Salmon louse genome sequencing and functional studies on host parasite interactions

Copepods comprise the largest animal marine biomass but they have been poorly studied by molecular tools and no genome has so far been sequenced. Copepods are common as parasites on fishes and the salmon louse (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) is the most importa nt species in terms of economical significance. Due to emerging resistance development, new tools (vaccine and new drugs) for lice control is needed. The present proposal is divided into two main work packages (WPs). In WP1 development of bioinformatic t ools to utilise UTS sequences and to use them in combination with Sanger data will be established. The Sanger data obtained in the present proposal will also serve as a quality resource for UTS-data. WP2 addresses functional studies on the infectious cop epodid stage (part A) and host response to the lice (part B). In part A the 2nd generation salmon louse microarray will be used to identify genes that are regulated in the switch from free-living lice larva to a parasitic animal. Transcripts of putative i mportance for the interaction with the host (e.g. immunomodulators, anticoagulants) will be candidates for RNAi and other functional characterisation. In part B interactions between the lice and the immune system in Atlantic salmon will be analysed. The i mmune response against normal lice and RNAi-lice from part A will be compared.