Project description:Proteomic analysis of six tissues (liver, kidney, blubber, brain, muscle, skin) provided experimental confirmation of 10,402 proteins from 4,711 protein groups, almost 1/3 of the possible predicted proteins in the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) NCBI annotation (release 101), which is based on the recently completed NIST Tur_tru v1 genome assembly.
Project description:To determine what can the transcriptome tell us about populations of free-ranging bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus. Keywords: health assessment
Project description:Targeted approaches have been widely used to help explain physiological adaptations, but few studies have used non-targeted omics approaches to explore differences between diving marine mammals and terrestrial mammals. A rank comparison of undepleted serum proteins from common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and pooled normal human serum led to the discovery of 11 proteins that appeared exclusive to dolphin serum. For dolphin proteins that did not match human serum proteins, a second comparison was made with Yorkshire pig (Sus scrofa)serum proteins to determine whether phylogenetic differences in serum proteins could simply explain the differences between dolphin and human. Three out of 11 proteins that were considered unique to the dolphin high abundance serum proteome were ranked within the high abundance pig serum proteome. Compared to the comprehensive human plasma proteome, 5 of 11 serum proteins had a differential rank greater than 200. Major differences exist in the circulating blood proteome of the bottlenose dolphin compared to terrestrial mammals and exploration of these differences in bottlenose dolphins and other marine mammals may identify veiled protective strategies to counter physiological stress.
Project description:To determine what can the transcriptome tell us about populations of free-ranging bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus. Keywords: health assessment A total of 151 individuals were sampled from 4 different geographic location in U.S. waters between June of 2003 and June of 2006. Of the 151 dolphins, 59 were from Charleston, 35 from Indian River Lagoon, FL, 32 from Sarasota Bay, FL and 25 from St. Josephs Bay FL. Total RNA extracted from blood leukocytes of wild dolphins was analyzed and different sets of genes were used as classifiers in a machine learning approach, Artificial Neural Networks (ANN).
Project description:This study was designed to characterize and evaluate the proteome in plasma samples collected before and after a public swim interaction involving four male (2 to 6 y) aquarium-based bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Blood samples were collected from the tail flukes appoximately 15 min before (n=4 samples) and 15 min after (n=4 samples) the first swim interaction of the day, which was reinforced by a regularly scheduled feeding regimen. Samples were subjected to liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) as well as conventional clinical biochemistry analysis. Mass spectra data were used to search the NCBI database restricted to Tursiops truncatus which resulted in the identification of 196 unique proteins with a broad range of functional roles based on manual GO analysis. Differential regulation of proteins was based on log2 mean fold change (FC) and statistical probability such that the abundance of lysozyme (FC -1.2036; P<0.058) an immune-related protein and flavin reductase (FC -0.9702; P<0.004) a metabolic-related protein were highest before compared to after the swim interaction. Both proteins decreased by 58 and 52%, respectively.
Project description:Goal: To determine the effects of capture-release events in wild dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Methods: An analysis of the Peripheral Blood Leukocyte (PBL) transcriptome was conducted on a group of 20 animals. The samples were collected in 2 different locations along the US east coast (Charleston, SC; Indian River Lagoon, FL) and 2 blood samples were collected for each dolphin 1) immediately after the capture event (*pre*) and 2) just before the animal was released (*post*). In between *pre* and *post* blood collections (30-40 minutes) additional samples were collected from the animals for physiological, chemical and biochemical analysis. RNA extracted from *pre* and *post* blood samples was used for micorarray hybridizations and transcriptome analysis using a species-specific PBL cDNA microarray (Mancia *et al*., 2007). Keywords: blood cells (PBL)