Transcriptomic profiling of Caligus rogercresseyi collected from Atlantic salmon families with contrasting resistance to sea lice infestation
This project investigates the transcriptomic responses of the sea louse Caligus rogercresseyi associated with Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) families displaying contrasting phenotypes of resistance to sea lice infestation. Adult sea lice were collected from susceptible (S), acquired lice-resistant (ALR), and resistant (R) salmon families following an experimental selective breeding challenge. Total RNA was extracted and sequenced using the Illumina NovaSeq platform to characterize differential gene expression associated with host resistance. These data provide a resource for understanding parasite molecular responses to host genetic background and selective breeding for sea lice resistance in salmon aquaculture.