Seawater carbonate chemistry and gene expression, shell formation in larval Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas)

Background: Despite recent work to characterize gene expression changes associated with larval development in oysters, the mechanism by which the larval shell is first formed is still largely unknown. In Crassostrea gigas, this shell forms within the first 24 h post fertilization, and it has been demonstrated that changes in water chemistry can cause delays in shell formation, shell deformations and higher mortality rates. In this study, we use the delay in shell formation associated with exposure to CO2-acidified seawater to identify genes correlated with initial shell deposition.