Baseline Gene Expression Levels in Falkland-Malvinas Island Penguins: Towards a New Monitoring Paradigm
Health diagnostics of wildlife have historically relied on the evaluation of select serum biomarkers and the identification of a contaminant or pathogen burden within specific tissues as an indicator of a level of insult. However, these approaches fail to measure the physiological reaction of the in...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2022-02-01
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| Series: | Life |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/12/2/258 |
| _version_ | 1797478659737518080 |
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| author | Lizabeth Bowen Shannon Waters Jeffrey L. Stott Ann Duncan Randi Meyerson Sarah Woodhouse |
| author_facet | Lizabeth Bowen Shannon Waters Jeffrey L. Stott Ann Duncan Randi Meyerson Sarah Woodhouse |
| author_sort | Lizabeth Bowen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Health diagnostics of wildlife have historically relied on the evaluation of select serum biomarkers and the identification of a contaminant or pathogen burden within specific tissues as an indicator of a level of insult. However, these approaches fail to measure the physiological reaction of the individual to stressors, thus limiting the scope of interpretation. Gene-based health diagnostics provide an opportunity for an alternate, whole-system, or holistic assessment of health, not only in individuals or populations but potentially in ecosystems. Seabirds are among the most threatened marine taxonomic groups in the world, with ~25% of this species currently listed as threatened or considered of special concern; among seabirds, the penguins (Family Spheniscidae) are the most threatened seabird Family. We used gene expression to develop baseline physiological indices for wild penguins in the Falkland-Malvinas Islands, and captive zoo penguins. We identified the almost complete statistical separation of penguin groups (gentoo Detroit Zoo, gentoo Falkland-Malvinas Islands, rockhopper Detroit Zoo, and rockhopper Falkland-Malvinas Islands) based on gene expression profiles. Implementation of long-term longitudinal studies would allow for the assessment of temporal increases or decreases of select transcripts and would facilitate interpretation of the drivers of change. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:35:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f626b90d224a477e854e406a9c8aeaf5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-1729 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:35:52Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Life |
| spelling | doaj.art-f626b90d224a477e854e406a9c8aeaf52023-11-23T20:46:32ZengMDPI AGLife2075-17292022-02-0112225810.3390/life12020258Baseline Gene Expression Levels in Falkland-Malvinas Island Penguins: Towards a New Monitoring ParadigmLizabeth Bowen0Shannon Waters1Jeffrey L. Stott2Ann Duncan3Randi Meyerson4Sarah Woodhouse5U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USAU.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USADepartment of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USADetroit Zoo, 8450 W. 10 Mile Road, Royal Oak, MI 48067, USAIndependent Researcher, Farmington, MI 48332, USAHenry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, 3701 S 10th St, Omaha, NE 68107, USAHealth diagnostics of wildlife have historically relied on the evaluation of select serum biomarkers and the identification of a contaminant or pathogen burden within specific tissues as an indicator of a level of insult. However, these approaches fail to measure the physiological reaction of the individual to stressors, thus limiting the scope of interpretation. Gene-based health diagnostics provide an opportunity for an alternate, whole-system, or holistic assessment of health, not only in individuals or populations but potentially in ecosystems. Seabirds are among the most threatened marine taxonomic groups in the world, with ~25% of this species currently listed as threatened or considered of special concern; among seabirds, the penguins (Family Spheniscidae) are the most threatened seabird Family. We used gene expression to develop baseline physiological indices for wild penguins in the Falkland-Malvinas Islands, and captive zoo penguins. We identified the almost complete statistical separation of penguin groups (gentoo Detroit Zoo, gentoo Falkland-Malvinas Islands, rockhopper Detroit Zoo, and rockhopper Falkland-Malvinas Islands) based on gene expression profiles. Implementation of long-term longitudinal studies would allow for the assessment of temporal increases or decreases of select transcripts and would facilitate interpretation of the drivers of change.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/12/2/258transcriptomicspenguinswildlife monitoringFalkland-Malvinas Islands |
| spellingShingle | Lizabeth Bowen Shannon Waters Jeffrey L. Stott Ann Duncan Randi Meyerson Sarah Woodhouse Baseline Gene Expression Levels in Falkland-Malvinas Island Penguins: Towards a New Monitoring Paradigm Life transcriptomics penguins wildlife monitoring Falkland-Malvinas Islands |
| title | Baseline Gene Expression Levels in Falkland-Malvinas Island Penguins: Towards a New Monitoring Paradigm |
| title_full | Baseline Gene Expression Levels in Falkland-Malvinas Island Penguins: Towards a New Monitoring Paradigm |
| title_fullStr | Baseline Gene Expression Levels in Falkland-Malvinas Island Penguins: Towards a New Monitoring Paradigm |
| title_full_unstemmed | Baseline Gene Expression Levels in Falkland-Malvinas Island Penguins: Towards a New Monitoring Paradigm |
| title_short | Baseline Gene Expression Levels in Falkland-Malvinas Island Penguins: Towards a New Monitoring Paradigm |
| title_sort | baseline gene expression levels in falkland malvinas island penguins towards a new monitoring paradigm |
| topic | transcriptomics penguins wildlife monitoring Falkland-Malvinas Islands |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/12/2/258 |
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