Preliminary data suggested that not all Vibrio populations contain potential oyster pathogens. Moreover, within pathogen-containing populations (i.e., closely related, ecologically similar genotypes) pathogenicity potential ranges from non-virulent to highly virulent. Using Specific Pathogen Free (SPF) C. gigas oysters, we will test how efficiently different strains and genotypes survive and proliferate in the host, and what are their effects on host survival. These data will be correlated with genome analyses of 50s of strains used in these experimental infections to build hypotheses of gene function in the context of oyster pathogenesis
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