Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
CHAPTER NINE
Circannual Transitions in Gene
Expression: Lessons from
Seasonal Adaptations
Christine Schwartz, Matthew T. Andrews 1
Department of Biology, University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, Minnesota, USA
1
Corresponding author: e-mail address: mandrews@d.umn.edu
Contents
1.
Introduction
248
2. Seasonal Courtship and Territorial Behavior
249
3. Migration
251
4. Hibernation
253
4.1 Satiety and feeding behavior
256
4.2 Fuel switch
257
4.3 Central nervous system in hibernation
258
5. Potential Pathways Involved in Circannual Timing
259
5.1 Thyroid hormone signaling
259
5.2 VGF signaling
260
5.3 Modulation of neuronal cilia
261
5.4 Retinoic acid signaling
263
5.5 Melatonin and clock genes
264
6. Recent Advances in Circannual Timing Research
266
7. Conclusions: Future Directions and Potential Applications
267
Acknowledgments
267
References
268
Abstract
Circannual timing is important for the coordination of seasonal activities, particularly
promoting the survival of individuals in adverse conditions through adaptive physiolog-
ical and behavioral changes. This includes optimizing the survival of offspring by coor-
dinating reproductive efforts at appropriate times. Thus, timing is very important for
overall fitness. In this chapter, we provide several examples of circannually timed events,
including mammalian hibernation, discussing the physiological changes that accom-
pany these events, and some of the known genes and pathways underlying these
changes. We then describe five candidate systems that are potentially involved in
circannual timing. Finally, we discuss several recent advances in molecular biology
 
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