Thar she blows! A novel method for DNA collection from cetacean blow.
BACKGROUND: Molecular tools are now widely used to address crucial management and conservation questions. To date, dart biopsying has been the most commonly used method for collecting genetic data from cetaceans; however, this method has some drawbacks. Dart biopsying is considered inappropriate for...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2010-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC2928266?pdf=render |
| _version_ | 1828857877134049280 |
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| author | Céline H Frère Ewa Krzyszczyk Eric M Patterson Sue Hunter Alison Ginsburg Janet Mann |
| author_facet | Céline H Frère Ewa Krzyszczyk Eric M Patterson Sue Hunter Alison Ginsburg Janet Mann |
| author_sort | Céline H Frère |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BACKGROUND: Molecular tools are now widely used to address crucial management and conservation questions. To date, dart biopsying has been the most commonly used method for collecting genetic data from cetaceans; however, this method has some drawbacks. Dart biopsying is considered inappropriate for young animals and has recently come under scrutiny from ethical boards, conservationists, and the general public. Thus, identifying alternative genetic collection techniques for cetaceans remains a priority, especially for internationally protected species. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In this study, we investigated whether blow-sampling, which involves collecting exhalations from the blowholes of cetaceans, could be developed as a new less invasive method for DNA collection. Our current methodology was developed using six bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, housed at the National Aquarium, Baltimore (USA), from which we were able to collect both blow and blood samples. For all six individuals, we found that their mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA profile taken from blow, matched their corresponding mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA profile collected from blood. This indicates that blow-sampling is a viable alternative method for DNA collection. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: In this study, we show that blow-sampling provides a viable and less invasive method for collection of genetic data, even for small cetaceans. In contrast to dart biopsying, the advantage of this method is that it capitalizes on the natural breathing behaviour of dolphins and can be applied to even very young dolphins. Both biopsy and blow-sampling require close proximity of the boat, but blow-sampling can be achieved when dolphins voluntarily bow-ride and involves no harmful contact. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T01:45:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a6d4b875eab944e9b18935cd6e2b4290 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T01:45:24Z |
| publishDate | 2010-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-a6d4b875eab944e9b18935cd6e2b42902022-12-22T00:03:39ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032010-01-0158e1229910.1371/journal.pone.0012299Thar she blows! A novel method for DNA collection from cetacean blow.Céline H FrèreEwa KrzyszczykEric M PattersonSue HunterAlison GinsburgJanet MannBACKGROUND: Molecular tools are now widely used to address crucial management and conservation questions. To date, dart biopsying has been the most commonly used method for collecting genetic data from cetaceans; however, this method has some drawbacks. Dart biopsying is considered inappropriate for young animals and has recently come under scrutiny from ethical boards, conservationists, and the general public. Thus, identifying alternative genetic collection techniques for cetaceans remains a priority, especially for internationally protected species. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In this study, we investigated whether blow-sampling, which involves collecting exhalations from the blowholes of cetaceans, could be developed as a new less invasive method for DNA collection. Our current methodology was developed using six bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, housed at the National Aquarium, Baltimore (USA), from which we were able to collect both blow and blood samples. For all six individuals, we found that their mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA profile taken from blow, matched their corresponding mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA profile collected from blood. This indicates that blow-sampling is a viable alternative method for DNA collection. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: In this study, we show that blow-sampling provides a viable and less invasive method for collection of genetic data, even for small cetaceans. In contrast to dart biopsying, the advantage of this method is that it capitalizes on the natural breathing behaviour of dolphins and can be applied to even very young dolphins. Both biopsy and blow-sampling require close proximity of the boat, but blow-sampling can be achieved when dolphins voluntarily bow-ride and involves no harmful contact.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC2928266?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Céline H Frère Ewa Krzyszczyk Eric M Patterson Sue Hunter Alison Ginsburg Janet Mann Thar she blows! A novel method for DNA collection from cetacean blow. PLoS ONE |
| title | Thar she blows! A novel method for DNA collection from cetacean blow. |
| title_full | Thar she blows! A novel method for DNA collection from cetacean blow. |
| title_fullStr | Thar she blows! A novel method for DNA collection from cetacean blow. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Thar she blows! A novel method for DNA collection from cetacean blow. |
| title_short | Thar she blows! A novel method for DNA collection from cetacean blow. |
| title_sort | thar she blows a novel method for dna collection from cetacean blow |
| url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC2928266?pdf=render |
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