Environmental and Comparative Genomics - Research Projects
International Marine Shrimp Environmental Genomics Initiative (IMSEGI): Monitoring Ecosystems, Animal and Public Health
Goals
Worldwide, marine shrimp populations in their natural habitat are threatened by a variety of pressures including habitat destruction, pollution, diseases, and gene pool depletion. To conserve penaeid shrimp species and develop a sustainable shrimp aquaculture industry, the International Marine Shrimp Environmental Genomics Initiative (IMSEGI) was initiated by Dr. Acacia Alcivar-Warren of Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University in North Grafton, Massachusetts with the purpose of monitoring the structure of the meta-population of wild penaeid penaeid shrimp species, the levels of genetic diversity and differentiation of selected species, and the presence of pollutants such as pathogens, heavy metals, pesticides and antibiotics in penaeid shrimp populations along their natural range in Asia and Latin America.
Using Geographical Information Systems (GIS), the association between genetic differentiation and pollutant load with the condition of mangrove forests and intensity of shrimp aquaculture is being investigated. A baseline database is being compiled with information on some biological parameters (i.e. sex, length and weigth of shrimp), water salinity and temperature, and economic indicators, among others. In addition, we take this opportunity to create Gene Banks of tissues, cells, nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), and genomic and cDNA libraries to facilitate research on environmental and comparative genomics. Histological data from selected tissues and geographic regions, along with information on potential zoonotic diseases, will also be included. Comparative genomic tools such as gene expression by microarray and RT-PCR and mapping of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) or genes associated with fitness traits in wild populations are also being used to investigate the molecular genetic pathways through which animals respond to environmental stressors.
Studies on genetic differentiation and disease prevalence in wild Penaeus monodon of Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and South China, Penaeus vannamei of Peru, Ecuador, Panama, El Salvador and Nicaragua, P. merguiensis of Thailand and P. chinensis of China are underway. The results are been entered in an excel database for further analysis of the association of these biological parameters with ecosystem health status (i.e. mangrove forests, intensity of shrimp farming and other agro-industries, etc.). So far, preliminary results show that genetic differentiation and IHHNV prevalence in wild shrimp of Philippines and Ecuador is positively correlated with the condition of mangrove forests and intensity of shrimp culture systems. No correlation was observed with presence or levels of heavy metals tested. The possibility that some of the heavy metals found in wild shrimp may affect reproductive and immune system function is being tested under laboratory conditions. As new countries join such as India, Shri Lanka, Bangladesh, Honduras, Mexico and Brazil, this initiative will gather additional information across the full natural range of the penaeid shrimp species. We invite academic and industry groups as well as governmental and non-govermental organizations to join IMSEGI.
Collaborators
- Mr. Edgar Abarca
Escuela de Acuacultura, Universidad Tecnica de Machala, Machala, Ecuador
- Biol. Adan Alvarado
Universidad Nacional de Tumbes, Tumbes, Peru
- Ms. Martha Delaney
Department of Environmental and Population Health, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, MA USA
- M.S. Jorge Echevarria
Universidad Nacional de Tumbes, Tumbes, Peru
- Dr. John Keating
Department of Biological Sciences, Pathology Laboratory, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, MA USA
- Mr. Caleb McClennen
The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, Medford, MA USA
- Dr. William Moomaw
The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, Medford, MA USA
- Dr. Wansuk Sananan
Burapha University, Thailand
- Biol. Cecilia Serrano
Escuela de Acuacultura, Universidad Tecnica de Machala, Machala, Ecuador
- Biol. Cesar Valarezo
Escuela de Acuacultura, Universidad Tecnica de Machala, Machala, Ecuador
- Prof. Jianghai Xiang
Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 7 Nanhai Road, 266071, China
GIS Surveys: Shrimp Sample Locations
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