Event Title
Investigating contaminant-related health effects in killer whales in British Columbia using omics
Streaming Media
Presentation Abstract
Killer whales (Orcinus orca) are an iconic species in the Salish Sea with three populations inhabiting the area: the northern resident, southern resident, and Bigg’s populations. Low food availability, contaminant exposure, and noise are the major threats to these populations with the southern residents being the most vulnerable. We measured PCB and PBDE concentrations in blubber biopsies collected from individuals in the southern resident, northern resident, and Bigg’s populations between 2019 and 2021. Our data show differences in PCB and PBDE concentrations between populations and sex. Building upon this research, we are combining multiple omics approaches to deepen our understanding of contaminant-related health effects in these populations: 1) metabolomics using a targeted suite of 254 metabolites that include the following classes – energy metabolism, amino acids, biogenic amines, acylcarnitines, phosphatidylchlorlines, sphingomyelins, bile acids, hexose, and fatty acids, 2) transcriptomics with RNA-sequencing that will also allow us to identify key genes responsive to contaminant exposure. Building upon decades of research by our team, these findings will provide a clearer understanding of health effects associated with priority contaminants in killer whales that can be used to inform risk-based prioritization of conservation efforts.
Session Title
Poster Session 4: People Working Together to Protect the Salish Sea
Conference Track
SSE14: Posters
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2022 : Online)
Document Type
Event
SSEC Identifier
SSE-posters-260
Start Date
27-4-2022 4:30 PM
End Date
27-4-2022 5:00 PM
Rights
Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author's written permission.
Type
Text
Language
English
Investigating contaminant-related health effects in killer whales in British Columbia using omics
Killer whales (Orcinus orca) are an iconic species in the Salish Sea with three populations inhabiting the area: the northern resident, southern resident, and Bigg’s populations. Low food availability, contaminant exposure, and noise are the major threats to these populations with the southern residents being the most vulnerable. We measured PCB and PBDE concentrations in blubber biopsies collected from individuals in the southern resident, northern resident, and Bigg’s populations between 2019 and 2021. Our data show differences in PCB and PBDE concentrations between populations and sex. Building upon this research, we are combining multiple omics approaches to deepen our understanding of contaminant-related health effects in these populations: 1) metabolomics using a targeted suite of 254 metabolites that include the following classes – energy metabolism, amino acids, biogenic amines, acylcarnitines, phosphatidylchlorlines, sphingomyelins, bile acids, hexose, and fatty acids, 2) transcriptomics with RNA-sequencing that will also allow us to identify key genes responsive to contaminant exposure. Building upon decades of research by our team, these findings will provide a clearer understanding of health effects associated with priority contaminants in killer whales that can be used to inform risk-based prioritization of conservation efforts.
