Abstract
This thesis has two primary objectives: (1) to identify and optimise a high-throughput, cost-effective method for methylome profiling and (2) to apply this technique to investigate the epigenetic responses of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) subjected to temperature stress. Rising ocean temperatures pose a significant challenge to the Chinook salmon aquaculture industry, necessitating a deeper understanding of how environmental stressors influence fish at the molecular level. DNA methylation, an epigenetic modification, plays a key role in gene regulation and can be altered in response to environmental stress. By profiling the methylome of temperature-stressed Chinook salmon, this study aims to understand the epigenetic mechanisms underlying their stress responses. The development and validation of a scalable, high-throughput methylome profiling technique are essential for broader applications in aquaculture and other large-scale biological studies.