1
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Martin TG, Leinwand LA. Molecular regulation of reversible cardiac remodeling: lessons from species with extreme physiological adaptations. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb247445. [PMID: 39344503 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.247445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/01/2024]
Abstract
Some vertebrates evolved to have a remarkable capacity for anatomical and physiological plasticity in response to environmental challenges. One example of such plasticity can be found in the ambush-hunting snakes of the genus Python, which exhibit reversible cardiac growth with feeding. The predation strategy employed by pythons is associated with months-long fasts that are arrested by ingestion of large prey. Consequently, digestion compels a dramatic increase in metabolic rate and hypertrophy of multiple organs, including the heart. In this Review, we summarize the post-prandial cardiac adaptations in pythons at the whole-heart, cellular and molecular scales. We highlight circulating factors and cellular signaling pathways that are altered during digestion to affect cardiac form and function and propose possible mechanisms that may drive the post-digestion regression of cardiac mass. Adaptive physiological cardiac hypertrophy has also been observed in other vertebrates, including in fish acclimated to cold water, birds flying at high altitudes and exercising mammals. To reveal potential evolutionarily conserved features, we summarize the molecular signatures of reversible cardiac remodeling identified in these species and compare them with those of pythons. Finally, we offer a perspective on the potential of biomimetics targeting the natural biology of pythons as therapeutics for human heart disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas G Martin
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Department, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA
| | - Leslie A Leinwand
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Department, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA
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2
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Crocini C, Woulfe KC, Ozeroff CD, Perni S, Cardiello J, Walker CJ, Wilson CE, Anseth K, Allen MA, Leinwand LA. Postprandial cardiac hypertrophy is sustained by mechanics, epigenetic, and metabolic reprogramming in pythons. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2322726121. [PMID: 39159386 PMCID: PMC11388396 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2322726121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Constricting pythons, known for their ability to consume infrequent, massive meals, exhibit rapid and reversible cardiac hypertrophy following feeding. Our primary goal was to investigate how python hearts achieve this adaptive response after feeding. Isolated myofibrils increased force after feeding without changes in sarcomere ultrastructure and without increasing energy cost. Ca2+ transients were prolonged after feeding with no changes in myofibril Ca2+ sensitivity. Feeding reduced titin-based tension, resulting in decreased cardiac tissue stiffness. Feeding also reduced the activity of sirtuins, a metabolically linked class of histone deacetylases, and increased chromatin accessibility. Transcription factor enrichment analysis on transposase-accessible chromatin with sequencing revealed the prominent role of transcription factors Yin Yang1 and NRF1 in postfeeding cardiac adaptation. Gene expression also changed with the enrichment of translation and metabolism. Finally, metabolomics analysis and adenosine triphosphate production demonstrated that cardiac adaptation after feeding not only increased energy demand but also energy production. These findings have broad implications for our understanding of cardiac adaptation across species and hold promise for the development of innovative approaches to address cardiovascular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Crocini
- Max Rubner Center for Cardiovascular Metabolic Renal Research (MRC), Deutsches Herzzentrum der Charité (DHZC), Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin 10115, Germany
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303
| | - Kathleen C Woulfe
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045
| | - Christopher D Ozeroff
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303
| | - Stefano Perni
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045
| | - Joseph Cardiello
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303
| | - Cierra J Walker
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303
| | - Cortney E Wilson
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045
| | - Kristi Anseth
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303
| | - Mary Ann Allen
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303
| | - Leslie A Leinwand
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303
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3
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Tan Y, Martin TG, Harrison BC, Leinwand LA. Utility of the burmese Python as a model for studying plasticity of extreme physiological systems. J Muscle Res Cell Motil 2023; 44:95-106. [PMID: 36316565 PMCID: PMC10149580 DOI: 10.1007/s10974-022-09632-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Non-traditional animal models present an opportunity to discover novel biology that has evolved to allow such animals to survive in extreme environments. One striking example is the Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus), which exhibits extreme physiological adaptation in various metabolic organs after consuming a large meal following long periods of fasting. The response to such a large meal in pythons involves a dramatic surge in metabolic rate, lipid overload in plasma, and massive but reversible organ growth through the course of digestion. Multiple studies have reported the physiological responses in post-prandial pythons, while the specific molecular control of these processes is less well-studied. Investigating the mechanisms that coordinate organ growth and adaptive responses offers the opportunity to gain novel insight that may be able to treat various pathologies in humans. Here, we summarize past research on the post-prandial physiological changes in the Burmese python with a focus on the gastrointestinal tract, heart, and liver. Specifically, we address our recent molecular discoveries in the post-prandial python liver which demonstrate transient adaptations that may reveal new therapeutic targets. Lastly, we explore new biology of the aquaporin 7 gene that is potently upregulated in mammalian cardiac myocytes by circulating factors in post-prandial python plasma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxiao Tan
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder. 3415 Colorado Ave, UCB 596, 80309, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Thomas G Martin
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder. 3415 Colorado Ave, UCB 596, 80309, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Brooke C Harrison
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder. 3415 Colorado Ave, UCB 596, 80309, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Leslie A Leinwand
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder. 3415 Colorado Ave, UCB 596, 80309, Boulder, CO, USA.
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4
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Hastings MH, Herrera JJ, Guseh JS, Atlason B, Houstis NE, Abdul Kadir A, Li H, Sheffield C, Singh AP, Roh JD, Day SM, Rosenzweig A. Animal Models of Exercise From Rodents to Pythons. Circ Res 2022; 130:1994-2014. [PMID: 35679366 PMCID: PMC9202075 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.122.320247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Acute and chronic animal models of exercise are commonly used in research. Acute exercise testing is used, often in combination with genetic, pharmacological, or other manipulations, to study the impact of these manipulations on the cardiovascular response to exercise and to detect impairments or improvements in cardiovascular function that may not be evident at rest. Chronic exercise conditioning models are used to study the cardiac phenotypic response to regular exercise training and as a platform for discovery of novel pathways mediating cardiovascular benefits conferred by exercise conditioning that could be exploited therapeutically. The cardiovascular benefits of exercise are well established, and, frequently, molecular manipulations that mimic the pathway changes induced by exercise recapitulate at least some of its benefits. This review discusses approaches for assessing cardiovascular function during an acute exercise challenge in rodents, as well as practical and conceptual considerations in the use of common rodent exercise conditioning models. The case for studying feeding in the Burmese python as a model for exercise-like physiological adaptation is also explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret H Hastings
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Center, Corrigan Minehan Heart Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston (M.H.H., J.S.G., B.A., N.E.H., A.A.K., H.L., C.S., A.P.S., J.D.R., A.R.)
| | - Jonathan J Herrera
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (J.J.H.)
| | - J Sawalla Guseh
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Center, Corrigan Minehan Heart Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston (M.H.H., J.S.G., B.A., N.E.H., A.A.K., H.L., C.S., A.P.S., J.D.R., A.R.)
| | - Bjarni Atlason
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Center, Corrigan Minehan Heart Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston (M.H.H., J.S.G., B.A., N.E.H., A.A.K., H.L., C.S., A.P.S., J.D.R., A.R.)
| | - Nicholas E Houstis
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Center, Corrigan Minehan Heart Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston (M.H.H., J.S.G., B.A., N.E.H., A.A.K., H.L., C.S., A.P.S., J.D.R., A.R.)
| | - Azrul Abdul Kadir
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Center, Corrigan Minehan Heart Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston (M.H.H., J.S.G., B.A., N.E.H., A.A.K., H.L., C.S., A.P.S., J.D.R., A.R.)
| | - Haobo Li
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Center, Corrigan Minehan Heart Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston (M.H.H., J.S.G., B.A., N.E.H., A.A.K., H.L., C.S., A.P.S., J.D.R., A.R.)
| | - Cedric Sheffield
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Center, Corrigan Minehan Heart Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston (M.H.H., J.S.G., B.A., N.E.H., A.A.K., H.L., C.S., A.P.S., J.D.R., A.R.)
| | - Anand P Singh
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Center, Corrigan Minehan Heart Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston (M.H.H., J.S.G., B.A., N.E.H., A.A.K., H.L., C.S., A.P.S., J.D.R., A.R.)
| | - Jason D Roh
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Center, Corrigan Minehan Heart Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston (M.H.H., J.S.G., B.A., N.E.H., A.A.K., H.L., C.S., A.P.S., J.D.R., A.R.)
| | - Sharlene M Day
- Cardiovascular Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine' University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (S.M.D.)
| | - Anthony Rosenzweig
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Research Center, Corrigan Minehan Heart Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston (M.H.H., J.S.G., B.A., N.E.H., A.A.K., H.L., C.S., A.P.S., J.D.R., A.R.)
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5
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van Thiel J, Khan MA, Wouters RM, Harris RJ, Casewell NR, Fry BG, Kini RM, Mackessy SP, Vonk FJ, Wüster W, Richardson MK. Convergent evolution of toxin resistance in animals. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:1823-1843. [PMID: 35580905 PMCID: PMC9543476 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Convergence is the phenomenon whereby similar phenotypes evolve independently in different lineages. One example is resistance to toxins in animals. Toxins have evolved many times throughout the tree of life. They disrupt molecular and physiological pathways in target species, thereby incapacitating prey or deterring a predator. In response, molecular resistance has evolved in many species exposed to toxins to counteract their harmful effects. Here, we review current knowledge on the convergence of toxin resistance using examples from a wide range of toxin families. We explore the evolutionary processes and molecular adaptations driving toxin resistance. However, resistance adaptations may carry a fitness cost if they disrupt the normal physiology of the resistant animal. Therefore, there is a trade‐off between maintaining a functional molecular target and reducing toxin susceptibility. There are relatively few solutions that satisfy this trade‐off. As a result, we see a small set of molecular adaptations appearing repeatedly in diverse animal lineages, a phenomenon that is consistent with models of deterministic evolution. Convergence may also explain what has been called ‘autoresistance’. This is often thought to have evolved for self‐protection, but we argue instead that it may be a consequence of poisonous animals feeding on toxic prey. Toxin resistance provides a unique and compelling model system for studying the interplay between trophic interactions, selection pressures and the molecular mechanisms underlying evolutionary novelties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jory van Thiel
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Muzaffar A Khan
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Roel M Wouters
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Richard J Harris
- Venom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, 4072, Australia
| | - Nicholas R Casewell
- Centre for Snakebite Research & Interventions, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool L3 5QA, U.K
| | - Bryan G Fry
- Venom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, 4072, Australia
| | - R Manjunatha Kini
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117558, Singapore.,Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117600, Singapore.,Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298, U.S.A
| | - Stephen P Mackessy
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO, 80639-0017, U.S.A
| | - Freek J Vonk
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Darwinweg 2, 2333 CR Leiden, The Netherlands.,Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences, Division of BioAnalytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Wolfgang Wüster
- Molecular Ecology and Fisheries Genetics Laboratory, School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, LL57 2UW, U.K
| | - Michael K Richardson
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE Leiden, The Netherlands
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6
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Claunch NM, Bartoszek IA, Tillis S, Stacy NI, Ossiboff RJ, Oakey S, Schoenle LA, Wellehan JFX, Romagosa CM. Physiological effects of capture and short-term captivity in an invasive snake species, the Burmese python (Python bivittatus) in Florida. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2022; 267:111162. [PMID: 35149178 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2022.111162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
It is important to evaluate the role of captivity as a potential stressor. An understanding of stress responses to capture and transition to captivity may inform the limitations of laboratory studies on wild animals, aid in understanding the consequences of introducing animals into captive environments, and help predict which species may be successful invasives. We investigated physiological effects of captivity by comparing at-capture blood variables in wild Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus) in Florida to pythons recently brought into captivity (1-109 days). We conducted an acute restraint test by collecting samples at baseline (immediately at handling) and one hour post-restraint across wild field-sampled (n = 19) and recently-captive (n = 33) pythons to evaluate fluctuations in plasma corticosterone, bacterial killing ability, antibody response, leukogram, and serpentovirus infection. We observed higher baseline plasma corticosterone and monocytes in recently captive compared to wild snakes, which both subsided in snakes held for a longer time in captivity, and a mild decrease in lymphocytes in the middle of the captivity period. Functional immunity and viral infection were not affected by captivity, and pythons maintained restraint-induced responses in corticosterone, heterophil to lymphocyte ratio, and monocyte counts throughout captivity. Prevalence for serpentovirus was 50%, though infection status was related to sampling date rather than captivity, indicating that viral infection may be seasonal. The history of Burmese python as a common captive animal for research and pet trade, as well as its general resilience to effects of capture and short-term captivity, may contribute to its invasion success in Florida.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie M Claunch
- School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Florida, USA.
