[Admin]

Scientists in Hawaii have made a breakthrough in developing a stronger
disease-resistant pearl oyster. This process developed by Dale Sarver
Ph.D. and John Patterson Ph.D. may well help to revive the Japanese
pearl industry that has been so devastated by pollution and disease.

Working with Australian Akoya and Hawaiian Black Lip varieties, they
used modern genetic engineering techniques to produce strains of oysters
that have the potential to fight off infection from bacteria and other
pathogens. Virulent bacteria can be a major problem in pearl culture.
Biological pathogens are implicated in crippling mortality in Japan,
China, Cook Islands, and Marshall Islands. Even if bacteria are not the
primary problem, they can ultimately compromise the oyster through
secondary infections. Bacterial blooms can kill vast numbers of oysters at
any life stage, but especially after the seeding operation when they
are more vulnerable to infection. In addition, even small pinpoint
infections in the pearl sac can result in imperfections in the nacre greatly
reducing their value. Any improvement resulting in increase disease
resistance would greatly assist in the recovery of this great industry.

While no animal can exist without some sort of system to fight off
infections, pearl oysters are know to possess only primitive immune
systems. These improved strains of oysters have the added ability to produce
immune factors that are known to be lethal to bacteria and other
infective agents.

The process has been successfully repeated several times and produced
thousands of oysters proven to possess this factor, and a significant
reference and seed population has been retained.

In addition, this process can be used to introduce other factors
involved in nacre formation, amplification, growth, and possibly color.

Sarver and Patterson are seeking partners to commercialize this
technology and incorporate it into the production process of the most
innovative farming operations. Inquiries can be directed to Dr. Sarver at
808-322-7108 or dalesarver@hawaii.rr.com, or Dr. Patterson at 808-634-0388,
or tween20@hotmail.com.

[jerin]

Caitlin,

do You know anything more about this project? Wouldn´t that be something for Jeremy´s Akoya Farm in the future? Having oysters that can fight off diseases normally killing then, would be a worthwile project to invest in, wouldn´t it?

Inge

[GemGeek]

Where did the article come from?

[jerin]

Originally Posted by GemGeek

Where did the article come from?

I was rea-reading old posts and it was either on Pearl farming or on Industry News...

[Caitlin]

That was before I was admin. Sounds like a great idea though. Domesticated "oysters"

[GemGeek]

Thanks. Oysters need all the help they can get these days.