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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Mar. Sci.
Sec. Aquatic Physiology
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fmars.2025.1561403
Liver Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Molecular Response to Hibernation Challenge in the Chinese Soft-Shelled Turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis)
Provisionally accepted- Key Laboratory of Tropical Island Ecology, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou, China
Hibernation is a physiological strategy animals use to survive in hostile environments with extreme temperature challenges and food scarcity. During this state, significant changes occur in metabolism and cellular function, with numerous stress response pathways recalibrated to survive physiological challenges that could otherwise be fatal. Numerous studies were performed to explain the molecular mechanisms of mammalian hibernation, but detailed analyses remain scarce in reptiles. Given the limited understanding of the mechanisms regulating hibernation, we performed a comprehensive analysis of liver gene expression in the Chinese softshell turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis) comparing summer active (SA), hibernation (H), and early arousal (EA) states using RNA-sequencing. A total of 435 million high-quality reads were generated, identifying 3,508, 3,607, and 2,993 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the SA vs. H, H vs. EA, and EA vs. SA respectively. Gene ontology analysis revealed a shift in metabolic fuel utilization, with the down-regulation of metabolic and cellular processes during hibernation, reflecting a conserved strategy for energy conservation. The transition from hibernation to early arousal was marked by up-regulation of immune-related genes (e.g., CXCL12, ITGA4, PIGR) and endocrine regulators (e.g., CDKN1A, DLL4, IGF1R), facilitating metabolic recovery and cellular protection. Besides, we observed dynamic changes in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, with down-regulation of hexokinase 2 (HK2) and glucose transporters during hibernation, and up-regulation of lipid metabolism genes (LSS, GPLD1) to support membrane integrity and signaling. Our findings provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying hibernation and arousal in ectotherms, with implications for understanding metabolic adaptations, immune regulation, and stress responses in extreme conditions.
Keywords: Pelodiscus sinensis, Liver, Hibernation, Transcriptomic Analysis, Gene Expression
Received: 15 Jan 2025; Accepted: 05 Feb 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Iqbal, Ai, Khan, Ali, Tian, Ding and Meiling. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Li Ding, Key Laboratory of Tropical Island Ecology, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou, China
Hong Meiling, Key Laboratory of Tropical Island Ecology, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou, China
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