1
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Rehman S, Storey KB. Small RNA and Freeze Survival: The Cryoprotective Functions of MicroRNA in the Frozen Muscle Tissue of the Grey Tree Frog. Metabolites 2024; 14:387. [PMID: 39057710 DOI: 10.3390/metabo14070387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2024] [Revised: 07/13/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The grey tree frog, Dryophytes versicolor, survives whole-body freezing for weeks during cold winter months. Survival in a state devoid of available food, water, or oxygen forces a reliance on metabolic rate depression (MRD) and the reprioritization of bodily functions. This study utilizes next-generation sequencing (NGS) and bioinformatic analyses to characterize changes in the microRNAome of D. versicolor. When comparing control to frozen groups, five microRNAs (miRNA) were found to be differentially regulated (miR-143-3p, miR-30e-3p, miR-10a-5p, miR-140-3p, and miR-148a-3p), suggesting that they play key roles in freeze survival. The KEGG and GO analyses of these changes predicted a significant negative enrichment of terms associated with cell proliferation and active metabolism while simultaneously predicting the upregulation of cell signalling terms. These results suggest a fast-acting regulatory role for miRNA in contributing to the reorganization of gene expression and the limitation of energy-expensive processes during MRD in the hind leg skeletal muscle of the frog.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saif Rehman
- Department of Biology, Carleton Univesrity, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Kenneth B Storey
- Department of Biology, Carleton Univesrity, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
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2
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Gill LT, Kennedy JR, Box ICH, Marshall KE. Ice in the intertidal: patterns and processes of freeze tolerance in intertidal invertebrates. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb247043. [PMID: 39051142 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.247043] [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: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Many intertidal invertebrates are freeze tolerant, meaning that they can survive ice formation within their body cavity. Freeze tolerance is a fascinating trait, and understanding its mechanisms is important for predicting the survival of intertidal animals during extreme cold weather events. In this Review, we bring together current research on the ecology, biochemistry and physiology of this group of freeze-tolerant organisms. We first introduce the ecology of the intertidal zone, then highlight the strong geographic and taxonomic biases within the current body of literature on this topic. Next, we detail current knowledge on the mechanisms of freeze tolerance used by intertidal invertebrates. Although the mechanisms of freeze tolerance in terrestrial arthropods have been well-explored, marine invertebrate freeze tolerance is less well understood and does not appear to work similarly because of the osmotic differences that come with living in seawater. Freeze tolerance mechanisms thought to be utilized by intertidal invertebrates include: (1) low molecular weight cryoprotectants, such as compatible osmolytes and anaerobic by-products; (2) high molecular weight cryoprotectants, such as ice-binding proteins; as well as (3) other molecular mechanisms involving heat shock proteins and aquaporins. Lastly, we describe untested hypotheses, methods and approaches that researchers can use to fill current knowledge gaps. Understanding the mechanisms and consequences of freeze tolerance in the intertidal zone has many important ecological implications, but also provides an opportunity to broaden our understanding of the mechanisms of freeze tolerance more generally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren T Gill
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Jessica R Kennedy
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Leigh Marine Laboratory, Institute of Marine Science, University of Auckland, Warkworth, 0985, New Zealand
| | - Isaiah C H Box
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Katie E Marshall
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
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3
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Bloskie T, Taiwo OO, Storey KB. Reversible Histone Modifications Contribute to the Frozen and Thawed Recovery States of Wood Frog Brains. Biomolecules 2024; 14:839. [PMID: 39062553 DOI: 10.3390/biom14070839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2024] [Revised: 07/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic regulation, notably histone post-translational modification (PTM), has emerged as a major transcriptional control of gene expression during cellular stress adaptation. In the present study, we use an acid extraction method to isolate total histone protein and investigate dynamic changes in 23 well-characterized histone methylations/acetylations in the brains of wood frogs subject to 24-h freezing and subsequent 8-h thawed recovery conditions. Our results identify four histone PTMs (H2BK5ac, H3K14ac, H3K4me3, H3K9me2) and three histone proteins (H1.0, H2B, H4) that were significantly (p < 0.05) responsive to freeze-thaw in freeze-tolerant R. sylvatica brains. Two other permissive modifications (H3R8me2a, H3K9ac) also trended downwards following freezing stress. Together, these data are strongly supportive of the proposed global transcriptional states of hypometabolic freeze tolerance and rebounded thawed recovery. Our findings shed light on the intricate interplay between epigenetic regulation, gene transcription and energy metabolism in wood frogs' adaptive response to freezing stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tighe Bloskie
- Institute of Biochemistry and Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Olawale O Taiwo
- Institute of Biochemistry and Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Kenneth B Storey
- Institute of Biochemistry and Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
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4
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Li Y, Minic Z, Hüttmann N, Khraibah A, Storey KB, Berezovski MV. Proteomic analysis of Rana sylvatica reveals differentially expressed proteins in liver in response to anoxia, dehydration or freezing stress. Sci Rep 2024; 14:15388. [PMID: 38965296 PMCID: PMC11224343 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65417-2] [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: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Ectothermic animals that live in seasonally cold regions must adapt to seasonal variation and specific environmental conditions. During the winter, some amphibians hibernate on land and encounter limited environmental water, deficient oxygen, and extremely low temperatures that can cause the whole body freezing. These stresses trigger physiological and biochemical adaptations in amphibians that allow them to survive. Rana sylvatica, commonly known as the wood frog, shows excellent freeze tolerance. They can slow their metabolic activity to a near halt and endure freezing of 65-70% of their total body water as extracellular ice during hibernation, returning to normal when the temperatures rise again. To investigate the molecular adaptations of freeze-tolerant wood frogs, a comprehensive proteomic analysis was performed on frog liver tissue after anoxia, dehydration, or freezing exposures using a label-free LC-MS/MS proteomic approach. Quantitative proteomic analysis revealed that 87, 118, and 86 proteins were significantly upregulated in dehydrated, anoxic, and frozen groups, suggesting potential protective functions. The presence of three upregulated enzymes, glutathione S-transferase (GST), aldolase (ALDOA), and sorbitol dehydrogenase (SORD), was also validated. For all enzymes, the specific enzymatic activity was significantly higher in the livers of frozen and anoxic groups than in the controls. This study reveals that GST, ALDOA, and SORD might participate in the freeze tolerance mechanism by contributing to regulating cellular detoxification and energy metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingxi Li
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada
- John L. Holmes Mass Spectrometry Facility, Faculty of Science, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Zoran Minic
- John L. Holmes Mass Spectrometry Facility, Faculty of Science, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Nico Hüttmann
- John L. Holmes Mass Spectrometry Facility, Faculty of Science, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Abdullah Khraibah
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Kenneth B Storey
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Maxim V Berezovski
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada.
- John L. Holmes Mass Spectrometry Facility, Faculty of Science, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada.
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5
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Kupakuwana P, Singh G, Storey KB. DNA hypomethylation in wood frog liver under anoxia and dehydration stresses. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2024; 274:111005. [PMID: 38969165 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2024.111005] [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: 05/21/2024] [Revised: 06/29/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
Abstract
Wood frogs are freeze-tolerant vertebrates that can endure weeks to months frozen during the winter without breathing and with as much as 65% of total body water frozen as extracellular ice. Underlying tolerances of anoxia and of cellular dehydration support whole body freezing. One pro-survival mechanism employed by these frogs is epigenetic modifications via DNA hypomethylation processes facilitating transcriptional repression or activation. These processes involve proteins such as DNA Methyltransferases (DNMTs), Methyl Binding Domain proteins (MBDs), Ten-Eleven Translocases (TETs), and Thymine Deglycosylase (TDG). The present study evaluates the responses of these proteins to dehydration and anoxia stresses in wood frog liver. DNMT relative protein expression was reduced in liver, but nuclear DNMT activity did not change significantly under anoxia stress. By contrast, liver DNMTs and nuclear DNMT activity were upregulated under dehydration stress. These stress-specific differences were speculated to arise from Post-Translational Modifications (PTMs). DNMT3A and DNMT3B showed increased relative protein expression during recovery from dehydration and anoxia. Further, MBD1 was elevated during both conditions suggesting transcriptional repression. TET proteins showed varying responses to anoxia likely due to the absence of oxygen, a main substrate required by TETs. Similarly, TDG, an enzyme that corrects DNA damage, was downregulated under anoxia potentially due to lower levels of reactive oxygen species that damage DNA, but levels returned to normal during reperfusion of oxygen. Our results indicate differential stress-specific responses that indicate the need for more research in the DNA hypomethylation mechanisms employed by the wood frog during stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panashe Kupakuwana
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa K1S 5B6, Ontario, Canada
| | - Gurjit Singh
- Center for Engineering in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Kenneth B Storey
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa K1S 5B6, Ontario, Canada.
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6
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Contreras J, Gomà J, Velalcázar D, Montori A. Thermal Tolerance and Preferred Temperature in the Critical Endangered Montseny Brook Newt ( Calotriton arnoldi). Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1963. [PMID: 38998074 PMCID: PMC11240504 DOI: 10.3390/ani14131963] [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: 06/06/2024] [Revised: 06/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Climate change, driven by increased human greenhouse gas emissions since the beginning of the industrial revolution up to the present day, is considered one of the major threats to biodiversity in the twenty-first century. One of the most affected groups is the ectotherms due to their direct dependence on environmental temperatures. In recent years, several studies have analysed the effects of temperature and thermal tolerance on several species of ectotherms. However, there are species whose thermal tolerances are still unknown. Such is the case of the critically endangered species, the Montseny Brook Newt (Calotriton arnoldi), endemic to the Montseny massif in Spain and whose thermal biology is unknown. Its critical situation makes it essential to know its tolerance to cooling, warming and thermopreferendum in water environments where the newt lives. Three experimental procedures were conducted from the western and eastern subspecies of C. arnoldi, considering four classes separately (males, females, juveniles and larvae). The results obtained showed that the CTmax of the species exceeded 31 °C, with a significant difference between the two subspecies. We found that the species tolerates low temperatures (<1 °C) well because the genera Calotriton is adapted to live in cold waters with temperatures below 15 °C. Although the thermopreference of the species was expected to trend to cold temperatures, some individuals chose relatively high temperatures, obtaining a range of 11.7 °C to 21.6 °C. The results presented in this study are an advance in the knowledge of the thermal physiology of this species and support the importance of the temperature of the torrent on its survival. Knowing their thermal limits and their preferred temperature range will help to propose management measures that promote the conservation of streams and riparian forest cover to mitigate temperature increases due to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenifer Contreras
- Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Avenida 12 de Octubre 1076, Quito 170143, Ecuador;
| | - Joan Gomà
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain;
- Freshwater Ecology, Hydrology, and Management Laboratory (FEHM-Lab), University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - David Velalcázar
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Av. Manuelita Sáenz, Ambato 180207, Ecuador;
| | - Albert Montori
- CREAC, Centre de Recerca i Educació Ambiental de Calafell, Secció Herpetologia, Aj, Calafell, 43882 Tarragona, Spain
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7
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Schmidt R, Zummach C, Sinai N, Sabino‐Pinto J, Künzel S, Dausmann KH, Ruthsatz K. Physiological responses to a changing winter climate in an early spring-breeding amphibian. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e70042. [PMID: 39050662 PMCID: PMC11267634 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.70042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 06/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Climate change is swiftly altering environmental winter conditions, leading to significant ecological impacts such as phenological shifts in many species. As a result, animals might face physiological mismatches due to longer or earlier activity periods and are at risk of being exposed to late spring freezes. Our study points for the first time to the complex physiological challenges that amphibians face as a result of changing thermal conditions due to winter climate change. We investigated the physiological responses to a period of warmer winter days and sudden spring freeze in the common toad (Bufo bufo) by acclimating them to 4°C or 8°C for 48 h or exposing them to 4°C or -2°C for 6 h, respectively. We assessed the daily energy demands, determined body condition and cold tolerance, explored the molecular responses to freezing through hepatic tissue transcriptome analysis, and measured blood glucose levels. Toads acclimated to higher temperatures showed a higher daily energy expenditure and a reduced cold tolerance suggesting faster depletion of energy stores and the loss of winter acclimation during warmer winters. Blood sugar levels were higher in frozen toads indicating the mobilization of cryoprotective glucose with freezing which was further supported by changed patterns in proteins related to glucose metabolism. Overall, our results emphasize that increased thermal variability incurs physiological costs that may reduce energy reserves and thus affect amphibian health and survival. This might pose a serious threat to breeding adults and may have subsequent effects at the population level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Schmidt
- Zoological InstituteTechnische Universität BraunschweigBraunschweigGermany
| | - Cecile Zummach
- Institute of Cell and System BiologyUniversität HamburgHamburgGermany
| | - Noa Sinai
- Institute of Cell and System BiologyUniversität HamburgHamburgGermany
| | - Joana Sabino‐Pinto
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesUniversity of GroningenGroningenthe Netherlands
| | - Sven Künzel
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary BiologyPloenGermany
| | | | - Katharina Ruthsatz
- Zoological InstituteTechnische Universität BraunschweigBraunschweigGermany
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8
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Giraud-Billoud M, Moreira DC, Minari M, Andreyeva A, Campos ÉG, Carvajalino-Fernández JM, Istomina A, Michaelidis B, Niu C, Niu Y, Ondei L, Prokić M, Rivera-Ingraham GA, Sahoo D, Staikou A, Storey JM, Storey KB, Vega IA, Hermes-Lima M. REVIEW: Evidence supporting the 'preparation for oxidative stress' (POS) strategy in animals in their natural environment. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2024; 293:111626. [PMID: 38521444 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2024.111626] [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: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
Hypometabolism is a common strategy employed by resilient species to withstand environmental stressors that would be life-threatening for other organisms. Under conditions such as hypoxia/anoxia, temperature and salinity stress, or seasonal changes (e.g. hibernation, estivation), stress-tolerant species down-regulate pathways to decrease energy expenditures until the return of less challenging conditions. However, it is with the return of these more favorable conditions and the reactivation of basal metabolic rates that a strong increase of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) occurs, leading to oxidative stress. Over the last few decades, cases of species capable of enhancing antioxidant defenses during hypometabolic states have been reported across taxa and in response to a variety of stressors. Interpreted as an adaptive mechanism to counteract RONS formation during tissue hypometabolism and reactivation, this strategy was coined "Preparation for Oxidative Stress" (POS). Laboratory experiments have confirmed that over 100 species, spanning 9 animal phyla, apply this strategy to endure harsh environments. However, the challenge remains to confirm its occurrence in the natural environment and its wide applicability as a key survival element, through controlled experimentation in field and in natural conditions. Under such conditions, numerous confounding factors may complicate data interpretation, but this remains the only approach to provide an integrative look at the evolutionary aspects of ecophysiological adaptations. In this review, we provide an overview of representative cases where the POS strategy has been demonstrated among diverse species in natural environmental conditions, discussing the strengths and weaknesses of these results and conclusions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximiliano Giraud-Billoud
- Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza (IHEM), Universidad Nacional de Cuyo-CONICET, Mendoza 5500, Argentina; Instituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza 5500, Argentina; Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Escuela de Ciencias de la Salud-Medicina, Universidad Nacional de Villa Mercedes, San Luis 5730, Argentina.
| | - Daniel C Moreira
- Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil; Research Center in Morphology and Applied Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
| | - Marina Minari
- Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
| | - Aleksandra Andreyeva
- A.O. Kovalevsky Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas of RAS, Moscow 119991, Russia; Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, St-Petersburg 194223, Russia
| | - Élida G Campos
- Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
| | - Juan M Carvajalino-Fernández
- Laboratory of Adaptations to Extreme Environments and Global Change Biology, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Aleksandra Istomina
- V.I. Il'ichev Pacific Oceanological Institute, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 690041 Vladivostok, Russia
| | - Basile Michaelidis
- Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Department of Zoology, School of Biology, University of Thessaloniki, GR-54006 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Cuijuan Niu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Yonggang Niu
- Department of Life Sciences, Dezhou University, Dezhou, China
| | - Luciana Ondei
- Universidade Estadual de Goiás, Câmpus Central, 75132-903 Anápolis, GO, Brazil
| | - Marko Prokić
- Department of Physiology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Georgina A Rivera-Ingraham
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Southport 4215, Gold Coast, Queensland. Australia; UMR9190-MARBEC, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Montpellier, 34090, France
| | - Debadas Sahoo
- Post Graduate Department of Zoology, S.C.S. Autonomous College, Puri, Odis ha-752001, India
| | - Alexandra Staikou
- Laboratory of Marine and Terrestrial Animal Diversity, Department of Zoology, School of Biology, University of Thessaloniki, GR-54006 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Janet M Storey
- Department of Biology and Institute of Biochemistry, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Kenneth B Storey
- Department of Biology and Institute of Biochemistry, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Israel A Vega
- Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza (IHEM), Universidad Nacional de Cuyo-CONICET, Mendoza 5500, Argentina; Instituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza 5500, Argentina; Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza 5500, Argentina
| | - Marcelo Hermes-Lima
- Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil.
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Neptune TC, Benard MF. Longer days, larger grays: carryover effects of photoperiod and temperature in gray treefrogs, Hyla versicolor. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20241336. [PMID: 38981527 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.1336] [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: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Environmental conditions like temperature and photoperiod can strongly shape organisms' growth and development. For many ectotherms with complex life cycles, global change will cause their offspring to experience warmer conditions and earlier-season photoperiods, two variables that can induce conflicting responses. We experimentally manipulated photoperiod and temperature during gray treefrog (Hyla versicolor) larval development to examine effects at metamorphosis and during short (10-day) and long (56-day) periods post-metamorphosis. Both early- and late-season photoperiods (April and August) decreased age and size at metamorphosis relative to the average-season (June) photoperiod, while warmer temperatures decreased age but increased size at metamorphosis. Warmer larval temperatures reduced short-term juvenile growth but had no long-term effect. Conversely, photoperiod had no short-term carryover effect, but juveniles from early- and late-season larval photoperiods had lower long-term growth rates than juveniles from the average-season photoperiod. Similar responses to early- and late-season photoperiods may be due to reduced total daylight compared with average-season photoperiods. However, juveniles from late-season photoperiods selected cooler temperatures than early-season juveniles, suggesting that not all effects of photoperiod were due to total light exposure. Our results indicate that despite both temperature and photoperiod affecting metamorphosis, the long-term effects of photoperiod may be much stronger than those of temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Troy C Neptune
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Ave , Cleveland, OH 44106-7080, USA
| | - Michael F Benard
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Ave , Cleveland, OH 44106-7080, USA
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10
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Zhan L, He J, Meng S, Guo Z, Chen Y, Storey KB, Zhang J, Yu D. Mitochondrial Protein-Coding Gene Expression in the Lizard Sphenomorphus incognitus (Squamata:Scincidae) Responding to Different Temperature Stresses. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1671. [PMID: 38891717 PMCID: PMC11170996 DOI: 10.3390/ani14111671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2024] [Revised: 05/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
In the context of global warming, the frequency of severe weather occurrences, such as unexpected cold spells and heat waves, will grow, as well as the intensity of these natural disasters. Lizards, as a large group of reptiles, are ectothermic. Their body temperatures are predominantly regulated by their environment and temperature variations directly impact their behavior and physiological activities. Frequent cold periods and heat waves can affect their biochemistry and physiology, and often their ability to maintain their body temperature. Mitochondria, as the center of energy metabolism, are crucial for maintaining body temperature, regulating metabolic rate, and preventing cellular oxidative damage. Here, we used RT-qPCR technology to investigate the expression patterns and their differences for the 13 mitochondrial PCGs in Sphenomorphus incognitus (Squamata:Scincidae), also known as the brown forest skink, under extreme temperature stress at 4 °C, 8 °C, 34 °C, and 38 °C for 24 h, compared to the control group at 25 °C. In southern China, for lizards, 4 °C is close to lethal, and 8 °C induces hibernation, while 34/38 °C is considered hot and environmentally realistic. Results showed that at a low temperature of 4 °C for 24 h, transcript levels of ATP8, ND1, ND4, COI, and ND4L significantly decreased, to values of 0.52 ± 0.08, 0.65 ± 0.04, 0.68 ± 0.10, 0.28 ± 0.02, and 0.35 ± 0.02, respectively, compared with controls. By contrast, transcript levels of COIII exhibited a significant increase, with a mean value of 1.86 ± 0.21. However, exposure to 8 °C for 24 h did not lead to an increase in transcript levels. Indeed, transcript levels of ATP6, ATP8, ND1, ND3, and ND4 were significantly downregulated, to 0.48 ± 0.11, 0.68 ± 0.07, 0.41 ± 0.08, 0.54 ± 0.10, and 0.52 ± 0.07, respectively, as compared with controls. Exposure to a hot environment of 34 °C for 24 h led to an increase in transcript levels of COI, COII, COIII, ND3, ND5, CYTB, and ATP6, with values that were 3.3 ± 0.24, 2.0 ± 0.2, 2.70 ± 1.06, 1.57 ± 0,08, 1.47 ± 0.13, 1.39 ± 0.56, and 1.86 ± 0.12, respectively, over controls. By contrast, ND4L exhibited a significant decrease (to 0.31 ± 0.01) compared with controls. When exposed to 38 °C, the transcript levels of the 13 PCGs significantly increased, ranging from a 2.04 ± 0.23 increase in ND1 to a 6.30 ± 0.96 rise in ND6. Under two different levels of cold and heat stress, the expression patterns of mitochondrial genes in S. incognitus vary, possibly associated with different strategies employed by this species in response to low and high temperatures, allowing for rapid compensatory adjustments in mitochondrial electron transport chain proteins in response to temperature changes. Furthermore, this underscores once again the significant role of mitochondrial function in determining thermal plasticity in reptiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lemei Zhan
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China; (L.Z.)
| | - Jingyi He
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China; (L.Z.)
| | - Siqi Meng
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China; (L.Z.)
| | - Zhiqiang Guo
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China; (L.Z.)
| | - Yuxin Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China; (L.Z.)
| | - Kenneth B. Storey
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S5B6, Canada;
| | - Jiayong Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China; (L.Z.)
| | - Danna Yu
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China; (L.Z.)
- Key Lab of Wildlife Biotechnology, Conservation and Utilization of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
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11
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de Amaral M, Von Dentz MC, David SM, Kucharski LC. Gluconeogenesis in frogs during cooling and dehydration exposure: new insights into tissue plasticity of the gluconeogenic pathway dependent on abiotic factors. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb247259. [PMID: 38774939 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.247259] [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: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Anurans undergo significant physiological changes when exposed to environmental stressors such as low temperatures and humidity. Energy metabolism and substrate management play a crucial role in their survival success. Therefore, understanding the role of the gluconeogenic pathway and demonstrating its existence in amphibians is essential. In this study, we exposed the subtropical frog Boana pulchella to cooling (-2.5°C for 24 h) and dehydration conditions (40% of body water loss), followed by recovery (24 h), and assessed gluconeogenesis activity from alanine, lactate, glycerol and glutamine in the liver, muscle and kidney. We report for the first time that gluconeogenesis activity by 14C-alanine and 14C-lactate conversion to glucose occurs in the muscle tissue of frogs, and this tissue activity is influenced by environmental conditions. Against the control group, liver gluconeogenesis from 14C-lactate and 14C-glycerol was lower during cooling and recovery (P<0.01), and gluconeogenesis from 14C-glutamine in the kidneys was also lower during cooling (P<0.05). In dehydration exposure, gluconeogenesis from 14C-lactate in the liver was lower during recovery, and that from 14C-alanine in the muscle was lower during dehydration (P<0.05). Moreover, we observed that gluconeogenesis activity and substrate preference respond differently to cold and dehydration. These findings highlight tissue-specific plasticity dependent on the nature of the encountered stressor, offering valuable insights for future studies exploring this plasticity, elucidating the importance of the gluconeogenic pathway and characterizing it in anuran physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjoriane de Amaral
- Laboratory of Metabolism and Comparative Endocrinology, Department of Physiology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), 2600 Ramiro Barcelos Street, 90035003 Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Maiza Cristina Von Dentz
- Laboratory of Metabolism and Comparative Endocrinology, Department of Physiology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), 2600 Ramiro Barcelos Street, 90035003 Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Suyllieme Machado David
- Laboratory of Metabolism and Comparative Endocrinology, Department of Physiology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), 2600 Ramiro Barcelos Street, 90035003 Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Luiz Carlos Kucharski
- Laboratory of Metabolism and Comparative Endocrinology, Department of Physiology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), 2600 Ramiro Barcelos Street, 90035003 Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
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12
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Hong YH, Yuan YN, Li K, Storey KB, Zhang JY, Zhang SS, Yu DN. Differential Mitochondrial Genome Expression of Four Hylid Frog Species under Low-Temperature Stress and Its Relationship with Amphibian Temperature Adaptation. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5967. [PMID: 38892163 PMCID: PMC11172996 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115967] [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: 05/06/2024] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Extreme weather poses huge challenges for animals that must adapt to wide variations in environmental temperature and, in many cases, it can lead to the local extirpation of populations or even the extinction of an entire species. Previous studies have found that one element of amphibian adaptation to environmental stress involves changes in mitochondrial gene expression at low temperatures. However, to date, comparative studies of gene expression in organisms living at extreme temperatures have focused mainly on nuclear genes. This study sequenced the complete mitochondrial genomes of five Asian hylid frog species: Dryophytes japonicus, D. immaculata, Hyla annectans, H. chinensis and H. zhaopingensis. It compared the phylogenetic relationships within the Hylidae family and explored the association between mitochondrial gene expression and evolutionary adaptations to cold stress. The present results showed that in D. immaculata, transcript levels of 12 out of 13 mitochondria genes were significantly reduced under cold exposure (p < 0.05); hence, we put forward the conjecture that D. immaculata adapts by entering a hibernation state at low temperature. In H. annectans, the transcripts of 10 genes (ND1, ND2, ND3, ND4, ND4L, ND5, ND6, COX1, COX2 and ATP8) were significantly reduced in response to cold exposure, and five mitochondrial genes in H. chinensis (ND1, ND2, ND3, ND4L and ATP6) also showed significantly reduced expression and transcript levels under cold conditions. By contrast, transcript levels of ND2 and ATP6 in H. zhaopingensis were significantly increased at low temperatures, possibly related to the narrow distribution of this species primarily at low latitudes. Indeed, H. zhaopingensis has little ability to adapt to low temperature (4 °C), or maybe to enter into hibernation, and it shows metabolic disorder in the cold. The present study demonstrates that the regulatory trend of mitochondrial gene expression in amphibians is correlated with their ability to adapt to variable climates in extreme environments. These results can predict which species are more likely to undergo extirpation or extinction with climate change and, thereby, provide new ideas for the study of species extinction in highly variable winter climates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue-Huan Hong
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Ya-Ni Yuan
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Ke Li
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Kenneth B. Storey
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Jia-Yong Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
- Key Lab of Wildlife Biotechnology, Conservation and Utilization of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Shu-Sheng Zhang
- Key Lab of Wildlife Biotechnology, Conservation and Utilization of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Dan-Na Yu
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
- Key Lab of Wildlife Biotechnology, Conservation and Utilization of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
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13
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Rehman S, Storey KB. Dynamics of epigenetic regulation in Dryophytes versicolor skeletal muscle: Lysine methylation and acetylation involvement in metabolic rate depression. J Therm Biol 2024; 122:103865. [PMID: 38761482 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2024.103865] [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: 09/02/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
For the breadth of the winter, Dryophytes versicolor can survive full body freezing utilizing a phenomenon known as metabolic rate depression (MRD). Epigenetic transcriptional control on gene expression, such as histone methylation and acetylation, can aid in implementing a balance between permissive and restricted chromatin required to endure this stress. As such, this study explores the interplay between histone lysine methyl and acetyl transferases (HKMTs, HATs), as well as the abundance of various acetyl-lysine and methyl-lysine moieties on histone H3 and H4. Results showing that overexpression of transcriptionally repressive marks, and under expression of active ones, suggest a negative effect on overall gene transcription in skeletal muscle tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saif Rehman
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Kenneth B Storey
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada.
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14
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Zhang T, Jia L, Niu Z, Li X, Men S, Jiang L, Ma M, Wang H, Tang X, Chen Q. Comparative transcriptomic analysis delineates adaptation strategies of Rana kukunoris toward cold stress on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:363. [PMID: 38609871 PMCID: PMC11015565 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10248-8] [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: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cold hardiness is fundamental for amphibians to survive during the extremely cold winter on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau. Exploring the gene regulation mechanism of freezing-tolerant Rana kukunoris could help us to understand how the frogs survive in winter. RESULTS Transcriptome of liver and muscle of R. kukunoris collected in hibernation and spring were assisted by single molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing technology. A total of 10,062 unigenes of R. kukunoris were obtained, and 9,924 coding sequences (CDS) were successfully annotated. Our examination of the mRNA response to whole body freezing and recover in the frogs revealed key genes concerning underlying antifreeze proteins and cryoprotectants (glucose and urea). Functional pathway analyses revealed differential regulated pathways of ribosome, energy supply, and protein metabolism which displayed a freeze-induced response and damage recover. Genes related to energy supply in the muscle of winter frogs were up-regulated compared with the muscle of spring frogs. The liver of hibernating frogs maintained modest levels of protein synthesis in the winter. In contrast, the liver underwent intensive high levels of protein synthesis and lipid catabolism to produce substantial quantity of fresh proteins and energy in spring. Differences between hibernation and spring were smaller than that between tissues, yet the physiological traits of hibernation were nevertheless passed down to active state in spring. CONCLUSIONS Based on our comparative transcriptomic analyses, we revealed the likely adaptive mechanisms of R. kukunoris. Ultimately, our study expands genetic resources for the freezing-tolerant frogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Zhang
- Department of Animal and Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Lun Jia
- Department of Animal and Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Zhiyi Niu
- Department of Animal and Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xinying Li
- Department of Animal and Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Shengkang Men
- Department of Animal and Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Lu Jiang
- Department of Animal and Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Miaojun Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Huihui Wang
- School of Stomatology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xiaolong Tang
- Department of Animal and Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
| | - Qiang Chen
- Department of Animal and Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
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15
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de Amaral M, Carvajalino-Fernández JM, Nicieza AG, Tejedo M. Urea and glucose modulation during freezing exposure in three temperate frogs reveals specific targets in relation to climate. J Therm Biol 2024; 121:103854. [PMID: 38657317 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2024.103854] [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: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Amphibian diversity is most prominent in the warm and humid tropical and subtropical regions across the globe. Nonetheless, amphibians also inhabit high-altitude tropical mountains and regions at medium and high latitudes, exposing them to subzero temperatures and requiring behavioural or physiological adaptations to endure freezing events. While freeze tolerance has been predominantly reported in high-latitude zones where species endure prolonged freezing (several weeks or months), less is known about mid-latitudes amphibians exposed to occasional subzero temperatures. In this study, we employed a controlled ecological protocol, subjecting three frog species from the Iberian Peninsula (Rana parvipalmata, Epidalea calamita, and Pelobates cultripes) to a 2-h exposure to temperatures of -2 °C to investigate the accumulation of urea and glucose as physiological mechanisms associated with survival at freezing temperatures. Our results revealed a moderate response in the production of cryoprotectant metabolites under experimental freezing conditions, particularly urea, with notable findings in R. parvipalmata and E. calamita and no response in P. cultripes. However, no significant alterations in glucose concentrations were observed in any of the studied frog species. This relatively weak freezing tolerance response differs from the strong response exhibited by amphibians inhabiting high latitudes and enduring prolonged freezing conditions, suggesting potential reliance on behavioural adaptations to cope with occasional freezing episodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjoriane de Amaral
- Laboratory of Metabolism and Comparative Endocrinology, Department of Physiology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
| | | | - Alfredo G Nicieza
- Biodiversity Research Institute (IMIB), University of Oviedo-Principality of Asturias-CSIC, Mieres, Spain; Department of Biology of Organisms and Systems, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Miguel Tejedo
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, Sevilla, Spain.
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16
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Pei T, Zhang M, Nwanade CF, Meng H, Bai R, Wang Z, Wang R, Zhang T, Liu J, Yu Z. Sequential expression of small heat shock proteins contributing to the cold response of Haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari: Ixodidae). PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024; 80:2061-2071. [PMID: 38117216 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Haemaphysalis longicornis is an important livestock pest and a serious threat to public health. Cold is a common form of stress affecting its survival and distribution. However, H. longicornis exhibits different physiological responses to cold stress. In this study, we systematically explored the regulation and functions of small heat shock proteins (sHsps) in H. longicornis during cold stress. RESULTS Seven sHsp genes (HlsHsp14.9, HlsHsp19.9, HlsHsp20.3, HlsHsp21.4, HlsHsp23.7, HlsHsp24.0, and HlsHsp26.1) with open reading frame lengths ranging from 408 bp (HlsHsp14.9) to 673 bp (HlsHsp26.1) were cloned from H. longicornis, and featured the typical α-crystallin domain. Phylogenetic analysis revealed high similarity with the sHsps of arachnid species. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that the regulation of sHsp genes depended on the severity and duration of cold treatment. Moreover, the relative expression of each gene was largely dependent on the treatment period (P < 0.01; 3, 6, and 9 days of treatment at 8, 4, 0, and -4 °C). Among all genes, HlsHsp14.9, HlsHsp19.9, HlsHsp20.3, and HlsHsp24.0 were most sensitive to rapid cold treatment. After RNA interference, the mortality of H. longicornis was significantly increased at -14 °C (P < 0.05), suggesting that the expression of sHsp genes is closely related to cold tolerance in H. longicornis. CONCLUSION Our results indicate that sHsps play an important role in the cold stress response of H. longicornis, which may enhance our understanding of the cold adaptation mechanisms in ticks. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingwei Pei
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Environment, Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline of Cell Biology, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Meng Zhang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Environment, Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline of Cell Biology, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Chuks F Nwanade
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Environment, Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline of Cell Biology, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Hao Meng
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Ruwei Bai
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Environment, Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline of Cell Biology, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Zihao Wang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Environment, Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline of Cell Biology, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Ruotong Wang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Environment, Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline of Cell Biology, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Tianai Zhang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Environment, Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline of Cell Biology, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Jingze Liu
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Environment, Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline of Cell Biology, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Zhijun Yu
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Environment, Hebei Research Center of the Basic Discipline of Cell Biology, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
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17
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Zdyrski C, Gabriel V, Gessler TB, Ralston A, Sifuentes-Romero I, Kundu D, Honold S, Wickham H, Topping NE, Sahoo DK, Bista B, Tamplin J, Ospina O, Piñeyro P, Arriaga M, Galan JA, Meyerholz DK, Allenspach K, Mochel JP, Valenzuela N. Establishment and characterization of turtle liver organoids provides a potential model to decode their unique adaptations. Commun Biol 2024; 7:218. [PMID: 38388772 PMCID: PMC10883927 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-05818-1] [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: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Painted turtles are remarkable for their freeze tolerance and supercooling ability along with their associated resilience to hypoxia/anoxia and oxidative stress, rendering them an ideal biomedical model for hypoxia-induced injuries (including strokes), tissue cooling during surgeries, and organ cryopreservation. Yet, such research is hindered by their seasonal reproduction and slow maturation. Here we developed and characterized adult stem cell-derived turtle liver organoids (3D self-assembled in vitro structures) from painted, snapping, and spiny softshell turtles spanning ~175My of evolution, with a subset cryopreserved. This development is, to the best of our knowledge, a first for this vertebrate Order, and complements the only other non-avian reptile organoids from snake venom glands. Preliminary characterization, including morphological, transcriptomic, and proteomic analyses, revealed organoids enriched in cholangiocytes. Deriving organoids from distant turtles and life stages demonstrates that our techniques are broadly applicable to chelonians, permitting the development of functional genomic tools currently lacking in herpetological research. Such platform could potentially support studies including genome-to-phenome mapping, gene function, genome architecture, and adaptive responses to climate change, with implications for ecological, evolutionary, and biomedical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Zdyrski
- SMART Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.
- 3D Health Solutions Inc., Ames, IA, USA.
- SMART Pharmacology, Precision One Health Initiative, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
| | - Vojtech Gabriel
- SMART Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Thea B Gessler
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | | | - Itzel Sifuentes-Romero
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Debosmita Kundu
- Department of Statistics, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Sydney Honold
- SMART Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Hannah Wickham
- SMART Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Nicholas E Topping
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Dipak Kumar Sahoo
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Basanta Bista
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Jeffrey Tamplin
- Department of Biology, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA, USA
| | - Oscar Ospina
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Pablo Piñeyro
- Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Marco Arriaga
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX, USA
| | - Jacob A Galan
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX, USA
| | | | - Karin Allenspach
- SMART Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
- 3D Health Solutions Inc., Ames, IA, USA
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
- SMART Pharmacology, Precision One Health Initiative, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Jonathan P Mochel
- SMART Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
- 3D Health Solutions Inc., Ames, IA, USA
- SMART Pharmacology, Precision One Health Initiative, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Nicole Valenzuela
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.
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18
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Štětina T, Koštál V. Extracellular freezing induces a permeability transition in the inner membrane of muscle mitochondria of freeze-sensitive but not freeze-tolerant Chymomyza costata larvae. Front Physiol 2024; 15:1358190. [PMID: 38384799 PMCID: PMC10880108 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1358190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Many insect species have evolved the ability to survive extracellular freezing. The search for the underlying principles of their natural freeze tolerance remains hampered by our poor understanding of the mechanistic nature of freezing damage itself. Objectives: Here, in search of potential primary cellular targets of freezing damage, we compared mitochondrial responses (changes in morphology and physical integrity, respiratory chain protein functionality, and mitochondrial inner membrane (IMM) permeability) in freeze-sensitive vs. freeze-tolerant phenotypes of the larvae of the drosophilid fly, Chymomyza costata. Methods: Larvae were exposed to freezing stress at -30°C for 1 h, which is invariably lethal for the freeze-sensitive phenotype but readily survived by the freeze-tolerant phenotype. Immediately after melting, the metabolic activity of muscle cells was assessed by the Alamar Blue assay, the morphology of muscle mitochondria was examined by transmission electron microscopy, and the functionality of the oxidative phosphorylation system was measured by Oxygraph-2K microrespirometry. Results: The muscle mitochondria of freeze-tolerant phenotype larvae remained morphologically and functionally intact after freezing stress. In contrast, most mitochondria of the freeze-sensitive phenotype were swollen, their matrix was diluted and enlarged in volume, and the structure of the IMM cristae was lost. Despite this morphological damage, the electron transfer chain proteins remained partially functional in lethally frozen larvae, still exhibiting strong responses to specific respiratory substrates and transferring electrons to oxygen. However, the coupling of electron transfer to ATP synthesis was severely impaired. Based on these results, we formulated a hypothesis linking the observed mitochondrial swelling to a sudden loss of barrier function of the IMM.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vladimír Koštál
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
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19
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Diao Y, Hao T, Liu X, Yang H. Advances in single ice crystal shaping materials: From nature to synthesis and applications in cryopreservation. Acta Biomater 2024; 174:49-68. [PMID: 38040076 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.11.035] [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: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
Antifreeze (glyco) proteins [AF(G)Ps], which are widely present in various extreme microorganisms, can control the formation and growth of ice crystals. Given the significance of cryogenic technology in biomedicine, climate science, electronic energy, and other fields of research, scientists are quite interested in the development and synthesis high-efficiency bionic antifreeze protein materials, particularly to reproduce their dynamic ice shaping (DIS) characteristics. Single ice crystal shaping materials, a promising class of ice-controlling materials, can alter the morphology and growth rate of ice crystals at low temperatures. This review aims to highlight the development of single ice crystal shaping materials and provide a brief comparison between a series of natural and bionic synthetic materials with DIS ability, which include AF(G)Ps, polymers, salts, and nanomaterials. Additionally, we summarize their applications in cryopreservation. Finally, this paper presents the current challenges and prospects encountered in developing high-efficiency and practical single ice crystal shaping materials. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The formation and growth of ice crystals hold a significant importance to an incredibly broad range of fields. Therefore, the design and fabrication of the single ice crystal shaping materials have gained the increasing popularity due to its key role in dynamic ice shaping (DIS) characteristics. Especially, single ice crystal shaping materials are considered one of the most promising candidates as ice inhibitors, presenting tremendous prospects for enhancing cryopreservation. In this work, we focus on the molecular characteristics, structure-function relationships, and DIS mechanisms of typical natural and biomimetic synthetic materials. This review may provide inspiration for the design and preparation of single ice crystal shaping materials and give guidance for the development of effective cryopreservation agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunhe Diao
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, 450001 Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Tongtong Hao
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, 100081 Beijing, China
| | - Xuying Liu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, 450001 Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Huige Yang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, 450001 Zhengzhou, Henan, China..
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20
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Khabir M, Izadi H, Mahdian K. The supercooling point depression is the leading cold tolerance strategy for the variegated ladybug, [ Hippodamia variegata (Goezel)]. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1323701. [PMID: 38179144 PMCID: PMC10764430 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1323701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The variegated ladybug, Hippodamia variegata is one of the most effective predators of various pests that hibernate as adult beetles. During the overwintering period from April 2021 to March 2022, we examined the supercooling point (SCP), cold tolerance, and physiological adaptations of beetles in Kerman, Iran. The beetles exhibited their greatest cold tolerance (63.4% after 24 h at -5°C) when their SCP was lowest (-23.2°C). Conversely, from April to October 2021, the SCP reached its peak (approximately -13.0°C), while cold tolerance was at its lowest level (6.7% after 24 h at -5°C). Cryoprotectant content (trehalose, glycerol, and glucose) was at its highest level in September (11.15, 10.82, and 6.31 mg/g, respectively). The critical thermal minimum (CTmin) reached its lowest point of -2.2°C in January and February. The lowest point of the lower lethal temperature (LLT) coincided with the lowest level of the SCP and the highest level of cold tolerance (in February, LT50 = -5.3°C, SCP = -23.2°C, and survival = 77.78% at -4°C/24 h). Chill-coma recovery time (CCRT) was examined at five different temperatures and two different exposure durations. The CCRT increased with a decrease in exposure temperature and time (68.0 s at -2°C after 2 h and 102.0 s at -2°C after 4 h). As the majority of the overwintering beetle's mortality occurred at temperatures significantly higher than SCP, the adults of H. variegata are chill-susceptible insects that primarily rely on a depressed supercooling point to cope with unfavorable conditions during the overwintering period.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hamzeh Izadi
- Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan, Rafsanjan, Iran
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Niu Y, Li X, Zhang H, Xu T, Wei D, An Z, Storey KB. Hepatic transcriptome and gut microbiome provide insights into freeze tolerance in the high-altitude frog, Nanorana parkeri. COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY. PART D, GENOMICS & PROTEOMICS 2023; 48:101147. [PMID: 37797475 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbd.2023.101147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
Among amphibians, freeze tolerance is a low-temperature survival strategy that has been well studied in several species. One influence on animal health and survival under adverse conditions is the gut microbiome. Gut microbes can be greatly affected by temperature fluctuations but, to date, this has not been addressed in high-altitude species. Nanorana parkeri (Anura: Dicroglossidae) lives at high altitudes on the Tibetan plateau and shows a good freeze tolerance. In the present study, we addressed two goals: (1) analysis of the effects of whole body freezing on the liver transcriptome, and (2) assess modifications of the gut microbiome as a consequence of freezing. We found that up-regulated genes in liver were significantly enriched in lipid and fatty acid metabolism that could contribute to accumulating the cryoprotectant glycerol and raising levels of unsaturated fatty acids. The results suggest the crucial importance of membrane adaptations and fuel reserves for freezing survival of these frogs. Down-regulated genes were significantly enriched in the immune response and inflammatory response, suggesting that energy-consuming processes are inhibited to maintain metabolic depression during freezing. Moreover, freezing had a significant effect on intestinal microbiota. The abundance of bacteria in the family Lachnospiraceae was significantly increased after freezing exposure, which likely supports freezing survival of N. parkeri. The lower abundance of bacteria in the family Peptostreptococcaceae in frozen frogs may be associated with the hypometabolic state and decreased immune response. In summary, these findings provide insights into the regulatory mechanisms of freeze tolerance in a high-altitude amphibian at the level of gene expression and gut microbiome, and contribute to enhancing our understanding of the adaptations that support frog survival in high-altitude extreme environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonggang Niu
- Department of Life Sciences, Dezhou University, Dezhou, China; State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining, China.
| | - Xiangyong Li
- Department of Life Sciences, Dezhou University, Dezhou, China; Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, China
| | - Haiying Zhang
- Department of Life Sciences, Dezhou University, Dezhou, China
| | - Tisen Xu
- Department of Life Sciences, Dezhou University, Dezhou, China
| | - Dengbang Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining, China
| | - Zhifang An
- State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining, China
| | - Kenneth B Storey
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
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Dinh KV, Albini D, Orr JA, Macaulay SJ, Rillig MC, Borgå K, Jackson MC. Winter is coming: Interactions of multiple stressors in winter and implications for the natural world. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:6834-6845. [PMID: 37776127 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
Winter is a key driver of ecological processes in freshwater, marine and terrestrial ecosystems, particularly in higher latitudes. Species have evolved various adaptive strategies to cope with food limitations and the cold and dark wintertime. However, human-induced climate change and other anthropogenic stressors are impacting organisms in winter in unpredictable ways. In this paper, we show that global change experiments investigating multiple stressors have predominantly been conducted during summer months. However, effects of anthropogenic stressors sometimes differ between winter and other seasons, necessitating comprehensive investigations. Here, we outline a framework for understanding the different effects of anthropogenic stressors in winter compared to other seasons and discuss the primary mechanisms that will alter ecological responses of organisms (microbes, animals and plants). For instance, while the magnitude of some anthropogenic stressors can be greater in winter than in other seasons (e.g. some pollutants), others may alleviate natural winter stress (e.g. warmer temperatures). These changes can have immediate, delayed or carry-over effects on organisms during winter or later seasons. Interactions between stressors may also vary with season. We call for a renewed research direction focusing on multiple stressor effects on winter ecology and evolution to fully understand, and predict, how ecosystems will fare under changing winters. We also argue the importance of incorporating the interactions of anthropogenic stressors with winter into ecological risk assessments, management and conservation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khuong V Dinh
- Section for Aquatic Biology and Toxicology, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Dania Albini
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - James A Orr
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Matthias C Rillig
- Plant Ecology, Institut für Biologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg-Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Katrine Borgå
- Section for Aquatic Biology and Toxicology, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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23
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Štětina T, Koštál V. Mortality caused by extracellular freezing is associated with fragmentation of nuclear DNA in larval haemocytes of two drosophilid flies. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:jeb246456. [PMID: 37846596 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246456] [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: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
The great complexity of extracellular freezing stress, involving mechanical, osmotic, dehydration and chemical perturbations of the cellular milieu, hampers progress in understanding the nature of freezing injury and the mechanisms to cope with it in naturally freeze-tolerant insects. Here, we show that nuclear DNA fragmentation begins to occur in larval haemocytes of two fly species, Chymomyza costata and Drosophila melanogaster, before or at the same time as the sub-zero temperature is reached that causes irreparable freezing injury and mortality in freeze-sensitive larval phenotypes. However, when larvae of the freeze-tolerant phenotype (diapausing-cold acclimated-hyperprolinemic) of C. costata were subjected to severe freezing stress in liquid nitrogen, no DNA damage was observed. Artificially increasing the proline concentration in freeze-sensitive larvae of both species by feeding them a proline-enriched diet resulted in a decrease in the proportion of nuclei with fragmented DNA during freezing stress. Our results suggest that proline accumulated in diapausing C. costata larvae during cold acclimation may contribute to the protection of nuclear DNA against fragmentation associated with freezing stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomáš Štětina
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 1160-31, 370505 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Vladimír Koštál
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 1160-31, 370505 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
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de Amaral M, Von Dentz MC, Ressel Simões LA, Vogt É, Heiermann D, Fischer P, Colombo P, Kucharski LC. Metabolic changes in the subtropical frog Boana pulchella during experimental cooling and recovery conditions. J Therm Biol 2023; 117:103705. [PMID: 37714110 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2023.103705] [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: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
Frogs have developed biochemical and physiological adaptations to occupy diverse ecological niches on Earth successfully. Survival in frozen states is a fascinating strategy made possible by evolving adaptations to produce cryoprotectant solutes. The hylid frog Boana pulchella thrives in South American regions with cold climates, remaining active while enduring sporadic subzero temperatures during winter. The species' metabolic changes during subzero exposure remain unclear. Therefore, we exposed B. pulchella to cooling and recovery, assessing plasma and tissue metabolite changes. Cooling significantly reduced urea concentrations in plasma (P = 0.033), muscle (P = 0.001), heart (P = 0.009), and brain (P = 0.041) compared to acclimation. Liver glucose oxidation and glycogen synthesis were lower in cooling and recovery than in acclimation (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.0117, respectively). Muscle glycogen synthesis was lower in recovery than acclimation (P = 0.0249). These results demonstrate B. pulchella's physiological strategies during subzero exposure, likely reflecting species-specific evolutionary adaptations for brief subzero exposures that enable winter survival in its natural habitat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjoriane de Amaral
- Laboratory of Metabolism and Comparative Endocrinology, Department of Physiology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Ramiro Barcelos 2600, 90035003, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
| | - Maiza Cristina Von Dentz
- Laboratory of Metabolism and Comparative Endocrinology, Department of Physiology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Ramiro Barcelos 2600, 90035003, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Airton Ressel Simões
- Laboratory of Metabolism and Comparative Endocrinology, Department of Physiology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Ramiro Barcelos 2600, 90035003, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Éverton Vogt
- Laboratory of Metabolism and Comparative Endocrinology, Department of Physiology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Ramiro Barcelos 2600, 90035003, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Dener Heiermann
- Museum of Natural Sciences of the Secretariat of Environment and Infrastructure of Rio Grande do Sul (SEMA), FZB, Department of Herpetology/Amphibians, Doutor Salvador França, 90690000, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Pedro Fischer
- Museum of Natural Sciences of the Secretariat of Environment and Infrastructure of Rio Grande do Sul (SEMA), FZB, Department of Herpetology/Amphibians, Doutor Salvador França, 90690000, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Patrick Colombo
- Museum of Natural Sciences of the Secretariat of Environment and Infrastructure of Rio Grande do Sul (SEMA), FZB, Department of Herpetology/Amphibians, Doutor Salvador França, 90690000, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Luiz Carlos Kucharski
- Laboratory of Metabolism and Comparative Endocrinology, Department of Physiology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Ramiro Barcelos 2600, 90035003, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
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25
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Wang JY, Zhang LH, Hong YH, Cai LN, Storey KB, Zhang JY, Zhang SS, Yu DN. How Does Mitochondrial Protein-Coding Gene Expression in Fejervarya kawamurai (Anura: Dicroglossidae) Respond to Extreme Temperatures? Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3015. [PMID: 37835622 PMCID: PMC10571990 DOI: 10.3390/ani13193015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Unusual climates can lead to extreme temperatures. Fejervarya kawamurai, one of the most prevalent anurans in the paddy fields of tropical and subtropical regions in Asia, is sensitive to climate change. The present study focuses primarily on a single question: how do the 13 mitochondrial protein-coding genes (PCGs) respond to extreme temperature change compared with 25 °C controls? Thirty-eight genes including an extra tRNA-Met gene were identified and sequenced from the mitochondrial genome of F. kawamurai. Evolutionary relationships were assessed within the Dicroglossidae and showed that Dicroglossinae is monophyletic and F. kawamurai is a sister group to the clade of (F. multistriata + F. limnocharis). Transcript levels of mitochondrial genes in liver were also evaluated to assess responses to 24 h exposure to low (2 °C and 4 °C) or high (40 °C) temperatures. Under 2 °C, seven genes showed significant changes in liver transcript levels, among which transcript levels of ATP8, ND1, ND2, ND3, ND4, and Cytb increased, respectively, and ND5 decreased. However, exposure to 4 °C for 24 h was very different in that the expressions of ten mitochondrial protein-coding genes, except ND1, ND3, and Cytb, were significantly downregulated. Among them, the transcript level of ND5 was most significantly downregulated, decreasing by 0.28-fold. Exposure to a hot environment at 40 °C for 24 h resulted in a marked difference in transcript responses with strong upregulation of eight genes, ranging from a 1.52-fold increase in ND4L to a 2.18-fold rise in Cytb transcript levels, although COI and ND5 were reduced to 0.56 and 0.67, respectively, compared with the controls. Overall, these results suggest that at 4 °C, F. kawamurai appears to have entered a hypometabolic state of hibernation, whereas its mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation was affected at both 2 °C and 40 °C. The majority of mitochondrial PCGs exhibited substantial changes at all three temperatures, indicating that frogs such as F. kawamurai that inhabit tropical or subtropical regions are susceptible to ambient temperature changes and can quickly employ compensating adjustments to proteins involved in the mitochondrial electron transport chain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Yan Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Li-Hua Zhang
- Taishun County Forestry Bureau, Wenzhou 325000, China
| | - Yue-Huan Hong
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Ling-Na Cai
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Kenneth B. Storey
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Jia-Yong Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
- Key Lab of Wildlife Biotechnology, Conservation and Utilization of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Shu-Sheng Zhang
- Key Lab of Wildlife Biotechnology, Conservation and Utilization of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
- Zhejiang Wuyanling National Nature Reserve, Wenzhou 325500, China
| | - Dan-Na Yu
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
- Key Lab of Wildlife Biotechnology, Conservation and Utilization of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
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Malik AI, Storey JM, Storey KB. Regulation of the unfolded protein response during dehydration stress in African clawed frogs, Xenopus laevis. Cell Stress Chaperones 2023; 28:529-540. [PMID: 35484355 PMCID: PMC10468459 DOI: 10.1007/s12192-022-01275-z] [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: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The unfolded protein response (UPR) is a wide-ranging cellular response to accumulation of malfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and acts as a quality control mechanism to halt protein processing and repair/destroy malfolded proteins under stress conditions of many kinds. Among vertebrate species, amphibians experience the greatest challenges in maintaining water and osmotic balance, the high permeability of their skin making them very susceptible to dehydration and challenging their ability to maintain cellular homeostasis. The present study evaluates the involvement of the UPR in dealing with dehydration-mediated disruption of protein processing in the tissues of African clawed frogs, Xenopus laevis. This primarily aquatic frog must deal with seasonal drought conditions in its native southern Africa environment. Key markers of cellular stress that impact protein processing were identified in six tissues of frogs that had lost 28% of total body water, as compared with fully hydrated controls. This included upregulation of glucose-regulated proteins (GRPs) that are resident chaperones in the ER, particularly 2-ninefold increases in GRP58, GRP75, and/or GRP94 in the lung and skin. Activating transcription factors (ATF3, ATF4, ATF6) that mediate UPR responses also responded to dehydration stress, particularly in skeletal muscle where both ATF3 and ATF4 rose strongly in the nucleus. Other protein markers of the UPR including GADD34, GADD153, EDEM, and XBP-1 also showed selective upregulation in frog tissues in response to dehydration and nuclear levels of the transcription factors XBP-1 and P-CREB rose indicating up-regulation of genes under their control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amal Idris Malik
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Janet M Storey
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Kenneth B Storey
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada.
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27
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Storey JM, Storey KB. Chaperone proteins: universal roles in surviving environmental stress. Cell Stress Chaperones 2023; 28:455-466. [PMID: 36441380 PMCID: PMC10469148 DOI: 10.1007/s12192-022-01312-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Chaperone proteins have crucial roles to play in all animal species and are involved in mediating both the folding of newly synthesized peptides into their mature conformation, the refolding of misfolded proteins, and the trafficking of proteins between subcellular compartments. These highly conserved proteins have particularly important roles to play in dealing with disruptions of the proteome as a result of environmental stress since abiotic factors, including temperature, pressure, oxygen, water availability, and pollutants can readily disrupt the conformation and/or function of all types of proteins, e.g., enzymes, transporters, and structural proteins. The current review provides an update on recent advances in understanding the roles and responses of chaperones in aiding animals to deal with environmental stress, offering new information on chaperone action in supporting survival strategies including torpor, hibernation, anaerobiosis, estivation, and cold/freeze tolerance among both vertebrate and invertebrate species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet M Storey
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Kenneth B Storey
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada.
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28
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Nemcova M, Seidlova V, Zukal J, Dundarova H, Bednarikova S, Pikula J. Bat-derived cells use glucose as a cryoprotectant. J Therm Biol 2023; 115:103652. [PMID: 37451039 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2023.103652] [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: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Evolution of heterothermy in environments with variable temperatures has allowed bats to survive food scarcity during seasonal climatic extremes by using torpor as a hibernation strategy. The controlled reduction of body temperature and metabolism through complex behavioural and physiological adaptations at organismal, organ, cellular and molecular levels includes the ability of tissues and cells to adapt to temperature alterations. Based on the prediction that cells of different tissues cultured in vitro would differ in their ability to withstand freezing and thawing of the medium, we determined the survival rate of bat-derived cells following exposure to -20 °C for 24 h in media with no cryoprotective agents or medium supplemented by glucose in concentration range 0-3333 mM. Cell survival rates were determined in relation to availability of glucose in the medium, organ origin, cell concentration and bat species. In general, increased glucose helped cells survive at sub-zero temperatures, though concentrations up to 80-fold higher than those found in chiropterans were needed. However, cells in glucose-free phosphate buffered saline also survived, suggesting that other mechanisms may be contributing to cell survival at low temperatures. Highest in vitro viability was observed in nervus olfactorius-derived cell cultures, with high survival rates and rapid re-growth under optimal conditions after exposure to -20 °C. Kidney cells from different bat species showed comparable overall survival rate patterns, though smaller chiropteran species appeared to utilise lower glucose levels as a cryoprotectant than larger species. Our in vitro data provide evidence that cells of heterothermic bats can survive sub-zero temperatures and that higher glucose levels in important tissues significantly improve hibernation survival at extremely low temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Nemcova
- Department of Ecology and Diseases of Zoo Animals, Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Palackého tř. 1946/1, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Veronika Seidlova
- Department of Ecology and Diseases of Zoo Animals, Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Palackého tř. 1946/1, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Zukal
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Květná 8, 603 65 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Heliana Dundarova
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd., 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Sarka Bednarikova
- Department of Ecology and Diseases of Zoo Animals, Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Palackého tř. 1946/1, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiri Pikula
- Department of Ecology and Diseases of Zoo Animals, Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Palackého tř. 1946/1, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic
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Bloskie T, Storey KB. Histone H3 and H4 Modifications Point to Transcriptional Suppression as a Component of Winter Freeze Tolerance in the Gall Fly Eurosta solidaginis. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10153. [PMID: 37373302 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241210153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The goldenrod gall fly (Eurosta solidaginis) is a well-studied model of insect freeze tolerance. In situations of prolonged winter subzero temperatures, larvae of E. solidaginis accept ice penetration throughout extracellular spaces while protecting the intracellular environment by producing extreme amounts of glycerol and sorbitol as cryoprotectants. Hypometabolism (diapause) is implemented, and energy use is reprioritized to essential pathways. Gene transcription is one energy-expensive process likely suppressed over the winter, in part, due to epigenetic controls. The present study profiled the prevalence of 24 histone H3/H4 modifications of E. solidaginis larvae after 3-week acclimations to decreasing environmental temperatures (5 °C, -5 °C and -15 °C). Using immunoblotting, the data show freeze-mediated reductions (p < 0.05) in seven permissive histone modifications (H3K27me1, H4K20me1, H3K9ac, H3K14ac, H3K27ac, H4K8ac, H3R26me2a). Along with the maintenance of various repressive marks, the data are indicative of a suppressed transcriptional state at subzero temperatures. Elevated nuclear levels of histone H4, but not histone H3, were also observed in response to both cold and freeze acclimation. Together, the present study provides evidence for epigenetic-mediated transcriptional suppression in support of the winter diapause state and freeze tolerance of E. solidaginis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tighe Bloskie
- Institute of Biochemistry and Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Kenneth B Storey
- Institute of Biochemistry and Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
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30
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Shekhovtsov SV, Zelentsova EA, Bulakhova NA, Meshcheryakova EN, Shishikina KI, Tsentalovich YP, Berman DI. Biochemical response of two earthworm taxa exposed to freezing. J Comp Physiol B 2023:10.1007/s00360-023-01500-w. [PMID: 37266592 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-023-01500-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Several earthworm species are known to be able to withstand freezing. At the biochemical level, this ability is based on cryoprotectant accumulation as well as several other mechanisms. In this study, we used 1H NMR to investigate metabolomic changes in two freeze-tolerant earthworm taxa, Dendrobaena octaedra and one of the genetic lineages of Eisenia sp. aff. nordenskioldi f. pallida. A total of 45 metabolites were quantified. High concentrations of glucose were present in frozen tissues of both taxa. No other putative cryoprotectants were found. We detected high levels of glycolysis end products and succinate in frozen animals, indicating the activation of glycolysis. Concentrations of many other substances also significantly increased. On the whole, metabolic change in response to freezing was much more pronounced in the specimens of Eisenia sp. aff. nordenskioldi f. pallida, including signs of nucleotide degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergei V Shekhovtsov
- Institute of the Biological Problems of the North FEB RAS, Magadan, 685000, Russia.
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia.
| | - Ekaterina A Zelentsova
- International Tomography Center SB RAS, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
- Department of Chemical and Biological Physics, Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
| | - Nina A Bulakhova
- Institute of the Biological Problems of the North FEB RAS, Magadan, 685000, Russia
| | | | - Ksenia I Shishikina
- Institute of the Biological Problems of the North FEB RAS, Magadan, 685000, Russia
| | | | - Daniil I Berman
- Institute of the Biological Problems of the North FEB RAS, Magadan, 685000, Russia
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Varma A, Storey KB. Hepatic citrate synthase suppression in the freeze-tolerant wood frog (Rana sylvatica). Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 242:124718. [PMID: 37148930 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.124718] [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: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The wood frog, Rana sylvatica endures whole body freezing for weeks/months while overwintering at subzero temperatures. Survival of long-term freezing requires not only cryoprotectants but also strong metabolic rate depression (MRD) and reorganization of essential processes in order to maintain a balance between ATP-producing and ATP-consuming processes. Citrate synthase (CS) (E.C. 2.3.3.1) is an important irreversible enzyme of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and forms a crucial checkpoint for many metabolic processes. Present study investigated the regulation of CS from wood frog liver during freezing. CS was purified to homogeneity by a two-step chromatographic process. Kinetic and regulatory parameters of the enzyme were investigated and, notably, demonstrated a significant decrease in the Vmax of the purified form of CS from frozen frogs as compared to controls when assayed at both 22 °C and 5 °C. This was further supported by a decrease in the maximum activity of CS from liver of frozen frogs. Immunoblotting also showed changes in posttranslational modifications with a significant decrease in threonine phosphorylation (by 49 %) for CS from frozen frogs. Taken together, these results suggest that CS is suppressed and TCA flux is inhibited during freezing, likely to support MRD survival of harsh winters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anchal Varma
- Institute of Biochemistry & Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel by Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Kenneth B Storey
- Institute of Biochemistry & Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel by Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada.
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Zhang T, Niu Z, He J, Pu P, Meng F, Xi L, Tang X, Ding L, Ma M, Chen Q. Potential Effects of High Temperature and Heat Wave on Nanorana pleskei Based on Transcriptomic Analysis. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2023; 45:2937-2949. [PMID: 37185716 PMCID: PMC10136961 DOI: 10.3390/cimb45040192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In the context of climate change, understanding how indigenous amphibians of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau react to stresses and their coping mechanisms could be crucial for predicting their fate and successful conservation. A liver transcriptome for Nanorana pleskei was constructed using high-throughput RNA sequencing, and its gene expression was compared with frogs acclimated under either room temperature or high temperature and also heat wave exposed ones. A total of 126,465 unigenes were produced, with 66,924 (52.92%) of them being annotated. Up to 694 genes were found to be differently regulated as a result of abnormal temperature acclimatization. Notably, genes belonging to the heat shock protein (HSP) family were down-regulated in both treated groups. Long-term exposure to high-temperature stress may impair the metabolic rate of the frog and trigger the body to maintain a hypometabolic state in an effort to survive challenging times. During heat waves, unlike the high-temperature group, mitochondrial function was not impaired, and the energy supply was largely normal to support the highly energy-consuming metabolic processes. Genes were more transcriptionally suppressed when treated with high temperatures than heat waves, and the body stayed in low-energy states for combating these long-term adverse environments to survive. It might be strategic to preserve initiation to executive protein activity under heat wave stress. Under both stress conditions, compromising the protection of HSP and sluggish steroid activity occurred in frogs. Frogs were more affected by high temperatures than by heat waves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Zhang
- Department of Animal and Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Science, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Zhiyi Niu
- Department of Animal and Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Science, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jie He
- Department of Animal and Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Science, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Peng Pu
- Department of Animal and Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Science, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Fei Meng
- Department of Animal and Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Science, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Lu Xi
- Department of Animal and Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Science, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xiaolong Tang
- Department of Animal and Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Science, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Li Ding
- Department of Animal Science, School of Life Sciences and Engineering, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010, China
| | - Miaojun Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro-Ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Qiang Chen
- Department of Animal and Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Science, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
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33
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Wade S, Hadj-Moussa H, Storey KB. mRNA m 6 A methylation in wood frog brain is maintained during freezing and anoxia. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART A, ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 339:325-334. [PMID: 36703486 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Freeze tolerance is an adaptive strategy that wood frogs (Rana sylvatica) use to survive the subzero temperatures of winter. It is characterized by a variety of metabolic and physiological changes that facilitate successful freezing and anoxia. As both mRNA regulation and posttranslation protein modification have been implicated in freeze tolerance, we hypothesized that posttranslational RNA regulation is also involved in coordinating freeze-thaw cycles and metabolic rate depression. As such, we investigated the most abundant RNA modification, adenosine methylation (N6 -methyladenosine; m6 A) in wood frog brains during 24 h periods of freezing and anoxia. This was followed by an examination of levels of RNA methyltransferases, demethyltransferases, and the readers of RNA methylation. Despite relative levels of methylation on mRNA remaining constant throughout freezing and anoxia, a significant increase in relative abundance of m6 A methyltransferases METTL3 and METTL14 was observed. In addition, we investigated the effect of m6 A RNA methylation on mRNA triaging to stress granules and report a significant increase in stress granule markers TIAR and TIA-1 in both freezing and anoxia. Our findings are the first report of RNA posttranslational regulation during metabolic rate depression in the wood frog brain and suggest that the dynamic RNA methylation observed is not directly linked to mRNA regulation during periods of extreme metabolic reorganization, warranting future investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Wade
- Department of Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry, Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Hanane Hadj-Moussa
- Department of Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Epigenetics Programme, Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | - Kenneth B Storey
- Department of Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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34
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Ware-Gilmore F, Novelo M, Sgrò CM, Hall MD, McGraw EA. Assessing the role of family level variation and heat shock gene expression in the thermal stress response of the mosquito Aedes aegypti. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220011. [PMID: 36744557 PMCID: PMC9900713 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The geographical range of the mosquito vector for many human disease-causing viruses, Aedes aegypti, is expanding, in part owing to changing climate. The capacity of this species to adapt to thermal stress will affect its future distributions. It is unclear how much heritable genetic variation may affect the upper thermal limits of mosquito populations over the long term. Nor are the genetic pathways that confer thermal tolerance fully understood. In the short term, cells induce a plastic, protective response known as 'heat shock'. Using a physiological 'knockdown' assay, we investigated mosquito thermal tolerance to characterize the genetic architecture of the trait. While families representing the extreme ends of the distribution for knockdown time differed from one another, the trait exhibited low but non-zero broad-sense heritability. We then explored whether families representing thermal performance extremes differed in their heat shock response by measuring gene expression of heat shock protein-encoding genes Hsp26, Hsp83 and Hsp70. Contrary to prediction, the families with higher thermal tolerance demonstrated less Hsp expression. This pattern may indicate that other mechanisms of heat tolerance, rather than heat shock, may underpin the stress response, and the costly production of HSPs may instead signal poor adaptation. This article is part of the theme issue 'Infectious disease ecology and evolution in a changing world'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fhallon Ware-Gilmore
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA,The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Mario Novelo
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA,The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Carla M. Sgrò
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Matthew D. Hall
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Elizabeth A. McGraw
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA,The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA,Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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35
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Mattice AMS, Varma A, Storey KB. Role of NADP +-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase from muscle tissue of Rana sylvatica in ROS defense during freeze-tolerance. Biochimie 2023:S0300-9084(23)00070-6. [PMID: 36958591 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2023.03.008] [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: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023]
Abstract
The wood frog, Rana sylvatica, employs freeze tolerance as a winter survival strategy in seasonally cold environments. At subzero temperatures, up to 65-70% of total body water can freeze in extracellular spaces, halting vital functions (breathing, heartbeat) and causing ischemia that, in turn, can have numerous consequences including the generation of damaging reactive oxygen species (ROS). NADPH serves as a key donor of reductive power for most ROS detoxifying enzymes and can be generated by several metabolic pathways. One source of NADPH reducing power is the NADP-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) reaction. The present study evaluated the properties and regulation of IDH from skeletal muscle of R. sylvatica when frogs were exposed to stress conditions: freezing, dehydration or anoxia. Purified IDH exhibited higher affinity for isocitrate under all stress conditions as compared to controls, suggesting that the enzyme is primed to synthesize NADPH relative to the control state. Immunoblotting showed reduced serine and threonine phosphorylation of muscle IDH from frozen frogs and decreased serine phosphorylation on IDH from dehydrated frogs relative to control and anoxic states, demonstrating a reversible phosphorylation regulatory mechanism for IDH activity during freezing stress. Taken together, these results suggest activation and maintenance of IDH activity despite hypometabolic conditions. This initiation in activity of IDH during freezing may play a role in antioxidant defense by contributing to maintenance of the NADPH pool under stress conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M S Mattice
- Institute of Biochemistry & Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Anchal Varma
- Institute of Biochemistry & Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Kenneth B Storey
- Institute of Biochemistry & Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, Canada.
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36
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TXNIP shuttling - a key molecular link in regulating inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction in freeze tolerant wood frogs. Gene 2023; 857:147184. [PMID: 36627089 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2023.147184] [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: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Amphibians such as the wood frogs,Rana sylvatica, are a primary example of a freeze-tolerant vertebrate that undergoes whole body freezing. Multiple adaptations including sequestering 65-70% of total body water as extracellular/extra organ ice and producing massive amounts of glucose as a cryoprotectant support this. Interestingly, the high glucose levels induced in response to freezing can amplify oxidative stress's effects (reactive oxygen species, ROS) and induce inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction. Since both freezing and dehydration stress (independent of freezing) can render wood frogs hyperglycemic, this study focussed on these two stresses to elucidate the role of a scaffold protein thioredoxin interacting protein (TXNIP), which localizes in multiple compartments inside the cell under hyperglycemic conditions and mediate diverse stress responses. The results from this study suggest a stress-specific response of TXNIP in inducing the cell-damaging pathway of inflammasome activation via its cytoplasmic localization during freezing. Interestingly, mitochondrial localization of TXNIP did not leads to increase in its binding to thioredoxin 2 (TRX-2) and activating the dysfunction of this organelle by releasing a mitochondrial protein cytochrome c (Cyt c) in cytoplasm under both freezing and dehydration stresses. Post-translational modifications of TXNIP hinted on changes in the regulating proteins involved in the inflammasome and mitochondrial dysfunction pathways, whereas sequential differences (cytosine residues) of amphibian TXNIP (compared to mammalian) assessed via 3D-modeling attributed to its weak binding to TRX-2. Overall, this study summarizes differential role of proteins activated under freeze and dehydration induced hyperglycemic response in freeze tolerant wood frogs.
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37
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Ma WX, Yuan PC, Zhang H, Kong LX, Lazarus M, Qu WM, Wang YQ, Huang ZL. Adenosine and P1 receptors: Key targets in the regulation of sleep, torpor, and hibernation. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1098976. [PMID: 36969831 PMCID: PMC10036772 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1098976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Graphical AbstractAdenosine mediates sleep, torpor and hibernation through P1 receptors. Recent reasearch has shown that P1 receptors play a vital role in the regulation of sleep-wake, torpor and hibernation-like states. In this review, we focus on the roles and neurobiological mechanisms of the CNS adenosine and P1 receptors in these three states. Among them, A1 and A2A receptors are key targets for sleep-wake regulation, A1Rs and A3Rs are very important for torpor induction, and activation of A1Rs is sufficient for hibernation-like state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Xiang Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ping-Chuan Yuan
- Anhui Provincial Engineering Research Center for Polysaccharide Drugs, Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Screening and Re-evaluation of Active Compounds of Herbal Medicines in Southern Anhui, School of Pharmacy, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- Anhui Provincial Engineering Research Center for Polysaccharide Drugs, Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Screening and Re-evaluation of Active Compounds of Herbal Medicines in Southern Anhui, School of Pharmacy, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, China
| | - Ling-Xi Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Michael Lazarus
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS) and Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Wei-Min Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Wei-Min Qu, ; Yi-Qun Wang, ; Zhi-Li Huang,
| | - Yi-Qun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Wei-Min Qu, ; Yi-Qun Wang, ; Zhi-Li Huang,
| | - Zhi-Li Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Wei-Min Qu, ; Yi-Qun Wang, ; Zhi-Li Huang,
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38
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Storey JM, Li Z, Storey KB. Hypoxia inducible factor-1α responds to freezing, anoxia and dehydration stresses in a freeze-tolerant frog. Cryobiology 2023; 110:79-85. [PMID: 36442660 DOI: 10.1016/j.cryobiol.2022.11.242] [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: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The wood frog, Rana sylvatica (aka Lithobates sylvaticus) is the main model for studies of natural freeze tolerance among amphibians living in seasonally cold climates. During freezing, ∼65% of total body water can be converted to extracellular ice and this imposes both dehydration and hypoxia/anoxia stresses on cells. The current study analyzed the responses of the alpha subunit of the hypoxia-inducible transcription factor (HIF-1), a crucial oxygen-sensitive regulator of gene expression, to freezing, anoxia or dehydration stresses, examining six tissues of wood frogs (liver, skeletal muscle, brain, heart, kidney, skin). RT-PCR revealed a rapid elevation hif-1α transcript levels within 2 h of freeze initiation in both liver and brain and elevated levels of both mRNA and protein in liver and muscle after 24 h frozen. However, both transcript and protein levels reverted to control values after thawing except for HIF-1 protein in liver that dropped to ∼60% of control. Independent exposures of wood frogs to anoxia or dehydration stresses (two components of freezing) also triggered upregulation of hif-1α transcripts and/or HIF-1α protein in liver and kidney with variable responses in other tissues. The results show active modulation of HIF-1 in response to freezing, anoxia and dehydration stresses and implicate this transcription factor as a contributor to the regulation of metabolic adaptations needed for long term survival of wood frogs in the ischemic frozen state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet M Storey
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Zhenhong Li
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Kenneth B Storey
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, K1S 5B6, Canada.
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39
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Rehman S, Hadj-Moussa H, Hawkins L, Storey KB. Role of FOXO transcription factors in the tolerance of whole-body freezing in the wood frog, Rana sylvatica. Cryobiology 2023; 110:44-48. [PMID: 36539050 DOI: 10.1016/j.cryobiol.2022.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The wood frog (Rana Sylvatica) can endure the sub-zero temperatures of winter by freezing up to 65% of total body water as extracellular ice and retreating into a prolonged hypometabolic state. Freeze survival requires the coordination of various adaptations, including a global suppression of metabolic functions and select activation of pro-survival genes. Transcription factors playing roles in metabolism, stress tolerance, and cell proliferation may assist in making survival in a frozen state possible. In this study, the role of Forkhead box 'other' (FOXO) transcription factors in freeze tolerance, and related changes to the insulin pathway, are investigated. Immunoblotting was used to assess total and phosphorylated amounts of FOXO proteins in wood frogs subjected to freezing for 24 h and thawed recovery for 8 h. Levels of active FOXO3 increased in brain, kidney, and liver during freezing and thawing, suggesting a need to maintain or enhance antioxidant defenses under these stresses. Results implicate FOXO involvement in the metabolic regulation of natural freeze tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saif Rehman
- Institute of Biochemistry and Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Hanane Hadj-Moussa
- Institute of Biochemistry and Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Liam Hawkins
- Institute of Biochemistry and Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Kenneth B Storey
- Institute of Biochemistry and Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
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40
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Ingelson-Filpula WA, Hadj-Moussa H, Storey KB. MicroRNA transcriptomics in liver of the freeze-tolerant gray tree frog (Dryophytes versicolor) indicates suppression of energy-expensive pathways. Cell Biochem Funct 2023; 41:309-320. [PMID: 36823992 DOI: 10.1002/cbf.3783] [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: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
The rapid and reversible nature of microRNA (miRNA) transcriptional regulation is ideal for implementing global changes to cellular processes and metabolism, a necessary asset for the freeze-tolerant gray tree frog (Dryophytes versicolor). D. versicolor can freeze up to 42% of its total body water during the winter and then thaw completely upon more favorable conditions of spring. Herein, we examined the freeze-specific miRNA responses in the gray tree frog using RBiomirGS, a bioinformatic tool designed for the analysis of miRNA-seq transcriptomics in non-genome sequenced organisms. We identified 11 miRNAs differentially regulated during freezing (miR-140-3p, miR-181a-5p, miR-206-3p, miR-451a, miR-19a-3p, miR-101-3p, miR-30e-5p, miR-142-3p and -5p, miR-21-5p, and miR-34a-5p). Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis suggests these miRNAs play roles in downregulating signaling pathways, apoptosis, and nuclear processes while enhancing ribosomal biogenesis. Overall, these findings point towards miRNA inducing a state of energy conservation by downregulating energy-expensive pathways, while ribosomal biogenesis may lead to prioritization of critical processes for freeze-tolerance survival.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kenneth B Storey
- Department of Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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41
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Yokum EE, Wascher M, Goldstein DL, Krane CM. Repeated freeze-thaw cycles in freeze-tolerant treefrogs: novel interindividual variation of integrative biochemical, cellular, and organismal responses. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2023; 324:R196-R206. [PMID: 36534587 DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00211.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The freeze-tolerant anuran Dryophytes chrysoscelis, Cope's gray treefrog, mobilizes a complex cryoprotectant system that includes glycerol, glucose, and urea to minimize damage induced by freezing and thawing of up to 65% of body water. In this species' eastern Northern American temperate habitat, oscillations of temperature above and below freezing are common; however, the effects of repeated freezing and thawing in this species are unstudied. The biochemical and physiological effects of repeated freeze-thaw cycles were therefore evaluated and compared with cold acclimation and single freeze-thaw episodes. Glycerol was elevated in plasma, liver, and skeletal muscle of both singly and repeatedly frozen and thawed animals compared with cold-acclimated frogs. In contrast, urea was unchanged by freezing and thawing, whereas glucose was elevated in singly frozen and thawed animals but was reduced toward cold acclimation levels after repeated bouts of freezing. Overall, the cryoprotectant system was maintained, but not further elevated, in all tissues assayed in repeatedly frozen and thawed animals. For repeated freeze-thaw only, hepatic glycogen was depleted and plasma hemoglobin, indicative of erythrocyte hemolysis, increased. Postfreeze recovery of locomotor function, including limb and whole body movement, was delayed with repeated freeze-thaw and was associated with glycerol accumulation and glycogen depletion. Individuals that resumed locomotor function more quickly also accumulated greater cryoinjury. Integrated analyses of cryoprotectant and cryoinjury accumulation suggest that winter survival of D. chrysoscelis may be vulnerable to climate change, limited by carbohydrate stores, cellular repair mechanisms, and plasticity of the cryoprotectant system.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matthew Wascher
- Department of Mathematics, University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio
| | - David L Goldstein
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio
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42
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Rehman S, Varma A, Gupta A, Storey KB. The regulation of m 6A-related proteins during whole-body freezing of the freeze-tolerant wood frog. Biochem Cell Biol 2023; 101:77-86. [PMID: 36462217 DOI: 10.1139/bcb-2022-0164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Rana sylvatica (also known as Boreorana sylvatica) is one of the few vertebrates that spend extreme winters showing no physiological signs of life. Up to 70% of the total body water of the wood frog freezes as extracellular ice. Survival in extreme conditions requires regulation at transcriptional and translational levels to activate prosurvival pathways. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation is one of the most common RNA modifications, regulating transcript processing and translation by executing important functions that affect regulatory pathways in stress conditions. In the study, regulation of m6A-related proteins in the liver of R. sylvatica was analyzed during 24 h frozen and 8 h thaw conditions. Decreases in the activity of demethylases of 28.44 ± 0.4% and 24.1 ± 0.9% of control values in frozen and thaw tissues, respectively, were observed. Total protein levels of m6A methyltransferase complex components methyltransferase-like 14 and Wilm's tumor associated protein were increased by 1.28-fold and 1.42-fold, respectively, during freezing. Demethylase fat mass and obesity, however, showed a decreasing trend, with a significant decrease in abundance during recovery from frozen conditions. Levels of mRNA degraders YTHDF2 and YTHDC2 also decreased under stress. Overall, increased levels of m6A methylation complex components, and suppressed levels of readers/erasers, provide evidence for the potential role of RNA methylation in freezing survival and its regulation in a hypometabolic state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saif Rehman
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Anchal Varma
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Aakriti Gupta
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Kenneth B Storey
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
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Joules A, Burrows T, Dosa P, Hubel A. Characterization of eutectic mixtures of sugars and sugar-alcohols for cryopreservation. J Mol Liq 2023; 371:120937. [PMID: 36714523 PMCID: PMC9879365 DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2022.120937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Natural Deep Eutectic Systems (NADES) composed of sugar and sugar alcohols have been studied and applied in a variety of biological applications. Understanding their interaction with water across dilution and temperature is inherently important for maximizing the utility of NADES. Herein a wide range of sugar:sugar-alcohol molar ratios were synthesized and characterized by viscosity, molar excess volume, differential scanning calorimetry, water activity, and confocal Raman cryomicroscopy. NADES were found to have greater viscosity, reduced heat of fusion, greater absolute molar excess volume, lower water activity, and stronger hydrogen bonding of water than non-NADES mixtures. This is hypothesized to be due to cumulatively stronger hydrogen bonding interactions between components in pure and diluted NADES with the strongest interactions in the water-rich region. This work provides useful data and further understanding of hydrogen bonding interaction strength for a wide range of molar ratios in pure to well-diluted forms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Joules
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, 55455, USA
| | - Tessa Burrows
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, 55455, USA
| | - Peter Dosa
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Institute for Therapeutics Discovery and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, 55455, USA
| | - Allison Hubel
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, 55455, USA
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44
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Niu Y, Zhang X, Men S, Storey KB, Chen Q. Integrated analysis of transcriptome and metabolome data reveals insights for molecular mechanisms in overwintering Tibetan frogs, Nanorana parkeri. Front Physiol 2023; 13:1104476. [PMID: 36699683 PMCID: PMC9868574 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.1104476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Nanorana parkeri (Anura, Dicroglossidae) is a unique frog living at high altitude on the Tibetan plateau where they must endure a long winter dormancy at low temperatures without feeding. Here, we presented a comprehensive transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis of liver tissue from summer-active versus overwintering N. parkeri, providing the first broad analysis of altered energy metabolism and gene expression in this frog species. We discovered that significantly up-regulated genes (2,397) in overwintering frogs mainly participated in signal transduction and immune responses, phagosome, endocytosis, lysosome, and autophagy, whereas 2,169 down-regulated genes were mainly involved in metabolic processes, such as oxidation-reduction process, amino acid metabolic process, fatty acid metabolic process, and TCA cycle. Moreover, 35 metabolites were shown to be differentially expressed, including 22 down-regulated and 13 up-regulated in winter. These included particularly notable reductions in the concentrations of most amino acids. These differentially expressed metabolites were mainly involved in amino acid biosynthesis and metabolism. To sum up, these findings suggest that gene expression and metabolic processes show adaptive regulation in overwintering N. parkeri, that contributes to maintaining homeostasis and enhancing protection in the hypometabolic state. This study has greatly expanded our understanding of the winter survival mechanisms in amphibians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonggang Niu
- Department of Life Sciences, Dezhou University, Dezhou, China,School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China,*Correspondence: Yonggang Niu, ; Qiang Chen,
| | - Xuejing Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Shengkang Men
- School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | | | - Qiang Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China,*Correspondence: Yonggang Niu, ; Qiang Chen,
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45
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Naranjo M, Breedon SA, Storey KB. Cardiac microRNA expression profile in response to estivation. Biochimie 2023:S0300-9084(23)00001-9. [PMID: 36627041 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2023.01.001] [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: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Couch's spadefoot toad (Scaphiopus couchii) spends most of the year underground in a hypometabolic state known as estivation. During this time, they overcome significant dehydration and lack of food through many mechanisms including employing metabolic rate depression (MRD), increasing urea concentration, switching to lipid oxidation as the primary energy source, and decreasing their breathing and heart rate. MicroRNA (miRNA) are known to regulate translation by targeting messenger RNA (mRNA) for degradation or temporary storage, with several studies having reported that miRNA is differentially expressed during MRD, including estivation. Thus, we hypothesized that miRNA would be involved in gene regulation during estivation in S. couchii heart. Next-generation sequencing and bioinformatic analyses were used to assess changes in miRNA expression in response to two-month estivation and to predict the downstream effects of this expression. KEGG and GO analyses indicated that ribosome and cardiac muscle contraction are among the pathways predicted to be upregulated, whereas cell signaling and fatty acid metabolism were predicted to be downregulated. Together these results suggest that miRNAs contribute to the regulation of gene expression related to cardiac muscle physiology and energy metabolism during estivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mairelys Naranjo
- Institute of Biochemistry & Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, Canada, K1S 5B6
| | - Sarah A Breedon
- Institute of Biochemistry & Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, Canada, K1S 5B6
| | - Kenneth B Storey
- Institute of Biochemistry & Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, Canada, K1S 5B6.
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46
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Niles J, Singh G, Storey KB. Role of unfolded protein response and ER-associated degradation under freezing, anoxia, and dehydration stresses in the freeze-tolerant wood frogs. Cell Stress Chaperones 2023; 28:61-77. [PMID: 36346580 PMCID: PMC9877271 DOI: 10.1007/s12192-022-01307-8] [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: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The North American amphibian, wood frogs, Rana sylvatica are the most studied anuran to comprehend vertebrate freeze tolerance. Multiple adaptations support their survival in frigid temperatures during winters, particularly their ability to produce glucose as natural cryoprotectant. Freezing and its component consequences (anoxia and dehydration) induce multiple stresses on cells. Among these is endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, a condition spawned by buildup of unfolded or misfolded proteins in the ER. The ER stress causes the unfolded protein response (UPR) and the ER-associated degradation (ERAD) pathway that potentially could lead to apoptosis. Immunoblotting was used to assess the responses of major proteins of the UPR and ERAD under freezing, anoxia, and dehydration stresses in the liver and skeletal muscle of the wood frogs. Targets analyzed included activating transcription factors (ATF3, ATF4, ATF6), the growth arrest and DNA damage proteins (GADD34, GADD153), and EDEM (ERAD enhancing α-mannosidase-like proteins) and XBP1 (X-box binding protein 1) proteins. UPR signaling was triggered under all three stresses (freezing, anoxia, dehydration) in liver and skeletal muscle of wood frogs with most tissue/stress responses consistent with an upregulation of the primary targets of all three UPR pathways (ATF4, ATF6, and XBP-1) to enhance the protein folding/refolding capacity under these stress conditions. Only frozen muscle showed preference for proteasomal degradation of misfolded proteins via upregulation of EDEM (ERAD). The ERAD response of liver was downregulated across three stresses suggesting preference for more refolding of misfolded/unfolded proteins. Overall, we conclude that wood frog organs activate the UPR as a means of stabilizing and repairing cellular proteins to best survive freezing exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacques Niles
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Gurjit Singh
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Kenneth B Storey
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada.
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YOLDAS T, ERİŞMİŞ UC. Hayvanlarda Soğuğa Dayanıklılık: Çift Yaşarların Kriyobiyolojisi. COMMAGENE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.31594/commagene.1176451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Organizmalar yaşamlarını devam ettirebilmek için abiyotik çevresel koşullara uyum sağlarlar. Özellikle ortam sıcaklığındaki değişimler; canlıların beslenme, üreme, gelişim ve morfolojileri üzerinde etkilidir. Sıra dışı sıcaklık değişimleri özellikle ektotermik hayvanlar için ölümcül olabilir. Karasal ektotermler. doğada donma noktasının altındaki sıcaklıklarda hayatta kalabilmek için davranışsal, fizyolojik ve biyokimyasal bazı özel stratejiler geliştirmişlerdir. Bazı türler göç ederek su ya da toprak altında kış uykusuna yatmak suretiyle dondurucu sıcaklıklardan kaçınırlar. Bazıları ise donma koşullarına maruz kalarak kışı geçirmek zorundadırlar. Genel olarak dondurucu soğuğa dayanıklılık donmadan kaçınma (süper soğuma) ve donma toleransı stratejilerine bağlıdır. Donmadan kaçınma durumunda vücut sıvılarının donma noktasının altındaki sıcaklıklarda sıvı formu korunurken donma toleransı stratejisini kullanan canlılarda ise vücutlarındaki toplam suyun %50’sinden fazlasının donması tolere edilebilir. Karasal hibernatör hayvanlardan bazı amfibi ve sürüngen gruplarında da tespit edilen donma toleransı stratejisi onların dondurucu kış koşullarında hayatta kalmalarını sağlamaktadır. Bu özel türler kriyoprotektif mekanizmaları ile donmanın ölümcül etkilerinden korunurlar. Donma süresince yaşamsal faaliyetleri tamamen duran bu hayvanlar çözündükten sonra kısa bir süre içerisinde de normal yaşama dönerler. Bu mucizevi mekanizmanın araştırılması yalnızca hayvanların karmaşık adaptasyonunu açıklamakla kalmaz, aynı zamanda doku ve hücre kriyoprezervasyon teknolojisine de kaynak sağlar. Bu derleme amfibilerin donma toleransı stratejilerine dair bilgiler sunarak henüz yeterince çalışılmamış bu konuda araştırma yapmak isteyenlere katkı sağlayacaktır.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taner YOLDAS
- DÜZCE ÜNİVERSİTESİ, BİLİMSEL VE TEKNOLOJİK ARAŞTIRMALAR UYGULAMA VE ARAŞTIRMA MERKEZİ
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48
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Okada R, Adachi S, Takiya Y, Iwasaki R, Hirota A, Kikuyama S. Involvement of glucose in freeze tolerance in the Japanese tree frog Hyla japonica. Dev Growth Differ 2022; 64:486-493. [PMID: 36193878 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12814] [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: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Glycerol and aquaporin 9 (aquaglyceroporin) are known to be involved in freeze tolerance in the Japanese tree frog Hyla japonica. However, the regulatory mechanisms of freeze tolerance in this species have not been fully elucidated. In the present study, we focused on the inter- and intracellular dynamics of glucose to analyze the role of glucose and glucose-related proteins such as transporter and metabolic enzymes in freeze tolerance. Serum glucose concentrations were compared among the frogs that were nonhibernating, hibernating, and thawed after freezing at -4°C for 6 hr. Serum concentrations of glucose in thawed frogs were significantly higher than those in hibernating and nonhibernating, active frogs. Periodic acid-Schiff staining showed that the accumulation of glycogen in the hepatocytes increased before hibernation and decreased after freezing and thawing. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis using the liver showed that, compared with active frogs, the type 2 glucose transporter gene (glut2) was upregulated in frozen frogs, the liver glycogen phosphorylase gene (pygl) was upregulated in frozen or thawed frogs, and the type 2 glycogen synthase gene (gys2) was upregulated in hibernating frogs. Immunohistochemistry of liver sections showed that, compared with nonhibernating frogs, Glut2 proteins were clearly increased most likely on the plasma membrane of hepatocytes in hibernating frogs and further increased by freezing, then decreased after thawing. These results suggest the possibility that glucose acts as a cryoprotectant in H. japonica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reiko Okada
- Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, Shizuoka University, Shizuoka, Japan.,Integrated Bioscience Section, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Shizuoka University, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Shun Adachi
- Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, Shizuoka University, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Yu Takiya
- Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, Shizuoka University, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Ryohei Iwasaki
- Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, Shizuoka University, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Atsushi Hirota
- Integrated Bioscience Section, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Shizuoka University, Shizuoka, Japan.,Bureau of Construction, Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sakae Kikuyama
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Education and Integrated Sciences, Center for Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
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49
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Chown SL. Macrophysiology for decision‐making. J Zool (1987) 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.13029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- S. L. Chown
- Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future, School of Biological Sciences Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia
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50
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Wang HT, Miyairi S, Kitamura M, Iizuka K, Asano Y, Yoshimura T, Kon N. Real time monitoring of cold Ca 2+ dependent transcription and its modulation by NCX inhibitors. Sci Rep 2022; 12:17325. [PMID: 36243739 PMCID: PMC9569354 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22166-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Real-time monitoring of cellular temperature responses is an important technique in thermal biology and drug development. Recent study identified that Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX)-dependent Ca2+ influx transduces cold signals to circadian clock in mammalian cultured cells. The finding raised an idea that cellular responses to the cold signals can be analyzed by monitoring of clock gene expression. We found that Per1 and Per2 were up-regulated after culture at 27 °C compared to 37 °C in Rat-1 fibroblasts. In order to monitor cold-Ca2+-dependent transcription in living cells, we developed a luciferase-based real-time reporting system by using Per1 promoter, Per2 promoter, Ca2+/cAMP-response elements (CRE) or NFAT-binding elements. We found that benzyloxyphenyl NCX inhibitor KB-R7943 and SN-6, but not SEA-0400 or YM-244769 inhibited the cold induction of Per2. Our study established a real-time monitoring system for cold Ca2+ signaling which can be applied to evaluation of drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsin-tzu Wang
- grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XInstitute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (ITbM), Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8601 Japan ,grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XLaboratory of Animal Integrative Physiology, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8601 Japan ,grid.26999.3d0000 0001 2151 536XDepartment of Biological Science, School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033 Japan
| | - Shiori Miyairi
- grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XInstitute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (ITbM), Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8601 Japan ,grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XLaboratory of Animal Integrative Physiology, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8601 Japan
| | - Miho Kitamura
- grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XInstitute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (ITbM), Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8601 Japan ,grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XLaboratory of Animal Integrative Physiology, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8601 Japan
| | - Kosuke Iizuka
- grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XInstitute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (ITbM), Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8601 Japan ,grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XLaboratory of Animal Integrative Physiology, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8601 Japan
| | - Yoshimasa Asano
- grid.26999.3d0000 0001 2151 536XDepartment of Biological Science, School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033 Japan
| | - Takashi Yoshimura
- grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XInstitute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (ITbM), Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8601 Japan ,grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XLaboratory of Animal Integrative Physiology, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8601 Japan
| | - Naohiro Kon
- grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XInstitute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (ITbM), Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8601 Japan ,grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XLaboratory of Animal Integrative Physiology, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8601 Japan ,Suntory Rising Stars Encouragement Program in Life Sciences (SunRiSE), 8-1-1 Seikadai, Seika-cho, Soraku-gun, Kyoto, 619-0284 Japan
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