Toward understanding the genetic basis of adaptation to high-elevation life in poikilothermic species: a comparative transcriptomic analysis of two ranid frogs, Rana chensinensis and R. kukunoris.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Understanding how organisms adapt to high-elevation environments at a genome scale provides novel insights into the process of adaptive evolution. Previous studies have mainly focused on endothermic organisms, while poikilothermic species may have evolved different mechanisms to cope with high-elevation environments. In this context, we sequenced transcriptomes of a pair of closely related anuran species, Rana chensinensis and R. kukunoris, which inhabit respective low- and high-elevation habitats. By comparing the two transcriptomes, we identified candidate genes that may be involved in high-elevation adaption in poikilothermic species.

Results

Over 66 million sequence reads from each transcriptome were generated. A total of 41,858 and 39,293 transcripts for each

SUBMITTER: Yang W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3542248 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature