Defining the molecular physiologic impacts of stress on beaked whale hypoxia tolerance: implications
Abstract
Many marine mammals are chronically exposed to a variety of anthropogenic stressors, including freq,uent ship traffic and human-induced noise. Noise, in particular, can induce behavioral and physiological responses that can potentia,lly cause population-level effects. Cuvier?s beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris) are especially vulnerable to certain forms of anthr,opogenic sounds; but little is known about the physiological mechanisms that influence their responses to such stimuli. There is an,urgent need to: 1) understand how stress impacts the ability of beaked whales to respond to noise; and 2) define the molecular under,pinnings that connect stress and cellular pathways vital to the dive response. This proposal seeks to understand these two knowledge, gaps by studying the cellular and molecular adaptations of Cuvier?s beaked whales and other cetaceans to stress and hypoxia. Our pr,eliminary data has revealed that these two pathways are intimately connected and that exposure to stress hormones inhibits the hypox,ia response in cell cultures from Cuvier?s beaked whales. Completion of this work will have the positive benefits to the Navy by 1),establishing new tools and techniques to study whale adaptations to stress, 2) defining the molecular and cellular adaptations of wh,ales to stress and hypoxia, and 3) determining the impacts of exogenous stressors on hypoxia tolerance at the cellular level. The lo,ng-term goal of this work is to develop a cell-based predictor of organismal responses (foraging, diving, etc.) to exogenous stresso,rs.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Oct 06, 2022
- Source ID
- N000142212829
Entities
People
- Jason Somarelli
Organizations
- Duke University
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy