Evaluating beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) blow samples as a potential diagnostic for immune function gene expression within the respiratory system.

ABSTRACT: Evaluating respiratory health is important in the management of cetaceans, which are vulnerable to respiratory diseases. Quantifying the expression of genes related to immune function within the respiratory tract could be a valuable tool for directly assessing respiratory health. Blow (exhale) samples allow DNA analysis, and we hypothesized that RNA could also be isolated from blow samples for gene expression studies of immune function. We evaluated the potential to extract RNA from beluga blow samples and tested whether transcripts associated with immune function could be detected with endpoint polymerase chain reaction. A total of 54 blow samples were collected from clinically healthy aquarium belugas (n = 3), and 15 were collected from wild belugas temporarily restrained for heal

SUBMITTER: Richard JT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9252111 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature