2011/730 Development of germ cell transplantation technology for the Australian aquaculture industry

By Abigail Elizur

Breeding Southern Bluefin Tuna (SBT) (Thunnus maccoyii) in captivity is proving to be a major challenge. In order to secure a steady supply of SBT seed, both for research and development and commercial applications, improvement in SBT reproductive performance is needed. One of the most important recent discoveries that may revolutionise SBT aquaculture has been the development of surrogate broodstock technology which offers the potential to significantly reduce the time, cost, rearing space and intensive labour that are normally necessary for the seed production of large donor species.

This project has established key components that form a platform for germ cell transplantation technology for SBT and potentially other commercially important species. The project established a dissociation and cryopreservation method for SBT testicular material that will enable year-round access to transplantable testicular cells for transplantation. In addition, the current project also demonstrated that the somatic microenvironment of the Yellowtail Kingfish larval gonads supported the survival, migration and colonisation of testicular cells derived from SBT. This research forms the foundation to a major breakthrough that could assist in closing the life-cycle of SBT for aquaculture and could potentially replace the need to maintain large, late maturing Bluefin Tuna broodstock in captivity, which is a major challenge for the sustainable aquaculture of SBT.

This report was embargoed as commercial in confidence until the conclusion of the Seafood CRC and can now be downloaded below