The scans of common crucian carp (upper) and the new variety without intermuscular fishbones by Micro Computed Tomography (Micro-CT). (Heilongjiang River Fisheries Research Institute/Handout via Xinhua)
BEIJING, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese biologists have cultivated a new variety of crucian carp without intermuscular fishbones, making the popular freshwater fish easier to eat.
The project cultivated this new variety through gene editing, carried out by a research group from the Heilongjiang River Fisheries Research Institute under the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS), and was recently approved by experts, the Science and Technology Daily reported on Tuesday.
Belonging to the carp family, the crucian carp is famous for its tender meat and delicious taste. But its intermuscular bones, which are too small to pick out from the flesh, are easily caught in the throat when the fish is eaten and are difficult for industrial processing.
The research group located the key gene that controls the development of intermuscular fishbones from over 1,600 related candidates, and used gene-editing technology to cultivate generations of this new variety.
In 2021, the group cultivated a generation that can pass on the new genetic traits to offspring and develop as normally as the common crucian carp.
The experts from institutions including CAFS and the Chinese Academy of Sciences said they believe that this progress is a major breakthrough in the quality improvement of the carp family. They are hopeful that this will help solve the problem of small bones in edible freshwater fish and have a profound impact on the future consumption of aquatic products. ■