International Journal of Marine Science, 2025, Vol.15, No.5, 233-244 http://www.aquapublisher.com/index.php/ijms 242 8.2 Genomics tools in environmental monitoring and protection Analytical methods based on genomic structural variation can be used for environmental adaptability monitoring and conservation management of oyster populations. In terms of environmental monitoring, the structural variation spectrum carried by oyster populations in different sea areas can be used as "natural biosensors" to reflect the history and intensity of local environmental pressure. For example, by comparing the genome of an oyster population in a region before and after industrialization, if the frequency of structural variations related to pollution resistance or high temperature is found to increase significantly, it means that oysters in this region are responding to environmental stress. For the restoration of oyster reef ecosystems, structural variation analysis can also provide guidance: individuals with high structural variation diversity can be selected for artificial proliferation and release to improve the reconstructed population adaptability. In terms of species conservation, it is crucial to focus on the preservation of key adaptive structural variations of oysters. In the context of climate change, if an oyster population in a certain region lacks high-temperature-resistant HSP amplification variation, then the population may be more vulnerable when extreme heat waves hit. Protectors can take measures accordingly, such as introducing individuals with relevant variants from heat-resistant populations to enhance genetic diversity, or providing shelter for populations in the region to survive the high temperature period. 8.3 Promote the application of gene editing and synthetic biology in shellfish research The in-depth research on genomic structural variation also provides targets and inspiration for future improvement of oyster stress-resistant traits through gene editing. In recent years, gene editing technologies such as CRISPR/Cas9 have been successfully applied to basic research on marine shellfish such as oysters. In 2019, Chinese researchers developed a method based on the direct injection of fertilized eggs based on the ribonucleoprotein complex, achieving efficient gene site-directed knockout in Pacific oysters. They chose genes such as muscle growth inhibitor (MSTN) and Twist for knockout, and successfully obtained oyster larvae with deletion mutations. This proves that oyster genome editing is feasible. Going forward, we can consider simulating or introducing favorable structural variations to improve oyster traits. Gene editing means are used to target the amplification of the copy number of certain stress-resistant genes, or insert enhanced regulatory elements at artificially designed positions, thereby improving the heat and salt resistance of oysters. This is actually accelerating the structural variation that may take thousands of years to accumulate in natural evolution, through synthetic biology. Acknowledgments Thanks to Chen J. of Cuixi Biotechnology Research Institute for patient guidance on research ideas and paper revisions, and also thanks to colleagues for their help in experiments and discussions. Conflict of Interest Disclosure The authors confirm that the study was conducted without any commercial or financial relationships and could be interpreted as a potential conflict of interest. References Bai Y., Liu S., Hu Y., Yu H., Kong L., Xu C., and Li Q., 2023, Neo-functionalization and co-option of Pif genes facilitate the evolution of a novel shell microstructure in oysters, bioRxiv, 24: 05. https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.05.22.541698 Biet T.T., Park S.J., Park H.K., Park D., and Choi Y.H., 2023, mtCO1-based population structure and genetic diversity of Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas populations acquired from two farms in South Korea, Israeli Journal of Aquaculture-Bamidgeh, 75(2): 1-11. https://doi.org/10.46989/001c.87672 Chen L., Zhang X., Wang Z., Li Z., Yu F., Shi H., Xue C., Xue Y., and Zhang H., 2021, Proteomics analysis of Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) under acute and longer-term chronic salinity stress treatment as examined by label-free mass spectrometry, Aquaculture, 551: 737868. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2021.737868 Ding F., Li A., Cong R., Wang X., Wang W., Que H., Zhang G., and Li L., 2020, The phenotypic and the genetic response to the extreme high temperature provides new insight into thermal tolerance for the Pacific Oyster Crassostrea gigas, Frontiers in Marine Science, 7: 399. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.00399 Guo X., Li C., Wang H., and Xu Z., 2018, Diversity and evolution of living oysters, Journal of Shellfish Research, 37: 755-771. https://doi.org/10.2983/035.037.0407
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