AI helps uncover oyster DNA changes linked to climate resilience
While a colleague traveled along the East Coast from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico collecting oysters, Northeastern University bioinformatics graduate student Megha Prasad worked away at her computer. She zeroed in on DNA, the molecule containing instructions for making proteins that shape the critters' traits. It also holds the key to their adaptation to the changing climate.
In a cooperative effort between a bioinformatics graduate student at Northeastern University and conservationists, artificial intelligence has been employed to uncover genetic changes in oysters that could enhance their resilience to climate change. Megha Prasad, a senior student nearing completion of her degree, worked remotely analyzing oyster DNA sequences to identify mutations that contribute to adaptation.
Prasad developed new code to assist in the process, leveraging AI to spot promising genetic mutations related to resilience and disease resistance. Oysters, vital for coastal ecosystems and the seafood industry, have experienced declines due to overharvesting and habitat loss. Their adaptive traits, such as the production of heat shock proteins and improved disease resistance, are crucial for their survival in changing environments.
These traits are driven by genetic mutations, which are relatively common in oysters—28,000 genes compared to the 21,000 in humans. Prasad's work aims to help conservationists utilize this genetic diversity to restore oyster populations, leveraging the protective traits uncovered by the AI-assisted analysis.
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