Komodo dragons

From the Archives: First Komodo Dragons in U.S. Hatch on Mason Campus

Colleen Rich — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 13:00:36 +0000

From the Archives: First Komodo Dragons in U.S. Hatch on Mason Campus Colleen Rich Thu, 08/11/2022 - 09:00

This story ran in the October 30, 1992, print edition of the Mason Gazette.

Mason biologist Geoffrey Birchard with five-week-old Komodo dragon. Photo by Jessie Cohen, National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institution

In the movie “The Freshman,” Matthew Broderick agrees to deliver a Komodo dragon, a rare and endangered lizard, to Marlon Brando—illegally. ��AV biology professor Geoffrey Birchard has also had Komodo dragons delivered to him—but legally, as part of a joint project with the National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C.

Birchard, a herpetologist, was called on by the zoo's curator of herpetology, Dale Marcellini, last January to incubate 10 of the 26 eggs that were the result of a monthlong courtship between the zoo's two 10-year-old lizards. The adult lizards had been given to the zoo in 1988 by the ambassador of lndonesia.

During the eight-month incubation period, several eggs died, but on Sept. 13, in one of the university's labs, the first dragon hatched out of his leathery-shelled egg. Twelve others quickly followed their brother's lead. Two more are still to go.

''Everyone here is beaming with pride," says Marcellini.

Marcellini turned to ��AV because he literally did not want to put all his eggs in one basket and wished to avoid potential disasters, like electricity failure or fire, that could destroy the eggs. And George Mason had higher-quality incubators.

The university's eggs hatched first because they were kept at a slightly higher temperature. which accelerated the process.

“Things went extremely well," says Birchard. ''We're looking forward to doing other projects [with the zoo] as well."

This is not the first time Birchard has been involved with the National Zoological Park. Over the past five years, he has served as a consultant for the zoo. And in return the zoo has donated surplus eggs—including those of pythons and milk snakes—to Birchard for his research on the physiology of developing animals.

Baby lizard comes out of his shell with some help from a friend. Photo by Jessie Cohen, National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institution

During the dragons' incubation period, he performed metabolic studies on the embryos, recording the gas exchange between the eggs and the environment.

“This proved to be quite an experience," says Birchard. “Every day for the past eight months l had to come in to make sure the eggs were okay. But professionally, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

When born Komodo dragons, whose natural habitat is the Komodo and Flores islands, off the coast of Indonesia, are about 8 to 16 inches long and weigh up to 4 ounces. Their yellow, brown, and black skin is heavily patterned with chevron and circle markings—and yes, they have a forked tongue. Gradually their striking skin turns a uniform gray and eventually they can weigh as much as 300 pounds and reach a length of more than 10 feet, making them the world's largest lizards. The National Zoological Park is the first only other place in North America where place to breed the lizard outside of Indonesia.

At present, all the young Komodo dragons are back at the zoo, happily feeding on mice and insects. A few are already on display at the Reptile House.

"These guys are Iike scaly pandas when it comes to getting people excited," says Marcellini.

Plans are being discussed to send some of the babies to other zoos and to loan the female adult dragon to the Cincinnati Zoo, the only other place in North America where Komodo dragons are kept.

The Mason Gazette, University and Student Publications, #R0128, Special Collections Research Center, ��AV Libraries.

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From the Archives

Oct22HPT

Komodo dragons

��AV professors sequence the Komodo dragon genome

Colleen Rich — Thu, 05 Sep 2019 09:00:16 +0000

��AV professors sequence the Komodo dragon genome Colleen Rich Thu, 09/05/2019 - 05:00

Mason researchers Barney Bishop and Monique van Hoek in the bacteriology laboratory at Mason's Science and Technology Campus. Photo by Lathan Gourmas.

��AV researchers Monique van Hoek and Barney Bishop and their collaborators have released their findings on sequencing the Komodo dragon genome, revealing multiple clusters of antimicrobial peptide genes that could prove instrumental in the fight against multi-drug resistant bacteria.

Their work, which was published in the latest issue of BMC Genomics, identified key clusters of Komodo dragon antimicrobial peptide genes, which are protein-like molecules that contribute to the front line defense of its immune system.

Komodo dragons are resilient reptiles with robust immune systems that regularly dine on dead and decaying flesh and whose saliva is known to be rich in bacteria.

“They appear to be unaffected, suggesting that dragons have robust defenses against infection,” the two scientists wrote in the paper.

Major classes of the antibacterial peptides found in Komodos and other vertebrates include cathelicidins and beta-defensins. Their analyses revealed novel Komodo dragon defensin genes that appear to be unique to these animals. These cathelicidin and defensin antimicrobial peptides may contribute to the Komodo dragon’s robust immunity and apparent resistance to infection and could provide critical clues to aid in the human fight against multi-drug resistant bacteria, which is an emerging medical crisis in health care, and spur faster wound healing.

Tujah, a large male Komodo dragon residing at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park, and the source of the DNA used in the present study. Photograph courtesy of the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park in St. Augustine, Florida.

“The hope is that this could lead to something that could be developed into medicine to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria,” said van Hoek, a professor in the School of Systems Biology in Mason’s College of Science.

She and Bishop, an associate professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in the College of Science, reported the sequencing, assembly and analysis of the Komodo dragon genome, with a focus on innate immunity genes and biomolecules that contribute in defending against infection, particularly antimicrobial peptide genes.

The two scientists had previously identified unique antimicrobial peptides in the plasma of Komodo dragons and alligators, and have now added to their earlier research by identifying antimicrobial peptide genes in the Komodo’s genome.

Van Hoek and Bishop have been collaborating since 2009 to study antimicrobial peptides and their activity against important bacterial pathogens. More information about their collaborative work can be found at adr.gmu.edu.

Mason has a long history with Komodo dragons. In 1992, on the Fairfax Campus, Mason biology professor Geoffrey Birchard watched over the first Komodo dragon eggs to be hatched in captivity in the United States.

Growing to lengths of up to 10 feet, Komodo dragons are the largest living lizards on the planet and are believed to have evolved in Australia. They are the sole survivor of the mega fauna that once populated Australia and south Pacific Islands, including those of Indonesia. Komodo dragons are endangered and actively conserved, with Komodo National Park in Indonesia being a UNESCO World Heritage site.

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