Functional evolution of leptin of Ochotona curzoniae in adaptive thermogenesis driven by cold environmental stress.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Environmental stress can accelerate the directional selection and evolutionary rate of specific stress-response proteins to bring about new or altered functions, enhancing an organism's fitness to challenging environments. Plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae), an endemic and keystone species on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, is a high hypoxia and low temperature tolerant mammal with high resting metabolic rate and non-shivering thermogenesis to cope in this harsh plateau environment. Leptin is a key hormone related to how these animals regulate energy homeostasis. Previous molecular evolutionary analysis helped to generate the hypothesis that adaptive evolution of plateau pika leptin may be driven by cold stress.

Methodology/principal findings

To test the hypothesis, recom

SUBMITTER: Yang J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3116822 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature