The role and optimisation of the microbiome in molluscan larval development

双壳类孵化场生产了数百万只幼体动物，供世界各地的水产养殖场继续生长。然而，在孵化场环境中，一批幼虫遭受大规模死亡并不少见。本项目旨在确定微生物群(细菌和病毒)在软体动物幼虫发育中的作用。该项目将首先对孵化场和实验系统中的微生物群、病毒体和物理化学环境进行初步表征，然后是几种形式的假设驱动的操作。操作将通过抗生素、噬菌体、添加早期发现和培养的微生物、添加兼性病原体来观察微生物群的变化以及对营养环境的操作来实现。主要目标之一将是寻找抗生素的替代方法。如果成功，在假设驱动的实验工作中使用的方法将被带到野外环境中，并在孵化场环境中进行测试。实际工作将与位于英国的商业双壳类孵化场合作进行，并将使用分子生物学和细菌培养方法对样本进行分析。

Bivalve hatcheries produce millions of juvenile animals for on-growing in aquaculture farms worldwide. However, within the hatchery environment it is not uncommon for larval batches to suffer large scale mortalities. This project aims to determine the role of the microbiome (bacteria and viruses) in molluscan larval development. The project will begin with an initial characterisation of the microbiome, virome and physicochemical environment in hatchery and experimental systems, followed by several forms of hypothesis driven manipulation. Manipulation will be achieved by antibiotics, bacteriophage, addition of microbes discovered and cultured in earlier stages, addition of facultative pathogens to observe changes in microbiome and also manipulation of the nutrient environment. One of the main objectives will be find alternative approach to antibiotics. If successful, the methods used in hypothesis driven experimental work will be taken into field situations and tested in the hatchery environment. The practical work will be conducted in collaboration with commercial bivalve Hatcheries located in the UK and samples will be analysed using molecular biology and bacterial culture methods.