Marine Scotland Science: directory

Dr Alastair McBeath

Telephone: +44 (0)131 244 3524

E-mail: alastair.mcbeath@gov.scot

Address: Marine Laboratory, 375 Victoria Road, Aberdeen, AB11 9DB, Scotland, UK

Research interests

I am currently not heavily involved in research after to my appointment as Health & Safety Advisor for Marine Scotland Science. However, in my previous role my research mainly concerned viral diseases of fish that are important in Scottish aquaculture. My work was primarily focussed on the economically important pathogen infectious salmon anaemia virus (ISAV). This virus has caused two financially damaging outbreaks in Atlantic salmon aquaculture in Scotland (1998 and 2008), and a non-virulent strain has also been found in circulation. My research aimed to improve the knowledge as to why different strains of ISAV cause varying disease severity with the ultimate goal of providing further insight into the non-virulent strain that at present cannot be propagated in the laboratory.My ultimate objective was to contribute to the scientific knowledge to ensure the successful control of pathogens, with a particular focus on viruses and hereby assist the growth of the aquaculture industry.

Collaborations

In my previous role I was part of a collaboration of scientists from Norway and the Faroe Islands who shared similar research goals regarding ISAV. Together we produced multiple publications in the peer-reviewed scientific press that provided important information on ISAV which is of mutual benefit to our respective industries

External committees and responsibilities

In my previous role I supervised or co-supervised students from BSc Hons to PhD level from both the University of Aberdeen and the Robert Gordon University. I occasionally perform peer-reviews for several different scientific publications.

Publications

• Christiansen DH, McBeath AJA, Aamelfot M, Matejusova I, Fourrier M, White P, Petersen PE, Falk K (2017).  First field evidence of the evolution from a non-virulent HPR0 to a virulent HPR-deleted infectious salmon anaemia virus. .J Gen Virol. 2017 Apr;98(4):595-606. Aamelfot M, Christiansen DH, Dale OB, McBeath A, Benestad SL, Falk K (2016) Localised infection of Atlantic salmon epithelial cells by HPR0 infectious salmon anaemia virus. PLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0151723 March 21, 2016

• Matejusova, I., Noguera, P.A., Hall, M., McBeath, A.J.A., Urquhart, K., Simons, J., Fordyce, M.J., Lester, K., Ho, Y.M., Murray, W., Bruno, D.W. (2016). Susceptibility of goldsinny wrasse, Ctenolabrus rupestris L. (Labridae), to viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) genotype III: experimental challenge and pathology. Veterinary Microbiology 186; 164-173.

• Fourrier M., Lester K., Markussen, T., Falk, K., Secombes C.J., McBeath, A., and  Collet B. (2015). Dual mutation events in the haemagglutinin-esterase and F protein from an Infectious salmon anaemia virus HPR0 genotype promote viral fusion and activation by an ubiquitous host protease. PLoS One Oct 30;10(10).

• *Aamelfot, M., *McBeath, A., Christiansen, D., Matejusova, I. and Falk, K. (2015). Infectious salmon anaemia virus (ISAV) mucosal infection in Atlantic salmon. Veterinary Research 46:120.

• Aamelfot, M., Dale, O. B., McBeath, A., Falk, K. (2015). Host tropism of infectious salmon anaemia virus (ISAV) in marine and freshwater fish species. Journal of Fish Diseases 38(8):687-94.

Full publications list

• Aamelfot M, Christiansen DH, Dale OB, McBeath A, Benestad SL, Falk K (2016) Localised infection of Atlantic salmon epithelial cells by HPR0 infectious salmon anaemia virus. PLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0151723 March 21, 2016

• Matejusova, I., Noguera, P.A., Hall, M., McBeath, A.J.A., Urquhart, K., Simons, J., Fordyce, M.J., Lester, K., Ho, Y.M., Murray, W., Bruno, D.W. (2016). Susceptibility of goldsinny wrasse, Ctenolabrus rupestris L. (Labridae), to viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) genotype III: experimental challenge and pathology. Veterinary Microbiology 186; 164-173.

• Fourrier M., Lester K., Markussen, T., Falk, K., Secombes C.J., McBeath, A., and  Collet B. (2015). Dual mutation events in the haemagglutinin-esterase and F protein from an Infectious salmon anaemia virus HPR0 genotype promote viral fusion and activation by an ubiquitous host protease. PLoS One Oct 30;10(10).

• *Aamelfot, M., *McBeath, A., Christiansen, D., Matejusova, I. and Falk, K. (2015). Infectious salmon anaemia virus (ISAV) mucosal infection in Atlantic salmon. Veterinary Research 46:120.

• Aamelfot, M., Dale, O. B., McBeath, A., Falk, K. (2015). Host tropism of infectious salmon anaemia virus (ISAV) in marine and freshwater fish species. Journal of Fish Diseases. 38(8):687-94.

• *McBeath, A.,*Aamelfot, M., Christiansen, D., Matejusova, I., Markussen, T., Dale, O. B., Weli, S. and Falk, K. (2015). Immersion challenge with low and highly virulent infectious salmon anaemia virus reveals different pathogenesis in Atlantic salmon. Journal of Fish Diseases 38(1):3-15.

• McBeath, A., Ho, Y.M., Aamelfot, M., Hall, M., Christiansen, D., Markussen, T., Falk, K. and Matejusova, I. (2014). Low virulent infectious salmon anaemia virus (ISAV) replicates and initiates the immune response earlier than a highly virulent virus in Atlantic salmon gills. Veterinary Research 45:83

• McBeath, A. 2014. Studying ISA, the International Way. Fish Farmer Magazine: 37(5 - September/October): 40

• Fourrier M., Lester K., Thoen E., Mikalsen A., Evensen Ø., Falk K., Collet B. and McBeath, A., (2014). Deletions in the Highly Polymorphic Region (HPR) of Infectious Salmon Anaemia Virus HPR0 haemagglutinin-esterase enhance viral fusion and influence the interaction with the fusion protein. Journal of General Virology, 95(5): 1015-1024.

