Increasing ability to harness the power of genomics is forcing a rethinking of aquaculture genetic improvement strategies. Successful breeding programs will always be built on the careful selection of the next generation of broodstock, detailed record keeping, and accurate collection of phenotypic data. Genomics allows this base of phenotypic selection to be enhanced and ultimately accelerated to increase genetic gain per generation. This is currently done in shrimp at the most sophisticated level using Genomic Selection. However, another exciting technology is on the horizon that will fundamentally change how we deliver genetic improvement. This technology is Genome Editing.
With Genome Editing, genomic improvements can be accelerated to meet the growing needs of the aquaculture industry. While the agricultural and livestock industries have embraced Genome Editing, the aquaculture industry has fallen behind considerably in the application of these technologies. The complexity of farmed aquaculture species and the necessary support systems present a significant barrier to the application of Genome Editing, though this technology can offer major improvements in areas such as disease resistance, high growth, high yield, monosex culture, and environmental sustainability.
The implementation of Genome Editing in Pacific White Shrimp (L. vannamei), a major seafood species, will be important for the aquaculture industry. Several methods of gene editing have been reported in shrimp, with varying degrees of success. These methods are limited by the issues of the delivery of the gene editing enzymes and the survival of the larvae to adulthood on a commercially relevant scale. The progress in developing genome editing tools for L. vannamei remains limited.
Here, we will present our success in creating genome edits in L. vannamei, discuss the opportunities for genome editing to improve shrimp aquaculture, and highlight the challenges in the implementation of genome editing technologies in L. vannamei.