Meeting Abstract
The Kemp’s ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) turtle is the smallest and most endangered of all sea turtle species. Each year, juvenile Kemp’s ridleys strand in Cape Cod, MA (USA) due to mass cold-stun events. Many of these animals are triaged and rehabilitated at the New England Aquarium (Quincy, MA), providing an opportunity for comparative investigations between cold-stunned and rehabilitated turtles. Utilizing blood cells as a source of RNA, we are examining gene expression levels for turtles while in a hypothermic state. Within 12-18 weeks thereafter, the same analysis is being conducted for turtles in a convalescent condition. RNA-seq allows for de novo assembly of a transcriptome in the absence of a sequenced L. kempii genome. This reference transcriptome allows for gene expression comparisons and the identification of genes that are relevant to the clinical treatment of these animals, such as cold tolerance thresholds or predictors of susceptibility to pathogens. Investigating gene expression in endangered sea turtles may lead to better accuracy in clinical treatments, informing the conservation of this vulnerable species.
