Seriola Genomics and the Knowledge Repository Serioladb.org

Due to the high value of Seriola in the seafood industry, Seriola aquaculture is a great interest globally. Hatchery production of Seriola species is accelerating but has been hindered by a propensity for deformities and growth heterogeneity developed during larval and early juvenile stages that limit the production capacity and efficiency.

To advance Seriola aquaculture, we are developing genomic resources for Seriola dorsalis and Seriola rivoliana. The starting point for this resource includes a draft genome assembly with gene annotations for S. dorsalis. In addition, we have resequenced 90 fish from three locations (Cedros Island, La Paz, and San Diego) and generated an F2 population to explore the genetic component in malformations in juvenile fish (swim bladder inflation, several head and jaw deformities and malformations in the operculum and branchiostegal structures).

To consolidate this data into a single knowledge repository, we are creating an international web resource Serioladb.org. As yellowtail culture grows, the genetic tools on the website will be made available to producers and other groups working to improve culture for this and other Seriola species. This research may also serve a model for genetic resource development for aquaculture species or conservation dependent species with limited genomic resources, and may help reveal genomic regions and genes contributing to trait variation in wild populations.