Photo credit Jennifer Polinski

The American lobster, Homarus americanus, is an iconic species that is integral to marine ecosystems and supports an important commercial fishery in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean. The lobster also serves as a valuable model organism for the study of neural networks that control rhythmic motor patterns and olfaction.

At GMGI, we are working in collaboration with researchers at Tufts University, Johns Hopkins University, the University of Florida, and Dalhousie University, to sequence the genome of the American lobster. The lobster genome will serve as the foundation of research to assess population structure as well as the genetic underpinnings of susceptibility to disease and adaptation to environmental change. In addition, the lobster genome will facilitate breakthroughs in basic research, especially in deciphering complex traits underlying nervous system function and longevity.

Polinski, J.M., Zimin, A.V., Clark, K.F., Kohn, A.B., Sadowski, N., Timp, W., Ptitsyn, A., Khanna, P., Romanova, D.Y., Williams, P., Greenwood, S.J., Moroz, L.L., Walt, D.R. and Bodnar, A.G. (2021) The American lobster genome reveals insights on longevity, neural, and immune adaptations. Science Advances Vol. 7, no. 26, eabe8290 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abe8290 https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/7/26/eabe8290

Principal Investigator: Dr. Andrea Bodnar