Gutekunst, J. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2020

Physiological properties and tailored feeds to support aquaculture of marbled crayfish in closed systems

The marbled crayfish (Procambarus virginalis) is a recently discovered freshwater crayfish species, which reproduces by apomictic parthenogenesis, resulting in a monoclonal, all-female population. The animals have become a popular source for nutritional protein in Madagascar and are increasingly being considered for commercial aquaculture. However, their potential has remained unclear and there are also significant ecological concerns about their anthropogenic distribution. We show here that the size and weight of marbled crayfish is comparable to commonly farmed freshwater crayfish. Furthermore, chemical analysis revealed a high chitin content in the marbled crayfish exoskeleton, which is a valuable source for the synthesis of chitosan and bioplastics. To allow the further evaluation of the animals in closed aquaculture systems, we developed tailored feeds that revealed an important role of methionine supplementation for animal growth. Additional analysis revealed a feed conversion rate of 1.4, which compares favorably to leading livestock for sustainable food production. Finally, we provide a concept for ecologically safe marbled crayfish aquaculture, based on key physiological characteristics that mitigate the invasive potential of the animals.

physiology↗

bioRxiv2019

Epigenetic deregulation of lamina-associated domains in Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome

Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS) is a progeroid disease characterized by the early onset of some classically age-related phenotypes including arthritis, loss of body fat and hair and atherosclerosis. Cells from affected individuals express a mutant version of the nuclear envelope protein Lamin A (termed Progerin) and have previously been shown to exhibit prominent chromatin changes. Here, we identify epigenetic deregulation of lamina-associated domains (LADs) as a central feature in the molecular pathology of HGPS. Using ATAC-see/-seq and Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadChip-mediated DNA methylation profiling, we demonstrate that dermal fibroblasts from HGPS patients exhibit both chromatin accessibility and DNA methylation changes that are enriched in LADs. Importantly, we further show that these epigenetic alterations are associated with HGPS-specific gene expression changes. Together, our results establish a central involvement of LADs in the epigenetic deregulation of HGPS and provide novel insight into the molecular changes associated with the disease.

cell biology↗