Genomics of Cultured Species: From Gene Discovery to Functional Mechanisms

The advent of molecular methods to investigate the complex interworking of the entire genome (transcriptomics) lead to the wide application of these tools in a variety of species and to investigations of a large suite of biological responses to what is best described as environmental challenges. This decade of discovery has lead to certain commonalities in the molecular pathways organisms employ to deal with the biotic and abiotic environment. While the effort has been informative, transcriptomics also provides us with potential insights into the physiological and developmental mechanisms, by which this adaptation or acclimation might occur. In this presentation we will examine the impact of environmental conditions and disease on gene expression in the oyster, Crassostrea virginica and to a limited extent the impact of environmental conditions on gene expression in Perkinus.