Asian-Pacific Aquaculture 2024

July 2 - 5, 2024

Surabaya, Indonesia

FROM EPIGENOME TO PHENOTYPES: EPIGENETICS IN FISH AND SHELLFISH BROODSTOCK MANAGEMENT

Parisa Norouzitallab* , Farid Ghazian, Michelle Warren, and Kartik Baruah

Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare

Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences

 Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences,  750 07 Uppsala, Sweden

parisa.norouzitallab@slu.se

 



In an aquaculture  hatchery, the main  goal  is to  maximize the production of high-quality larvae. The quantity and quality of these larvae  are  largely  influenced by  the condition of the broodstock and the management practices followed. Broodstock, which are the breeding individuals  responsible for producing offspring  in aquaculture operations, play a key role in the success of culture production. Thus, broodstock condition is vital for achieving successful breeding outcomes .  Conditioning  the broodstock principally involves providing them with  optimal environmental conditions and a balanced diet t o enhance reproductive performance. In recent years, interest in epigenetics has been gaining ground in leveraging it  to manage fish and shellfish broodstock effectively, aiming to improve their  health, reproductive success, and the quality of  their progeny. Epigenetics is the study of heritable changes in gene expression that do not involve alterations to the underlying DNA sequence. In aquaculture animals, epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs have been identified as key regulators of gene expression patterns. These modifications can be influenced by various environmental c ues,  including feed, nutraceuticals ,  and temperature . By  modulating  gene expression, epigenetic mechanisms  can  impact  traits  relevant to broodstock management,  such as growth, robustness, and reproductive performance .  Here, we discuss  various epigenetic-based interventions and their potential contribution s to improving broodstock health and reproductive success, enhance offspring quality ,  and ultimately  fastening  the continued growth and success of the aquaculture sector.