Development of genomic tools in the Manila clam, Ruditapes philippinarum, to investigate resistance to major pathogens and potential selection for aquaculture
Year: 2019
Type: article
Abstract: The Manila clam is a bivalve species of particular commercial interest, currently representing about a quarter of total bivalve aquaculture worldwide. European production of this species has suffered greatly from the negative impact of infectious diseases, namely due to the protozoan parasite Perkinsus olseni and the Gram-negative bacteria Vibrio tapetis. These pathogens induce chronic infections that have been associated with reduced growth, fecundity, spat production, and overall health, as well as triggering mass mortality in culturedclam populations. The difficulties inherent in treating diseases in commercial bivalve production have led tothe search for alternative solutions to limit the impact of disease by 1) improving our understanding of virulence,resistance, and host-pathogen interactions and 2) developing the tools necessary for hatcheries to initiateselection for traits of commercial interest. This PhD, in joint agreement between the University of Padova andthe University of Brest, and within the framework of the EU Horizon2020 project VIVALDI, seeks to investigatethe potential for selection to increase resistance to disease in the Manila clam, as well as examine the functional mechanisms associated with resistance. In order to lay the basis for understanding the genetic factors of resistance a novel tool for parentage assignment was developed and applied for the first time to several populations of clams from hatchery broodstock. This made it possible to estimate genetic parameters for multiple traits including resistance to disease in large-scale field experiments, revealing the high potential formultiple trait selection in this species for the first time, and raising interesting questions regarding impact of genotype-by environment on selection strategies. Furthermore, the molecular basis for resistance was investigated through a relevant proteomics approach, shedding light on the metabolisms at play in long-term resistant juvenile clams. Overall, the work carried out in these studies highlights the feasibility of future selection methods based on both genetic information and clear molecular markers as a solution forincreasing disease resistance in the Manila clam.
Author: Morgan Smits
Language: English
Subfield: Global and Planetary Change
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3015091503