1
|
Chen TH, Ma GC, Lin WH, Lee DJ, Wu SH, Liao BY, Chen M, Lin LK. Genome-Wide Microarray Analysis Suggests Transcriptomic Response May Not Play a Major Role in High- to Low-Altitude Acclimation in Harvest Mouse ( Micromys minutus). Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:ani9030092. [PMID: 30871279 PMCID: PMC6466072 DOI: 10.3390/ani9030092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Revised: 03/09/2019] [Accepted: 03/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Micromys minutus is a small rodent species that has a wide range of vertical distribution in Taiwan. By comparing the gene expression profile of the skeletal muscle tissues taken from individuals native to the high-altitude environment and those transferred to the low-altitude captive site, the Tnfrsf12a gene was demonstrated to have a differential expression pattern. Although this finding may be correlated with the altitude acclimation, the observation of only one gene transcript with significant alteration leads us to suggest that genetic response may not play a major role in altitude acclimation in M. minutus. Future comparative functional genomics studies involving other organ systems (in addition to skeletal muscles) and alarger sample size are warranted for better insight into the altitude acclimation of this small rodent species. Abstract The harvest mouse (Micromys minutus) is a small rodent species with a wide range of vertical distribution in Taiwan, extending from the sea level to 3100 m altitude. This species has recently suffered from habitat loss in high-altitude areas due to orchard cultivation, which may have resulted in mouse migration from high to low altitude. To investigate whether there is any physiological mechanism involved in altitude acclimation, rat cDNA microarray was used to compare transcriptomic patterns of the skeletal muscle tissues taken from individuals native to the high-altitude environment and those transferred to the low-altitude captive site. Of the 23,188 genes being analyzed, 47 (33 up-regulated and 14 down-regulated) were found to have differential expression (fold change > 4 or < −4, ANOVA p < 0.05). However, after multiple testing correction with a false discovery rate (FDR), only the result for Tnfrsf12a was found to be statistically significant (fold change = 13, FDR p < 0.05). The result was confirmed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR). The expression of Tnfrsf12a possibly relates to the skeletal muscle biology and thus can be correlated with altitude acclimation. However, finding only one gene transcript with significant alteration suggests that transcriptomic response may not play a major role in high- to low-altitude acclimation in harvest mouse.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tze-Ho Chen
- Department of Life Science, Tunghai University, Taichung 40704, Taiwan.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua 50006, Taiwan.
| | - Gwo-Chin Ma
- Department of Genomic Medicine and Center for Medical Genetics, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua 50046, Taiwan.
- Department of Genomic Science and Technology, Changhua Christian Hospital Healthcare System,Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua 50046, Taiwan.
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taichung 40601, Taiwan.
| | - Wen-Hsiang Lin
- Department of Genomic Medicine and Center for Medical Genetics, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua 50046, Taiwan.
- Department of Genomic Science and Technology, Changhua Christian Hospital Healthcare System,Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua 50046, Taiwan.
| | - Dong-Jay Lee
- Department of Genomic Medicine and Center for Medical Genetics, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua 50046, Taiwan.
- Department of Genomic Science and Technology, Changhua Christian Hospital Healthcare System,Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua 50046, Taiwan.
| | - Sheng-Hai Wu
- Department of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan.
| | - Ben-Yang Liao
- Division of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, Institute of Population Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli County 35053, Taiwan.
| | - Ming Chen
- Department of Life Science, Tunghai University, Taichung 40704, Taiwan.
- Department of Genomic Medicine and Center for Medical Genetics, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua 50046, Taiwan.
- Department of Genomic Science and Technology, Changhua Christian Hospital Healthcare System,Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua 50046, Taiwan.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10041, Taiwan.
- Department of Medical Genetics, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 10041, Taiwan.
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Da-Yeh University, Changhua 51591, Taiwan.
| | - Liang-Kong Lin
- Department of Life Science, Tunghai University, Taichung 40704, Taiwan.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Yamao K, Ishiwaka R, Murakami M, Takatsuki S. Seasonal Variation in the Food Habits of the Eurasian Harvest Mouse (Micromys minutus) from Western Tokyo, Japan. Zoolog Sci 2016; 33:611-615. [PMID: 27927098 DOI: 10.2108/zs160087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
A previous quantitative analysis of the food composition of the Eurasian harvest mouse (Micromys minutus) in Japan showed that it is insectivorous and granivorous. This supports the expectation that such a small mammal requires highly nutritious foods. Other studies have analyzed the feces of harvest mice, but these were only collected during winter in order to minimize disturbance of the animals. In the present study, we collected samples from all four seasons in order to understand changes in diet throughout the year. Results showed apparent seasonal differences in the diet of harvest mice. Insects accounted for ca. 30% of the diet in summer and autumn and seeds increased from 27% in winter to 50% in spring, suggesting the insectivorous nature of the harvest mouse in summer and autumn and graminivorous nature in winter and spring. These results strongly suggest that the harvest mouse is an opportunistic feeder. It has previously been thought that the harvest mice capture insects in the stalk zone of tall grassland community, but here, DNA analysis shows that harvest mice feed on ground-dwelling invertebrates, such as pill bugs (Armadillidium sp.) and carrion beetles (Calosilpha sp. or Ptomascopus sp.). This suggests that the harvest mouse goes down to the ground to feed on them.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kanako Yamao
- 1 School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Fuchinobe 1-17-71, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5201, Japan
| | - Reiko Ishiwaka
- 2 Kuju Grassland Ecomuseum, 32-21-406, 4-chome, Hakozaki, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-0053, Japan
| | - Masaru Murakami
- 1 School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Fuchinobe 1-17-71, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5201, Japan
| | - Seiki Takatsuki
- 3 The Life Museum of Azabu University, Azabu University, Fuchinobe 1-17-71, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5201, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Sawabe K, Natuhara Y. Extensive distribution models of the harvest mouse ( Micromys minutus ) in different landscapes. Glob Ecol Conserv 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2016.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
|