Project Overview

Funded by the Research Council of Norway and Nord University, EPICOD is a NOK 16 million, 5-year project that aims to decipher Atlantic cod puberty at single-cell and single-nucleotide level.

Project Information

Programme

Researcher Project for Scientific Renewal

Topic

Aquaculture

Duration

July 2023 - June 2028

Consortium

5 partners in 3 countries

Coordinator

Nord University, Bodø, Norway

Project Reference

nr 336112

Rationale

Atlantic cod is a prime species for the Norwegian aquaculture, however, several aspects of its biology are still unknown including the early onset of puberty under farmed conditions. Although this phenomenon is controlled to some extent by light stimulation in sea cages, it has a major impact both on the environment and the quality of the product.

Because puberty is largely affected by external stimuli, we hypothesize that epigenetic mechanisms are largely responsible for the regulation of this process. To identify potential biomarkers, EPICOD will investigate cell- and tissue-specific epigenetic and gene expression signals of fish exposed to normal and continuous light.

Objectives

Understand the fundamental process of puberty in Atlantic cod

Identify key cell- and tissue-specific genomic regions that are epigenetically regulated and mark the onset of puberty

Dissect cellular heterogeneity using state-of-the-art single cell ATAC and gene expression assays

Map cis-regulatory elements in the Atlantic cod genome

Investigate tissue-specific DNA methylation profiles across the Pituitary-Liver-Gonad (PLG) axis

Associate liver metabolites with DNA methylation and gene expression profiles

Validate potential epigenetic markers across different cod families reared in sea cages

Test interspecies applicability in European seabass

Outcomes & impact

This project will study in-depth the fundamental properties of epigenetic mechanisms involved in the onset of puberty in Atlantic cod. Our goal is to utilize this knowledge and create a list of epigenetic markers which will contribute towards the successful selection of fish with delayed puberty.

We seek to promote interdisciplinary research in the sectors of aquaculture, molecular biology, epigenetics, genetics and nutrition and invest the knowledge we gain in education. The impact of our outcomes contributes towards a planet with zero hunger, sustainable usage of the aquatic environment and sustainable production of high-quality protein as well as decent work and economic growth in line with the sustainable development goals of the United Nations.

Expected Results

01

Identification of cell-specific chromatin regions and genes that are linked to the onset of puberty in Atlantic cod

02

Development of a cis-regulatory element map that highlights key regions in the Atlantic cod genome

03

Understanding of how photoperiod manipulations affect the nutritional status and energy metabolism in Atlantic cod

04

Development of tissue-wide epigenetic (DNA methylation) and transcriptomic markers within the PLG-axis pertaining the onset of puberty in Atlantic cod