New Zealand - UK Paterning Award: Breeding for disease resistance in farmed oysters using genomic tools
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Edinburgh
Department Name: The Roslin Institute
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Ross Houston (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Gratacap RL
(2019)
Potential of Genome Editing to Improve Aquaculture Breeding and Production.
in Trends in genetics : TIG
Gutierrez AP
(2017)
Development of a Medium Density Combined-Species SNP Array for Pacific and European Oysters (Crassostrea gigas and Ostrea edulis).
in G3 (Bethesda, Md.)
Gutierrez AP
(2018)
Genomic Selection for Growth Traits in Pacific Oyster (Crassostrea gigas): Potential of Low-Density Marker Panels for Breeding Value Prediction.
in Frontiers in genetics
Gutierrez AP
(2020)
Potential of genomic selection for improvement of resistance to ostreid herpesvirus in Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas).
in Animal genetics
Gutierrez AP
(2018)
A Genome-Wide Association Study for Host Resistance to Ostreid Herpesvirus in Pacific Oysters (Crassostrea gigas).
in G3 (Bethesda, Md.)
Houston R
(2017)
Future directions in breeding for disease resistance in aquaculture species
in Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia
Kijas JW
(2019)
Assessment of genetic diversity and population structure in cultured Australian Pacific oysters.
in Animal genetics
Kriaridou C
(2020)
Genomic Prediction Using Low Density Marker Panels in Aquaculture: Performance Across Species, Traits, and Genotyping Platforms.
in Frontiers in genetics
Palaiokostas C
(2018)
Genome-wide approaches to understanding and improving complex traits in aquaculture species.
in CABI Reviews
Robledo D
(2018)
Applications of genotyping by sequencing in aquaculture breeding and genetics.
in Reviews in aquaculture
| Description | This is a travel award and therefore the key findings are broadly related to those that have arisen from collaborative research based on the long term relationship between the Cawthron Institute, Roslin and Cefas. This has included new research into the genetic basis of resistance to oyster herpes virus. We have shown evidence for host resistance and are mapping genes contributing to that host resistance. We are also testing genomic selection methods for improving resistance in shellfish breeding. |
| Exploitation Route | The Cawthron Institute run arguably the most advanced selective breeding program for shellfish species in the world. However, they do not yet use high density genotype data in their breeding decisions, as is routinely performed for other aquatic species such as salmon. In this travel award, and associated research, we will test genomic selection using high density genotype data in shellfish and this is likely to be implemented within commercial breeding programs. Further, the visit of PhD student Carolina Penaloza to Cawthron has led to fundamental findings on the biology of inheritance of shellfish species. This has included the discovery of unusually large amounts of genetic variation and rates of putative de novo mutations. These findings are important for learning more about the mechanisms of inheritance in one of the most diverse and important groups of marine organisms. |
| Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink |
| Description | This partnering award has led to a long term collaboration between the Roslin Institute, the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), and the Cawthron Institute in New Zealand. The travelling award has contributed to a new NERC aquaculture project involving the partners to study genetic resistance to viral disease in oysters (NE/P010695/1). In this project, we are collaborating by genotyping a population of oysters from Cawthron's breeding program using our recently developed oyster SNP chip, and testing genomics selection methods to improve resistance by selective breeding. These results will be used within oyster breeding programs in the UK and in New Zealand, and perhaps more broadly. The project has helped spark new collaborative projects, including studying resistance to a parasitic disease in a different oyster species (flat oyster). |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink |
| Impact Types | Cultural Societal Economic |
| Description | Advancing European Aquaculture by Genome Functional Annotation |
| Amount | € 6,000,000 (EUR) |
| Funding ID | 817923 |
| Organisation | European Union |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | European Union (EU) |
| Start | 04/2019 |
| End | 04/2022 |
| Description | Genomic and nutritional innovations for genetically superior farmed fish to improve efficiency in European aquaculture |
| Amount | € 6,149,963 (EUR) |
| Funding ID | 818367 |
| Organisation | European Union |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | European Union (EU) |
| Start | 01/2019 |
| End | 12/2022 |
| Description | NERC Aquaculture Innovation Award |
| Amount | £202,253 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | NE/P010695/1 |
| Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2017 |
| End | 12/2018 |
| Description | Research Grant - Ross Houston - Investigating genetic resistance to Bonamia in European flat oyster |
| Amount | £165,026 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Blue Marine Foundation |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2018 |
| End | 06/2020 |
| Description | Standard Grant - Ross Houston - AquaLeap: Innovation in Genetics and Breeding to Advance UK Aquaculture Production |
| Amount | £403,285 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/S004343/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2019 |
| End | 12/2021 |
| Description | Collaboration with Cawthron Institute in New Zealand |
| Organisation | Cawthron Institute |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | This collaboration is built around a BBSRC partnering award in which I was the UK PI (BB/N022114/1 New Zealand - UK Paterning Award: Breeding for disease resistance in farmed oysters using genomic tools). The idea is to merge the genomic tools and skills that we have developed in the UK with the advanced shellfish selective breeding programmes that Cawthron run in New Zealand. Our research team has, for example, developed a high density SNP genotyping array for farmed oysters - the first of its kind for this species. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Cawthron have world-leading selective breeding programmes for shellfish, including Pacific Oysters. One of the main target traits is to increase resistance to Oyster Herpes Virus (OHV) which can decimate stocks on oyster farms. They are providing our collaborative projects with access to extensive samples and data from their pedigreed oysters which have been challenged with OHV, in addition to their time to manage and run the project and provide intellectual input. |
| Impact | Funded collaborative grant: NE/P010695/1 Application of genetic markers to improve resistance to herpes virus in commercial oyster populations This grant application builds on the BBSRC travel award and will provide funds for genotyping Cawthron's pedigreed oyster material with our high density SNP array developed under the BBSRC Aquaculture Initiative project BB/M026140/1 Investigation of Host Genetic Resistance to Oyster Herpes Virus using a High Density SNP Array. The downstream impact will be improved selective breeding for disease resistance in oysters, and transfer of much needed skills and expertise in advanced shellfish breeding from NZ to the UK. These collaborations also involve the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas). The collaboration brings together expertise in genomics, sequencing, selective breeding, shellfish biology and virology. |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | New Scientist Future of Food Webinar |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Ross Houston took part in the New Scientist Future of Food and Agriculture workshop by taking part in a panel discussion on genome editing. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.newscientist.com/science-events/future-food-agriculture/ |
| Description | Organised a British Council Researcher Links conference in Mexico |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Co-organised a Researcher Links conference about Genomics in Aquaculture in Merida, Mexico in January 2017. This 5 day event featured around 40 scientists, with a mix of young researchers and mentors from both the UK and Mexico. This has already led to several collaborative links between UK and Mexico in this field. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | https://sites.google.com/site/genomicsinaquaculturemxuk/home |