Total RNA from Arctocephalus gazella (Antarctic fur seal) converted to double stranded cDNA by the Evrogen synthesis service. First strand cDNA was synthesised using reverse transcriptase (RT) from a 3’-primer with oligo(dT) sequence that annealed to the poly-A stretch of RNA and synthesised cDNA until the 5’ end of the mRNA. Finally, double stranded cDNA synthesis was performed using PCR amplification, and the final product contains the Evrogen SMART Oligo II and CDS primer at 3' and 5' ends. The cDNA was fragmented, size-selected, library-prepped, and sequenced according to standard Roche-454 Titanium protocols.