Hook, Line and Infection: A Guide to Culturing Parasites, Establishing Infections and Assessing Immune Responses in...

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary biology
• Parasitology
• Aquaculture

Background:

• The three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) is a well-characterized model organism with extensive genomic data.
• Its ecological and evolutionary traits make it ideal for studying coldwater fish diseases relevant to aquaculture.
• Scattered literature on parasite culture and infection maintenance hinders research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive framework of techniques for culturing stickleback parasites and maintaining infections.
• To synthesize essential knowledge on stickleback and parasite biology, capture, and laboratory maintenance.
• To highlight recent advances in understanding host immune responses to parasites.

Main Methods:

• Compilation of existing literature and practical experience in stickleback and parasite husbandry.
• Detailed protocols for laboratory maintenance of fish and diverse parasite species.
• Review of methods for quantifying host immune responses.

Main Results:

• A consolidated guide to the biology, capture, and laboratory maintenance of three-spined sticklebacks.
• Established protocols for the culture and maintenance of common stickleback parasites.
• An overview of current understanding of host-parasite immune interactions.

Conclusions:

• The guide offers a practical framework to facilitate research using sticklebacks as a model for infection and aquaculture studies.
• It aims to unify scattered knowledge, making it accessible to researchers.
• Encourages broader interdisciplinary use of the three-spined stickleback model for evolution, infection, and aquaculture research.