Catfish Pond Myxozoan Metagenomics

Metagenomic analysis of myxozoan communities associated with catfish aquaculture in the southeastern United States. Objectives of the project are to characterize myxozoan communities found in the catfish aquaculture pond environment over multiple production cycles. The project utilizes Illumina next generation sequencing to perform targeted metagenomic sequencing of the myxozoan 18S rRNA in samples. In comparing the myxozoan communities of channel catfish and hybrid (blue x channel) catfish ponds during peak PGD season, patterns in fish host susceptibility to infection and disease with different myxozoans along with their influences on myxozoan community dynamics in the pond environment may be identified and allow for the development of management strategies to prevent disease outbreaks and mitigate losses.