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. These arrays help identify desirable traits and separate cultivated oysters from wild ones. The arrays also include markers for pathogen detection and mitochondrial identification. Despite challenges like low marker conversion rates due to genetic diversity, the arrays significantly enhance genetic research and breeding efforts for eastern oysters. They offer insights into traits, aid in selecting desirable stocks, and could even help in oyster restoration efforts.
Jonathan Puritz
Associate Professor of Marine Evolutionary Biology
My research interests include marine population genomics, seascape genomcis, and bioinformatics