Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » Leetown, West Virginia » Cool and Cold Water Aquaculture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #162319
Title: A PROPOSAL ADVOCATING DRAFT SEQUENCING THE GENOME OF RAINBOW TROUT, ONCORHYNCHUS MYKISS

Author
item Rexroad, Caird
item Palti, Yniv
item THORGAARD, GARY - WA STATE UNIVERSITY
item HANSEN, JOHN - CENTER OF MARINE BIOTECH.
item Silverstein, Jeffrey
item Weber, Gregory - Greg
item Wiens, Gregory - Greg
item Gahr, Scott
item Rodriguez, Maria
item COULIBALY, ISSA - WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY
item Overturf, Kenneth - Ken

Submitted to: Government Publication/Report
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/1/2004
Publication Date: 2/20/2004
Citation: Rexroad III, C.E., Palti, Y., Thorgaard, G., Hansen, J., Silverstein, J., Weber, G.M., Wiens, G.D., Gahr, S.A., Rodriguez, M.F., Coulibaly, I., Overturf, K. 2004. A proposal advocating draft sequencing the genome of rainbow trout, oncorhynchus mykiss. Government Publication/Report.. Dept of Energy Joint Genome Institute Community Sequencing Program.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: A Proposal Advocating Draft Sequencing the Genome of Rainbow Trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss. Submitted to the Community Sequencing Program of the DOE Joint Genome Institute February 20, 2004. This proposal has been assembled by those in the scientific community interested in obtaining a whole genome sequence for rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). The 85 authors represent a broad diversity of scientific disciplines and geographic distribution, hailing from multiple departments located at 46 institutions in 12 countries. In addition, 56 letters of support have been submitted by some co-authors to supplement and/or expound upon the arguments outlined in this document. These serve to individually demonstrate their need for a rainbow trout genome sequence and the impact it will have on the scientific community. Rainbow trout are of the family Salmonidae, native to the Pacific coasts of North America and Russia, and have been widely introduced around the world. Considerable basic biological knowledge has been developed about this species as an outgrowth of their widespread cultivation as a food and sport fish. As outlined in this proposal, rainbow trout are excellent model organisms for studying the evolutionary process (comparative genomics, evolutionary fate of duplicate genes, and genetic architecture of complex phenotypes), carcinogenesis, toxicology, comparative immunology, disease ecology, physiology and nutrition. More is known about the physiology and biology of rainbow trout than any other fish species. Closely related species within the Oncorhynchus, Salmo and Salvelinus genera have also been studied extensively. In the past 20 years there have been over 40,000 reports on the ecology, behavior, physiology and genetics of these species, with rainbow trout specifically being used in half of these studies. Sequencing the trout genome will combine a set of diverse advantages that are not available in any other research organism. Such sequence information will enhance scientific progress by facilitating the association of genes with functions contributing to complex phenotypes. Scientists currently using rainbow trout to investigate biological questions falling within the disciplines listed above are anxious to enhance their research approaches with the benefit of genome sequence information. The resources currently available for rainbow trout genomics include doubled haploid clonal lines, genetic linkage maps, an EST database (over 120,000 sequences), microarrays, well-characterized BAC libraries, physical maps, and established models for gene transfer. We believe that the availability of these resources, vast amounts of accumulated biological information, and the economic and scientific importance of this species make it an excellent candidate for genome sequencing at this time.