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Adult oysters were also collected from various sites in Narragansett Bay in 2017 and 2020. Tissue samples were taken, and DNA was extracted for sequencing. Environmental data like temperature, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen, and chlorophyll-a concentrations were recorded at each site, and the influence of nearby sewage effluent was assessed.Probes created from the larval oyster mRNA were used to capture specific gene regions in the adult oysters’ DNA. This allowed researchers to study the genetic response to the environmental stressors: coastal acidification and sewage effluent. The objectives of the study were to identify genetic loci under selection, analyze how environmental factors influence these loci, and understand the genetic adaptation from larval to adult stages in response to coastal stressors.

The advent of next-generation sequencing (NGS) has rapidly transcended population genetics to population genomics. Current research focuses on adopting next-generation sequencing technology and embracing an ever-adapting genomic toolkit to take advantage of this unprecedented amount of genetic data.

The eastern oyster, a crucial species for US aquaculture, benefits from improved breeding techniques. The Eastern Oyster Breeding Consortium created two SNP arrays to aid in genetic studies. One array, with 566K SNPs, is for screening, while the other, with 66K SNPs, is for breeders’ use.

During the summer of 2017, preliminary exposure trials were conducted using larvae from the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica). Wild adult broodstock were collected from Ipswich, MA and Barnstable, MA, and brought into the lab and conditioned for several weeks.

The eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, now has its first complete chromosome-level genome assembly. Released and annotated in 2017, this genome is over 97% complete and serves as a vital resource for studying how mollusks adapt to changing environments and for improving selective breeding in aquaculture.