Coastwatch 



COASTAL 



TIDINGS 



Managing Editor 

 Katie Mosher 



Senior Editors 

 Kathleen Aiigione 

 Ann Green 

 Pam Smith 



Contributing Editors 

 Jamie Harris 

 Erin Selling 



Designer 

 L. Noble 



Circulation Manager 

 Sandra Harris 



The North Carolina Sea Grant College Program 



is a federal/state program that promotes 

 stewardship of our coastal and marine resources 



through research, extension and education. 

 It joined the National Sea Grant College Network 

 in 1 970 as an institutional program. Six years later, 



it was designated a Sea Grant College. 

 Today. North Carolina Sea Grant supports research 

 projects, a 15-member extension program and a 

 communications staff. Ron Hodson is director. 

 The program is funded by the U.S. Department 

 of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

 Administration and the state through the 

 University of North Carolina. 

 Coastwatch (ISSN 1068-784X) 

 is published six times a year by the 

 North Carolina Sea Grant College Program, 

 North Carolina State University, Box 8605, 

 Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-8605. 

 Telephone: 919/515-2454. Fax: 919/515-7095. 

 Subscriptions are $15. 

 E-mail: katie_mosher@ncsu.edu 

 World Wide Web address: 

 http://www.ncseagrant.org 

 Periodical Postage paid at Raleigh, N.C. 



POSTMASTER: Send address changes to 



Coastwatch, North Carolina Sea Grant, 

 North Carolina State University, Box 8605, 

 Raleigh, NC 27695-8605. 



New Peptide Antibiotic 

 Isolated from American Oyster 



Nc 



Jorth Carolina 

 Sea Grant researchers 

 have isolated a new 

 peptide antibiotic 

 from the American 

 oyster that may have 

 implications for 

 managing many oyster 

 diseases. 



The new 

 antimicrobial peptide 

 "American oyster 

 defensin" (AOD) may 

 protect against bacteria 

 in Crassostrea virgmica, a 

 species native to North 

 Carolina and also 

 economically important 

 to Atlantic and Gulf 

 Coast fisheries. 



"This peptide may 

 be helpful in selecting 

 disease-resistant oysters 

 for aquaculture and fisheries and also may 

 allow for the development of a test to monitor 

 oyster health," says Ed Noga, of the North 

 Carolina State University College of Veterinary 

 Medicine. "In recent years, a number of 

 pathogens, especially bacteria and parasites, 

 have devastated American oyster populations." 



The research findings appear in the Dec. 

 30 issue of Biochemical and Biophysical Research 

 Communications. 



Pathogens such as Dermo (Perkinsus 

 marinus) have caused major decreases in oyster 

 productivity. And bacterial pathogens — such 



ABOVE: Shellfish harvesters must cope with various oyster 

 diseases. A new peptide antibiotic may bring hope. 



as Vibrio vulnificus, 

 which can cause a 

 food-borne illness 

 — are a human 

 health concern, 

 according to Noga. 



This is the first 

 time that researchers 

 have isolated an 

 antimicrobial peptide 

 from any oyster 

 species, Noga adds. 



NC State 

 veterinary medicine 

 postdoctoral 

 research associate 

 Jung-Kil Seo, as 

 well as scientists 

 J. Myron Crawford 

 and Kathryn L. Stone 

 of Yale University's 

 Keck Biotechnology 

 Resource Laboratory, 

 collaborated with Noga on the study. 



"The results may be used to better 

 understand the innate immune system of 

 American oysters and to enhance research to 

 protect it from important microbial infections," 

 Noga explains. "Further studies are needed 

 to identify sites of synthesis and storage of 

 AOD and determine mechanisms affecting its 

 regulation." 



To read the article, visit the Web: www. 

 sciencedirect.com and search "Journals" for 

 Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 



-A.G. 



Seat™ 



North Carolina 



Cover photo of aquaculture nets and 

 Table of Contents photo of rope 

 by Scott Taylor. 



Printed on recycled paper. © 



2 Coastwatch I Winter 2006 I www.ncseciffrant.org 



In the Next Issue of Coastwatch 



"The Great Dismal Swamp is known for its mystery — 

 join Ann Green on a scenic trip along the Dismal Swamp Canal. 

 Erin Seiling introduces readers to three N.C. Fishery Resource Grant research 

 teams studying southern flounder populations. And Kathleen Angione alerts 

 beachgoers to beach vitex, an invasive dune plant now found in the Carolinas. 



