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Supportive breeding is a strategy consisting in maintaining a pool of locally-adapted wild genitors in captivity whose offspring are released in the wild at an early developmental stage. In this study, we tested the utility of this strategy in preventing phenotypic and genetic divergences between captive-bred and wild animals that could be detrimental for wild populations. Combining microsatellite analyses, morphological measurements and behavioural trials in the laboratory, we compared the progeny of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) born in captivity with individuals born in the wild. At all these levels, we found significant differences between the progeny of the two groups. Specifically, allelic frequencies significantly differed between groups, with captive-bred fish tending to be less variable with lower heterozygosity and allelic richness values. The shape of wild-born fish was also different from that of the captive-group, particularly in the depth of the head and the length of the pectoral fins. Finally, captive-bred individuals were, on average, more aggressive than wild-born fish. We demonstrated that this difference was strongly dependent upon the environment as captive-bred fish were more aggressive only when together with their wild conspecifics or with an exotic competitor, the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Overall, our results showed that both phenotypic and genetic changes can arise even if genitors share a common brood-stock and after only a few months of rearing in a controlled environment. We conclude that the progeny produced in such supportive breeding programs does not meet the criteria necessary to ensure preserving the genetic and ecological integrity of wild populations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Pathogenic saprolegniaceae species are among the major disease-causing agents in farmed salmonids and in freshwater fish in general. Recent studies have used high-throughput cDNA-based methods to identify new potential actors of fish defence systems against various bacteria and viruses. However, the response of fish to fungal or fungus-like pathogens is still poorly documented. Here, we used a 16,006-gene salmonid cDNA microarray to identify genes which transcription levels are modified in juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) affected with saprolegniasis compared to healthy fish from the same families. Our results confirmed the importance of non-specific immunity in the response of fish to saprolegniaceae infections and identified both similarities and differences in their genome-wide transcriptional response to oomycetes compared with their responses to bacterial or viral infections. Moreover, several clones with no known homologues were shown to be over-transcribed in infected fish. These may represent as yet unidentified immune-relevant genes in fish. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]