Abstract
Abstract in English, Chinese Dormancy represents a fascinating adaptive strategy for organisms to survive in unforgiving environments. After a period of dormancy, organisms often exhibit exceptional resilience. This period is typically divided into hibernation and aestivation based on seasonal patterns. However, the mechanisms by which organisms adapt to their environments during dormancy, as well as the potential relationships between different states of dormancy, deserve further exploration. Here, we selected Perccottus glenii and Protopterus annectens as the primary subjects to study hibernation and aestivation, respectively. Based on histological and transcriptomic analysis of multiple organs, we discovered that dormancy involved a coordinated functional response across organs. Enrichment analyses revealed noteworthy disparities between the two dormant species in their responses to extreme temperatures. Notably, similarities in gene expression patterns pertaining to energy metabolism, neural activity, and biosynthesis were noted during hibernation, suggesting a potential correlation between hibernation and aestivation. To further explore the relationship between these two phenomena, we analyzed other dormancy-capable species using data from publicly available databases. This comparative analysis revealed that most orthologous genes involved in metabolism, cell proliferation, and neural function exhibited consistent expression patterns during dormancy, indicating that the observed similarity between hibernation and aestivation may be attributable to convergent evolution. In conclusion, this study enhances our comprehension of the dormancy phenomenon and offers new insights into the molecular mechanisms underpinning vertebrate dormancy. 休眠是一种能使生物适应环境的特殊生存技巧，根据出现休眠现象的季节不同，可分为冬眠和夏眠。处于休眠状态的生物可以表现出非凡的抗逆性，使它们能够在极端环境中生存。然而，生物在各自的休眠状态下如何适应环境，以及这两种休眠状态之间的关系和区别，仍值得进一步探讨。我们选择了葛氏鲈塘鳢和非洲肺鱼作为主要研究对象，分别研究冬眠和夏眠。我们对它们进行了组织学分析，并收集了两个物种的多器官转录组数据。功能富集结果表明，休眠需要多个器官的协调配合才能实现全面的改变。此外，两种休眠物种（在应对极端温度的机制方面）之间的差异也相当大。我们还发现，与能量代谢、神经活动和生物合成有关的基因在两种不同的休眠状态下的表达模式存在着明显的相似，这说明冬眠和夏眠之间的确存在关联。为了深入理解这两种休眠现象的内在联系，我们从公共数据库中额外选取了具有休眠能力的远缘物种进一步分析。基于直系同源分析，我们发现在休眠期表现出显著差异表达的直接同源基因中，近半数基因呈现出一致的表达趋势。从功能角度看，这些具有一致表达模式的直系同源基因主要参与调控休眠期的新陈代谢，以及控制生物休眠时的细胞数量和神经活动。以上所获结果表明冬眠与夏眠的相似性是由于趋同进化所致。总之，我们的研究加深了对休眠现象的理解，并对揭示脊椎动物休眠背后的分子机制提出了新的见解。.