Minnesota scientists map zebra mussel genome. Now to cripple them.

Jul 11, 20190

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Keegan Lund, an aquatic invasive species specialist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, held up the shell of a native mussel covered in zebra mussels he found while scuba diving at the bottom of White Bear Lake for an early detection survey. ] ANTHONY SOUFFLE

After years of meticulous research, scientists at the University of Minnesota have mapped the genome of the zebra mussel, unlocking endless possibilities to combat, control and learn from the invasive mussel that has taken hold throughout the Great Lakes region.

The map, pieced together from hundreds of millions of lines of genetic code, will allow researchers to pinpoint the exact genes that have allowed the mussel to thrive while upending the ecology of lakes not just across Minnesota and North America, but in Europe as well.

http://www.startribune.com/minnesota-scientists-map-genome-of-invasive-zebra-mussel/512555322/