Dear MARMAM, On behalf of my co-authors, I'm happy to announce the publication of our new paper, available at RSOS <https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.192046>:
Apprill A, Miller C, Van Cise A, U’Ren JM, Leslie MS, Weber L, Baird RW, Robbins J, Landry S, Niemeyer M, Rose K, Bogomolni A, Waring G. 2020. Marine mammal skin microbiotas are influenced by host phylogeny. Royal Society of Open Science. 7: 192046. doi.org/10.1098/rsos.192046 *Abstract*: Skin-associated microorganisms have been shown to play a role in immune function and disease of humans, but are understudied in marine mammals, a diverse animal group that serve as sentinels of ocean health. We examined the microbiota associated with 75 epidermal samples opportunistically collected from nine species within four marine mammal families, including: Balaenopteridae (sei and fin whales), Phocidae (harbour seal), Physeteridae (sperm whales) and Delphinidae (bottlenose dolphins, pantropical spotted dolphins, rough-toothed dolphins, short-finned pilot whales and melon-headed whales). The skin was sampled from free-ranging animals in Hawai‘i (Pacific Ocean) and off the east coast of the United States (Atlantic Ocean), and the composition of the bacterial community was examined using the sequencing of partial small subunit (SSU) ribosomal RNA genes. Skin microbiotas were significantly different among host species and taxonomic families, and microbial community distance was positively correlated with mitochondrial-based host genetic divergence. The oceanic location could play a role in skin microbiota variation, but skin from species sampled in both locations is necessary to determine this influence. These data suggest that a phylosymbiotic relationship may exist between microbiota and their marine mammal hosts, potentially providing specific health and immune-related functions that contribute to the success of these animals in diverse ocean ecosystems. The paper is open access and can be downloaded from RSOS <https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.192046>, but please feel free to reach out to myself or the primary author, Amy Apprill ( aappr...@whoi.edu), with any questions you may have. Warm regards, Amy Van Cise <*)))>< <*)))>< <*)))>< <*)))>< <*)))>< <*)))>< <*)))>< <*)))>< Amy M. Van Cise, Ph.D. Research Biologist, Cascadia Research Collective <http://www.cascadiaresearch.org/> Guest Investigator, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution <https://www.whoi.edu/> 218 1/2 4th Ave W Olympia, WA 98501 https://amyvancise.weebly.com/ <https://amyvancise.wordpress.com/>
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