No evidence of expression of two classes of natural antibiotics (cathelicidins and defensins) in a sample of platypus milk
- Author(s)
- Whittington, CM; Sharp, JA; Papenfuss, A; Belov, K;
- Details
- Publication Year 2009,Volume 57,Issue #3-4,Page 211-217
- Journal Title
- AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
- Publication Type
- Journal Article
- Abstract
- Marsupial neonates are born without a fully functioning immune system, and are known to be protected in part by natural antimicrobial peptides present in their mother's milk. Monotreme neonates hatch at a similar stage in development, and it has been hypothesised that their survival in a non-sterile burrow also relies on the presence of natural antibiotics in their mother's milk. Here we review the field of monotreme lactation and the antimicrobial peptide complement of the platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus). Using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction of milk cell RNA from a sample of platypus milk, we found no evidence for the expression of cathelicidins or defensins in the milk. This was unexpected. We hypothesise that these natural antibiotics may instead be produced by the young platypuses themselves.
- Publisher
- CSIRO PUBLISHING
- Keywords
- WALLABY MACROPUS-EUGENII; ORNITHORHYNCHUS-ANATINUS; ANTIMICROBIAL PEPTIDES; INNATE IMMUNITY; TAMMAR WALLABY; ALPHA-LACTALBUMIN; BETA-DEFENSINS; GENE FAMILY; POUCH YOUNG; VENOM GENES
- Publisher's Version
- https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO09047
- Terms of Use/Rights Notice
- Refer to copyright notice on published article.
Creation Date: 2009-01-01 12:00:00