Humpback whale populations share core skin bacterial community

Whale skin bacteria differs by geographic area, metabolic state

2014-03-26

(Press-News.org) Humpback whales share a simplistic skin bacterial community across populations, according to results published March 26, 2014, in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Amy Apprill from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and colleagues. The overall bacterial communities differ by geographic area and by metabolic state, such as feeding versus starving during migration and breeding.

Bacterial communities living on mammal skin may play a role in their health; for humans, there is a relationship between skin bacteria and allergic or inflammatory conditions. While skin bacteria are frequently studied in humans, less is known about the composition of skin bacteria in other mammals. Whales move thousands of miles through the ocean and come in contact with numerous bacteria. Scientists studied the bacterial species on the skin of humpbacks from different geographical areas, as well as their health conditions to better understand the role these microbes play in their health. They genetically sequenced over 500,000 genes from bacteria obtained from humpback whale skin collected in various geographic locations in the Pacific and Atlantic and during various stages of the life cycle, including during breeding and feeding. These data were also compared to bacterial sequences found on the skin of deceased whales and whales with injuries and compromised health from entanglement in fishing line.

The authors found that the general bacterial community of the healthy individuals consisted mainly of Tenacibaculum and Psychrobacter spp., sequences that were specific to humpbacks, but the overall composition of the bacterial populations differed by geographical location and metabolic state, as well as in stressed and deceased individuals. The latter contained less core bacteria (Tenacibaculum and Psychrobacter spp.) and more potential pathogens. These results may indicate, according to the authors, that the bacterial skin community may act as an indicator of whales' health and the status of the environment. Though more work needs to be done, this study may help researchers monitoring the population health and conservation status of threatened or endangered marine mammals.

"It is astonishing that we find Tenacibaculum and Psychrobacter spp. bacteria on whale skin regardless of animal age, sex, metabolic state, geographic region or population. These bacteria may be involved in an important interaction with the whales," Amy Apprill added. "With further development, we might be able to gain insight into the health of whales by examining their skin-bacteria."

INFORMATION:

Citation: Apprill A, Robbins J, Eren AM, Pack AA, Reveillaud J, et al. (2014) Humpback Whale Populations Share a Core Skin Bacterial Community: Towards a Health Index for Marine Mammals? PLoS ONE 9(3): e90785. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0090785

Financial Disclosure: A.A. was funded by a WHOI Ocean Life Institute post-doctoral scholar award, and this research was supported by a grant to A.A. and T.J.M. from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution's (WHOI) Marine Mammal Center. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Competing Interest Statement: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

PLEASE LINK TO THE SCIENTIFIC ARTICLE IN ONLINE VERSIONS OF YOUR REPORT (URL goes live after the embargo ends): http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0090785

[Attachments] See images for this press release:

Humpback whale populations share core skin bacterial community 2

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

New drug successfully treats crizotinib-resistant, ALK-positive lung cancer

2014-03-26

Although the targeted cancer treatment drug crizotinib is very effective in causing rapid regression of a particular form of lung cancer, patients' tumors inevitably become resistant to the drug. Now a new drug called ceritinib appears to be effective against advanced ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), both in tumors that have become resistant to crizotinib and in those never treated with the older drug. The results of a phase 1 clinical trial conducted at centers in 11 countries are reported in the March 27 New England Journal of Medicine. "Crizotinib ...

Patches of cortical layers disrupted during early brain development in autism

2014-03-26

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and the Allen Institute for Brain Science have published a study that gives clear and direct new evidence that autism begins during pregnancy. The study will be published in the March 27 online edition of the New England Journal of Medicine. The researchers – Eric Courchesne, PhD, professor of neurosciences and director of the Autism Center of Excellence at UC San Diego, Ed S. Lein, PhD, of the Allen Institute for Brain Science in Seattle, and first author Rich Stoner, PhD, of the UC San Diego ...

