potential. Also, because biological phenomena are regulated systematically by
networks of genes rather than individual genes, genome information and functional
genome techniques may be used to efficiently gain an understanding of these networks (Crollius and Weissenbach 2005).
Two of the drawbacks of traditional breeding approaches are the large time and
money investments involved. Molecular biology techniques have been developed to
address these issues, and recent attention has focused on molecular breeding
selection techniques that distinguish according to differences in trait-related DNA
base sequences. Molecular marker development is very costly, however, and may
not be possible in cases where there is inadequate genetic polymorphism among
breeding lines. Genomic information may therefore be used not only for simpler
molecular marker development, but also as a basis for developing new molecular
biology techniques with superior efficiency.
One potential example is the use of genomic information itself as a substitute for
molecular markers or genetic maps. This conceptual approach has recently become
known as “genomic breeding,” which is expected to establish itself as a core
method in molecular breeding in the future. As a reflection of the growing
importance of biological resources, the world’s advanced economies have been
focusing their energies on gathering, preserving, increasing, and using large
amounts of biological resources. It may prove possible to use large-scale genome
based sequence analysis to develop molecular markers for the categorization or
selection of useful genetic resources, or to apply the genome sequence information
itself in developing genome-based genetic resource classification and selection
methods. As this shows, genomic information is expected to emerge not only as a
high-tech means of overcoming the limitations seen in fishery science and the key
techniques of resource classification, selection, and improvement, but also as a new
paradigm in the field of fishery resource, where the development of genome-derived
techniques usher in a new chapter in the discipline’s advancement (Cossins and
Crawford 2005; Allendorf et al. 2010; Palti 2011).
3.7 Chapter Summary and Conclusion
The ichthyologist Nelson has said that 24,618 species of fish are known to exist
on Earth, and that the 14,652 inhabiting the oceans account for over half those in
existence.
A recent issue of the science journal Nature featured the rather shocking
claim that intensifying destruction of marine ecosystems around the world had
resulted in 90% of large fish species disappearing from the waters in the past
50 years. To see the abundance of fish in the market and the growing numbers of
sashimi restaurants, one might be under the impression that there are still many
fish in the sea. Yet countries around the world have been raising the alarm since
the 1990s over the severe depletion of fish resources.
According to data from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre
(WCMC), rising water temperatures as a result of global warming, advancements in fishing technology, and large-scale overfishing have resulted in the
3.6 New Analyses of Fish Genomes
75
networks of genes rather than individual genes, genome information and functional
genome techniques may be used to efficiently gain an understanding of these networks (Crollius and Weissenbach 2005).
Two of the drawbacks of traditional breeding approaches are the large time and
money investments involved. Molecular biology techniques have been developed to
address these issues, and recent attention has focused on molecular breeding
selection techniques that distinguish according to differences in trait-related DNA
base sequences. Molecular marker development is very costly, however, and may
not be possible in cases where there is inadequate genetic polymorphism among
breeding lines. Genomic information may therefore be used not only for simpler
molecular marker development, but also as a basis for developing new molecular
biology techniques with superior efficiency.
One potential example is the use of genomic information itself as a substitute for
molecular markers or genetic maps. This conceptual approach has recently become
known as “genomic breeding,” which is expected to establish itself as a core
method in molecular breeding in the future. As a reflection of the growing
importance of biological resources, the world’s advanced economies have been
focusing their energies on gathering, preserving, increasing, and using large
amounts of biological resources. It may prove possible to use large-scale genome
based sequence analysis to develop molecular markers for the categorization or
selection of useful genetic resources, or to apply the genome sequence information
itself in developing genome-based genetic resource classification and selection
methods. As this shows, genomic information is expected to emerge not only as a
high-tech means of overcoming the limitations seen in fishery science and the key
techniques of resource classification, selection, and improvement, but also as a new
paradigm in the field of fishery resource, where the development of genome-derived
techniques usher in a new chapter in the discipline’s advancement (Cossins and
Crawford 2005; Allendorf et al. 2010; Palti 2011).
3.7 Chapter Summary and Conclusion
The ichthyologist Nelson has said that 24,618 species of fish are known to exist
on Earth, and that the 14,652 inhabiting the oceans account for over half those in
existence.
A recent issue of the science journal Nature featured the rather shocking
claim that intensifying destruction of marine ecosystems around the world had
resulted in 90% of large fish species disappearing from the waters in the past
50 years. To see the abundance of fish in the market and the growing numbers of
sashimi restaurants, one might be under the impression that there are still many
fish in the sea. Yet countries around the world have been raising the alarm since
the 1990s over the severe depletion of fish resources.
According to data from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre
(WCMC), rising water temperatures as a result of global warming, advancements in fishing technology, and large-scale overfishing have resulted in the
3.6 New Analyses of Fish Genomes
75