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Hamilton Spectator
5 days ago
- Science
- Hamilton Spectator
Scientists seek to study eDNA to identify how MSX creeps up on oysters
Scientists are pursuing a new line of research to predict the times and locations of parasitic outbreaks that are wiping out oysters off the Atlantic coast. It's all part of the latest efforts to examine multinucleate sphere unknown, a parasite commonly referred to as MSX. The new research would examine the genetic material, or environmental DNA, left behind by the parasite and any other intermediate hosts. Scientists believe this can help them understand more about how MSX behaves in the water and where it goes. 'It'll give us a whole lot more information about the parasite, what the parasite is doing, how long parasites last,' said Rod Beresford, an associate professor at Cape Breton University's biology department. Beresford is among a group of scientists in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and P.E.I. who have obtained $800,000 from various sources including Genome Atlantic, Genome Canada and provincial governments for two years, starting this summer, to study MSX using eDNA. While their research is likely years away from practical applications, scientists say it could make it easier to protect oysters from deadly outbreaks that have left farmers in the lurch. The single-celled MSX has been wreaking havoc on oysters for about 60 years. It was first found in Delaware Bay, near New Jersey, in 1957 and was detected in Bras d'Or Lake, Nova Scotia, in 2002. It has since been found in Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and southern British Columbia. The parasite targets cultured and wild oysters, and kills about 95 per cent of affected mollusks within two to three years of infection, and prevents them from reaching their full size. However, it poses no risk to human health or food safety. In most cases, the fishing industry will often observe the parasite after oysters have started dying, Beresford said. But scientists say the new research may identify how to get earlier warnings about potential outbreaks. By learning more about the parasite's eDNA, scientists believe it could solve a mystery about its life cycle, said Ryan Carnegie, a shellfish pathologist at Virginia Institute of Marine Science. 'That's the primary application to addressing this mystery of the life cycle,' he said. Environmental DNA can be detected in an environment sample such as sea water, Carnegie explained. But he said it cannot be detected in individual organisms such as shellfish. The widespread use of eDNA began in the early aughts and an article in the journal, Bioscience in 2021, said this tool is becoming more widespread because it requires tiny amounts of genetic samples, is reliable and non-invasive. Beresford said scientists could use eDNA to identify intermediate hosts of the MSX before it infects oysters. Intermediate hosts could be anything from tiny plankton, snails, worms, fish or other organisms on the sea floor. Although he said it would likely be impossible to remove those intermediate hosts, he explained scientists might be able to collect information about them in order to predict when an outbreak might occur or assess whether any oysters are resistant to the parasite. 'We don't know if it takes a lot of MSX particles for an infection to take place, or if it only takes a little bit,' Beresford said. The research could be particularly welcomed by farmers in an industry that is worth millions of dollars. Overall, Statistics Canada data from 2023 shows the oyster aquaculture industry was valued at $17.8 million in Prince Edward Island, $3.7 million in Nova Scotia, $25.9 million in New Brunswick and $16 million in British Columbia. While the parasite threatens to wipe out some of that value, the new research could be a lifeline for some farmers. Bob MacLeod, president of the P.E.I. Shellfish Association, said he hopes the research is successful. 'If they ever figure out the intermediate host or a way to kind of get around the host … it would be a real plus for us. Because right now, this many years later from when it hit the States, they haven't figured it out.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 5, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Winnipeg Free Press
