A5034403811- Fish Ecology and Management Studies
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
- Aquaculture disease management and microbiota
- Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock
- Single-cell and spatial transcriptomics
- Fish Biology and Ecology Studies
- MicroRNA in disease regulation
- Parasite Biology and Host Interactions
- Ichthyology and Marine Biology
- Retinal Development and Disorders
- RNA Research and Splicing
- Molecular Biology Techniques and Applications
- Identification and Quantification in Food
- Myxozoan Parasites in Aquatic Species
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Transboundary Water Resource Management
- Viral Infectious Diseases and Gene Expression in Insects
- Congenital heart defects research
- Fish biology, ecology, and behavior
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Animal Virus Infections Studies
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Extracellular vesicles in disease
- Aquatic Ecosystems and Biodiversity
Roslin Institute
2022-2025
University of Edinburgh
2022-2025
Dalhousie University
2016-2024
Effective population size (N
Nile tilapia is one of the most important aquaculture species globally, providing high-quality animal protein for human nutrition and a source income to sustain livelihoods many people in low- middle-income countries. This native Africa nowadays farmed throughout world. However, genetic makeup its populations remains poorly characterized. Additionally, there has been introgression movement (as well as wild) strains connected Africa, yet relationship between wild unknown continent. Genetic...
The resiliency of populations and species to environmental change is dependent on the maintenance genetic diversity, as such, quantifying diversity central combating ongoing widespread reductions in biodiversity. With advent next-generation sequencing, several methods now exist for resolving fine-scale population structure, but comparative performance these assignment has rarely been tested. Here, we evaluate sequenced microsatellites a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array resolve...
Abstract Background Salmonid species have followed markedly divergent evolutionary trajectories in their interactions with sea lice. While lice parasitism poses significant economic, environmental, and animal welfare challenges for Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar ) aquaculture, coho Oncorhynchus kisutch exhibit near-complete resistance to lice, achieved through a potent epithelial hyperplasia response leading rapid louse detachment. The molecular mechanisms underlying these responses are...
Abstract Aim The Pleistocene glaciation event prompted the allopatric divergence of multiple glacial lineages Arctic char ( Salvelinus alpinus ), some which have come into secondary contact upon their recolonization Holarctic. While three (Arctic, Atlantic, and Acadian) are known to recolonized western degree overlap these is largely unknown. We sought determine distribution in Labrador Newfoundland at a fine spatial scale assess potential for introgression relative contribution local...
Polymorphic species are useful models for investigating the evolutionary processes driving diversification. Such include colonization history as well contemporary selection, gene flow, and genetic drift, which can vary between intraspecific morphs a function of their distinct life histories. The interactive relative influence such on morph differentiation critically informs morph-specific management decisions our understanding incipient speciation. We therefore investigated how geographic...
Anadromous, resident, and landlocked Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) differentially experience drift gene flow, making them ideal for studying incipient divergence. We investigated genetic divergence within among occupying sea-accessible sites in Labrador, Canada, using 11 microsatellites. Unlike anadromous char, were highly genetically differentiated. Genetic subgroups detected sites. Within Ramah Lake (a site containing two subgroups), one subgroup matured at a small size, both had equal...
The genetic underpinnings of incipient speciation, including the genomic mechanisms which contribute to morphological and ecological differentiation reproductive isolation, remain poorly understood. repeated evolution consistently, phenotypically distinct morphs Arctic Charr (Salvelinus alpinus) within Quaternary period offer an ideal model study repeatability at level. Sympatric are found across this species' circumpolar distribution. However, specific driving morph largely unknown despite...
Dendritic metapopulations have been attributed unique properties by in silico studies, including an elevated genetic diversity relative to a panmictic population of equal total size. These predictions not rigorously tested nature, nor has there full consideration the interacting effects among contemporary landscape features, colonization history and life traits target species. We for dendritic structure as well importance history, environmental barriers historical on neutral longnose sucker...
The post-glacial colonization of Gander Lake in Newfoundland, Canada, by Arctic Charr (Salvelinus alpinus) provides the opportunity to study genomic basis adaptation extreme deep-water environments. Colonization (>50 m) habitats often requires extensive cope with novel environmental challenges from high hydrostatic pressure, low temperature, and light, but mechanisms underlying evolution these environments are rarely known. Here, we compare divergence between a morph adapted depths up 288 m...
The potentially significant genetic consequences associated with the loss of migratory capacity diadromous fishes that have become landlocked in freshwater are poorly understood. Consistent selective pressures residency may drive repeated differentiation both between allopatric and anadromous populations within (resulting sympatric morphs). Alternatively, strong drift anticipated isolated could hinder consistent adaptation, limiting parallelism. Understanding degree parallelism underlying...
The use of single cell sequencing technologies has exploded over recent years, and is now commonly used in many non-model species. Sequencing nuclei instead whole cells become increasingly popular, as it does not require the processing samples immediately after collection. Here we present a highly effective nucleus isolation protocol that outperforms previously available method challenging specie. This can be successfully applied to extract from variety tissues
Abstract Effective population size ( N e ) is a particularly useful metric for conservation as it affects genetic drift, inbreeding and adaptive potential within populations. Current guidelines recommend minimum of 50 500 to avoid short-term preserve long-term potential, respectively. However, the extent which wild populations reach these thresholds globally has not been investigated, nor relationship between human activities. Through quantitative review, we generated dataset with 4145...
Abstract The retina, whose basic cellular structure is highly conserved across vertebrates, constitutes an accessible system for studying the central nervous system. In recent years, single-cell RNA-sequencing studies have uncovered diversity in retina of a variety species, providing new insights on retinal evolution and development. However, similar data cartilaginous fishes, sister group to all other extant jawed are still lacking. Here, we present single-nucleus atlas postnatal catshark...
To what degree are patterns of genetic structure in fragmented systems the result contemporary landscape versus history? We examined distribution diversity as a function colonization history and four fish species inhabiting hierarchically fragmented, unaltered system, Kogaluk drainage (Labrador): lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush), longnose sucker (Catostomus catostomus), round whitefish (Prosopium cylindraceum), chub (Couesius plumbeus). The footprint was still observable three where this...
ABSTRACT Background The skin serves as the first line of defence for an organism against external environment. Despite global significance salmon in aquaculture, a critical component this defence, mesenchymal stromal cells, remains unexplored. These pluripotent cells can differentiate into various tissues, including bone, cartilage, tendon, ligament, adipocytes, dermis, muscle and connective tissue within skin. are pivotal preserving integrity throughout organism’s lifespan actively...
<title>Abstract</title> Salmon louse (<italic>Lepeophtheirus salmonis</italic>) poses significant risks to both wild and farmed salmon populations. Atlantic (Salmo salar) are highly susceptible the parasite, while Pacific species such as Pink (<italic>Oncorhynchus gorbuscha</italic>), Coho kisutch</italic>), Chum keta</italic>) exhibit varying levels of resistance. This study explored L. salmonis infestation dynamics in four salmonid (Atlantic, Pink, Coho, Salmon) across three challenge...
ABSTRACT Viral diseases remain a major barrier to the sustainable production of farmed fish, primarily attributable absence effective prevention and treatment options. Understanding host-pathogen interactions can guide development vaccines, antiviral therapies, or gene editing strategies. Ubiquitination is key cell signalling molecule, known regulate many aspects immune functions but currently understudied in fish. This study leverages ubiquitin-enriched mass spectroscopy complemented with...