The objective of this NOAA funded project is to use a minimally invasive sampling of lobster serum along with standard morphometric data as indicators of maturation and health of lobster populations.  The project will include experimentation and observation with PIT (Passive Identification Tag) tagged pound lobsters including correlating non-intrusive sampling of lobster weight, morphometrics, external eggs and serum protein development with molting cycle timing and ovarian development.  The non-intrusive data will be used to develop discriminant functions with which to predict molting cycle timing and ovarian development, two lobster attributes which have commercial value.  Field sampling to establish the utility of the techniques will follow.  The long term objective would be to allow a fisherman or technician to sample large catches or populations of lobsters with a sampling method that would not affect the commercial value of the animals, while allowing a maturation profile to be established which could predict the maturation state and perhaps health of the individual, catch or population.

The rotation project would involve column chromatographic purification of the major serum and egg storage proteins and development of polyclonal rabbit antisera against them plus characterization of the specificity of the antiserum. This project, given the past experience of the lab in purifying arthropod storage proteins, should take about 4 months on the short side; that is, one or two proteins could be purified quickly and rabbit immunization started within a few weeks.  Purification of more difficult proteins would continue during the two month immunization schedule.  This time schedule should give the rotation student experience in purifying proteins, making a polyclonal antiserum and characterizing the antiserum for use as a tool for measuring protein titer.  Potential for continued support of an interested graduate student is available within the NOAA grant.