Waking the sleeping dragon: gene expression profiling reveals adaptive strategies of the hibernating reptile Pogona vitticeps

• DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-5750-x
• Publication Date: 2019-06-06T14:03:09Z
• Authors: Alexander Capraro; Denis O’Meally; Shafagh A. Waters; Hardip R. Patel; Arthur Georges; Paul D. Waters
• Keywords: Hibernation

Hibernation is a physiological state exploited by many animals exposed to prolonged adverse environmental conditions associated with winter. Large changes in metabolism and cellular function occur, stress response pathways modulated tolerate challenges that might otherwise be lethal. Many studies have sought elucidate the molecular mechanisms of mammalian hibernation, but detailed analyses are lacking reptiles. Here we examine gene expression Australian central bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps) using mRNA-seq label-free quantitative mass spectrometry matched brain, heart skeletal muscle samples from at late 2 days post-arousal months post-arousal.We identified differentially expressed genes all tissues between hibernation time points; 4264 5340 heart, 5587 muscle. Furthermore, 2482 across tissues. Proteomic analysis 743 proteins (58 expressed) 535 (57 337 (36 Tissue-specific revealed enrichment protective tissues, including neuroprotective cardiac hypertrophic processes atrophy In were induced during as well evidence for regulation transcription, translation post-translation.These results reveal critical allow maintenance both tissue-specific function, survival dragon. provide multiple levels particularly miRNA-mediated translational repression machinery; process would rapid energy efficient reactivation mature mRNA molecules arousal. This study first investigation its kind hibernating reptile, identifies strategies not yet observed other hibernators cope this remarkable metabolic depression.