Adaptive Shifts in Gene Regulation Underlie a Developmental Delay in Thermogenesis in High-Altitude Deer Mice.

ABSTRACT: Aerobic performance is tied to fitness as it influences an animal's ability to find food, escape predators, or survive extreme conditions. At high altitude, where low O2 availability and persistent cold prevail, maximum metabolic heat production (thermogenesis) is an aerobic performance trait that is closely linked to survival. Understanding how thermogenesis evolves to enhance survival at high altitude will yield insight into the links between physiology, performance, and fitness. Recent work in deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) has shown that adult mice native to high altitude have higher thermogenic capacities under hypoxia compared with lowland conspecifics, but that developing high-altitude pups delay the onset of thermogenesis. This finding suggests that natural selection on thermog

SUBMITTER: Velotta JP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7403621 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature