Transcriptomes Suggest That Pinniped and Cetacean Brains Have a High Capacity for Aerobic Metabolism While Reducing Energy-Intensive Processes Such as Synaptic Transmission
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https://hdl.handle.net/10037/27253Date
2022-05-09Type
Journal articleTidsskriftartikkel
Peer reviewed
Author
Geßner, Cornelia; Krüger, Alena; Folkow, Lars; Fehrle, Wilfrid; Mikkelsen, Bjarni; Burmester, ThorstenAbstract
The mammalian brain is characterized by high energy expenditure and small energy
reserves, making it dependent on continuous vascular oxygen and nutritional supply.
The brain is therefore extremely vulnerable to hypoxia. While neurons of most terrestrial
mammals suffer from irreversible damage after only short periods of hypoxia, neurons
of the deep-diving hooded seal (Cystophora cristata) show a remarkable hypoxiatolerance. To identify the molecular mechanisms underlying the intrinsic hypoxiatolerance, we excised neurons from the visual cortices of hooded seals and mice
(Mus musculus) by laser capture microdissection. A comparison of the neuronal
transcriptomes suggests that, compared to mice, hooded seal neurons are endowed
with an enhanced aerobic metabolic capacity, a reduced synaptic transmission and
an elevated antioxidant defense. Publicly available whole-tissue brain transcriptomes of
the bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus), long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas),
minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) and killer whale (Orcinus orca), supplemented
with 2 newly sequenced long-finned pilot whales, suggest that, compared to cattle
(Bos taurus), the cetacean brain also displays elevated aerobic capacity and reduced
synaptic transmission. We conclude that the brain energy balance of diving mammals
is preserved during diving, due to reduced synaptic transmission that limits energy
expenditure, while the elevated aerobic capacity allows efficient use of oxygen to restore
energy balance during surfacing between dives.
Publisher
Frontiers MediaCitation
Geßner, Krüger, Folkow, Fehrle, Mikkelsen, Burmester. Transcriptomes Suggest That Pinniped and Cetacean Brains Have a High Capacity for Aerobic Metabolism While Reducing Energy-Intensive Processes Such as Synaptic Transmission. Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience. 2022;15Metadata
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