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HAVBRUK2-Stort program for havbruksforskning

COOLFISH: Improving Atlantic salmon health and welfare by metabolic programming

Alternative title: COOLFISH: Forbedret laksehelse og velferd gjennom metabolsk programmering

Awarded: NOK 12.0 mill.

Project Number:

325571

Application Type:

Project Period:

2021 - 2026

Partner countries:

There is a clear need to produce salmon that both grow fast and still have a high level of disease resistance. However, immune function and growth systems in fishes are highly interlinked due to trade-offs in sharing energy; a challenge producing robust salmon. Environmental stress during critical developmental periods can permanently change the physiology and immunology of an organism (metabolic programming). We propose that high embryonic temperatures predispose salmon to reduced immune function and disease later in life. The primary objective of the COOLFISH project is to define the role and mechanistic basis for programming by embryonic temperature on the development and function of the Atlantic salmon immune system later in life, and exploit this knowledge to enhance fish health, welfare and production. We will address the following questions: How is the development of the immune system and the adult immune response affected by embryonic temperature? What are the underlying molecular physiological and epigenetic mechanisms of metabolic programming? Can metabolic programming of immune function be used to enhance robustness to boost welfare and production? A long-term experimental trial has been conducted at the Aquaculture Research Station in Tromsø. From fertilisation until the ?eyed-stage', embryos were exposed to three temperatures, 4°C, 6°C and 8°C (control), and thereafter, they were exposed to a similar temperature profile as the control group. Fish were smoltified and transferred to seawater for 6 weeks. Robustness and immune response were tested in larvae and parr by exposure to a stress test as well as to a bacterial challenge with Yersinia ruckeri, the causative agent of enteric redmouth disease. Our preliminary results indicate that salmon exposed to different embryonic temperatures displayed a differential response towards bacterial challenge prior to start feeding as well as in juvenile stages. Moreover, detailed molecular analysis of liver cells in fry showed embryonic temperature-dependent differences in expression of genes involved in involved in growth, metabolism and immunity. Additionally, we observed the heart and skeletal mineralization was impacted by embryonic temperature in post-smolts. The new knowledge that will be generated can be directly implemented by the industry towards the production of robust fish.

In the Norwegian salmon industry about 20% of fish fail to reach the end of the production line, largely due to infectious diseases indicating impaired immune function. There is thus a clear need to produce salmon with high robustness, i.e. rapid growth coupled to a high level of disease resistance. However, immune function and growth systems in fishes are highly interlinked due to trade-offs in energetic allocation; a challenge producing robust salmon. Environmental stress during critical developmental periods can permanently change the physiology and immunology of an organism (metabolic programming). We propose that high embryonic temperatures predisposes salmon to reduced immune function and disease later in life. This project's primary objective is to define the role and mechanistic basis for programming by embryonic temperature on the development and function of the Atlantic salmon immune system later in life, and exploit this knowledge to enhance fish health, welfare and production. The following questions will be addressed: How is the development of the immune system and the adult immune response affected by embryonic temperature? What are the underlying molecular physiological and epigenetic mechanisms of metabolic programming? Can metabolic programming of immune function be used to enhance robustness to boost welfare and production? Focusing on the immune system, the COOLFISH project will characterize physiological changes in salmon phenotypes to different embryonic temperature regimes using multi-level (i.e. epigenomic, transcriptomic, single-cell transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic, and immunological) analyses. This ambitious and multidisciplinary project will provide in-depth knowledge on the physiological and integrated molecular mechanisms driving the interaction between the embryonic rearing environment and immune system function. New knowledge will be created that can be directly implemented by the industry towards the production of robust fish.

Publications from Cristin

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Funding scheme:

HAVBRUK2-Stort program for havbruksforskning