Another paper published in Aquacultrue Reports

 A new paper has been published in the journal Aquaculture Reports in collaboration with our colleagues from the Department of Animal Science, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana and the Lillafüred Trout Farm in Hungary. Enjoy!

Marinović, Z., Lujić, J., Sušnik Bajec, S., Djurdjevič, I., Snoj, A., Hoitsy, G., Urbányi, B., Horváth, Á., 2022. Evaluation of triploid rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss as a surrogate parent for brown trout Salmo trutta m. fario and grayling Thymallus thymallus. Aquac. Reports 24, 101163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aqrep.2022.101163

Abstract:

Surrogate production through germline stem cell (GSC) transplantation is becoming a very promising technology in species management and ex situ species conservation. In the present study, we have evaluated if the triploid rainbow trout is a suitable surrogate parent for the production of other salmonid gametes. In three independent trials conducted in two countries, we have transplanted brown trout and grayling GSCs into triploid rainbow trout larvae as recipients. Two months after transplantation, dissection of recipients displayed that both spermatogonial (SSCs) and oogonial (OSCs) stem cells of both species were able to colonize recipient gonads. After three years of rearing, neither male nor female recipients displayed signs of gametogenesis progression. Species-specific (for both donor and recipient species) amplification of mtDNA control region on the other hand displayed a presence of donor-derived germ cells within recipient gonads. This indicated that even though donor cells were able to colonize recipient gonads, they remained in a dormant or quasi-dormant state, and did not progress with gametogenesis. This study displays that the rainbow trout is not a suitable recipient for all salmonid species, and that careful selection of recipients is a crucial step in developing the surrogate production technology.

Work in Croatia

Within the frames of the Hungarian-Croatian bilateral project, between May 9-13th we have enjoyed the hospitality of Ana Gavrilović, her team from the University of Zagreb as well as the staff of the Aquarium Pula in Pula, Croatia. The goal of the project is to develop cryopreservation methods for the gametes and larvae of various bivalvian species found in the Adriatic sea including the European flat oyster (Ostrea edulis), the mediterranean scallop (Pecten jacobaeus) and possibly for the critically endangered noble pen shell (Pinna nobilis) whose populations have been severely affected by the pathogen Haplosporidium pinnae. Ákos and Zoran were accompanied by Dr. Balázs Kovács and Réka Balogh of the Department of Molecular Ecology of our institute who plan to carry out molecular studies on the species. We wish to thank all our Croatian friends and colleagues for their hospitality and help! Within the frames of the Hungarian-Croatian bilateral project, between May 9-13th we have enjoyed the hospitality of Ana Gavrilović, her team from the University of Zagreb as well as the staff of the Aquarium Pula in Pula, Croatia. The goal of the project is to develop cryopreservation methods for the gametes and larvae of various bivalvian species found in the Adriatic sea including the European flat oyster (Ostrea edulis), the mediterranean scallop (Pecten jacobaeus) and possibly for the critically endangered noble pen shell (Pinna nobilis) whose populations have been severely affected by the pathogen Haplosporidium pinnae. Ákos and Zoran were accompanied by Dr. Balázs Kovács and Réka Balogh of the Department of Molecular Ecology of our institute who plan to carry out molecular studies on the species. We wish to thank all our Croatian friends and colleagues for their hospitality and help!

Zoran and Ákos demostrating the two-pipette dilution technique

Réka and Balázs taking samples from oyster for molecular analysis

Balázs and Zoran analyzing the survival of cryopreserved oyster larvae

The team in front of the famous Arch of Sergii in Pula

Preparing for Aquaculture Europe 2023

 Last week, Ákos and Professor Béla Urbányi, director of the Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety has attended the meeting hosted by the European Aquaculture Society (EAS) to initiate preparation for the most important annual EAS event, the Aquaculture Europe conference in 2023. The meeting will be held in Vienna, Austria and is scheduled for September, 2023. The main theme of the meeting will be balanced diversity in aquaculture development.

As Vienna lies in the heart of Central Europe, the preparatory activities also involved the participation of several parties, including colleagues from Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic and Germany. Participants discussed various issues related to the organization, including the venue, program, conference sessions, student involvement and distribution of tasks to various committees. Béla has assumed the role of program co-chair of the meeting while Ákos is a member of the Local Organizing Committee charged with publicizing the event on various platforms. 

We would like to thank Alistair Lane, Mario Stael and John Cooksey for the organization and we are looking forward to our continued collaboration.