Effect of torpor on host transcriptomic responses to a fungal pathogen in hibernating bats.

摘要: Hibernation, the use of prolonged torpor to depress metabolism, is employed by mammals conserve resources during extended periods extreme temperatures and/or resource limitation. Mammalian hibernators arouse euthermy periodically for reasons that are not well understood, and these arousals may facilitate immune processes. To determine whether enable host responses pathogens, we used dual RNA-Seq a paired sampling approach examine gene expression in hibernating bat, little brown myotis (Myotis lucifugus). During torpor, transcript levels differed only few genes between uninfected wing tissue adjacent infected with Pseudogymnoascus destructans, fungal pathogen causes white-nose syndrome. Within 70-80 min after emergence from large changes were observed due local infection, particularly involved pro-inflammatory but also many metabolism. These results support hypothesis period relative dormancy allow tissues hibernation. Host-pathogen interactions found regulate differently depending on state host. Hibernating species must balance benefits energy water conservation achieved costs decreased competence. Interbout optimize these, other, trade-offs hibernation enabling pathogens within brief, periodic episodes euthermy.