Detailed Research Information

Detailed project information for
Study Plan Number 02120

Branch : Aquatic Ecology Branch

Study Plan Number : 02120

Study Title : Do pesticides reduce innate antimicrobial defense of amphibian skin?

Starting Date : 03/01/2008

Completion Date : 09/30/2010

Principal Investigator(s) : Robertson, Laura S.

Primary PI : Robertson, Laura S.

Telephone Number : (304) 724-4579

Email Address : lrobertson@usgs.gov

SIS Number :

Primary Program Element :

Second Program Element :

Status : Active

Abstract : BACKGROUND
Initially recognized at the First World Congress of Herpetology in 1989, the decline of amphibian species has become a conservation issue of national and global importance. The IUCN-The World Conservation Union Global Amphibian Assessment study found that approximately 43% of amphibian species are experiencing population decreases and about 33% are globally threatened [1, 2]. While habitat loss impacts 90% of all threatened amphibians, many species are declining in protected areas [2]. One potentially significant cause for amphibian declines is infectious disease; an important amphibian defense against pathogenic attack (e.g., bacteria, fungi, and enveloped viruses) is antimicrobial peptides.

OBJECTIVES
1) Develop a noninvasive method to collect antimicrobial peptides from frogs in field studies and develop a real-time PCR assay to measure the expression of antimicrobial peptide genes.

2) Investigate the effects of exposure to pesticide on the production of antimicrobial peptides.

3) Measure antimicrobial peptide gene expression in mountain yellow-legged frog (Rana muscosa) in the Sierra Nevada. Is there a correlation between antimicrobial gene expression and pesticide exposure?
HYPHOTHESIS TO BE TESTED
Pesticide exposure alters expression of antimicrobial peptides in the skin secretions of frogs.

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Branch :	Aquatic Ecology Branch
Study Plan Number :	02120
Study Title :	Do pesticides reduce innate antimicrobial defense of amphibian skin?
Starting Date :	03/01/2008
Completion Date :	09/30/2010
Principal Investigator(s) :	Robertson, Laura S.
Primary PI :	Robertson, Laura S.
Telephone Number :	(304) 724-4579
Email Address :	lrobertson@usgs.gov
SIS Number :
Primary Program Element :
Second Program Element :
Status :	Active
Abstract :	BACKGROUND Initially recognized at the First World Congress of Herpetology in 1989, the decline of amphibian species has become a conservation issue of national and global importance. The IUCN-The World Conservation Union Global Amphibian Assessment study found that approximately 43% of amphibian species are experiencing population decreases and about 33% are globally threatened [1, 2]. While habitat loss impacts 90% of all threatened amphibians, many species are declining in protected areas [2]. One potentially significant cause for amphibian declines is infectious disease; an important amphibian defense against pathogenic attack (e.g., bacteria, fungi, and enveloped viruses) is antimicrobial peptides. OBJECTIVES 1) Develop a noninvasive method to collect antimicrobial peptides from frogs in field studies and develop a real-time PCR assay to measure the expression of antimicrobial peptide genes. 2) Investigate the effects of exposure to pesticide on the production of antimicrobial peptides. 3) Measure antimicrobial peptide gene expression in mountain yellow-legged frog (Rana muscosa) in the Sierra Nevada. Is there a correlation between antimicrobial gene expression and pesticide exposure? HYPHOTHESIS TO BE TESTED Pesticide exposure alters expression of antimicrobial peptides in the skin secretions of frogs.
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U.S. Department of the Interior \|\| U.S. Geological Survey 11700 Leetown Road, Kearneysville, WV 25430, USA URL: http://www.lsc.usgs.gov Maintainer: lsc_webmaster@usgs.gov Last Modified: October 21, 2002 dwn Privacy Policy and Disclaimers \|\| FOIA \|\| Accessibility