Data from: Gene expression profiling in the hibernating primate, Cheirogaleus Medius

Hibernation is a complex physiological response that some mammalian species employ to evade energetic demands. Previous work in mammalian hibernators suggests that hibernation is activated not by a set of genes unique to hibernators, but by differential expression of genes that are present in all mammals. This question of universal genetic mechanisms requires further investigation and can only be tested through additional investigations of phylogenetically dispersed species. To explore this question, we use RNA-Seq to investigate gene expression dynamics as they relate to the varying physiological states experienced throughout the year in a group of primate hibernators—Madagascar’s dwarf lemurs (genus Cheirogaleus). In a novel experimental approach, we use longitudinal sampling of biological tissues as a method for capturing gene expression profiles from the same individuals throughout their annual hibernation cycle. We identify 90 candidate genes that have variable expression patterns when comparing two active states (Active 1 and Active 2) with a torpor state. These include genes that are involved in metabolic pathways, feeding behavior, and circadian rhythms, as might be expected to correlate with seasonal physiological state changes. The identified genes appear to be critical for maintaining the health of an animal that undergoes prolonged periods of metabolic depression concurrent with the hibernation phenotype. By focusing on these differentially expressed genes in dwarf lemurs, we compare gene expression patterns in previously studied mammalian hibernators. Additionally, by employing evolutionary rate analysis, we find that hibernation-related genes do not evolve under positive selection in hibernating species relative to nonhibernators.

冬眠（Hibernation）是部分哺乳动物为规避能量需求而采取的一种复杂生理应答反应。过往针对冬眠哺乳动物的研究表明，冬眠的激活并非依赖于冬眠动物特有的一套基因，而是源于所有哺乳动物均携带的基因的差异表达。这一关于通用遗传机制的问题仍需进一步探索，且仅能通过对系统发育分布广泛的物种开展额外研究来验证。为探究该问题，我们以灵长类冬眠动物类群——马达加斯加倭狐猴属（Cheirogaleus）的倭狐猴为研究对象，借助RNA-Seq技术分析其全年不同生理状态下的基因表达动态变化。本研究采用创新性实验策略：通过对生物组织进行纵向采样，获取同一批个体在全年冬眠周期内的基因表达谱。我们共筛选出90个候选基因，在对比两种活跃状态（Active 1与Active 2）与蛰伏状态时，这些基因呈现出差异化表达模式。这些基因涉及代谢通路、摄食行为与昼夜节律，与季节性生理状态变化的预期关联相符。上述筛选得到的基因对于维持处于冬眠表型、经历长期代谢抑制的动物的健康至关重要。通过聚焦倭狐猴体内的这些差异表达基因，我们将其与此前已研究的冬眠哺乳动物的基因表达模式进行了对比。此外，通过开展进化速率分析，我们发现相较于非冬眠物种，冬眠相关基因在冬眠物种中并未受到正向选择。