R/ODR-19

Epizootiology and Pathogenicity of Two Perkinsus Species Parasitizing the Eastern Oyster Crassostrea Virginica

Principal Investigator:

Gerardo R. Vasta

Start/End Year:

2001 - 2004

Institution:

Center of Marine Biotechnology, University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute

Co-Principal Investigator:

Jose A. Fernandez-Robledo, Eric J. Schott, Wolf T. Pecher, Center of Marine Biotechnology, University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute

Topic(s):

Oysters

Description:

The aims of the proposed study is to provide the oyster industry and resource management agencies with validated tools for a true and comprehensive assessment of the distribution of Perkinsus species in oysters along the Atlantic Coast, and to evaluate the virulence and pathogenicity of selected Perkinsus species found in oysters.

Related Publications:

Pecher, WT; Robledo, JAF; Vasta, GR. 2004. Identification of a second rRNA gene unit in the Perkinsus andrewsi genome. Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology51(2):234 -245. doi:10.1111/j.1550-7408.2004.tb00553.x. UM-SG-RS-2004-12.

Ahmed, H; Schott, EJ; Gauthier, JD; Vasta, GR. 2003. Superoxide dismutases from the oyster parasite Perkinsus marinus: purification, biochemical characterization, and development of a plate microassay for activity. Analytical Biochemistry318(1):132 -141. doi:10.1016/S0003-2697(03)00192-1. UM-SG-RS-2003-19.

Schott, EJ; Robledo, JAF; Wright, AC; Silva, AM; Vasta, GR. 2003. Gene organization and homology modeling of two iron superoxide dismutases of the early branching protist Perkinsus marinus. Gene309(1):1 -9. doi:10.1016/S0378-1119(03)000469-4. UM-SG-RS-2003-24.

Schott, EJ; Vasta, GR. 2003. The PmSOD1 gene of the protistan parasite Perkinsus marinus complements the sod2 Delta mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and directs an iron superoxide dismutase to mitochondria. Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology126(1):81 -92. doi:10.1016/S0166-6851(02)00271-2. UM-SG-RS-2003-25.

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