University of Vigo Journal | Vigo
In 2010, researchers from the Phylogenomics Group of the University of Vigo and the Immunology and Genomics Group of the Vigo Marine Research Institute of the Spanish National Council for Scientific Research, CSIC, initiated a project funded by the Xunta with the aim of obtaining an in-depth understanding of the genome of the mussel cultivated in Galicia, Mytilus galloprovincialis, a bivalve mollusk that is of great importance, both in aquaculture and in biology, but whose genomic knowledge remains scarce, which makes its technical management and genetic improvement difficult. Five years later, researchers from both institutions, led in the case of the University of Vigo by Carlos Canchaya and in that of the CSIC by Antonio Figueras, jointly obtained the first version of the genome of the Galician mussel, which will allow them to begin a study of the genes of this bivalve mollusk until its sequencing and complete annotation are achieved.
The research, published in the journal PLOS ONE, was carried out entirely in Vigo and while Carlos Canchaya, together with David Posada and María Murgarella, were responsible for the assembly and annotation of the sequences generated in this project, the CSIC researchers were mainly responsible for the laboratory work and analysis of the immunity genes.
“What we have seen so far of the mussel genome indicates that it is a very complex genome, with a high content of repeated sequences and a high number of polymorphisms,” explain Canchaya and Figueras, who point out that, “when comparing the mussel genome with the genomes of other mollusks, we identified a greater number of genes with adaptive functions, such as those for detoxification and maintenance of ciliary structures.” Both researchers assure that although the draft genome may improve in the future as new rounds of sequencing are incorporated, “we are already in a position to delve deeper into the characterization of numerous important genes, such as those related to the immune response,” advance Figueras and Canchaya.
In search of the complete characterization of genes and their functions
The team of scientists will dedicate the coming months to completing the mussel genome, emphasizing the complete characterization of its genes and their functions. Knowledge of the mussel genes will allow a better understanding of the genetics of this bivalve, opening up new possibilities for genomic-scale studies, which will allow its biotechnological potential to be exploited in the near future.
Focused on different aspects and applications of gene and genome analysis, the Phylogenomics Group of the University of Vigo is currently developing several research projects involving technologies for massive sequencing of genomes in marine invertebrates, particularly molluscs, and for the study of cancers in humans and molluscs. For its part, the Immunology and Genomics Group of the CSIC works to increase knowledge on transcriptomics and proteomics of the immune response of fish and molluscs against pathogens, identification of genes that can be used as markers in genetic selection processes and improving the immune response through the use of immunostimulants and vaccines.
