CRISPR Diagnostics for Rapid On-Site Detection of Aquaculture Species and Pathogens

Shelly A. Wanamaker1, Samuel Major1, Merry Moore1, Mia Bender1, Taylor Gibson1, Roberto Cruz-Flores2, Arun Dhar2, Matt Harke1, and Andrea Bodnar1

1. Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute, 417 Main Street Gloucester, MA
2. Aquaculture Pathology Laboratory, School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

Contact:
Shelly Wanamaker, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)
Research Scientist
Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute Inc.
417 Main Street, Gloucester MA
978-879-4575 x 111
shelly.wanamaker@gmgi.org

PAG 2024 Workshop presentations

• Saturday January 13, 2:40pm Palm 3-4; Aquaculture Workshop CRISPR diagnostics for rapid on-site detection of aquaculture species and pathogens
• Monday January 15, 12:50-3:00pm Palm 3-4; NEB Molecular Tools to Support CRISPR-based diagnostics and AgBio research

Links for additional information:

• View more info about the shrimp diagnostic project at GMGI

• View more info about the harmful algae diagnostic project at GMGI

• View press release for GMGI and Sherlock Bioscience’s USDA SBIR Phase I award for developing a field-deployable WSSV test

• View the press release for the NOAA MERHAB award for developing a harmful algae diagnostic toolkit

Poster Preview:

ABSTRACT:
Timely detection of harmful microbes is critical to controlling disease spread in agriculture and aquaculture. Standardmolecular diagnostic tests (e.g. PCR) require laboratories and lag in time-to-result leading to delayed action. Alternativemethods like isothermal amplification and CRISPR/Cas detection have high sensitivity and specificity with minimal,inexpensive equipment that can be converted to user-friendly, field-deployable formats. Different than antibody/ELISAbased rapid tests, these methods detect genetic targets which makes them easily adaptable. We developed LAMP +CRISPR diagnostics for DNA and RNA viruses that impact shrimp aquaculture worldwide (White Spot Syndrome Virus(WSSV) and Taura Syndrome Virus). We then adapted the diagnostics to target toxic Pseudo-nitzschia that cause amnesic shellfish poisoning in humans. The assays we developed show similar sensitivity, specificity, and quantificationto real-time PCR. Adapting these technologies for monitoring disease and beyond (e.g. selectively bred tolerant orresistant stocks) will support economic growth by reducing supply loss, increasing productivity and sustainability.