The Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded Washington State University a $1,300,000 Project Grant under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative competitive grants program. The grant will fund the Decode the Salmonid Genome Project, a research effort aimed at characterizing genome function in rainbow trout to gain insights that can improve agricultural animal production, human and animal health, and species conservation.
Through large-scale genome editing of trout populations using CRISPR technology, the project will evaluate over 1,000 genetic locations to identify those influencing key traits like growth, thermal tolerance, and hypoxia tolerance. A national gene-edited trout resource and screening methods will be established to accelerate discovery of trait-linked genes. Insights on conserved mechanisms could benefit other sectors. Results are expected to advance understanding of salmonid biology and genetics underlying important aquaculture traits, with outcomes through June 2028.
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