KrillDB: A de novo transcriptome database for the Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba)

Area of Science:

• Marine Biology
• Genomics
• Ecology

Background:

• Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) is ecologically vital in the Southern Ocean.
• Ocean acidification poses a significant threat to krill populations.
• Existing genetic resources for Antarctic krill are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a comprehensive genetic database for Antarctic krill.
• To facilitate functional genetics and population structure analysis.
• To support research on krill's response to environmental changes like ocean acidification.

Main Methods:

• Developed KrillDB, a de novo transcriptome assembly using over 360 million Illumina sequence reads from larval krill.
• Included individuals exposed to varying carbon dioxide (CO2) levels.
• Integrated data on gene expression, protein domains, and similarity to other species.

Main Results:

• KrillDB provides access to assembled genes, transcripts, and their annotations.
• Includes similarity data, predicted protein domains, and Gene Ontology (GO) terms.
• Offers transcript expression levels across different larval stages and CO2 treatments.

Conclusions:

• KrillDB is the first large-scale classification and annotation of the Antarctic krill transcriptome.
• It serves as a foundational resource for future physiological and molecular studies.
• The database will advance understanding of this key species in the Southern Ocean food web.