Transcriptome analyses of nine endocrine tissues identifies organism-wide transcript structure and distribution in a seasonal rodent

Temperate zone animals exhibit seasonal variation in multiple endocrine systems. Seasonal changes in physiology are primarily regulated by hypothalamic nuclei which drive annual cycles in tissue morphology. In most cases, peripheral organs display robust switches in tissue involution and recrudescence in mass. Our understanding of the molecular control of tissue-specific changes in seasonal function remains limited. Central to this problem is the lack of information on the nucleic acid structure, and distribution of transcripts across tissues in seasonal model organisms. Here we report the transcriptome profile of nine endocrine tissues from both male and female Siberian hamsters. Neither melatonin receptor 1a, nor 1b were found to be expressed in the tissues assessed. Instead, the melatonin sensitive receptor Gpr50 may provide the link between hormone signalling and nocturnal duration in hamsters.