Dromaius novaehollandiae (Emu) Transcriptome profiling

Emu is a member of ratite family of flightless birds which is among the oldest order of living birds. In India, emu is farmed for its meat, eggs and oil as it is widely claimed that emu oil and meat possess anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects and have therapeutic effects. Moreover, emu farming is popular owing to the meat quality, the ability of emu to tolerate wide range of temperature which is attributed to effective thermoregulation, varied diet patterns and heightened immunity. Through this study we intend to explore, analyze and identify the unique features of emu transcriptome. The main focus of the study is transcriptome profiling of Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) to identify immuno-protein coding mRNAs. The present study also aims to specifically identify novel avian anti-microbial peptides in Emu that could aid in the development of new treatment regimens for animal and human healthcare in future.