The use of molecular biology techniques to produce pathogen resistant strains of shrimp through genetic transformation technology is considered a highly promising strategy for control of shrimp viral diseases. A major challenge to current development of such technology is the lack of a suitable host-derived promoter to drive the effective expression of desirable genes in shrimp. To meet this urgent need for the development of transgenic shrimp, we have recently employed molecular cloning and sequencing techniques and isolated and identified a putative promoter gene from litopenaeus shrimp (L. vannamei), shrimp b-actin promoter. This represents the first promoter gene identified and reported from crustacean species. Biological function of newly discovered shrimp promoter has been demonstrated using a newly constructed gene expression cassette system under the control of such shrimp promoter. Experimental tests have confirmed high level of the expression of red fluorescent protein (RFP), a reporter transgene, in a variety of in vitro cell cultures derived from both mammalian and marine animal species. With the previously established jetPEI/DNA technique for gene delivery into the shrimp zygotes, this putative shrimp promoter forms the essential base for genetic shrimp transformation technology and makes it possible for the development and production of viral-resistant transgenic shrimp strains for world shrimp aquaculture.
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