Catfish PGD 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 catfish aquaculture ponds and disease outbreaks. 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 during disease outbreaks, patterns in fish host susceptibility to infection and disease with different myxozoans may be identified and allow for the development of management strategies to prevent outbreaks and mitigate losses.