Acute temperature adaptation mechanisms in the native reptile species Eremias argus

Reptiles are sensitive to temperature changes as ectotherm animals. The climate warming may pose more serious threat to reptiles. Although the behavior effect and reproduction biology have been well studied, little information is available about the adaptation mechanisms of reptiles to temperature stress. In this study, the native Chinese species, Eremias argus were incubated at 15 (cold stress), 25 (control group) and 35 degrees C (thermal stress) for 24 h. The transcriptome and metabolome technology were applied to investigate the molecular regulation mechanisms of lizards to acute temperature changes. The CIRBP and HSPA8 were hub genes in response to temperature adaptation. The increased expression of PER gene in lizard circadian rhythm is associated with tyrosine metabolism after cold or thermal stress. The poly-unsaturated fatty acids in female lizard liver were significantly increased with up-regulation of FASN and ACACA genes after thermal stress, which proved the disruption of fatty acid biosynthesis pathway in corporation with the altered body weight. The cortisol and testosterone were important steroid hormones in response to temperature changes especially in male lizard liver. The increased CIRBP gene expression in lizard gonads suppressed the KDM6B gene, which regulates the testis development and may induce sex reversal in male lizard after thermal stress. The adaptation responses of lizards to temperature stress may threaten the health status of wild population. (c) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

In this study, the molecular regulation mechanisms of lizards in response to acute temperature changes were investigated using transcriptome and metabolome technology. The research identified CIRBP and HSPA8 as hub genes for temperature adaptation. The increased expression of the PER gene was associated with tyrosine metabolism. Thermal stress led to a significant increase in poly-unsaturated fatty acids in the liver of female lizards, accompanied by up-regulation of FASN and ACACA genes. Cortisol and testosterone were important steroid hormones in response to temperature changes, especially in the liver of male lizards. Furthermore, the study found that increased expression of the CIRBP gene in lizard gonads suppressed the KDM6B gene, which may induce sex reversal in male lizards after thermal stress.