Our research uses a variety of molecular and genomic approaches to address questions related to optimization of marine fish aquaculture. Topics include the development of larval diets, enhancement of disease resistance and cultivation of improved strains through genetic manipulation.
Our experimental approaches include cloning of genes, assessment of their expression under various conditions, cell localization of gene expression using in situ hybridization, studies of regulatory sequences such as promoters and transcription factor binding sites, expression of encoded proteins and assays of their activity, and generation of genetic constructs for use in transgenesis experiments.
In the project PLEUROGENE, we wish to address production-related problems with Atlantic halibut and Senegal sole that would be more easily solved with improved knowledge of crucial biological processes: reproduction, development, nutrition, and immunity. Our specific role is to produce cDNA libraries from a variety of tissues (liver, head kidney, spleen, intestine, skin, gill, ovary, and testis) of Atlantic halibut and from several developmental stages.
Subsequent EST surveys will provide us with a "Unigene" collection of sequences that can be incorporated into a microarray. This microarray will be used to analyse global gene expression during gut, immune system and gonad maturation in the Atlantic halibut. In addition, transcription of key genes will be localised by in situ hybridsation using a high-throughput robot.
Our objective is the identification of key genes and genetic networks involved during development of the larval halibut digestive, reproductive, and immune systems. ESTs generated in this component of PLEUROGENE will also be used in the genetic linkage mapping component led by Dr. Michael Reith.
Group leader
- Susan Douglas
- Senior Research Officer, IMB
- Co-Principal Investigator PLEUROGENE
- Telephone: (902) 426-4991
- Fax: (902) 426-9413
- E-mail:Susan.Douglas@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca
- Institute for Marine Biosciences
- National Research Council
- 1411 Oxford Street
- Halifax, Nova Scotia
- B3H 3Z1
- CANADA
Group members:
- Left to right:
- Cindy Leggiadro Technical Officer, microscopy
- Jeffrey Gallant Technical Officer, molecular biology
- Susan Douglas Senior Research Officer
- Harry Murray Associate Research Officer
- Leah Knickle Technical Officer, molecular biology
Selected Publications:
- Bryksa, B.C., MacDonald, L.D., Patrzykat, A., Douglas, S.E., Mattatall, N.R.
- A C-terminal glycine suppresses production of pleurocidin as a fusion peptide in Escherichia coli. Protein Expression and Purification (in press)
- Murray, H.M., Gallant, J.W., Johnson, S.C., and Douglas, S.E.
- Cloning and expression analysis of three digestive enzymes from Atlantic halibut during early development: predicting gastrointestinal functionality.
- Aquaculture (in press)
- Syvitski, R.T., Burton, I., Mattatall, N., Douglas, S.E. and Jakeman, D.L.
- Structural characterization of the antimicrobial peptide pleurocidin from winter flounder.
- Biochemistry (in press)
- McLelland, G., Melendy, J., Osborne, J., Reid, D. and Douglas, S.E. (2005)
- Use of parasite and genetic markers in delineating populations of winter flounder from the central and south-west Scotian Shelf and north-east Gulf of Maine.
- J. Fish Biol. 66:1-19.
- Douglas, S.E., Belanger, J.C., Tsoi, S.C.M., Williams, J. and Ewart, K.V.
- Identification of differentially expressed genes involved in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) host-pathogen interaction using microarray technology.
- Proceedings of Sixth International Marine Biotechnology Conference - Aquatic Genomics Symposium. Tokyo, Japan, Sept. 20-27, 2003. (in press)
- Patrzykat, A. and Douglas, S.E. (2005)
- Liasing with peptides: co-operative approaches to protection.
- Peptide Letters 12(1):19-25.
- Ewart, K.V., Belanger, J., Williams, J., Karakach, T., Richards, R.C., Tsoi, S.C.M. and Douglas, S.E. (2004)
- Identification of differentially expressed genes involved in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) host-pathogen interaction using microarray technology.
- Dev. Comp. Immunol. 29(4):333-347
- Perez-Casanova, J.C., Murray, H.M., Gallant, J.W. Ross, N.W., Douglas, S. E. and Johnson, S.C. (2004)
- Bile salt-activated lipase expression during larval development in the haddock, (Melanogrammus aeglefinus).
- Aquaculture 235:601-617
- Murray, H.M., Perez-Casanova, J.C., Gallant, J.W., Johnson, S.C. and Douglas, S.E. (2004)
- Trypsinogen expression and biochemical activity during the development of the exocrine pancreas in winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus).
- Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 139:53-59
- Tsoi, S.C.M., Ewart, K.V., Penny, S., Melville, K., Liebscher, R.S., Brown, L.L. and Douglas, S.E. (2004)
- Identification of immune-relevant genes from Atlantic salmon using suppression subtractive hybridization.
- Mar. Biotechnol. 6:199-214
- Tsoi, S.C.M., Cale, J.M., Bird, I.M., Ewart, K.V., Brown L.L. and Douglas, S.E. (2003)
- Use of human cDNA arrays for the identification of differentially expressed genes in Atlantic salmon liver during Aeromonas salmonicida infection.
- Mar. Biotechnol. 5: 545-554
- Douglas, S.E., Patrzykat, A., Pytyck, J. and Gallant, J.W. (2003)
- Identification, structure and differential expression of novel pleurocidins clustered on the genome of the winter flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus (Walbaum).
- Eur. J. Biochem. 270:3720-3730
- Patrzykat, A., Gallant, J.W., Seo, J.K., Pytyck, J. and Douglas, S.E. (2003)
- Novel natural antimicrobial peptides from genes of selected flatfish species.
- Antimicrob. Ag. Chemother.47: 2464-2470
- Patrzykat, A. and Douglas, S.E. (2003)
- Gone gene fishing: how to catch novel marine antimicrobials.
- Trends Biotechnnol. 21: 362-369
- Murray, H.M., Gallant, J.W. and Douglas, S.E. (2003)
- Cellular localization of pleurocidin expression in winter flounder gill using immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization.
- Cell Tissue Res. 312: 197-202
- Douglas, S.E., Gallant, J.W., Liebscher, R.S., Dacanay, A. and. Tsoi, S.C.M. (2003)
- Identification and expression analysis of hepcidin-like antimicrobial peptides in bony fish.
- Dev. Comp. Immunol. 27: 589-601
- Murray, H.M., Gallant, J.W., Perez-Casanova, J.C., Johnson S.C. and Douglas, S.E. (2003)
- Ontogeny of lipase expression in winter flounder, Pleuronectes americanus.
- J. Fish Biol. 62:1-8
- Park, I.S., Nam, Y.K., Douglas, S.E., Johnson, S. and Kim, D.S. (2003)
- Genetic characterization, morphometrics and gonad development of induced interspecific hybrids between yellowtail flounder Pleuronectes ferrugineus (Storer) and winter flounder P. americanus (Walbaum).
- Aquaculture Res. 4: 1-8
