Unraveling the Elasmobranch: A Look at Shark Oral Microbiomes in South Florida
Abstract
The intricate relationship between host organisms and their associated microbial communities, known as the microbiome, has garnered increasing attention across various fields of biology. Sharks, as apex predators in marine ecosystems, are important organisms to study and understand. Previous studies have shown shark gills and shark mouths are abundant in various types of commensal and pathogenic bacteria. This study examines results from a variety of swabs collected from shark species off the east coast of Florida. Through traditional microbial culturing and Next Generation 16S rRNA (Ribosomal RNA sequencing), we will understand the composition and functional significance of the shark microbiome to discover solutions for mitigating risks to human safety and promoting an understanding of sharks. Furthermore, this research explores the influence of environmental factors on the composition of the shark microbiome, including temperature, geographic location, species, and swab location. We will perform a genetic analysis on samples collected from April to December 2023. From this data, we will generate beta-diversity plots comparing the oral microbiomes of the different species we swabbed from a variety of shark species. We will then perform additional testing for the presence of antibiotic-resistant microbes through traditional plate culturing techniques. This data, compared with previously published shark studies, will help inform our knowledge of the shark oral cavity, which will aid in determining the appropriate measures for medical personnel encountering shark attack events. Our goal is to understand the complexities of sharks and learn to coexist safely with these evolutionary relics in marine ecosystems.
Faculty Sponsors
Dr. Aarti Raja, Dr. Andrew Ozga, Dr. Derek Burkholder, Dr. Mahmood Shivji
Project Type
Event
Location
Alvin Sherman Library
Start Date
4-3-2024 12:30 PM
End Date
4-4-2024 1:30 PM
Unraveling the Elasmobranch: A Look at Shark Oral Microbiomes in South Florida
Alvin Sherman Library
The intricate relationship between host organisms and their associated microbial communities, known as the microbiome, has garnered increasing attention across various fields of biology. Sharks, as apex predators in marine ecosystems, are important organisms to study and understand. Previous studies have shown shark gills and shark mouths are abundant in various types of commensal and pathogenic bacteria. This study examines results from a variety of swabs collected from shark species off the east coast of Florida. Through traditional microbial culturing and Next Generation 16S rRNA (Ribosomal RNA sequencing), we will understand the composition and functional significance of the shark microbiome to discover solutions for mitigating risks to human safety and promoting an understanding of sharks. Furthermore, this research explores the influence of environmental factors on the composition of the shark microbiome, including temperature, geographic location, species, and swab location. We will perform a genetic analysis on samples collected from April to December 2023. From this data, we will generate beta-diversity plots comparing the oral microbiomes of the different species we swabbed from a variety of shark species. We will then perform additional testing for the presence of antibiotic-resistant microbes through traditional plate culturing techniques. This data, compared with previously published shark studies, will help inform our knowledge of the shark oral cavity, which will aid in determining the appropriate measures for medical personnel encountering shark attack events. Our goal is to understand the complexities of sharks and learn to coexist safely with these evolutionary relics in marine ecosystems.
