1
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Christensen CF, Laurichesse Q, Loudhaief R, Colombani J, Andersen DS. Drosophila activins adapt gut size to food intake and promote regenerative growth. Nat Commun 2024; 15:273. [PMID: 38177201 PMCID: PMC10767106 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44553-9] [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: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Rapidly renewable tissues adapt different strategies to cope with environmental insults. While tissue repair is associated with increased intestinal stem cell (ISC) proliferation and accelerated tissue turnover rates, reduced calorie intake triggers a homeostasis-breaking process causing adaptive resizing of the gut. Here we show that activins are key drivers of both adaptive and regenerative growth. Activin-β (Actβ) is produced by stem and progenitor cells in response to intestinal infections and stimulates ISC proliferation and turnover rates to promote tissue repair. Dawdle (Daw), a divergent Drosophila activin, signals through its receptor, Baboon, in progenitor cells to promote their maturation into enterocytes (ECs). Daw is dynamically regulated during starvation-refeeding cycles, where it couples nutrient intake with progenitor maturation and adaptive resizing of the gut. Our results highlight an activin-dependent mechanism coupling nutrient intake with progenitor-to-EC maturation to promote adaptive resizing of the gut and further establish activins as key regulators of adult tissue plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian F Christensen
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, Build. 3, 3rd floor, 2100 Copenhagen O, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Quentin Laurichesse
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, Build. 3, 3rd floor, 2100 Copenhagen O, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Rihab Loudhaief
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, Build. 3, 3rd floor, 2100 Copenhagen O, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Julien Colombani
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, Build. 3, 3rd floor, 2100 Copenhagen O, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Ditte S Andersen
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, Build. 3, 3rd floor, 2100 Copenhagen O, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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2
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Nadolski EM, Moczek AP. Promises and limits of an agency perspective in evolutionary developmental biology. Evol Dev 2023; 25:371-392. [PMID: 37038309 DOI: 10.1111/ede.12432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Abstract
An agent-based perspective in the study of complex systems is well established in diverse disciplines, yet is only beginning to be applied to evolutionary developmental biology. In this essay, we begin by defining agency and associated terminology formally. We then explore the assumptions and predictions of an agency perspective, apply these to select processes and key concept areas relevant to practitioners of evolutionary developmental biology, and consider the potential epistemic roles that an agency perspective might play in evo devo. Throughout, we discuss evidence supportive of agential dynamics in biological systems relevant to evo devo and explore where agency thinking may enrich the explanatory reach of research efforts in evolutionary developmental biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica M Nadolski
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Armin P Moczek
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
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3
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Mechanical forces directing intestinal form and function. Curr Biol 2022; 32:R791-R805. [PMID: 35882203 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.05.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The vertebrate intestine experiences a range of intrinsically generated and external forces during both development and adult homeostasis. It is increasingly understood how the coordination of these forces shapes the intestine through organ-scale folding and epithelial organization into crypt-villus compartments. Moreover, accumulating evidence shows that several cell types in the adult intestine can sense and respond to forces to regulate key cellular processes underlying adult intestinal functions and self-renewal. In this way, transduction of forces may direct both intestinal homeostasis as well as adaptation to external stimuli, such as food ingestion or injury. In this review, we will discuss recent insights from complementary model systems into the force-dependent mechanisms that establish and maintain the unique architecture of the intestine, as well as its homeostatic regulation and function throughout adult life.
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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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Westfall AK, Perry BW, Kamal AHM, Hales NR, Kay JC, Sapkota M, Schield DR, Pellegrino MW, Secor SM, Chowdhury SM, Castoe TA. Identification of an integrated stress and growth response signaling switch that directs vertebrate intestinal regeneration. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:6. [PMID: 34983392 PMCID: PMC8725436 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-08226-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Snakes exhibit extreme intestinal regeneration following months-long fasts that involves unparalleled increases in metabolism, function, and tissue growth, but the specific molecular control of this process is unknown. Understanding the mechanisms that coordinate these regenerative phenotypes provides valuable opportunities to understand critical pathways that may control vertebrate regeneration and novel perspectives on vertebrate regenerative capacities. RESULTS Here, we integrate a comprehensive set of phenotypic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and phosphoproteomic data from boa constrictors to identify the mechanisms that orchestrate shifts in metabolism, nutrient uptake, and cellular stress to direct phases of the regenerative response. We identify specific temporal patterns of metabolic, stress response, and growth pathway activation that direct regeneration and provide evidence for multiple key central regulatory molecules kinases that integrate these signals, including major conserved pathways like mTOR signaling and the unfolded protein response. CONCLUSION Collectively, our results identify a novel switch-like role of stress responses in intestinal regeneration that forms a primary regulatory hub facilitating organ regeneration and could point to potential pathways to understand regenerative capacity in vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aundrea K Westfall
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA
| | - Blair W Perry
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA
| | - Abu H M Kamal
- Advanced Technology Cores, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA
| | - Nicole R Hales
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA.,Department of Research Development and Commercialization, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA
| | - Jarren C Kay
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
| | - Madhab Sapkota
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Drew R Schield
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Mark W Pellegrino
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA
| | - Stephen M Secor
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
| | - Saiful M Chowdhury
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA
| | - Todd A Castoe
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA.
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6
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Rivera HE, Aichelman HE, Fifer JE, Kriefall NG, Wuitchik DM, Wuitchik SJS, Davies SW. A framework for understanding gene expression plasticity and its influence on stress tolerance. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:1381-1397. [PMID: 33503298 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Phenotypic plasticity can serve as a stepping stone towards adaptation. Recently, studies have shown that gene expression contributes to emergent stress responses such as thermal tolerance, with tolerant and susceptible populations showing distinct transcriptional profiles. However, given the dynamic nature of gene expression, interpreting transcriptomic results in a way that elucidates the functional connection between gene expression and the observed stress response is challenging. Here, we present a conceptual framework to guide interpretation of gene expression reaction norms in the context of stress tolerance. We consider the evolutionary and adaptive potential of gene expression reaction norms and discuss the influence of sampling timing, transcriptomic resilience, as well as complexities related to life history when interpreting gene expression dynamics and how these patterns relate to host tolerance. We highlight corals as a case study to demonstrate the value of this framework for non-model systems. As species face rapidly changing environmental conditions, modulating gene expression can serve as a mechanistic link from genetic and cellular processes to the physiological responses that allow organisms to thrive under novel conditions. Interpreting how or whether a species can employ gene expression plasticity to ensure short-term survival will be critical for understanding the global impacts of climate change across diverse taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanny E Rivera
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - James E Fifer
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Sara J S Wuitchik
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.,FAS Informatics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sarah W Davies
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
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7
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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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8
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Kay JC, Elsey RM, Secor SM. Modest Regulation of Digestive Performance Is Maintained through Early Ontogeny for the American Alligator, Alligator mississippiensis. Physiol Biochem Zool 2020; 93:320-338. [PMID: 32492358 DOI: 10.1086/709443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
The American alligator, Alligator mississippiensis, is an opportunistic carnivore that experiences an ontogenetic shift in food and feeding habits with an increase in body size. Alligators frequently feed on invertebrates and small fish as neonates and transition to feeding less frequently on larger vertebrates as they grow. We hypothesized that alligators experience an ontogenetic shift in the regulation of intestinal performance-modest regulation with frequent feeding early in life and wider regulation with less frequent feeding as they increase in body size. We tested this hypothesis by comparing postprandial responses in metabolic rate, organ masses, intestinal histology, digestive hydrolase activities, and intestinal nutrient uptake rates among neonate, juvenile, and subadult alligators. With feeding, alligators of all three age classes experienced a rapid increase in metabolic rate that peaked within 2 d and thereafter declined more slowly to prefeeding rates. Specific dynamic action increased with body mass and was equivalent to 32% of meal energy. For each age class, the majority of organs did not change in wet and dry mass with feeding. For subadult alligators, luminal gut pH varied regionally due to the acidic stomach, which continued to remain acidic with fasting. With feeding, epithelial enterocytes are remodeled from a pseudostratified to a stratified architecture and become infiltrated with lipid droplets. Feeding did not generate any significant change in the thickness of intestinal tissues, though it did induce an increase in enterocyte width and volume for subadults. For each age class, feeding generally did not result in significant changes in pancreatic trypsin, intestinal aminopeptidase, and intestinal nutrient uptake activities and capacities. Mass-specific nutrient uptake rates varied among age classes due to the higher rates exhibited by neonates. Among age classes, intestinal uptake capacities scaled allometrically (mass exponents <1) with body mass. Across these three age classes, the modest regulation of digestive performance with feeding and fasting for alligators appears to be ontogenetically conserved.
