Gå direkte til innhold
 

The molecular physiology of aquaporin-related cataract in farmed Atlantic salmon

Cataracts represent an occluding of the eye lens due to aggregation of soluble proteins with the result that light is scattered or absorbed and vision is either partially or completely impaired. The disease occurs in all vertebrates and is a leading cause of blindness in humans. In farmed Atlantic salmon, the prevalence of cataract is considered to be unethically high for fish welfare, and can exceed 90% in triploid fish causing poor growth performance, higher risk for infection, and increased mortality. As a result, direct costs associated with the disease are high and a major problem for the aquaculture industry. Previous studies on Atlantic salmon have shown that low dietary histidine affects cataract formation, and gene expression and performance of l enses to osmotic challenges. However, the molecular basis of cataract formation remains poorly understood. The present project aims to acquire this basic knowledge.Studies on mammals and zebrafish have revealed that regulatory dysfunctions of a subclass of molecular water channels (aquaporin-0, AQP0) are directly related to the aetiology of cataract. In a pilot experiment, we found that gene dosage increased the expression of three Aqp0 paralogues (aqp0a1, -0a2, and -0b) in the lens of triploid Atlantic salmon when compared to diploid fish, yet the expression of some of these paralogues appears to be down-regulated in triploid fish with cataract. In addition, we identified three point-mutations in the aqp0b paralogue that could be involved in the aetiol ogy of cataract. This project therefore aims to provide an in-depth assessment of the physiological roles of aqp0 genes during cataractogenesis in Atlantic salmon, through genomic, SNP mutant, transcriptomic and functional approaches, with the goal of ide ntifying Aqp0-related genetic markers for the selection of fish with high resistance to cataract formation.

Prosjektleder:
Roderick Nigel Finn
Institusjon:
UoH-sektor/Universitetet i Bergen/Institutt for biologi
Aktivitetsnavn:
Havbruk - en næring i vekst
Prosjektstatus:
Bevilgning
Prosjektperiode:
01.01.2013 - 31.12.2015
Geografi:
Norge/HORDALAND/BERGEN
Fagområder:
Landbruks- og fiskerifag/Fiskerifag/Akvakultur
Prosjektnummer:
224816