| | | | - Steve Tillis
- College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, USA
| | - Nicole I Stacy
- College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, USA
| | | | - Samantha Oakey
- College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, USA
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7
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Magida JA, Tan Y, Wall CE, Harrison BC, Marr TG, Peter AK, Riquelme CA, Leinwand LA. Burmese pythons exhibit a transient adaptation to nutrient overload that prevents liver damage. J Gen Physiol 2022; 154:213093. [PMID: 35323838 PMCID: PMC8958269 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.202113008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
As an opportunistic predator, the Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus) consumes large and infrequent meals, fasting for up to a year. Upon consuming a large meal, the Burmese python exhibits extreme metabolic responses. To define the pathways that regulate these postprandial metabolic responses, we performed a comprehensive profile of plasma metabolites throughout the digestive process. Following ingestion of a meal equivalent to 25% of its body mass, plasma lipoproteins and metabolites, such as chylomicra and bile acids, reach levels observed only in mammalian models of extreme dyslipidemia. Here, we provide evidence for an adaptive response to postprandial nutrient overload by the python liver, a critical site of metabolic homeostasis. The python liver undergoes a substantial increase in mass through proliferative processes, exhibits hepatic steatosis, hyperlipidemia-induced insulin resistance indicated by PEPCK activation and pAKT deactivation, and de novo fatty acid synthesis via FASN activation. This postprandial state is completely reversible. We posit that Burmese pythons evade the permanent hepatic damage associated with these metabolic states in mammals using evolved protective measures to inactivate these pathways. These include a transient activation of hepatic nuclear receptors induced by fatty acids and bile acids, including PPAR and FXR, respectively. The stress-induced p38 MAPK pathway is also transiently activated during the early stages of digestion. Taken together, these data identify a reversible metabolic response to hyperlipidemia by the python liver, only achieved in mammals by pharmacologic intervention. The factors involved in these processes may be relevant to or leveraged for remediating human hepatic pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason A Magida
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO.,Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA
| | - Yuxiao Tan
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
| | - Christopher E Wall
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO.,Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA
| | - Brooke C Harrison
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
| | | | - Angela K Peter
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
| | - Cecilia A Riquelme
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO.,Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Catholic University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Leslie A Leinwand
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
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8
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Boukens BJD, Joyce W, Kristensen DL, Hooijkaas I, Jongejan A, Wang T, Jensen B. Catecholamines are key modulators of ventricular repolarization patterns in the ball python (Python regius). J Gen Physiol 2022; 154:212914. [PMID: 34910097 PMCID: PMC8679508 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.202012761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Revised: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ectothermic vertebrates experience daily changes in body temperature, and anecdotal observations suggest these changes affect ventricular repolarization such that the T-wave in the ECG changes polarity. Mammals, in contrast, can maintain stable body temperatures, and their ventricular repolarization is strongly modulated by changes in heart rate and by sympathetic nervous system activity. The aim of this study was to assess the role of body temperature, heart rate, and circulating catecholamines on local repolarization gradients in the ectothermic ball python (Python regius). We recorded body-surface electrocardiograms and performed open-chest high-resolution epicardial mapping while increasing body temperature in five pythons, in all of which there was a change in T-wave polarity. However, the vector of repolarization differed between individuals, and only a subset of leads revealed T-wave polarity change. RNA sequencing revealed regional differences related to adrenergic signaling. In one denervated and Ringer's solution-perfused heart, heating and elevated heart rates did not induce change in T-wave polarity, whereas noradrenaline did. Accordingly, electrocardiograms in eight awake pythons receiving intra-arterial infusion of the β-adrenergic receptor agonists adrenaline and isoproterenol revealed T-wave inversion in most individuals. Conversely, blocking the β-adrenergic receptors using propranolol prevented T-wave change during heating. Our findings indicate that changes in ventricular repolarization in ball pythons are caused by increased tone of the sympathetic nervous system, not by changes in temperature. Therefore, ventricular repolarization in both pythons and mammals is modulated by evolutionary conserved mechanisms involving catecholaminergic stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bastiaan J D Boukens
- University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - William Joyce
- Department of Biology, Zoophysiology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | - Ingeborg Hooijkaas
- University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Aldo Jongejan
- University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Department of Epidemiology & Data Science, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tobias Wang
- Department of Biology, Zoophysiology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Bjarke Jensen
- University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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9
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da Mota Araujo HR, Sartori MR, Navarro CDC, de Carvalho JE, Luis da Cruz A. Feeding effects on liver mitochondrial bioenergetics of Boa constrictor (Serpentes: Boidae). J Exp Biol 2021; 224:272421. [PMID: 34622285 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Snakes are interesting examples of taxa that can overcome energy metabolism challenges, as many species can endure long periods without feeding, and their eventual meals are of reasonably large sizes, thus exhibiting dual extreme adaptations. Consequently, metabolic rate increases considerably to attend to the energetic demand of digestion, absorption and protein synthesis. These animals should be adapted to transition from these two opposite states of energy fairly quickly, and therefore we investigated mitochondrial function plasticity in these states. Herein, we compared liver mitochondrial bioenergetics of the boid snake Boa constrictor during fasting and after meal intake. We fasted the snakes for 60 days, and then we fed a subgroup with 30% of their body size and evaluated their maximum postprandial response. We measured liver respiration rates from permeabilized tissue and isolated mitochondria. From isolated mitochondria, we also measured Ca2+ retention capacity and redox status. Mitochondrial respiration rates were maximized after feeding, reaching an approximately 60% increase from fasting levels when energized with complex I-linked substrates. Interestingly, fasting and fed snakes exhibited similar respiratory control ratios and citrate synthase activity. Furthermore, we found no differences in Ca2+ retention capacity, indicating no increase in susceptibility to mitochondrial permeability transition, and no changes in mitochondrial redox state, although fed animals exhibited increases in the release of H2O2. Thus, we conclude that liver mitochondria from B. constrictor snakes increase respiration rates during the postprandial period and quickly improve the bioenergetic capacity without compromising redox balance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marina Rincon Sartori
- Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, 13083-877, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Claudia D C Navarro
- Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, 13083-877, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - José Eduardo de Carvalho
- Instituto de Ciências Químicas, Ambientais e Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Campus Diadema, 04021-001, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - André Luis da Cruz
- Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Campus Ondina, 40170-115 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
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10
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Blanco AM, Calo J, Soengas JL. The gut–brain axis in vertebrates: implications for food intake regulation. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:224/1/jeb231571. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.231571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The gut and brain are constantly communicating and influencing each other through neural, endocrine and immune signals in an interaction referred to as the gut–brain axis. Within this communication system, the gastrointestinal tract, including the gut microbiota, sends information on energy status to the brain, which, after integrating these and other inputs, transmits feedback to the gastrointestinal tract. This allows the regulation of food intake and other physiological processes occurring in the gastrointestinal tract, including motility, secretion, digestion and absorption. Although extensive literature is available on the mechanisms governing the communication between the gut and the brain in mammals, studies on this axis in other vertebrates are scarce and often limited to a single species, which may not be representative for obtaining conclusions for an entire group. This Review aims to compile the available information on the gut–brain axis in birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish, with a special focus on its involvement in food intake regulation and, to a lesser extent, in digestive processes. Additionally, we will identify gaps of knowledge that need to be filled in order to better understand the functioning and physiological significance of such an axis in non-mammalian vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayelén Melisa Blanco
- Laboratorio de Fisioloxía Animal, Departamento de Bioloxía Funcional e Ciencias da Saúde, Facultade de Bioloxía and Centro de Investigación Mariña, Universidade de Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Pontevedra, Spain
| | - Jessica Calo
- Laboratorio de Fisioloxía Animal, Departamento de Bioloxía Funcional e Ciencias da Saúde, Facultade de Bioloxía and Centro de Investigación Mariña, Universidade de Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Pontevedra, Spain
| | - José Luis Soengas
- Laboratorio de Fisioloxía Animal, Departamento de Bioloxía Funcional e Ciencias da Saúde, Facultade de Bioloxía and Centro de Investigación Mariña, Universidade de Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Pontevedra, Spain
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11
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The vasopressor action of angiotensin II (ANG II) in ball pythons (Python regius). Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2020; 252:110839. [PMID: 33166686 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2020.110839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Revised: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Angiotensin II (ANG II) is part of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in vertebrates and exert vasoconstriction in all species studied. The present study examines the vasopressor effect of ANG II in the ball python (Python regius), and examines whether ANG II exert its effect through direct angiotensin receptors or through an activation of α-adrenergic receptors. The studies were conducted in snakes with chronic arterial catheters that had recovered from anesthesia. In addition to demonstrating a clear and pronounced dose-dependent rise in arterial blood pressure upon repeated injections of boluses with ANG II (0.001-1 μg/kg), we demonstrate that the pressor response persisted following α-adrenergic blockade using the α-adrenergic antagonist phentolamine (2.5 mg/kg). Unfortunately, it proved impossible to block the ANG receptors using losartan (1, 3 or even 10 mg/kg). The pressor response to ANG II was associated with a significant rise in heart rate at the higher dosages, pointing to a resetting of the barostatic mechanism for heart rate regulation. The responses were similar in fasting and digesting pythons despite the expected rise in baseline values for blood pressure and heart rate of the digesting snakes.
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12
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Pereira LDM, Messias EA, Sorroche BP, Oliveira ADN, Arantes LMRB, de Carvalho AC, Tanaka-Azevedo AM, Grego KF, Carvalho AL, Melendez ME. In-depth transcriptome reveals the potential biotechnological application of Bothrops jararaca venom gland. J Venom Anim Toxins Incl Trop Dis 2020; 26:e20190058. [PMID: 33149734 PMCID: PMC7579844 DOI: 10.1590/1678-9199-jvatitd-2019-0058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Lack of complete genomic data of Bothrops jararaca impedes molecular biology research focusing on biotechnological applications of venom gland components. Identification of full-length coding regions of genes is crucial for the correct molecular cloning design. Methods: RNA was extracted from the venom gland of one adult female specimen of Bothrops jararaca. Deep sequencing of the mRNA library was performed using Illumina NextSeq 500 platform. De novo assembly of B. jararaca transcriptome was done using Trinity. Annotation was performed using Blast2GO. All predicted proteins after clustering step were blasted against non-redundant protein database of NCBI using BLASTP. Metabolic pathways present in the transcriptome were annotated using the KAAS-KEGG Automatic Annotation Server. Toxins were identified in the B. jararaca predicted proteome using BLASTP against all protein sequences obtained from Animal Toxin Annotation Project from Uniprot KB/Swiss-Pro database. Figures and data visualization were performed using ggplot2 package in R language environment. Results: We described the in-depth transcriptome analysis of B. jararaca venom gland, in which 76,765 de novo assembled isoforms, 96,044 transcribed genes and 41,196 unique proteins were identified. The most abundant transcript was the zinc metalloproteinase-disintegrin-like jararhagin. Moreover, we identified 78 distinct functional classes of proteins, including toxins, inhibitors and tumor suppressors. Other venom proteins identified were the hemolytic lethal factors stonustoxin and verrucotoxin. Conclusion: It is believed that the application of deep sequencing to the analysis of snake venom transcriptomes may represent invaluable insight on their biotechnological potential focusing on candidate molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandro de Mattos Pereira
- Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, SP, Brazil.,Laboratory of Molecular Microbial Ecology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Elisa Alves Messias
- Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, SP, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - André Lopes Carvalho
- Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, SP, Brazil
| | - Matias Eliseo Melendez
- Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, SP, Brazil.,Pelé Little Prince Research Institute, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.,Little Prince College, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
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13
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Maldonado JA, Firneno TJ, Roelke CE, Rains ND, Mwgiri J, Fujita MK. Transcriptome sequencing reveals signatures of positive selection in the Spot-Tailed Earless Lizard. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0234504. [PMID: 32542006 PMCID: PMC7295237 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0234504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The continual loss of threatened biodiversity is occurring at an accelerated pace. High-throughput sequencing technologies are now providing opportunities to address this issue by aiding in the generation of molecular data for many understudied species of high conservation interest. Our overall goal of this study was to begin building the genomic resources to continue investigations and conservation of the Spot-Tailed Earless lizard. Here we leverage the power of high-throughput sequencing to generate the liver transcriptome for the Northern Spot-Tailed Earless Lizard (Holbrookia lacerata) and Southern Spot-Tailed Earless Lizard (Holbrookia subcaudalis), which have declined in abundance in the past decades, and their sister species, the Common Lesser Earless Lizard (Holbrookia maculata). Our efforts produced high quality and robust transcriptome assemblies validated by 1) quantifying the number of processed reads represented in the transcriptome assembly and 2) quantifying the number of highly conserved single-copy orthologs that are present in our transcript set using the BUSCO pipeline. We found 1,361 1-to-1 orthologs among the three Holbrookia species, Anolis carolinensis, and Sceloporus undulatus. We carried out dN/dS selection tests using a branch-sites model and identified a dozen genes that experienced positive selection in the Holbrookia lineage with functions in development, immunity, and metabolism. Our single-copy orthologous sequences additionally revealed significant pairwise sequence divergence (~.73%) between the Northern H. lacerata and Southern H. subcaudalis that further supports the recent elevation of the Southern Spot-Tailed Earless Lizard to full species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose A. Maldonado
- Department of Biology, Amphibian and Reptile Diversity Research Center, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States of America
| | - Thomas J. Firneno
- Department of Biology, Amphibian and Reptile Diversity Research Center, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States of America
| | - Corey E. Roelke
- Department of Biology, Amphibian and Reptile Diversity Research Center, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States of America
| | - Nathan D. Rains
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Austin, Texas, TX, United States of America
| | - Juliet Mwgiri
- Department of Biology, Amphibian and Reptile Diversity Research Center, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States of America
| | - Matthew K. Fujita
- Department of Biology, Amphibian and Reptile Diversity Research Center, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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14
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da Silva Vasconcelos E, Kalinin AL, Cipriano RC, Dos Santos Beserra S, Lopes AG, da Costa Leite CA, Monteiro DA. Effects of feeding and digestion on myocardial contractility and expression of calcium-handling proteins in Burmese pythons (Python molurus). Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2019; 240:110371. [PMID: 31676333 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2019.110371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Revised: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Pythons are important models of studies on postprandial metabolism because their physiological responses are exacerbated when digesting large prey. Prior studies of these animals have shown hypertrophy of the cardiac tissue 2 to 3 days after feeding, coinciding with the peak of the specific dynamic action (SDA), but the consequences of this remodeling in myocardial contractility have not been studied, which is the purpose of this work. Specimens of Python molurus were divided into two groups: a Digesting group (2 days after feeding, at the peak of SDA), and a Fasting group (28 days after feeding). When compared to the Fasting group, the Digesting group showed higher relative ventricular mass and calcium-handling protein expression such as sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA), phospholamban (PLB), and the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX). Digesting pythons also exhibited significant increases in the cardiac contraction force (Fc), rates of force development and relaxation, and cardiac pumping capacity. Therefore, the higher SERCA, PLB and NCX expression levels increased cytosolic Ca2+ transient amplitude, improving myofilament force. These changes are crucial to maintain cardiac output and a relatively high and continuous blood flow required by metabolic expenditure that occurs in postprandial animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliton da Silva Vasconcelos
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ana Lúcia Kalinin
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rafael Correa Cipriano
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - André Guelli Lopes
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Diana Amaral Monteiro
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil.
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15
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Lind AL, Lai YYY, Mostovoy Y, Holloway AK, Iannucci A, Mak ACY, Fondi M, Orlandini V, Eckalbar WL, Milan M, Rovatsos M, Kichigin IG, Makunin AI, Johnson Pokorná M, Altmanová M, Trifonov VA, Schijlen E, Kratochvíl L, Fani R, Velenský P, Rehák I, Patarnello T, Jessop TS, Hicks JW, Ryder OA, Mendelson JR, Ciofi C, Kwok PY, Pollard KS, Bruneau BG. Genome of the Komodo dragon reveals adaptations in the cardiovascular and chemosensory systems of monitor lizards. Nat Ecol Evol 2019; 3:1241-1252. [PMID: 31358948 PMCID: PMC6668926 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-019-0945-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Monitor lizards are unique among ectothermic reptiles in that they have high aerobic capacity and distinctive cardiovascular physiology resembling that of endothermic mammals. Here, we sequence the genome of the Komodo dragon Varanus komodoensis, the largest extant monitor lizard, and generate a high-resolution de novo chromosome-assigned genome assembly for V. komodoensis using a hybrid approach of long-range sequencing and single-molecule optical mapping. Comparing the genome of V. komodoensis with those of related species, we find evidence of positive selection in pathways related to energy metabolism, cardiovascular homoeostasis, and haemostasis. We also show species-specific expansions of a chemoreceptor gene family related to pheromone and kairomone sensing in V. komodoensis and other lizard lineages. Together, these evolutionary signatures of adaptation reveal the genetic underpinnings of the unique Komodo dragon sensory and cardiovascular systems, and suggest that selective pressure altered haemostasis genes to help Komodo dragons evade the anticoagulant effects of their own saliva. The Komodo dragon genome is an important resource for understanding the biology of monitor lizards and reptiles worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yvonne Y Y Lai
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Yulia Mostovoy
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Alessio Iannucci
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Angel C Y Mak
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Marco Fondi
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Valerio Orlandini
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Walter L Eckalbar
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Massimo Milan
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padova, Legnaro, Italy
| | - Michail Rovatsos
- Department of Ecology, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Liběchov, Czech Republic
| | - Ilya G Kichigin
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Alex I Makunin
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Martina Johnson Pokorná
- Department of Ecology, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Liběchov, Czech Republic
| | - Marie Altmanová
- Department of Ecology, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Liběchov, Czech Republic
| | | | - Elio Schijlen
- B.U. Bioscience, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Lukáš Kratochvíl
- Department of Ecology, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Renato Fani
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | | | - Ivan Rehák
- Prague Zoological Garden, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tomaso Patarnello
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padova, Legnaro, Italy
| | - Tim S Jessop
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria, Australia
| | - James W Hicks
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Oliver A Ryder
- Institute for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo, Escondido, CA, USA
| | - Joseph R Mendelson
- Zoo Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Claudio Ciofi
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Pui-Yan Kwok
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Dermatology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Katherine S Pollard
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Institute for Computational Health Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Chan-Zuckerberg BioHub, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Benoit G Bruneau
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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16
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Habroun SS, Schaffner AA, Taylor EN, Strand CR. Food consumption increases cell proliferation in the python brain. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 221:jeb.173377. [PMID: 29496780 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.173377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2017] [Accepted: 02/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Pythons are model organisms for investigating physiological responses to food intake. While systemic growth in response to food consumption is well documented, what occurs in the brain is currently unexplored. In this study, male ball pythons (Python regius) were used to test the hypothesis that food consumption stimulates cell proliferation in the brain. We used 5-bromo-12'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) as a cell-birth marker to quantify and compare cell proliferation in the brain of fasted snakes and those at 2 and 6 days after a meal. Throughout the telencephalon, cell proliferation was significantly increased in the 6 day group, with no difference between the 2 day group and controls. Systemic postprandial plasticity occurs quickly after a meal is ingested, during the period of active digestion; however, the brain displays a surge of cell proliferation after most digestion and absorption is complete.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacy S Habroun
- Biological Sciences Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407-0401, USA.,Neurosciences Department, University of California-San Diego, Biomedical Research Facility, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Andrew A Schaffner
- Statistics Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407-0405 , USA
| | - Emily N Taylor
- Biological Sciences Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407-0401, USA
| | - Christine R Strand
- Biological Sciences Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407-0401, USA
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17
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Duan J, Sanggaard KW, Schauser L, Lauridsen SE, Enghild JJ, Schierup MH, Wang T. Transcriptome analysis of the response of Burmese python to digestion. Gigascience 2017; 6:1-18. [PMID: 28873961 PMCID: PMC5597892 DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/gix057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2016] [Revised: 04/12/2017] [Accepted: 07/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Exceptional and extreme feeding behaviour makes the Burmese python (Python bivittatus) an interesting model to study physiological remodelling and metabolic adaptation in response to refeeding after prolonged starvation. In this study, we used transcriptome sequencing of 5 visceral organs during fasting as well as 24 hours and 48 hours after ingestion of a large meal to unravel the postprandial changes in Burmese pythons. We first used the pooled data to perform a de novo assembly of the transcriptome and supplemented this with a proteomic survey of enzymes in the plasma and gastric fluid. We constructed a high-quality transcriptome with 34 423 transcripts, of which 19 713 (57%) were annotated. Among highly expressed genes (fragments per kilo base per million sequenced reads > 100 in 1 tissue), we found that the transition from fasting to digestion was associated with differential expression of 43 genes in the heart, 206 genes in the liver, 114 genes in the stomach, 89 genes in the pancreas, and 158 genes in the intestine. We interrogated the function of these genes to test previous hypotheses on the response to feeding. We also used the transcriptome to identify 314 secreted proteins in the gastric fluid of the python. Digestion was associated with an upregulation of genes related to metabolic processes, and translational changes therefore appear to support the postprandial rise in metabolism. We identify stomach-related proteins from a digesting individual and demonstrate that the sensitivity of modern liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry equipment allows the identification of gastric juice proteins that are present during digestion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinjie Duan
- Bioinformatics Research Center, Aarhus University, C.F. Moellers Alle 8, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Kristian Wejse Sanggaard
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 10C, Aarhus C, Denmark
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | | | - Sanne Enok Lauridsen
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 116, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Jan J. Enghild
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 10C, Aarhus C, Denmark
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Mikkel Heide Schierup
- Bioinformatics Research Center, Aarhus University, C.F. Moellers Alle 8, Aarhus C, Denmark
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 116, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Tobias Wang
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 116, Aarhus C, Denmark
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