Oxygen is essential for most life forms.Insufficient oxygen supply can disrupt homeostasis and compromise survival,and hypoxia-induced cardiovascular failure is fatal in many animals,including humans.However,certain s...Oxygen is essential for most life forms.Insufficient oxygen supply can disrupt homeostasis and compromise survival,and hypoxia-induced cardiovascular failure is fatal in many animals,including humans.However,certain species have adapted and evolved to cope with hypoxic environments and are therefore good models for studying the regulatory mechanisms underlying responses to hypoxia.Here,we explored the physiological and molecular responses of the cardiovascular system in two closely related hypoxiaadapted species with different life histories,namely,Qinghai voles(Neodon fuscus)and Brandt’s voles(Lasiopodomys brandtii),under hypoxic(10%O_(2) for 48 h)and normoxic(20.9%O_(2) for 48 h)exposure.Kunming mice(Mus musculus)were used for comparison.Qinghai voles live in plateau areas under hypoxic conditions,whereas Brandt’s voles only experience periodic hypoxia.Histological and hematological analyses indicated a strong tolerance to hypoxia in both species,but significant cardiac tissue damage and increased blood circulation resistance in mice exposed to hypoxia.Comparative transcriptome analysis revealed enhanced oxygen transport efficiency as a coping mechanism against hypoxia in both N.fuscus and L.brandtii,but with some differences.Specifically,N.fuscus showed upregulated expression of genes related to accelerated cardiac contraction and angiogenesis,whereas L.brandtii showed significant up-regulation of erythropoiesis-related genes.Synchronized upregulation of hemoglobin synthesis-related genes was observed in both species.In addition,differences in cardiometabolic strategies against hypoxia were observed in the rodents.Notably,M.musculus relied on adenosine triphosphate(ATP)generation via fatty acid oxidation,whereas N.fuscus shifted energy production to glucose oxidation under hypoxic conditions and L.brandtii employed a conservative strategy involving down-regulation of fatty acid and glucose oxidation and a bradycardia phenotype.In conclusion,the cardiovascular systems of N.fuscus and L.brandtii have evolved different adaptation strategies to enhance oxygen transport capacity and conserve energy under hypoxia.Our findings suggest that the coping mechanisms underlying hypoxia tolerance in these closely related species are context dependent.展开更多
A survey of small mammals conducted on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau in August 2023 yielded a series of specimens of a distinctive and previously unidentified Neodon species from high-altitude shrubland and grassland hab...A survey of small mammals conducted on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau in August 2023 yielded a series of specimens of a distinctive and previously unidentified Neodon species from high-altitude shrubland and grassland habitats at elevations of 2800–4000 m in Lhozhag County,Xizang,China.This study employed an integrative approach,combining molecular and morphological evidence to determine the taxonomic placement of the species.Results confirmed that these specimens represent a new species,formally described herein as Neodon lhozhagensis sp.nov.The new species can be distinguished from all other Neodon species based on larger body size,longer tail,five closed triangles in first lower molar,and obvious interorbital crest.Molecular analysis strongly supported Neodon lhozhagensis sp.nov.as a monophyletic clade that diverged from its sister taxon,Neodon tsonaensis,approximately 0.89–1.68 million years ago.Kimura-2-parameter genetic distances of the complete cytochrome b gene between Neodon lhozhagensis sp.nov.and other nominal Neodon species ranged from 9.3%to 12.8%.This discovery underscores the importance of continued efforts to investigate and document the biodiversity of the Himalayan region.展开更多
Background:Gut microbiota exert an immense effect on host health and host environmental adaptation.Furthermore,the composition and structure of gut microbiota are determined by the environment and host genetic factors...Background:Gut microbiota exert an immense effect on host health and host environmental adaptation.Furthermore,the composition and structure of gut microbiota are determined by the environment and host genetic factors.However,the relative contribution of the environment and host genetic factors toward shaping the structure of gut microbiota has been poorly understood.Methods:In this study,we characterized the fecal microbial communities of the closely related voles Neodon fuscus,Lasiopodomys brandtii,and L.mandarinus after caged feeding in the laboratory for 6 months,through high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics analysis.Results:The results of pairwise comparisons of N.fuscus vs.L.brandtii and L.mandarinus vs.L.brandtii revealed significant differences in bacterial diversity and composition after domestication.While 991 same operational taxonomic units(OTUs)were shared in three voles,there were 362,291,and 303 species-specific OTUs in N.fuscus,L.brandtii,and L.mandarinus,respectively.The relative abundances of Proteobacteria and Prevotella,which are reported to be enriched in high-altitude populations,were significantly higher in high-altitude N.fuscus than in low-altitude L.brandtii after domestication.Firmicutes,which produce various digestive enzymes for energy metabolism,and Spirochaetes,which can degrade cellulose,were found in higher abundance in subterranean L.mandarinus than that in L.brandtii which dwells on the earth surface.Conclusion:Our findings showed that some components of gut microbiota still maintained dominance even when different host species are reared under the same environmental conditions,suggesting that these bacteria are substantially influenced by host factors.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(U2004152)Zhongyuan Science and Technology Innovation Leading Talent Project(224200510001)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2020M672264)。
文摘Oxygen is essential for most life forms.Insufficient oxygen supply can disrupt homeostasis and compromise survival,and hypoxia-induced cardiovascular failure is fatal in many animals,including humans.However,certain species have adapted and evolved to cope with hypoxic environments and are therefore good models for studying the regulatory mechanisms underlying responses to hypoxia.Here,we explored the physiological and molecular responses of the cardiovascular system in two closely related hypoxiaadapted species with different life histories,namely,Qinghai voles(Neodon fuscus)and Brandt’s voles(Lasiopodomys brandtii),under hypoxic(10%O_(2) for 48 h)and normoxic(20.9%O_(2) for 48 h)exposure.Kunming mice(Mus musculus)were used for comparison.Qinghai voles live in plateau areas under hypoxic conditions,whereas Brandt’s voles only experience periodic hypoxia.Histological and hematological analyses indicated a strong tolerance to hypoxia in both species,but significant cardiac tissue damage and increased blood circulation resistance in mice exposed to hypoxia.Comparative transcriptome analysis revealed enhanced oxygen transport efficiency as a coping mechanism against hypoxia in both N.fuscus and L.brandtii,but with some differences.Specifically,N.fuscus showed upregulated expression of genes related to accelerated cardiac contraction and angiogenesis,whereas L.brandtii showed significant up-regulation of erythropoiesis-related genes.Synchronized upregulation of hemoglobin synthesis-related genes was observed in both species.In addition,differences in cardiometabolic strategies against hypoxia were observed in the rodents.Notably,M.musculus relied on adenosine triphosphate(ATP)generation via fatty acid oxidation,whereas N.fuscus shifted energy production to glucose oxidation under hypoxic conditions and L.brandtii employed a conservative strategy involving down-regulation of fatty acid and glucose oxidation and a bradycardia phenotype.In conclusion,the cardiovascular systems of N.fuscus and L.brandtii have evolved different adaptation strategies to enhance oxygen transport capacity and conserve energy under hypoxia.Our findings suggest that the coping mechanisms underlying hypoxia tolerance in these closely related species are context dependent.
基金supported by the Second Qinghai-Xizang Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research Program(2024QZKK0200,2019QZKK05010100)Survey of Wildlife Resources in Key Areas of Xizang(ZL202203601,ZL202303601)。
文摘A survey of small mammals conducted on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau in August 2023 yielded a series of specimens of a distinctive and previously unidentified Neodon species from high-altitude shrubland and grassland habitats at elevations of 2800–4000 m in Lhozhag County,Xizang,China.This study employed an integrative approach,combining molecular and morphological evidence to determine the taxonomic placement of the species.Results confirmed that these specimens represent a new species,formally described herein as Neodon lhozhagensis sp.nov.The new species can be distinguished from all other Neodon species based on larger body size,longer tail,five closed triangles in first lower molar,and obvious interorbital crest.Molecular analysis strongly supported Neodon lhozhagensis sp.nov.as a monophyletic clade that diverged from its sister taxon,Neodon tsonaensis,approximately 0.89–1.68 million years ago.Kimura-2-parameter genetic distances of the complete cytochrome b gene between Neodon lhozhagensis sp.nov.and other nominal Neodon species ranged from 9.3%to 12.8%.This discovery underscores the importance of continued efforts to investigate and document the biodiversity of the Himalayan region.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of ChinaGrant/Award Number:U2004152+3 种基金China Postdoctoral Science FoundationGrant/Award Number:2020M672264Zhongyuan Science and Technology Innovation Leading Talent ProjectGrant/Award Number:224200510001。
文摘Background:Gut microbiota exert an immense effect on host health and host environmental adaptation.Furthermore,the composition and structure of gut microbiota are determined by the environment and host genetic factors.However,the relative contribution of the environment and host genetic factors toward shaping the structure of gut microbiota has been poorly understood.Methods:In this study,we characterized the fecal microbial communities of the closely related voles Neodon fuscus,Lasiopodomys brandtii,and L.mandarinus after caged feeding in the laboratory for 6 months,through high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics analysis.Results:The results of pairwise comparisons of N.fuscus vs.L.brandtii and L.mandarinus vs.L.brandtii revealed significant differences in bacterial diversity and composition after domestication.While 991 same operational taxonomic units(OTUs)were shared in three voles,there were 362,291,and 303 species-specific OTUs in N.fuscus,L.brandtii,and L.mandarinus,respectively.The relative abundances of Proteobacteria and Prevotella,which are reported to be enriched in high-altitude populations,were significantly higher in high-altitude N.fuscus than in low-altitude L.brandtii after domestication.Firmicutes,which produce various digestive enzymes for energy metabolism,and Spirochaetes,which can degrade cellulose,were found in higher abundance in subterranean L.mandarinus than that in L.brandtii which dwells on the earth surface.Conclusion:Our findings showed that some components of gut microbiota still maintained dominance even when different host species are reared under the same environmental conditions,suggesting that these bacteria are substantially influenced by host factors.
