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Plasma antibacterial activities in ornate ( Terrapene ornata ) and eastern box turtles ( Terrapene carolina )
Author(s) -
Adamovicz Laura,
Baker Sarah J.,
Merchant Mark,
Allender Matthew C.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of experimental zoology part a: ecological and integrative physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.834
H-Index - 11
eISSN - 2471-5646
pISSN - 2471-5638
DOI - 10.1002/jez.2352
Subject(s) - biology , microbiology and biotechnology , population , zoology , antibacterial activity , bacteria , medicine , genetics , environmental health
Abstract Chelonians are one of the most imperiled vertebrate taxa and many species are increasingly threatened by disease, however, the immune response in this group is understudied. We quantified the innate immune response of eastern ( Terrapene carolina ; EBT) and ornate ( Terrapene ornate; OBT) box turtles using plasma antibacterial activity assays. Plasma from both species abolished or significantly reduced the growth of all eight bacterial species evaluated, including Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter cloacae, Citrobacter freundi, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus epidermidis , and Staphylococcus aureus . Bactericidal capacity was greater in OBT compared to EBT, and OBT plasma retained high antibacterial activities at a broader temperature range (20–40°C) compared to EBT (30–40°C). Plasma antibacterial activity was abolished following treatment with heat, protease, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, indicating that complement is likely responsible for the observed effects. Further characterization of the box turtle immune response may provide insight into the importance of infectious diseases for species conservation, enabling the development of more efficient and effective population management strategies.