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9
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Perry BW, Andrew AL, Mostafa Kamal AH, Card DC, Schield DR, Pasquesi GIM, Pellegrino MW, Mackessy SP, Chowdhury SM, Secor SM, Castoe TA. Multi-species comparisons of snakes identify coordinated signalling networks underlying post-feeding intestinal regeneration. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20190910. [PMID: 31288694 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.0910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Several snake species that feed infrequently in nature have evolved the ability to massively upregulate intestinal form and function with each meal. While fasting, these snakes downregulate intestinal form and function, and upon feeding restore intestinal structure and function through major increases in cell growth and proliferation, metabolism and upregulation of digestive function. Previous studies have identified changes in gene expression that underlie this regenerative growth of the python intestine, but the unique features that differentiate this extreme regenerative growth from non-regenerative post-feeding responses exhibited by snakes that feed more frequently remain unclear. Here, we leveraged variation in regenerative capacity across three snake species-two distantly related lineages ( Crotalus and Python) that experience regenerative growth, and one ( Nerodia) that does not-to infer molecular mechanisms underlying intestinal regeneration using transcriptomic and proteomic approaches. Using a comparative approach, we identify a suite of growth, stress response and DNA damage response signalling pathways with inferred activity specifically in regenerating species, and propose a hypothesis model of interactivity between these pathways that may drive regenerative intestinal growth in snakes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blair W Perry
- 1 Department of Biology, The University of Texas Arlington , 501 South Nedderman Drive, Arlington, TX 76019 , USA
| | - Audra L Andrew
- 1 Department of Biology, The University of Texas Arlington , 501 South Nedderman Drive, Arlington, TX 76019 , USA
| | - Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal
- 2 Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas Arlington , 501 South Nedderman Drive, Arlington, TX 76019 , USA
| | - Daren C Card
- 1 Department of Biology, The University of Texas Arlington , 501 South Nedderman Drive, Arlington, TX 76019 , USA
| | - Drew R Schield
- 1 Department of Biology, The University of Texas Arlington , 501 South Nedderman Drive, Arlington, TX 76019 , USA
| | - Giulia I M Pasquesi
- 1 Department of Biology, The University of Texas Arlington , 501 South Nedderman Drive, Arlington, TX 76019 , USA
| | - Mark W Pellegrino
- 1 Department of Biology, The University of Texas Arlington , 501 South Nedderman Drive, Arlington, TX 76019 , USA
| | - Stephen P Mackessy
- 3 School of Biological Sciences, University of Northern Colorado , 501 20th Street, Greeley, CO 80639 , USA
| | - Saiful M Chowdhury
- 2 Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas Arlington , 501 South Nedderman Drive, Arlington, TX 76019 , USA
| | - Stephen M Secor
- 4 Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama , Box 870344, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 , USA
| | - Todd A Castoe
- 1 Department of Biology, The University of Texas Arlington , 501 South Nedderman Drive, Arlington, TX 76019 , USA
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10
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Abstract
The intestinal epithelium withstands continuous mechanical, chemical and biological insults despite its single-layered, simple epithelial structure. The crypt-villus tissue architecture in combination with rapid cell turnover enables the intestine to act both as a barrier and as the primary site of nutrient uptake. Constant tissue replenishment is fuelled by continuously dividing stem cells that reside at the bottom of crypts. These cells are nurtured and protected by specialized epithelial and mesenchymal cells, and together constitute the intestinal stem cell niche. Intestinal stem cells and early progenitor cells compete for limited niche space and, therefore, the ability to retain or regain stemness. Those cells unable to do so differentiate to one of six different mature cell types and move upwards towards the villus, where they are shed into the intestinal lumen after 3-5 days. In this Review, we discuss the signals, cell types and mechanisms that control homeostasis and regeneration in the intestinal epithelium. We investigate how the niche protects and instructs intestinal stem cells, which processes drive differentiation of mature cells and how imbalance in key signalling pathways can cause human disease.
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11
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Hill RL, Huskisson SM, Weigel E, Mendelson JR. Growth rates of juvenile Boa constrictor under two feeding regimes. Zoo Biol 2018; 38:209-213. [PMID: 30474253 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21460] [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: 05/15/2018] [Revised: 09/07/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Many husbandry routines in zoo herpetology are based on tradition, authoritarianism, anecdote, or speculation. However, relatively few empirical studies underlie many very common practices. We compared growth rates among littermates of Boa constrictor raised under two feeding regimes that were identical in terms of the mass of food ingested, but differed in weekly versus bi-weekly schedules. The growth rate of the group fed weekly was greater than the rate for the biweekly group. Snakes fed 10% of their body mass on a weekly regimen grew to a larger size, and at a faster rate, than did snakes fed 20% of their body mass on a biweekly regimen.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Emily Weigel
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Joseph R Mendelson
- Zoo Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia.,School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia
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12
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Card DC, Perry BW, Adams RH, Schield DR, Young AS, Andrew AL, Jezkova T, Pasquesi GI, Hales NR, Walsh MR, Rochford MR, Mazzotti FJ, Hart KM, Hunter ME, Castoe TA. Novel ecological and climatic conditions drive rapid adaptation in invasive Florida Burmese pythons. Mol Ecol 2018; 27:4744-4757. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.14885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2018] [Revised: 08/24/2018] [Accepted: 09/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daren C. Card
- Department of Biology The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington Texas
| | - Blair W. Perry
- Department of Biology The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington Texas
| | - Richard H. Adams
- Department of Biology The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington Texas
| | - Drew R. Schield
- Department of Biology The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington Texas
| | - Acacia S. Young
- Department of Biology The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington Texas
| | - Audra L. Andrew
- Department of Biology The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington Texas
| | | | | | - Nicole R. Hales
- Department of Biology The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington Texas
| | - Matthew R. Walsh
- Department of Biology The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington Texas
| | - Michael R. Rochford
- Fort Lauderdale Research & Education Center University of Florida Fort Lauderdale Florida
| | - Frank J. Mazzotti
- Fort Lauderdale Research & Education Center University of Florida Fort Lauderdale Florida
| | - Kristen M. Hart
- U. S. Geological Survey Wetland and Aquatic Research Center Davie Florida
| | - Margaret E. Hunter
- U. S. Geological Survey Wetland and Aquatic Research Center Gainesville Florida
| | - Todd A. Castoe
- Department of Biology The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington Texas
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13
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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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14
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Histological organization of intestinal villi in the crocodilian caiman yacare (Daudin, 1802) during dietary lipid absorption. ZOOMORPHOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s00435-018-0401-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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15
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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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Gamble T, Castoe TA, Nielsen SV, Banks JL, Card DC, Schield DR, Schuett GW, Booth W. The Discovery of XY Sex Chromosomes in a Boa and Python. Curr Biol 2017; 27:2148-2153.e4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2016] [Revised: 04/21/2017] [Accepted: 06/02/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Andrew AL, Perry BW, Card DC, Schield DR, Ruggiero RP, McGaugh SE, Choudhary A, Secor SM, Castoe TA. Growth and stress response mechanisms underlying post-feeding regenerative organ growth in the Burmese python. BMC Genomics 2017; 18:338. [PMID: 28464824 PMCID: PMC5412052 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-017-3743-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2016] [Accepted: 04/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Previous studies examining post-feeding organ regeneration in the Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus) have identified thousands of genes that are significantly differentially regulated during this process. However, substantial gaps remain in our understanding of coherent mechanisms and specific growth pathways that underlie these rapid and extensive shifts in organ form and function. Here we addressed these gaps by comparing gene expression in the Burmese python heart, liver, kidney, and small intestine across pre- and post-feeding time points (fasted, one day post-feeding, and four days post-feeding), and by conducting detailed analyses of molecular pathways and predictions of upstream regulatory molecules across these organ systems. Results Identified enriched canonical pathways and upstream regulators indicate that while downstream transcriptional responses are fairly tissue specific, a suite of core pathways and upstream regulator molecules are shared among responsive tissues. Pathways such as mTOR signaling, PPAR/LXR/RXR signaling, and NRF2-mediated oxidative stress response are significantly differentially regulated in multiple tissues, indicative of cell growth and proliferation along with coordinated cell-protective stress responses. Upstream regulatory molecule analyses identify multiple growth factors, kinase receptors, and transmembrane receptors, both within individual organs and across separate tissues. Downstream transcription factors MYC and SREBF are induced in all tissues. Conclusions These results suggest that largely divergent patterns of post-feeding gene regulation across tissues are mediated by a core set of higher-level signaling molecules. Consistent enrichment of the NRF2-mediated oxidative stress response indicates this pathway may be particularly important in mediating cellular stress during such extreme regenerative growth. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-017-3743-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audra L Andrew
- Department of Biology, The University of Texas Arlington, 501 S. Nedderman Dr, Arlington, TX, 76019, USA
| | - Blair W Perry
- Department of Biology, The University of Texas Arlington, 501 S. Nedderman Dr, Arlington, TX, 76019, USA
| | - Daren C Card
- Department of Biology, The University of Texas Arlington, 501 S. Nedderman Dr, Arlington, TX, 76019, USA
| | - Drew R Schield
- Department of Biology, The University of Texas Arlington, 501 S. Nedderman Dr, Arlington, TX, 76019, USA
| | - Robert P Ruggiero
- Department of Biology, New York University Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Suzanne E McGaugh
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Amit Choudhary
- Harvard Medical School, Renal Division, Brigham and Woman's Hospital, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA.,Center for the Science of Therapeutics, Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Stephen M Secor
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35487, Box 870344, USA
| | - Todd A Castoe
- Department of Biology, The University of Texas Arlington, 501 S. Nedderman Dr, Arlington, TX, 76019, USA.
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Miranda EBP, Ribeiro‐Jr RP, Camera BF, Barros M, Draque J, Micucci P, Waller T, Strüssmann C. Penny and penny laid up will be many: large Yellow anacondas do not disregard small prey. J Zool (1987) 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- E. B. P. Miranda
- Laboratório de Herpetologia Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (UFMT) Cuiabá Mato Grosso Brazil
- Programa de Pós‐graduação em Ecologia e Conservação da Biodiversidade UFMT Cuiabá Mato Grosso Brazil
- IUCN/SSC Boa and Python Specialist Group Buenos Aires Argentina
| | - R. P. Ribeiro‐Jr
- Laboratório de Herpetologia Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (UFMT) Cuiabá Mato Grosso Brazil
| | - B. F. Camera
- Laboratório de Herpetologia Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (UFMT) Cuiabá Mato Grosso Brazil
| | - M. Barros
- IUCN/SSC Boa and Python Specialist Group Buenos Aires Argentina
- Fundación Biodiversidad Argentina Buenos Aires Argentina
| | - J. Draque
- IUCN/SSC Boa and Python Specialist Group Buenos Aires Argentina
- Fundación Biodiversidad Argentina Buenos Aires Argentina
| | - P. Micucci
- IUCN/SSC Boa and Python Specialist Group Buenos Aires Argentina
- Fundación Biodiversidad Argentina Buenos Aires Argentina
| | - T. Waller
- IUCN/SSC Boa and Python Specialist Group Buenos Aires Argentina
- Fundación Biodiversidad Argentina Buenos Aires Argentina
| | - C. Strüssmann
- Laboratório de Herpetologia Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (UFMT) Cuiabá Mato Grosso Brazil
- Programa de Pós‐graduação em Ecologia e Conservação da Biodiversidade UFMT Cuiabá Mato Grosso Brazil
- IUCN/SSC Boa and Python Specialist Group Buenos Aires Argentina
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária UFMT Cuiabá Mato Grosso Brazil
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Leveraging Comparative Genomics to Identify and Functionally Characterize Genes Associated with Sperm Phenotypes in Python bivittatus (Burmese Python). GENETICS RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2016; 2016:7505268. [PMID: 27200191 PMCID: PMC4855019 DOI: 10.1155/2016/7505268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2015] [Revised: 01/30/2016] [Accepted: 02/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Comparative genomics approaches provide a means of leveraging functional genomics information from a highly annotated model organism's genome (such as the mouse genome) in order to make physiological inferences about the role of genes and proteins in a less characterized organism's genome (such as the Burmese python). We employed a comparative genomics approach to produce the functional annotation of Python bivittatus genes encoding proteins associated with sperm phenotypes. We identify 129 gene-phenotype relationships in the python which are implicated in 10 specific sperm phenotypes. Results obtained through our systematic analysis identified subsets of python genes exhibiting associations with gene ontology annotation terms. Functional annotation data was represented in a semantic scatter plot. Together, these newly annotated Python bivittatus genome resources provide a high resolution framework from which the biology relating to reptile spermatogenesis, fertility, and reproduction can be further investigated. Applications of our research include (1) production of genetic diagnostics for assessing fertility in domestic and wild reptiles; (2) enhanced assisted reproduction technology for endangered and captive reptiles; and (3) novel molecular targets for biotechnology-based approaches aimed at reducing fertility and reproduction of invasive reptiles. Additional enhancements to reptile genomic resources will further enhance their value.
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Abstract
Extended bouts of fasting are ingrained in the ecology of many organisms, characterizing aspects of reproduction, development, hibernation, estivation, migration, and infrequent feeding habits. The challenge of long fasting episodes is the need to maintain physiological homeostasis while relying solely on endogenous resources. To meet that challenge, animals utilize an integrated repertoire of behavioral, physiological, and biochemical responses that reduce metabolic rates, maintain tissue structure and function, and thus enhance survival. We have synthesized in this review the integrative physiological, morphological, and biochemical responses, and their stages, that characterize natural fasting bouts. Underlying the capacity to survive extended fasts are behaviors and mechanisms that reduce metabolic expenditure and shift the dependency to lipid utilization. Hormonal regulation and immune capacity are altered by fasting; hormones that trigger digestion, elevate metabolism, and support immune performance become depressed, whereas hormones that enhance the utilization of endogenous substrates are elevated. The negative energy budget that accompanies fasting leads to the loss of body mass as fat stores are depleted and tissues undergo atrophy (i.e., loss of mass). Absolute rates of body mass loss scale allometrically among vertebrates. Tissues and organs vary in the degree of atrophy and downregulation of function, depending on the degree to which they are used during the fast. Fasting affects the population dynamics and activities of the gut microbiota, an interplay that impacts the host's fasting biology. Fasting-induced gene expression programs underlie the broad spectrum of integrated physiological mechanisms responsible for an animal's ability to survive long episodes of natural fasting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen M Secor
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA
| | - Hannah V Carey
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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Fasting for 21days leads to changes in adipose tissue and liver physiology in juvenile checkered garter snakes (Thamnophis marcianus). Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2015; 190:68-74. [PMID: 26358832 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2015.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2015] [Revised: 09/02/2015] [Accepted: 09/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Snakes often undergo periods of prolonged fasting and, under certain conditions, can survive years without food. Despite this unique phenomenon, there are relatively few reports of the physiological adaptations to fasting in snakes. At post-prandial day 1 (fed) or 21 (fasting), brain, liver, and adipose tissues were collected from juvenile checkered garter snakes (Thamnophis marcianus). There was greater glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PDH)-specific activity in the liver of fasted than fed snakes (P=0.01). The mRNA abundance of various fat metabolism-associated factors was measured in brain, liver, and adipose tissue. Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) mRNA was greater in fasted than fed snakes in the brain (P=0.04). Adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL; P=0.006) mRNA was greater in the liver of fasted than fed snakes. In adipose tissue, expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)γ (P=0.01), and fatty acid binding protein 4 (P=0.03) was greater in fed than fasted snakes. Analysis of adipocyte morphology revealed that cross-sectional area (P=0.095) and diameter (P=0.27) were not significantly different between fed and fasted snakes. Results suggest that mean adipocyte area can be preserved during fasting by dampening lipid biosynthesis while not changing rates of lipid hydrolysis. In the liver, however, extensive lipid remodeling may provide energy and lipoproteins to maintain lipid structural integrity during energy restriction. Because the duration of fasting was not sufficient to change adipocyte size, results suggest that the liver is important as a short-term provider of energy in the snake.
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