The Florida p ompano (Trachinotus carolinus ) is a finfish found in warm marine waters on the U.S. East Coast and Gulf of Mexico. This food fish dem ands high market value and is a prized catch for fishermen. Previous research has validated the commercial viability of Florida p ompano. However, an economical and technological challenge in expanding domestic production is the supply of high quality seedstock (juveniles for grow-out) optimized for the production environment. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) can potentially facilitate selective breeding processes by enabling discovery of genetic markers associated with favorable traits such as disease resistance, size, growth efficiency, and diversity. With a representative draft genome that we have previously assembled and annotated, o ur study focuses on Florida pompano as a model species for improvement using this genetic information as a tool to inform better aquaculture breeding practices. Here, we will be presenting a sequenced and assembled genome for permit (Trachinotus falcatus), a closely related species whose males grow nearly ten times larger than pompano, which we will use in a comparative analysis to that of Florida pompano.
The permit genome was sequenced on the Illumina HiSeq 2500 System, and the Florida pompano genome was used to perform a guided assembly of the permit genome . We will use the permit and pompano genomes to identify regions of variation that may play a role in the significant size difference between these two species. In addition, we will use a Restriction-Site Associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) method to genotype Florida pompano samples from wild and cultured populations. This will allow us to investigate population diversity and through integration with the comparative information identify candidate markers of pompano growth. Our goal is to provide a platform that will enhance the sustainable production of high quality seedstock of Florida pompano for aquaculture through the combination of WGS and RADseq technologies.