Fish Genetics and Genomics

• Whole genome and transcriptome assembly of the Indian oil sardine, Sardinella longiceps and the Asian green mussel, Perna viridis
• Genetic stock structure of Indian oil sardine, Indian mackerel, Indian anchovy, ribbon fish, carangids, threadfin breams, scalloped hammerheads, oceanic whitetips, spadenose sharks, Spanish mackerels, king mackerels, lobsters, and squids delineated using advanced biotechnological tools.
• Highly differentiated SNPs detected in the Indian oil sardine, Sardinella longiceps using genomic tools which can serve as geographic tags.
• The complete mitogenome of the Indian oil sardine, gold stripe sardinella, Randall’s thread fin bream, Indian scad, mud spiny lobster, black clam, pearl spot and ribbon fish has been characterised which provided valuable insights into taxonomy and adaptation of OXPHOS genes in these important species.
• Characterized Whole mitogenome of the edible oyster Crassostrea madrasensis.
• The transcriptome profiling of the metamorphosing flat fish, Indian Halibut, Psettodes erumei to understand their cellular, biological, and functional modifications to their efficient and successful production
• Externally funded projects being operated:
  • Stock structure investigations on yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares from the EEZ of India and the adjacent high seas using genomic tools (DoF (PMMSY)-funded project-PME/ERPRC/DoF/Yellowfin tuna/ 2020; PI: Dr. A. Gopalakrishnan)
  • De Novo whole genome and transcriptome sequencing of Asian Green Mussel, Perna viridis (DBT-funded project-PME/ERPRC/DBT/Asian green mussel/2020; Dr. A. Gopalakrishnan (Project Coordinator); Dr. Sandhya Sukumaran (PI))

Nutrition

• Application of nutrigenomics for improved growth and immune functions of larval stages in targeted marine fin fishes to precisely predict the critical nutritional requirements of cobia and Silver pompano larvae.
• Development of suitable feeds/feed supplements/ feeding strategies through the identified nutritional gaps for enhancing the growth, survival and quality of targeted fish species.
• Cadalmin ^TM Silvergrow, a novel Silver Pompano grow out feed was developed and commercialized.
• The full-length transcriptome profiling of Silver Pompano, Trachinotus blochii (Lacepède, 1801) and Cobia (Rachycentron canadum) were carried out to aid in nutritional studies.
• A patent was granted for (Cadalmin^TM Varna) the invention of “Formulated feed for marine ornamental fishes and a process therefore” vide patent No: 415056.
• Indigenous Re-circulatory Aquaculture System (i-RAS) developed for fish nutrition research.
• CMFRI’s Cadalmin^TMVarsha series of freshwater ornamental fish feeds were trialled in commercial extruders and refined for commercial production.
• Pilot scale black soldier fly (BSF) rearing and research facility was established. Replacing dietary fish meal by using black soldier fly larval meal (BSFLM) was studied for silver pompano, blochii, and revealed that up to 90% of the fish meal can be replaced using BSFLM without adverse effects on the growth and feed utilization.
• A protocol was developed to produce cotton seed protein concentrate with yield of 24-31% of the raw material.
• Externally funded projects being operated:
  • E G Silas Centre of Excellence and Innovation (EGS-CoEI) in marine fish microbiome and nutrigenomics (DBT-funded project-ERPRC/DBT-(EGS-COEI)/MBTD/2019; Dr. A. Gopalakrishnan (Project Coordinator); Dr. Krupesha Sharma (PI); Dr. Sanal Ebeneezar (P II)

Marine Bioprospecting

• Developed bioactive compounds from marine organisms, including seaweeds, microalgae, mollusks, microorganisms, sponges, echinoderms, etc. for use against various lifestyle diseases.
• Developed and commercialized nutraceuticals for use against various lifestyle and metabolic disorders, including Cadalmin^TMAntidiabetic extract for use against type-2 disbetes (ADe-marketed as Algamin Diabet-ease by Pioneer Pharmaceuticals), Cadalmin^TMLivCure extract for use against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease/NFALD (marketed as Green Rex by Eminiotech), Cadalmin^TM Green Algal extract (GAe-marketed as Algamin Arthrit-ease by Pioneer Pharmaceuticals), Cadalmin^TMGreen-Mussel extract for use against arthritis (marketed as AFDC Musseltone by AFDC Ltd), Anti-hypothyroidism-extract for use against hypothyroid disorders (marketed by VLCC), Cadalmin^TM Antiosteoporotic (AOe) and Immuno-boost-extract (IBe) marketed by Chazah (Pluviago) Pharmaceuticals, Cadalmin^TM Antihypertensive-extract for use against hypertension (AHe-marketed as Algamin Tension-ease by Pioneer Pharmaceuticals), Cadalmin^TMImmunalgin extract (IMe) to improve immunity against delta variant of SARS CoV-2 virus and Antihypercholesterolemic-extract (ACe) for use against dyslipidemia to Pioneer Pharmaceuticals.
• Developed Cadalmin^TMAntibacterial extract as topical skin care ointment (Cadalmin^TM ABe) from seaweed and Probiotic Nutraceutical to Improve Intestinal Gut Microflora: Cadalmin^TM Maribac (MBc) that are under commercialization.
• Developed Beta-Chitosan from cuttlebone of cephalopods with bioactive potential against hydroxymethyl glutaryl coenzyme-A reductase, dipeptidyl peptidase-4, angiotensin-2 converting enzyme, and 5-lipooxygenase and a green method of pigment extraction from shrimp shell wastes
• Developed database of the nutritional qualities of marine finfish, mollusks and custaceans in various seasons and years and development of database of the maternal fish consumption and prevention of low birth weight in Kerala, West Bengal and Lakswadweep Island
• Externally funded projects being operated:
  • Evaluation of immune-enhancing polysaccharides of edible chlorophytan seaweed Ulva lactuca (sea-lettuce) and development of functional polysaccharide nanoparticle (DST/SERB-funded project- PME/ERPRC/DST-SERB/ MBTD/2022; PI: Dr. Kajal Chakraborty)
  • Development of small molecular weight bioactives and polysaccharides from marine and costal bivalves to develop prospective nutraceutical products (NASF-funded project-PME/ERPRC/NASF-ICAR/BIOACTIVES/MBFNHD/2022; PI: Dr. Kajal Chakraborty)
  • Development of Polyketide and Oligosaccharide analogues from economically important seaweeds as prospective angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (DBT-funded project; PME/Polyketide/DBT/MBFNHD/2023; ; PI: Dr. Kajal Chakraborty)
  • Development of high-value pharmacophores and nutraceutical products from marine macroalgae for human health management and combating lifestyle diseases (ICAR- Norman Borlaug Award Challenge Project-PME/Challenge Research Project ICAR-NB Award /MBFNHD/2023; PI: Dr. Kajal Chakraborty).

