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Unlocking Antarctic molecular time-capsules -- recovering historical environmental DNA from museum-preserved sponges
  • +9
  • Gert-Jan Jeunen,
  • Sadie Mills,
  • Miles Lamare,
  • Grant Duffy,
  • Michael Knapp,
  • Jo-Ann Stanton,
  • Stefano Mariani,
  • Jackson Treece,
  • Sara Ferreira,
  • Benjamín Durán-Vinet,
  • Monika Zavodna,
  • Neil Gemmell
Gert-Jan Jeunen
University of Otago

Corresponding Author:gjeunen@gmail.com

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Sadie Mills
NIWA
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Miles Lamare
University of Otago
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Grant Duffy
University of Otago
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Michael Knapp
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Jo-Ann Stanton
University of Otago School of Biomedical Sciences
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Stefano Mariani
Liverpool John Moores University
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Jackson Treece
University of Otago
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Sara Ferreira
University of Otago
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Benjamín Durán-Vinet
University of Otago BMS
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Monika Zavodna
University of Otago
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Neil Gemmell
University of Otago
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Abstract

Marine sponges have recently emerged as efficient natural environmental DNA (eDNA) samplers. The ability of sponges to accumulate eDNA provides an exciting opportunity to reconstruct contemporary communities and ecosystems with high temporal and spatial precision. However, the use of historical eDNA (heDNA), trapped within the vast number of specimens stored in scientific collections, opens up the opportunity to begin to reconstruct the communities and ecosystems of the past. Here, using a variety of Antarctic sponge specimens stored in an extensive marine invertebrate collection, we were able to recover information on Antarctic fish biodiversity from specimens up to 20 years old. We successfully recovered 64 fish heDNA signals from 27 sponge specimens. Alpha diversity measures did not differ among preservation methods, but sponges stored frozen had a significantly different fish community composition compared to those stored dry or in ethanol. Our results show that we were consistently and reliably able to extract the heDNA trapped within marine sponge specimens, thereby enabling the reconstruction and investigation of communities and ecosystems of the recent past with a spatial and temporal resolution previously unattainable. Future research into heDNA extraction from other preservation methods, as well as the impact of specimen age and collection method will strengthen and expand the opportunities for this novel resource to access new knowledge on ecological change during the last century.
Submitted to Molecular Ecology Resources
18 Mar 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
24 Mar 2024Reviewer(s) Assigned
01 Jul 2024Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
07 Jul 20241st Revision Received
08 Jul 2024Submission Checks Completed
08 Jul 2024Assigned to Editor
08 Jul 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
15 Jul 2024Editorial Decision: Accept