People

Education

Ph.D. 1991 University of Washington (Seattle)
M.S. 1987 University of Washington (Seattle)
B.S. 1983 Ocean University of China (Qingdao)

Research Interests

My research is on the genetics and reproduction of marine molluscs.  I am interested in genetic mechanisms of molluscan development and reproduction, and their applications in the improvement of cultured molluscs. Currently, research in my lab is focused on three areas: 1) selective breeding for disease-resistance and superior growth; 2) the development of triploids, tetraploids and other genetic constructs that are important for aquaculture and genetic analyses; and 3) genomic studies towards a better understanding of the genome organization and inheritance of economically important traits. I am also interested in mechanisms of genome evolution and the involvement of meiosis, sex and chromosomal changes.

Current Research Projects

• GIGASNP: Genetic and physical mapping of the Pacific oyster genome in support of an international sequencing initiative. (USDA/NRI Animal Genomics Tools, with University of Southern California).

• Validation of disease-resistance markers for marker-assisted selection in the eastern oyster. (NOAA Sea Grant Oyster Disease Research Program)

• Marker-assisted breeding technology for the eastern oyster. (New Jersey Sea Grant)

• Development of JOD-resistant lines and markers for eastern oyster aquaculture. (USDA NRAC with University of Rhode Island)

• Collaborative research: field and modeling studies in support of understanding disease resistance in estuarine populations and response to climate change. (National Science Foundation)

• Enhanced growth and disease-resistance of the eastern oyster by interstrain hybridization and triploidy. (NOAA Sea Grant Oyster Disease Research Program)

• Genetic and ecological structures of oyster estuaries in China and factors affecting success of Crassostrea ariakensis: clues from a reclassification. (NOAA/NMFS CBO Non-native Oyster Research Program)

Selected Publications

Wang, H. and X. Guo. 2008. Identification of Crassostrea ariakensis and related oysters by multiplex species-specific PCR. J. Shellfish Res., 27(3):481-487.

Wang, Y. and X. Guo. 2008. ITS length polymorphism in oysters and its potential use in species identification. J. Shellfish Res., 27(3):489-493.

Guo, X., Y. Wang, L. Wang and J-H Lee. 2008. Oysters. Pp 161 – 175 in: Genome Mapping and Genomics in Fishes and Aquatic Animals, Thomas D. Kocher & Chittaranjan Kole (Eds), Springer, Berlin.

Guo, X., Y. Wang and Z. Xu. 2007. Genomic analyses using fluorescent in situ hybridization. In: Aquaculture Genome Technologies, Zhanjiang (John) Liu (ed), Blackwell Publishing, Ames, pp. 289-311.

Wang, Y. and X. Guo. 2007. Development and characterization of EST-SSR markers in the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica. Marine Biotechnology, 9, 500–511.

Yu, Z. and X. Guo. 2006. Identification and mapping of disease-resistance QTL in the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica Gmelin. Aquaculture, 254:160-170.

Wang, Y., Z. Xu. J.C. Pierce and X. Guo. 2005. Characterization of eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica Gmelin) chromosomes by fluorescence in situ hybridization with bacteriophage P1 clones. Marine Biotechnology, 7:207-214.

Wang, Y. and X. Guo, 2004. Chromosomal rearrangement in Pectinidae revealed by rRNA loci and implications for bivalve evolution. Biol. Bull., 207:247-256.

Wang, H., X. Guo, G. Zhang and F. Zhang. 2004. Classification of jinjiang oysters Crassostrea rivularis (Gould, 1861) from China, based on morphology and phylogenetic analysis. Aquaculture, 242:137-155.

Tanguy, A., X. Guo and S.E. Ford. 2004. Discovery of genes expressed in response to Perkinsus marinus challenge in eastern (Crassostrea virginica) and Pacific (C. gigas) oysters. Gene, 338:121-131.

Wang, Y., Z. Xu and X. Guo. 2004. Differences in the rDNA-bearing chromosome divide the Asian-Pacific and Atlantic species of Crassostrea (Bivalvia, Mollusca). Biol. Bull., 206:46-54.

Gong, N., H. Yang, G. Zhang, B.J. Landau and X. Guo. 2004. Chromosome inheritance in autotriploid Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas Thunberg. Heredity, 93:408-415.

Yu, Z. and X. Guo. 2003. Genetic linkage map of the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica Gmelin. Biol. Bull. 204: 327–338.

Guo, X., D. Hedgecock, W.K. Hershberger, K. Cooper and S.K. Allen, Jr.  1998. Genetic determinants of protandric sex in Crassostrea oyster.  Evolution, 52(2):394-402.

Guo, X., G. DeBrosse and S.K. Allen, Jr. 1996.  All-triploid Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas Thunberg) produced by mating tetraploids and diploids.  Aquaculture, 142:149-161.

Guo, X. and S.K. Allen, Jr. 1994.  Sex determination and polyploid gigantism in the dwarf-surf clam, Mulinia lateralis Say.  Genetics, 138:1199-1206.

Courses Taught

Aquaculture, 11:628:317

Current Students

Hong Yu, visiting Ph.D. student from Ocean University of China, working on the identification and mapping of genes related to survival in the eastern oyster.

Haiyang Yu, visiting Ph.D. student from Ocean University of China, working on the characterization of host-defense genes in the eastern oyster.

Ming Li, MS student, Hainan University, working on chromosomal evolution.

Current Postdocs

Dr. Yongping Wang, Research Associate, oyster genetics and genomics

Dr. Liusuo Zhang, Postdoctoral Associate, mapping of disease-resistance QTLs

Dr. Takane Okimoto, Visiting Scientist, Shimane University (Japan), oyster genetics.