Impacts of seasonality on gene expression in the Chinese horseshoe bat
Abstract Seasonality can cause changes in many environmental factors which potentially affects gene expression. Here, we used a bat species (Rhinolophus sinicus) from eastern China as a model to explore the molecular mechanisms of seasonal effects, in particular during phenological shifts in the spr...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8923 |
| _version_ | 1828730839008018432 |
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| author | Wenli Chen Xiuguang Mao |
| author_facet | Wenli Chen Xiuguang Mao |
| author_sort | Wenli Chen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Seasonality can cause changes in many environmental factors which potentially affects gene expression. Here, we used a bat species (Rhinolophus sinicus) from eastern China as a model to explore the molecular mechanisms of seasonal effects, in particular during phenological shifts in the spring and autumn. Based on the analysis of 45 RNA‐seq samples, we found strong seasonal effects on gene expression, with a large number of genes identified as either specific or biased to each season. Weighted gene co‐expression network analysis also identified multiple modules significantly associated with each season. These seasonal genes were further enriched into different functional categories. Consistent with effects of phenological shifts on bats, we found that genes related to promoting food intake were highly expressed in both autumn and spring. In addition, immunity genes were also highly expressed in both seasons although this seasonal immune response had tissue specificity in different seasons. In female bats, genes related to the delay of ovulation (e.g., NPPC, natriuretic peptide precursor type C) were highly expressed in October, while genes associated with the promotion of reproduction (e.g., DIO2, iodothyronine deiodinase 2) were biasedly expressed in April. Lastly, we found multiple known core clock genes in both October‐biased and April‐biased expressed genes, which may be involved in regulating the start and end of hibernation, respectively. Overall, together with studies in other land and aquatic animals, our work supports that seasonal gene expression variations may be a general evolutionary response to environmental changes in wild animals. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T17:37:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bc40bb1bb35f4ce998463054f923f30e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T17:37:00Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-bc40bb1bb35f4ce998463054f923f30e2022-12-22T03:22:57ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582022-05-01125n/an/a10.1002/ece3.8923Impacts of seasonality on gene expression in the Chinese horseshoe batWenli Chen0Xiuguang Mao1School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences East China Normal University Shanghai ChinaSchool of Ecological and Environmental Sciences East China Normal University Shanghai ChinaAbstract Seasonality can cause changes in many environmental factors which potentially affects gene expression. Here, we used a bat species (Rhinolophus sinicus) from eastern China as a model to explore the molecular mechanisms of seasonal effects, in particular during phenological shifts in the spring and autumn. Based on the analysis of 45 RNA‐seq samples, we found strong seasonal effects on gene expression, with a large number of genes identified as either specific or biased to each season. Weighted gene co‐expression network analysis also identified multiple modules significantly associated with each season. These seasonal genes were further enriched into different functional categories. Consistent with effects of phenological shifts on bats, we found that genes related to promoting food intake were highly expressed in both autumn and spring. In addition, immunity genes were also highly expressed in both seasons although this seasonal immune response had tissue specificity in different seasons. In female bats, genes related to the delay of ovulation (e.g., NPPC, natriuretic peptide precursor type C) were highly expressed in October, while genes associated with the promotion of reproduction (e.g., DIO2, iodothyronine deiodinase 2) were biasedly expressed in April. Lastly, we found multiple known core clock genes in both October‐biased and April‐biased expressed genes, which may be involved in regulating the start and end of hibernation, respectively. Overall, together with studies in other land and aquatic animals, our work supports that seasonal gene expression variations may be a general evolutionary response to environmental changes in wild animals.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8923batscircannualimmunityseasonal changestranscriptome |
| spellingShingle | Wenli Chen Xiuguang Mao Impacts of seasonality on gene expression in the Chinese horseshoe bat Ecology and Evolution bats circannual immunity seasonal changes transcriptome |
| title | Impacts of seasonality on gene expression in the Chinese horseshoe bat |
| title_full | Impacts of seasonality on gene expression in the Chinese horseshoe bat |
| title_fullStr | Impacts of seasonality on gene expression in the Chinese horseshoe bat |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impacts of seasonality on gene expression in the Chinese horseshoe bat |
| title_short | Impacts of seasonality on gene expression in the Chinese horseshoe bat |
| title_sort | impacts of seasonality on gene expression in the chinese horseshoe bat |
| topic | bats circannual immunity seasonal changes transcriptome |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8923 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT wenlichen impactsofseasonalityongeneexpressioninthechinesehorseshoebat AT xiuguangmao impactsofseasonalityongeneexpressioninthechinesehorseshoebat |