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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Newport, Oregon » Pacific Shellfish Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #424073
Research Project: Improving the Sustainability and Productivity of Shellfish Culture in Pacific Estuaries

Location: Pacific Shellfish Research Unit

Title: Improving hatchery efficiency: New insights into sex determination in Pacific oysters

Author
item Calla, Bernarda
item SONG, JINGWEI - Oregon State University
item YEATS, MARK - Oregon State University

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/10/2024
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Achieving a better understanding of the sex determination process has many potential practical applications. For example, this information can be used to manipulate sex and fertility outcomes resulting in more efficient use of resources by balancing sex ratios in our broodstock. In addition, this knowledge will inform the development of tools aimed to preventing oysters from heavily investing metabolic and energy resources in reproduction, a known cause of summer mortalities. We have screened mantle tissues for signals of early sex determination using RNA and DNA sequencing. Results from these screenings will be presented.

Technical Abstract: We are investigating the mechanisms of sex determination and differentiation in the Pacific oyster Magallana gigas (previously Crassostrea gigas), a sequential hermaphrodite. Despite many studies aimed to identify the factors that lead Pacific oysters to express male or female phenotypes, there is still a very incomplete understanding of the specific causes and molecular mechanisms driving sex expression in this species. Achieving a better understanding of the sex determination process has many potential practical applications. For example, this information can be used to manipulate sex and fertility outcomes resulting in more efficient use of resources by balancing sex ratios in our broodstock. In addition, this knowledge will inform the development of tools aimed to preventing oysters from heavily investing metabolic and energy resources in reproduction, a known cause of summer mortalities. We have screened mantle tissues for signals of early sex determination using RNA and DNA sequencing. Results from these screenings will be presented.