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Moderated conference on Genomics in Food and Agriculture

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This is from Petros Chigwechokha, Kagoshima University, Japan.



Impacts of genomics are rather difficult to clearly isolate when it comes to aquatic resources. Genomics and its application to aquatic resources, particularly fish, still lags behind compared to other organisms. As rightly indicated in the conference background document, genomic work, most importantly, genome mapping, has been done in zebrafish (Danio rerio), medaka (Oryzias latipes) mostly because these have been widely used as model organisms for more insights into the functions of various genes that are important to human health (e.g. neuraminidase and transferase genes). Such studies have received a lot of attention by their link with human science studies (mostly diseases) and have enjoyed a lot of financial and material support. Consequently, the information generated has had an application elsewhere and not in fishes. Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) genome mapping could be isolated as the only work which has independently been conducted based on the value of the species considered. Hence, there is limited work in genomics, proteomics, metabolomics with cis-application as regards aquatic resources for such to bring out visible impacts. 



In developing countries, the problem is compounded further by ‘capital intensity’ for doing work in genomics. Most developing countries have the capable human resources in genomics and related research but, unfortunately, lack necessary materials for advancing such type of research. As a result, developing countries are actually recipients of already packaged products of genomics and are themselves not generating any.



The available information has so far been used in developing molecular markers with a very wide application. Genomic and other related omics have, successfully, been used as a tool in selection for growth, spawning success, diseases resistance and other important traits, though the scale of use is very limited. Other impacts of genomics are the development of transgenic fishes, where individual labs have managed to produce such fishes but have not published the results. Genomics have also been used in development of conservation and management tools for various aquatic resources including fishes, despite the fact that this is very rare in developing countries. In general, summed up impacts are way minimal in aquatic resources if compared to the impacts in other sectors such as crops, livestock, etc.



More tangible impacts of genomics to aquatic resources in developing countries may not be available in the short-term, though the advances made in genome mapping of some fish species, most notably Oreochromis niloticus do provide some potential for more visible and tangible impacts in the near future. Unfortunately, various factors including political will, equipment and material availability, should be in place for the developing countries to achieve the desirable impacts in aquatic resources. It is a known fact that research in genomics and other omics is not cheap and scientists in developing countries can hardly afford sustaining such type of research. 



Currently, I am working on molecular cloning and characterization of some genes in O. niloticus and their effects glycoconjugates and other metabolomics in an effort to develop biomarkers for various attributes in fish. The results are looking positive and I can include this as one of the impacts of genomics (though results are to be reported in the very near future). This work has directly benefited from the available whole genome sequence of O. niloticus. Unfortunately, this kind of work can only be done in laboratories which are high-tech equipped and its replication in another species and other labs especially in developing countries is unthinkable due to some of the issues herein (e.g. Malawi, where I am originally from). 

 

Petros Chigwechokha

PhD Student

United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences

Kagoshima University

Marine Biochemistry and Biotechnology Laboratory

Shimoarata 4-50-20

Kagoshima-shi 890-0056

Japan

Phone #  + 81 90 6424 7686 

e-mail: pchigwe (at) yahoo.com

Alternative email address k3657649 (at) kadai.jp 



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