GROWTH CARCASS TRAITS AND DISEASE RESISTANCE OF MYOSTATIN GENE-EDITED CHANNEL CATFISH AND HYBRID CATFISH

The long-term objective/goal is to genetically improve the overall genotype/phenotype of catfish, both channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, and the F1 hybrid between channel catfish females and the blue catfish, I. furcatus males. Among the traits of interest addressed in this proposal are growth, feed conversion efficiency, carcass yield, texture and disease resistance.Our supporting/specific objectives are 1) Produce channel catfish and hybrid catfish gene edited for myostatin and determine their growth, feed conversion efficiency, carcass yield, body composition, texture and disease resistance compared to normal, non-mutated controls, 2) Determine if zygosity affects performance of myostatin gene edited channel catfish and hybrid catfish allowing for the determination of the gene action of the mutation, and 3) Determine the effect of myostatin knock out on the immune gene expression in catfishOur overall long-term goal is pond-to-plate genetic enhancement of catfish: improvement of traits important to hatchery managers, food fish producers, processors and the consumer. The traits addressed in the current proposal focus on fish growers and processors, and their enhancement will indirectly benefit consumers.