• Pert, C.C., Fryer, R.J., Cook, P., Kilburn, R., McBeath, S., McBeath, A., Matejusova, I., Urquhart, K., Weir, S.J., McCarthy, U., Collins, C., Amundrud, T. & Bricknell, I.R. (2014). Using sentinel cages to estimate infestation pressure on salmonids from sea lice in Loch Shieldaig, Scotland. Aquaculture Environment Interactions, 5: 49-59.

• Hall, M., R.J Smith, E.S Munro, I Matejusova, C.E.T Allan, A.G Murray, S.J Duguid, N.K.G. Salama, A McBeath, I.S. Wallace, N. Bain, M. Marcos-Lopez, and R.S Raynard. (2013). Epidemiology and Control of an Outbreak of Viral Haemorrhagic Septicaemia in Wrasse Around Shetland Commencing 2012. Scottish Marine and Freshwater Science 4 (3):49.

• McBeath, A., Bain, N., Fourrier, M., Collet, B. and Snow, M. (2013). A strand specific real-time RT-PCR method for the targeted detection of the three species (vRNA, cRNA and mRNA) of Infectious Salmon Anaemia Virus (ISAV) replicative RNA. Journal of Virological Methods, Jan;187(1):65-71.

• *McBeath, A., *Fourrier ,M., Munro, E., Falk, K. and Snow, M. (2011). Presence of a full length highly polymorphic region (HPR) in the ISAV haemagglutinin-esterase does not affect the primary functions of receptor binding and esterase activity. Archives of Virology, 156(12): 2285-2289.

• Penston, M.J., McBeath, A.J.A. and Millar, C.P. (2011). Densities of planktonic Lepeophtheirus salmonis before and after an Atlantic salmon farm relocation. Aquaculture Environment Interactions. 1: 225-232.

• Campbell, S., McBeath, A., Secombes, C., Snow, M. and Collet, B. (2011). Interferon response following infection with genetically similar isolates of viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) exhibiting contrasting virulence in rainbow trout. Fish and Shellfish Immunology, 30 (1): 287-294.

• McBeath, A., Bain, N. and Snow, M. (2009). Surveillance for infectious salmon anaemia virus HPR0 in marine Atlantic salmon farms across Scotland. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 87:3 161-169.

• Pan, M., McBeath, A., Hay, S., Pierce, G. J., & Cunningham, C. O. (2008). Real-time PCR assay for detection and relative quantification of Liocarcinus depurator larvae from plankton samples. Marine Biology 153 (5): 859-870.

• Matejusová, I., McKay, P., McBeath, A.J.A., Collet, B. & Snow, M. (2008). Development of a sensitive and controlled real-time RT-PCR assay to screen for the presence of viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) in the marine salmonid aquaculture industry in Scotland. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 80: 137-144.

• Collet, B., Bain, N., Prevost, S., Besinque, G., McBeath, A & Snow, M (2008). Isolation of an Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) Signal transducer and activator of transcription STAT-1 gene: kinetics of expression upon ISAV or IPNV infection. Fish & ShelIfish Immunology 25: 861-867.

• Lockhart, K., McBeath, A.J.A., Collet, B., Snow, M. and Ellis, A.E. (2007). Expression of Mx mRNA following infection with IPNV is greater in IPN-susceptible Atlantic salmon post-smolts than in IPN-resistant Atlantic salmon parr. Fish & Shellfish Immunology 22:151-156.

• McBeath A.J.A., Snow M., Secombes C.J., Ellis A.E. and Collet B. (2007). Expression kinetics of interferon and interferon-induced genes in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) following infection with infectious pancreatic necrosis virus and infectious salmon anaemia virus.  Fish and Shellfish Immunology 22, 230-241.

• McBeath, A.J.A., Penston, M.J., Snow, M., Cook, P.F., Bricknell I.R. and Cunningham, C.O. (2006). Development and application of real-time PCR for specific detection of Lepeophtheirus salmonis and Caligus elongatus larvae in Scottish plankton samples, Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 73:141-150.

• Snow, M., McKay, P., McBeath, A.J., Black, J., Doig, F., Kerr, R., Cunningham, C.O., Nylund, A. and Devold, M. (2006) Development, application and validation of a Taqman real-time RT-PCR assay for the detection of infectious salmon anaemia virus (ISAV) in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Dev Biol (Basel) 126, 133-45; discussion 325-6

• McBeath, A. J. A., Collet, B., Paley, R., Duraffour, S., Aspehaug, V., Biering, E., Secombes, C. J. and Snow, M. (2006) Identification of an interferon antagonist protein encoded by segment 7 of Infectious Salmon Anaemia Virus. Virus Research 115, 176-184.

• Matejusová, I., Gelnar, M., McBeath, A. J. A., Collins, C. M. & Cunningham, C. O. (2001). Molecular markers for gyrodactylids (Gyrodactylidae: Monogenea) from five fish families (Teleostei). International Journal for Parasitology 31(7), 738-745.

• McBeath, A. J. A., Burr, K. L-A. & Cunningham, C. O. (2000). Development and use of a DNA probe for confirmation of cDNA from Infectious Salmon Anaemia virus (ISAV) in PCR products. Bull. Eur. Assoc. Fish Pathol., 20(3) pp130 – 134.