Abstract
The intricate relationship between host organisms and their associated microbial communities, known as the microbiome, has garnered increasing attention across various biological disciplines. Sharks, as apex predators in marine ecosystems, are important to study and understand. Previous studies have shown shark gills and oral cavities are abundant in various types of commensal and pathogenic bacteria, many of which are resistant to antibiotics. Previous research on Florida blacktip sharks suggest 43% of all bacteria samples from the sharks were resistant to at least one antibiotic. Using microbial culturing techniques and Next Generation 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequencing, our objective is to uncover the composition and functional roles of the shark oral microbiome and discover solutions for mitigating risks to human safety. Furthermore, this research investigates the effect of environmental factors including temperature, geographic location, shark species, and swab collection site on the microbiome composition. Using filtered and taxonomically assigned 16S rRNA sequences collected from various sharks from April 2023 - September 2024, we will create alpha and beta diversity plots, showing within and between species diversity respectively. Additionally, antibiogram tests will be performed to analyze the overall antibiotic susceptibility pattern of cultured microorganisms recovered from shark jaw swabs. We will compare our NSU cultures to other previously published data in an effort to determine appropriate measures for medical personnel encountering shark attack events. Ultimately, our goal is to uncover the complexities of sharks and promote safe coexistence with these apex predators in marine ecosystems.
Faculty Sponsors
Dr. Aarti Raja, Dr. Andrew T. Ozga, Dr. Derek Burkholder, Dr. Mahmood Shivji
Project Type
Event
Location
Alvin Sherman Library
Start Date
4-2-2025 12:45 PM
End Date
4-3-2025 12:00 AM
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 biological disciplines. Sharks, as apex predators in marine ecosystems, are important to study and understand. Previous studies have shown shark gills and oral cavities are abundant in various types of commensal and pathogenic bacteria, many of which are resistant to antibiotics. Previous research on Florida blacktip sharks suggest 43% of all bacteria samples from the sharks were resistant to at least one antibiotic. Using microbial culturing techniques and Next Generation 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequencing, our objective is to uncover the composition and functional roles of the shark oral microbiome and discover solutions for mitigating risks to human safety. Furthermore, this research investigates the effect of environmental factors including temperature, geographic location, shark species, and swab collection site on the microbiome composition. Using filtered and taxonomically assigned 16S rRNA sequences collected from various sharks from April 2023 - September 2024, we will create alpha and beta diversity plots, showing within and between species diversity respectively. Additionally, antibiogram tests will be performed to analyze the overall antibiotic susceptibility pattern of cultured microorganisms recovered from shark jaw swabs. We will compare our NSU cultures to other previously published data in an effort to determine appropriate measures for medical personnel encountering shark attack events. Ultimately, our goal is to uncover the complexities of sharks and promote safe coexistence with these apex predators in marine ecosystems.
Comments
TED-Style Talk