Bamboo-loving giant pandas also have a sweet tooth

2014-03-26

PHILADELPHIA (March 26, 2014) – Despite the popular conception of giant pandas as continually chomping on bamboo to fulfill a voracious appetite for this reedy grass, new research from the Monell Center reveals that this highly endangered species also has a sweet tooth. A combination of behavioral and molecular genetic studies demonstrated that the giant panda both possesses functional sweet taste receptors and also shows a strong preference for some natural sweeteners, including fructose and sucrose. "Examining an animal's taste DNA can give us clues to their past diet, ...

Researchers identify protein that helps control common viral infection

2014-03-26

Infectious disease specialists at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center have identified a protein that regulates the body's immune response to cytomegalovirus (CMV), a common pathogen that causes lifelong infections and can lead to devastating illness in newborns and those with weakened immune systems. The protein — a cell receptor called NOD2 found in several types of immune cells — has long been known for its role in fighting off bacterial invaders by sensing their presence and alerting immune cells to release chemicals that weaken or destroy the harmful bacteria. That ...

UT Dallas study: No correlation between medical marijuana legalization, crime increase

2014-03-26

RICHARDSON, Texas (March 26, 2014) — The legalization of medical marijuana has sparked debate across the nation for decades. Some opponents have argued that medical marijuana's legalization will lead to higher crime rates, but according to a new study at UT Dallas, legalization of medical cannabis is not an indicator of increased crime. It actually may be related to reductions in certain types of crime, said Dr. Robert Morris, associate professor of criminology and lead author of the study, published in the journal PLOS ONE. "We're cautious about saying, 'Medical ...

Disorganized cortical patches suggest prenatal origin of autism

2014-03-26

The architecture of the autistic brain is speckled with patches of abnormal neurons, according to research partially funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), part of the National Institutes of Health. Published in the New England Journal of Medicine on March 27, 2014, this study suggests that brain irregularities in children with autism can be traced back to prenatal development. "While autism is generally considered a developmental brain disorder, research has not identified a consistent or causative lesion," said Thomas R. Insel, M.D., director of NIMH. ...

Scientists identify core skin bacterial community in humpback whales

2014-03-26

Bacteria are invisible to the naked eye, but they reside on nearly every surface humans encounter—including the skin. Uncovering the role these microorganisms play in human health is a major focus of research in skin microbiology, but little is known about the identity or function of skin bacteria in other mammals. In a paper published in the open access journal PLOS ONE, researchers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and colleagues identified a core skin bacterial community that humpback whales share across populations, which could point to a way to assess ...

Smartphone app helps support recovery after treatment for alcoholism

2014-03-26

A smartphone application appears to help patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) reduce risky drinking days compared to patients who received usual care after leaving treatment in a residential program. Alcohol dependence is a lifetime psychiatric diagnosis with relapse rates similar to other chronic illnesses. Continuing care for AUDs has been associated with better outcomes, but patients leaving treatment for AUDs typically are not offered aftercare. The authors randomized 349 patients with alcohol dependence leaving three residential programs to treatment as ...

Migraine attacks increase following stress 'let-down'

2014-03-26

NEW YORK (March 26, 2014) – Migraine sufferers who experienced reduced stress from one day to the next are at significantly increased risk of migraine onset on the subsequent day, according to a new study conducted by researchers at the Montefiore Headache Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University. Stress has long been believed to be a common headache trigger. In this study, researchers found that relaxation following heightened stress was an even more significant trigger for migraine attacks. Findings may aid in recommending preventive treatments ...

UGA researchers explore function of cancer-causing gene

2014-03-26

Athens, Ga. – Developmental biologists at the University of Georgia are discovering new roles for a specific gene known as Max's Giant Associated protein, or MGA. A little studied protein, MGA appears to control a number of developmental processes, and also may be connected to cancer development. The researchers detail their findings in a paper published recently in the journal Developmental Cell. "The same genes that are involved in building a person during embryonic development can mutate and cause cancer later in life," said Scott Dougan the study's principal investigator ...

Humpback whale populations share core skin bacterial community

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES: