Dataset Information

Analysis of microRNA expression during the torpor-arousal cycle of a mammalian hibernator, the 13-lined ground squirrel.

ABSTRACT: Hibernation is a highly regulated stress response that is utilized by some mammals to survive harsh winter conditions and involves a complex metabolic reprogramming at the cellular level to maintain tissue protections at low temperature. In this study, we profiled the expression of 117 conserved microRNAs in the heart, muscle, and liver of the 13-lined ground squirrel (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus) across four stages of the torpor-arousal cycle (euthermia, early torpor, late torpor, and interbout arousal) by real-time PCR. We found significant differential regulation of numerous microRNAs that were both tissue specific and torpor stage specific. Among the most significant regulated microRNAs was miR-208b, a positive regulator of muscle development that was found to be upregulated by fivefold in the heart during late torpor (13-fold during arousal), while decreased by 3.7-fold in the skeletal muscle, implicating a potential regulatory role in the development of cardiac hypertrophy and skeletal muscle atrophy in the ground squirrels during torpor. In addition, the insulin resistance marker miR-181a was upregulated by 5.7-fold in the liver during early torpor, which supports previous suggestions of hyperinsulinemia in hibernators during the early stages of the hibernation cycle. Although microRNA expression profiles were largely unique between the three tissues, GO annotation analysis revealed that the putative targets of upregulated microRNAs tend to enrich toward suppression of progrowth-related processes in all three tissues. These findings implicate microRNAs in the regulation of both tissue-specific processes and general suppression of cell growth during hibernation.

SUBMITTER: Wu CW

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4891934 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundHibernating animals experience extreme changes in diet that make them useful systems for understanding host-microbial symbioses. However, most of our current knowledge about the hibernator gut microbiota is derived from studies using captive animals. Given that there are substantial differences between captive and wild environments, conclusions drawn from studies with captive hibernators may not reflect the gut microbiota's role in the physiology of wild animals. To address this, we used Illumina-based sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene to compare the bacterial cecal microbiotas of captive and wild 13-lined ground squirrels (TLGS) in the summer. As the first study to use Illumina-based technology to compare the microbiotas of an obligate rodent hibernator across the year, we also reported changes in captive TLGS microbiotas in summer, winter, and spring.ResultsWild TLGS microbiotas had greater richness and phylogenetic diversity with less variation in beta diversity when compared to captive microbiotas. Taxa identified as core operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and found to significantly contribute to differences in beta diversity were primarily in the families Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae. Captive TLGS microbiotas shared phyla and core OTUs across the year, but active season (summer and spring) microbiotas had different alpha and beta diversities than winter season microbiotas.ConclusionsThis is the first study to compare the microbiotas of captive and wild rodent hibernators. Our findings suggest that data from captive and wild ground squirrels should be interpreted separately due to their distinct microbiotas. Additionally, as the first study to compare seasonal microbiotas of obligate rodent hibernators using Illumina-based 16S rRNA sequencing, we reported changes in captive TLGS microbiotas that are consistent with previous work. Taken together, this study provides foundational information for improving the reproducibility and experimental design of future hibernation microbiota studies.

Dataset Information

Analysis of microRNA expression during the torpor-arousal cycle of a mammalian hibernator, the 13-lined ground squirrel.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets