Project background
This project is working to remove specific barriers to developing genetic tools that could help control zebra mussels - one of Minnesota’s most damaging aquatic invasive species. A major step toward that goal is learning how to reliably raise zebra mussels through their full life cycle in the lab, which has never been done before. To achieve this, the research team will identify the microbes that veligers (the microscopic larval stage of zebra mussels) eat in the wild, using DNA sequencing and microscopy to pinpoint which microbes support healthy growth. These microbes will then be cultured and tested to determine which diets help veligers survive and reach the juvenile stage. This breakthrough alone would open the door to more advanced research and new control options.
Alongside this work, researchers will begin building a genetic toolkit for zebra mussels by identifying the DNA “switches” that turn genes on and off and by uncovering how sex is determined in this species. Using genomic sequencing, gene expression analyses, and reporter assays, the team will pinpoint regulatory elements and sex-linked genes that are important for developing tools like gene drives or other targeted genetic controls. Combined, these efforts will lay a critical foundation for future biocontrol strategies, giving managers more flexible, precise, and scalable options as technical and regulatory landscapes evolve.
Activities
Identify and test the natural microbes and particle sizes that zebra mussel veligers eat by combining DNA sequencing, microscopy, and feeding trials to determine which diets best support their survival to the juvenile stage.
Identify the DNA switches that control gene activity and uncover how sex is determined in zebra mussels by combining gene expression studies, fluorescent reporter tests, and genome-wide sequencing; key steps toward enabling future genetic control tools.