DNA preserved in jetsam whale ambergris
Jetsam ambergris, found on beaches worldwide, has always been assumed to originate as a natural product of sperm whales (Physeteroidea). However, only indirect evidence has ever been produced for this, such as the presence of whale prey remains in ambergris. Here, we extracted and analysed DNA seque...
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Online Access: | https://curis.ku.dk/portal/da/publications/dna-preserved-in-jetsam-whale-ambergris(d0076e35-e9ad-4cf9-b0bb-77732922e0a3).html https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2019.0819 https://curis.ku.dk/ws/files/238855601/DNA_preserved_in_jetsam_whale_ambergris.pdf |
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ftcopenhagenunip:oai:pure.atira.dk:publications/d0076e35-e9ad-4cf9-b0bb-77732922e0a3 2024-04-14T08:18:24+00:00 DNA preserved in jetsam whale ambergris Macleod, Ruairidh Sinding, Mikkel Holger S. Olsen, Morten Tange Collins, Matthew J. Rowland, Steven J. 2020 application/pdf https://curis.ku.dk/portal/da/publications/dna-preserved-in-jetsam-whale-ambergris(d0076e35-e9ad-4cf9-b0bb-77732922e0a3).html https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2019.0819 https://curis.ku.dk/ws/files/238855601/DNA_preserved_in_jetsam_whale_ambergris.pdf eng eng info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Macleod , R , Sinding , M H S , Olsen , M T , Collins , M J & Rowland , S J 2020 , ' DNA preserved in jetsam whale ambergris ' , Biology Letters , vol. 16 , no. 2 , 20190819 . https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2019.0819 Ambergris Ancient DNA Coprolith Shotgun sequencing Sperm whale article 2020 ftcopenhagenunip https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2019.0819 2024-03-21T17:28:10Z Jetsam ambergris, found on beaches worldwide, has always been assumed to originate as a natural product of sperm whales (Physeteroidea). However, only indirect evidence has ever been produced for this, such as the presence of whale prey remains in ambergris. Here, we extracted and analysed DNA sequences from jetsam ambergris from beaches in New Zealand and Sri Lanka, and sequences from ambergris of a sperm whale beached in The Netherlands. The lipid-rich composition of ambergris facilitated high preservation-quality of endogenous DNA, upon which we performed shotgun Illumina sequencing. Alignment of mitochondrial and nuclear genome sequences with open-access reference data for multiple whale species confirms that all three jetsam samples derived originally from sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus). Shotgun sequencing here also provides implications for metagenomic insights into ambergris-preserved DNA. These results demonstrate significant implications for elucidating the origins of jetsam ambergris as a prized natural product, and also for the understanding of sperm whale metabolism and diet, and the ecological mechanisms underlying these coproliths. Article in Journal/Newspaper Physeter macrocephalus Sperm whale University of Copenhagen: Research New Zealand Biology Letters 16 2 20190819 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Copenhagen: Research |
op_collection_id |
ftcopenhagenunip |
language |
English |
topic |
Ambergris Ancient DNA Coprolith Shotgun sequencing Sperm whale |
spellingShingle |
Ambergris Ancient DNA Coprolith Shotgun sequencing Sperm whale Macleod, Ruairidh Sinding, Mikkel Holger S. Olsen, Morten Tange Collins, Matthew J. Rowland, Steven J. DNA preserved in jetsam whale ambergris |
topic_facet |
Ambergris Ancient DNA Coprolith Shotgun sequencing Sperm whale |
description |
Jetsam ambergris, found on beaches worldwide, has always been assumed to originate as a natural product of sperm whales (Physeteroidea). However, only indirect evidence has ever been produced for this, such as the presence of whale prey remains in ambergris. Here, we extracted and analysed DNA sequences from jetsam ambergris from beaches in New Zealand and Sri Lanka, and sequences from ambergris of a sperm whale beached in The Netherlands. The lipid-rich composition of ambergris facilitated high preservation-quality of endogenous DNA, upon which we performed shotgun Illumina sequencing. Alignment of mitochondrial and nuclear genome sequences with open-access reference data for multiple whale species confirms that all three jetsam samples derived originally from sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus). Shotgun sequencing here also provides implications for metagenomic insights into ambergris-preserved DNA. These results demonstrate significant implications for elucidating the origins of jetsam ambergris as a prized natural product, and also for the understanding of sperm whale metabolism and diet, and the ecological mechanisms underlying these coproliths. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Macleod, Ruairidh Sinding, Mikkel Holger S. Olsen, Morten Tange Collins, Matthew J. Rowland, Steven J. |
author_facet |
Macleod, Ruairidh Sinding, Mikkel Holger S. Olsen, Morten Tange Collins, Matthew J. Rowland, Steven J. |
author_sort |
Macleod, Ruairidh |
title |
DNA preserved in jetsam whale ambergris |
title_short |
DNA preserved in jetsam whale ambergris |
title_full |
DNA preserved in jetsam whale ambergris |
title_fullStr |
DNA preserved in jetsam whale ambergris |
title_full_unstemmed |
DNA preserved in jetsam whale ambergris |
title_sort |
dna preserved in jetsam whale ambergris |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
https://curis.ku.dk/portal/da/publications/dna-preserved-in-jetsam-whale-ambergris(d0076e35-e9ad-4cf9-b0bb-77732922e0a3).html https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2019.0819 https://curis.ku.dk/ws/files/238855601/DNA_preserved_in_jetsam_whale_ambergris.pdf |
geographic |
New Zealand |
geographic_facet |
New Zealand |
genre |
Physeter macrocephalus Sperm whale |
genre_facet |
Physeter macrocephalus Sperm whale |
op_source |
Macleod , R , Sinding , M H S , Olsen , M T , Collins , M J & Rowland , S J 2020 , ' DNA preserved in jetsam whale ambergris ' , Biology Letters , vol. 16 , no. 2 , 20190819 . https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2019.0819 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2019.0819 |
container_title |
Biology Letters |
container_volume |
16 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
20190819 |
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1796317890364833792 |