Striking Gold - Determining the genetics of gold skin colour in barramundi

澳洲肺鱼是澳大利亚最好的食用鱼之一，该物种正在全球范围内获得突出地位。然而，澳大利亚养殖的肺鱼鱼片的肉色呈现出灰色色调，与其他白色鱼肉和进口产品相比，降低了消费者的接受度。澳洲肺鱼具有罕见的金色肤色，不会表现出这种肉的“灰色”，因此如果它们能大量生产，是一种有价值的利基产品。本计画将阐明金肺鱼表型背后的遗传基础与表达机制。这样，它将使肺鱼养殖户能够以商业规模生产肺鱼，为他们在国内和全球市场提供巨大的竞争优势。

Barramundi is one of Australia’s finest eating table fish and the species is gaining global prominence. However, fillet flesh colour of Australian farmed barramundi exhibit greyish tones which lowers consumer acceptance compared to other white flesh fish and imported product. Barramundi with rare golden skin tones do not exhibit this flesh "greyness" and are therefore a valuable niche product to farm if they can be produced in larger numbers. This project will elucidate the genetic basis and mechanism of expression behind the golden barramundi phenotype. In doing so, it will enable barramundi farmers to produce them at commercially relevant scales, providing them with a substantial competitive advantage in both domestic and global markets.