In-vitro cell culture technology

• Development of a model iridescent prototype of lustrous marine pearl through in-vitro mantle epithelial cell culture technology.
• Development of a cost effective medium for the growth and proliferation of in-vitro cultured mantle epithelial cells.
• Development of a semi-solid substrate for the biomineralization of in-vitro cultured mantle epithelial cells onto bead nucleus.

Fish Health

• Developed disease diagnostic kits {Rapid Duplex PCR Kit of CMFRI for Early Detection of White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) of Shrimp; Betanodadetect-kit and method for detecting beta noda virus infection; Perkdetect - a LAMP based diagnostic for Perkinsus sp; LAMP-based diagnostic against WSSV, and a recombinant vaccine against Vibrio alginolyticus; Multiplex-PCR technology for the simultaneous detection of major aquaculture pathogens) besides investigation on the virulence factors and genetic profiling of parahaemolyticus isolated from bivalves, and abundance and AMR profiling of bivalve-associated V. parahemolyticus and other pathogens.
• Unravelling larval microbiome and immunome of targeted fin fishes for improved mariculture production to decipher the microbiome and immunome profiles during early life stages of the most commercially important marine fish species of India under Dr. EG Silas Centre of Excellence and Innovations in Marine Fish Microbiome and Nutrigenomics.
• Documented and characterized several new species of myxosporean parasites and other parasites and pathogens of mariculture significance.
• Technology for degradation of unprocessed marine crustacean shell wastes using microbes
• Development of better microbial management and immunomodulation strategies/protocols to address the poor growth and survival rates during the larval stages of the fish, in vitro efficacy characteristics and genetic determinants of resistance of marine/estuarine aquaculture pathogens against aquaculture antimicrobials.
• Screening of wild and farmed bivalves for the OIE listed pathogens, and efficacy evaluation of antibiotics against various pathogens in cultured fish to document the susceptibility to antibiotics.
• Externally funded projects being operated:
  • Network Programme on Assessment of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in Microorganisms Associated with Fisheries and Aquaculture in India (ICAR- Network Project – AMR; PME/ERPRC/Network-AMR/2018; PI: Dr. Krupesha Sharma S. R.)
  • National surveillance programme for aquatic animal diseases (PMMSY-NBFGR project; PME/ERPRC/ICAR-CRP/2015 & AINP-FH; PI: Dr. Krupesha Sharma S. R.)
  • AINP on Fish Health (ICAR AINP project; PME/ERPRC/ICAR- CRP/2015 & AINP-FH; PI: Dr. Krupesha Sharma S. R.)

• Microalgae and abiotic stress: Collected, isolated and maintaining 144 pure isolates of marine microalgae representing different habitats of Indian Coast, with Phenotypic and Genotypic details of about 80 isolates. An abiotic stress gene for salinity tolerance from microalgae Teraselmis indica (hyperhaline microalgae isolated from the Pulicat Lake) has been identified using subtractive suppression hybridization (SSH) method and characterized using RACE-PCR method. This ‘mined gene for salinity tolerance’ could be useful in the transgenic studies.
• The ‘ CadalminTM, Varna series’ of marine ornamental formulated fish feed developed has been field tested and routinely used at CMFRI Centers for aquarium rearing facilities and has received wide acceptance from aquariculturists, which is sold through ATIC counter at CMFRI, HQ, Cochin. A Patent application entitled ‘Formulated feed for marine ornamental fishes and a product therefore’ has been filed. Efforts are underway for commercialization of the feed.
• Reverse transcriptase- Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), for the detection of beta noda virus (VNN), a sensitive and specific DNA based diagnostic method, which can also be used in the field for the screening the candidate finfish broodstocks, larvae and farmed has been developed, and is under validation.
• First report of Perkinsus beihaiensis in Crassostrea madrasensis from the Indian subcontinent. Profiling study on the Indian edible oyster Crassostrea madrasensis, for the presence of Perkinsus spp. revealed the presence of P. beihaiensis for the first time in C. madrasensis populations from the Indian subcontinent and south Asia.
• Novel nutraceuticals from green mussel (Perna virdis), the CadalminTM GMe, and the nutraceutical CadalminTM GAe from marine macroalage has been developed through unique biochemical engineering. This nutraceuticals effective for the treatment of joint pain is a green alternative to synthetic NSAIDs (viz., aspirin containing drugs having undesirable side effects). After filing process patents, the products have been commercialized through Amalgam group of companies, at Kochi and Celestial Biolab at Hyderabad.