Morphological and genomic shifts in mole-rat queens increase fecundity but reduce skeletal integrity

We sequenced polyA-selected RNA from bone marrow derived cells from 47 bone samples collected from 16 captive, adult female Damaraland mole-rats (Fukomys damarensis). The 16 females were experimentally manipulated to either remain as nonbreeders (either as helpers or solitaires) or become breeders, and breeding status was maintained for over 1 year prior to tissue collection and cell culture. A subset of cultured cells were treated for 24 hours with 10 nM estradiol prior to sample collection. mRNA profiles (n = 47 total samples) of bone marrow derived cells from lumbar vertebrae and long bones of female breeding and female non-breeding Damaraland mole-rats (Fukomys damarensis).