5 days ago
- Science
- Winnipeg Free Press
Scientists seek to study eDNA to identify how MSX creeps up on oysters
Scientists are pursuing a new line of research to predict the times and locations of parasitic outbreaks that are wiping out oysters off the Atlantic coast. It's all part of the latest efforts to examine multinucleate sphere unknown, a parasite commonly referred to as MSX. The new research would examine the genetic material, or environmental DNA, left behind by the parasite and any other intermediate hosts. Scientists believe this can help them understand more about how MSX behaves in the water and where it goes. 'It'll give us a whole lot more information about the parasite, what the parasite is doing, how long parasites last,' said Rod Beresford, an associate professor at Cape Breton University's biology department. Beresford is among a group of scientists in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and P.E.I. who have obtained $800,000 from various sources including Genome Atlantic, Genome Canada and provincial governments for two years, starting this summer, to study MSX using eDNA. While their research is likely years away from practical applications, scientists say it could make it easier to protect oysters from deadly outbreaks that have left farmers in the lurch. The single-celled MSX has been wreaking havoc on oysters for about 60 years. It was first found in Delaware Bay, near New Jersey, in 1957 and was detected in Bras d'Or Lake, Nova Scotia, in 2002. It has since been found in Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and southern British Columbia. The parasite targets cultured and wild oysters, and kills about 95 per cent of affected mollusks within two to three years of infection, and prevents them from reaching their full size. However, it poses no risk to human health or food safety. In most cases, the fishing industry will often observe the parasite after oysters have started dying, Beresford said. But scientists say the new research may identify how to get earlier warnings about potential outbreaks. By learning more about the parasite's eDNA, scientists believe it could solve a mystery about its life cycle, said Ryan Carnegie, a shellfish pathologist at Virginia Institute of Marine Science. 'That's the primary application to addressing this mystery of the life cycle,' he said. Environmental DNA can be detected in an environment sample such as sea water, Carnegie explained. But he said it cannot be detected in individual organisms such as shellfish. The widespread use of eDNA began in the early aughts and an article in the journal, Bioscience in 2021, said this tool is becoming more widespread because it requires tiny amounts of genetic samples, is reliable and non-invasive. Beresford said scientists could use eDNA to identify intermediate hosts of the MSX before it infects oysters. Intermediate hosts could be anything from tiny plankton, snails, worms, fish or other organisms on the sea floor. Although he said it would likely be impossible to remove those intermediate hosts, he explained scientists might be able to collect information about them in order to predict when an outbreak might occur or assess whether any oysters are resistant to the parasite. 'We don't know if it takes a lot of MSX particles for an infection to take place, or if it only takes a little bit,' Beresford said. Wednesdays Columnist Jen Zoratti looks at what's next in arts, life and pop culture. The research could be particularly welcomed by farmers in an industry that is worth millions of dollars. Overall, Statistics Canada data from 2023 shows the oyster aquaculture industry was valued at $17.8 million in Prince Edward Island, $3.7 million in Nova Scotia, $25.9 million in New Brunswick and $16 million in British Columbia. While the parasite threatens to wipe out some of that value, the new research could be a lifeline for some farmers. Bob MacLeod, president of the P.E.I. Shellfish Association, said he hopes the research is successful. 'If they ever figure out the intermediate host or a way to kind of get around the host … it would be a real plus for us. Because right now, this many years later from when it hit the States, they haven't figured it out.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 5, 2025.
CBC
12-04-2025
- Health
- CBC
Indigenous DNA in wastewater is vulnerable to exploitation, Guelph, Ont., researchers say
Scientists collecting wastewater samples gain access to a variety of sensitive information. At the University of Guelph in southern Ontario, researchers are working to protect that data. Melissa Perreault is part of the research team focused on developing a policy to better protect Indigenous people from research exploitation, specifically through wastewater sampling. "I want to start by saying how valuable wastewater research is ... but there are other things in wastewater besides [COVID-19]," Perreault told CBC News. During the COVID-19 pandemic, public health departments used wastewater sampling to keep track of the spread of the virus across Canada. The sensitive data found in wastewater — including human DNA and prescribed or illicit drugs — can also give researchers more information about the general health of the community. "With Indigenous communities, this becomes a problem because they live in isolated communities for the most part.... There's a risk of exploitation of using that human DNA for things other than what the researchers originally intended to do," Perreault said. She said consent can become complicated if researchers decide to hold on to DNA samples for a long time. "Wastewater samples are community samples, so there are potentially hundreds [or] thousands of people who have contributed to that DNA in those samples. So the question becomes: 'Who gives consent for that?'" Perreault said. "If it's community leaders, what happens if the community leaders change? Can one person in a community say no? These are all questions that add on to the complexity of wastewater samples." The work is being funded through a two-year grant by Genome Canada. The non-profit group works to "use genomics-based technologies to improve the lives of Canadians," according to its website. The two-year timeline to finish the work is a rough estimate and could change, Perreault said. Some of the preliminary efforts will focus on understanding which Indigenous communities they would like to work with and obtaining consent. Lack of Indigenous DNA a challenge for researchers Precision medicine refers to the use of genomic data to predict which drug will work best for each person. But precision medicine cannot serve Indigenous Peoples if their reference data is missing, and an information gap for Indigenous groups exists around the world, including in Canada. "Indigenous DNA is highly coveted by researchers," Perreault said. "First Nations people mostly live on reserves, so they're very tight-knit communities, for the most part, more isolated than other communities for millennia.... The risk of exploitation of Indigenous Peoples by researchers is higher," she said. The lack of representation of Indigenous genomes in large databases reflects a general wariness in that group caused, in part, by historical cases of genetic research gone wrong. One study considered by leading geneticists as a game-changer involved the Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations on Vancouver Island. The Nuu-chah-nulth have a high frequency of rheumatoid arthritis. The research team collected DNA samples from approximately half of the First Nations members to study the genetic basis for the disorder. The genetic determinants of rheumatoid arthritis weren't found, but that wasn't the big problem. Researchers sent the DNA samples to external facilities for genetic ancestry studies without the knowledge or consent of the participants. Bridging the 'genomic divide': Lack of Indigenous DNA data a challenge for researchers Nuu-chah-nulth want their blood back Krystal Tsosie, a geneticist and bioethicist at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, said the gathering of genetic samples and data from underrepresented populations, including Indigenous Peoples, is colonialism. "If we really want to talk about justice and genomic justice, then we really have to talk about data equity, and also empowering data decisions from Indigenous communities like ours," she said. Another case study: Arizona's Havasupai community Perreault said there are several examples in recent history of Indigenous DNA being used in research without permission. She said one of the most infamous case studies is of the Havasupai community in Arizona. Between 1990 and 1994, researchers from Arizona State University went to that community to take blood samples to be used in a diabetes project, with the goal of determining how genetics play a role in Type 2 diabetes. It was later discovered their biological samples were used to challenge the community's origin story and test the link between schizophrenia and inbreeding — terms not agreed to by the Havasupai. The community sued Arizona State University on the grounds they did not consent to how their blood samples were used and it was a violation of medical confidentiality. The community settled out of court for $700,000. "[The Havasupai community] is probably one of the more famous samples," Perreault said. "But this is not something that is only happening historically. Exploitation of Indigenous communities is actually happening now." An ethical guide to working with DNA The First Nations Principles of OCAP (ownership, control, access and possession) gives researchers an ethical guide to working with First Nations that choose to share their data, including DNA. The OCAP guideline says First Nations alone should have control over how their data is stored, interpreted, used or shared. Perreault and her team are hoping to use OCAP as a foundation to build their policy, which is specific to wastewater management. Jonathan Dewar is CEO of the First Nations Information Governance Centre, which developed the OCAP principles. He said it's true that Indigenous Peoples are at a greater risk of research exploitation. "The history is a legacy of abuse, a legacy of extractive research practices, taking from Indigenous communities, not compensating them, not citing them, erasing them," he said. "Fast forward to 2025 and that hasn't changed.... We have a federal government that uses the language of nation-to-nation relationship. The imbalance between Canada and Indigenous Peoples, and their governments, is still very much the prevailing reality." After the policy is developed, Perreault and her team will reach out to Dewar and the First Nations Information Governance Centre, as well as the University of Guelph's Research Ethics Board, to see if they can adopt it officially.
