Investigation of immune priming in Oyster to prevent the Pacific Oyster Mortality Syndrome – PRIMOYSTER

Long-term immunization methods have long been considered impossible to implement in invertebrates due to a lack of a vertebrate-like adaptive immune system. However, recent advancement has shown that innate immunity can too develop memory mechanisms allowing for efficient protection against pathogens and called immune priming (IP). The PRIMOYSTER project, based on previous results demonstrating the ability of oysters to develop antiviral IP, proposes a research framework to extend our knowledge on these mechanisms and to ultimately assess the feasibility of implementing this alternative strategy to control recurrent viral disease currently threatening the global Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas industry. We will investigate (i) the optimal method to apply antiviral IP (ii) the cellular, molecular, epigenetic bases of these phenomenon, (iii) the risks associated with this application, impact of IP on oyster fitness, holobiont homeostasis, disease dynamic, and feasibility in a farming context, (iv) and evaluate the potential impact of this innovation on the social ecological system of oyster industry and ensure the active involvement of different stakeholder groups in the research and development process.