time, resulting in significant economic losses. In order to address this serious bottleneck we need to understand the molecular basis of muscle growth in cod but at the moment our knowledge in this area is very limited. We propose to identify the networks of genes that regulate growth in cod and to investigate how they are influenced by light and sexual maturation. The first step is to obtain the tools required for this study. In addition to a microarray chip, we will clone the cod key genes involved in muscle growth, development and biological rhythms. This molecular toolbox will then be used to examine the expression of over 5000 genes in response to light manipulation, to help us understand how it can have a direct influence on growth. We will also investigate expression changes expression during a whole maturation cycle, in order to identify genes involved in the growth impairment associated with maturation. Data from these large-scale gene expression studies will be integrated with muscle growth patterns at a cellular level. The most promising candidate genes identified above will be further characterized. In particular, we will look at their expression in response to sex steroids, which are known to be present at high levels during maturation. Finally, we will examine the potential use of different light sources to control maturation in aquaculture conditions and their effect on expression of selected genes and muscle growth. This project has potential applications in cod farming, since it may identify growth markers for selective breeding programmes and new targets to minimise the negative impact of maturation on growth performance.
The primary aim of this project is to unveil the transcriptional networks that regulate somatic growth in cod and to determine how they are influenced by photoperiod and sexual maturation. Specific secondary objectives are: (1) To develop the molecular tools required to study growth and sexual maturation in cod; (2) To determine the effect of photoperiod on the fast muscle transcriptome; (3) To investigate how muscle cellularity is affected by continuous light treatment; (4) To examine transcriptomic profiles in fast muscle throughout a maturation cycle; (5) To ascertain changes in muscle growth during a maturation cycle; (6) To characterize the candidate genes identified in the transcriptomic studies; (7) To examine how expression levels of key clock genes change in relation to photoperiod regimes; (8) To determine circadian changes in mRNA and miRNA profiles of fast muscle during one light/dark cycle.
Keywords
Growth rate;
Cod;
Genetic;
Fish;
Fish reproduction;
Marine Region
41
Norwegian Sea (27.IIa)
1
Marine Region Map
