U.S.-Sweden-Estonia Cooperative Research: Immunoglobulin inGene Expression in Transgenic Rainbow Trout

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9420481 Warr This three-year award will support U.S.-Sweden-Estonia cooperative research in immunology. The investigators are Gregory Warr of the Medical University of South Carolina, Lars Pilstrom of Uppsala University in Sweden, and Sirje Timmusk of the Estonian Marine Institute. The objective of their research is the study of antibody gene expression in transgenic rainbow trout. They propose single cell studies of the following: (1) channel catfish immunoglobulin enhancer in tissue-specific gene expression in rainbow trout; (2) impact of transgenic expression of the endogenous immunoglobulin genes of rainbow trout; and (3) functional chimeric antibodies in transgenic rainbow trout. The U.S. investigator brings to this collaboration expertise with in vitro studies of gene expression and catfish immunoglobulin genes and enhancers. This is complemented by the Swedish and Estonian investigators' experience in growing transgenic trout and expertise with in vivo transgenic studies of immunoglobulin expression. The transgenic fish are grown and maintained at the Estonian Marine Institute. The project will determine whether the catfish heavy chain gene can be expressed and if so can it assist with the formation of a functional antibody in rainbow trout. The project will advance our understanding of the immune system and comparative immunology. It also has potentially important commercial applications if transgenic fish with desired traits can be raised. ***