• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• 제64권1호
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• pp.97-109
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• 2022

Species are facing strong selection pressures to adapt to inhospitable high-altitude environments. Yaks are a valuable species and an iconic symbol of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Extensive studies of high-altitude adaptation have been conducted, but few have focused on metabolism. In the present study, we determined the differences in the serum metabolomics between yaks and the closely related species of low-altitude yellow cattle and dairy cows. We generated high-quality metabolite profiling data for 36 samples derived from the three species, and a clear separation trend was obtained between yaks and the other animals from principal component analysis. In addition, we identified a total of 63 differentially expressed metabolites among the three species. Functional analysis revealed that differentially expressed metabolites were related to the innate immune activation, oxidative stress-related metabolism, and energy metabolism in yaks, which indicates the important roles of metabolites in high-altitude adaptation in yaks. The results provide new insights into the mechanism of adaptation or acclimatization to high-altitude environments in yaks and hypoxia-related diseases in humans.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제32권12호
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• pp.1801-1808
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• 2019

Objective: As an iconic symbol of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and of high altitude, yak are subjected to hypoxic conditions that challenge aerobic metabolism. Matrix metalloproteinases-3 (MMP3) is assumed to be a key target gene of hypoxia-inducible factor-$1{\alpha}$ that function as a master regulator of the cellular response to hypoxia. Therefore, the aim of this investigation was to identify the DNA polymorphism of MMP3 gene in domestic yak and to explore its possible association with high-altitude adaptation. Methods: The single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) genotyping and mutations scanning at the MMP3 locus were conducted in total of 344 individuals from four domestic Chinese yak breeds resident at different altitudes on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, using high-resolution melting analysis and DNA sequencing techniques. Results: The novel of SNPs rs2381 $A{\rightarrow}G$ and rs4331 $C{\rightarrow}G$ were identified in intron V and intron VII of MMP3, respectively. Frequencies of the GG genotype and the G allele of SNP rs2381 $A{\rightarrow}G$ observed in high-altitude Pali yak were significantly higher than that of the other yak breeds resident at middle or low altitude (p<0.01). No significant difference was mapped for SNP rs4331 $C{\rightarrow}G$ in the yak population (p>0.05). Haplotype GC was the dominant among the 4 yak breeds, and Pearson correlation analysis showed that the frequencies of GC was significantly lower in Ganan (GN), Datong (DT), and Tianzhu white yaks (TZ) compared with Pali (PL) yak. The two SNPs were in moderate linkage disequilibrium in high-altitude yaks (PL) but not in middle-altitude (GN, DT) and low-altitude (TZ) yaks. Conclusion: These results indicate that MMP3 may have been subjected to positive selection in yak, especially that the SNP rs2381 $A{\rightarrow}G$ mutation and GC haplotypes might contribute to adaptation for yak in high-altitude environments.

• BMB Reports
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• 제40권3호
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• pp.426-431
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• 2007

To investigate the possible mechanisms of high-altitude native animals in adapting to high altitude, we cloned hemoglobin alpha-chain (alpha-chain Hb) gene from Pantholops hodgsonii, an animal species that indigenously lives at elevations of 3700-5500 m on the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau. Using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique, the alpha-chain Hb gene was amplified from total RNA in the liver of the Pantholops hodgsonii. TA cloning technique was used and the PCR product was cloned into pGEM-T vector. The DNA sequence of the gene was highly homologous with sheep (99.1%), goat (98.6%), cattle (95.6%) and human (86.5%). The alpha-chain Hb gene encoded a 142-amino acid protein that could be identified with the homology of alpha-chain Hb protein in sheep (98%), goat (96%), cattle (91%) and human (87%). However, 18 alternations were detected when compared with the alpha-chain Hb gene in human, and 2 in sheep. Moreover, the alterations of a117 GluAsp and $\alpha$132 AsnSer in important regions were noted in human and sheep, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that the structure of alpha-chain Hb was highly similar to that in sheep. This study provided essential information for elucidating the possible roles of hemoglobin in adapting to extremely high altitude in Pantholops hodgsonii.

• 운동영양학회지
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.65-71
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• 2012

Oxygen is the final acceptor of electron transport from fat and carbohydrate oxidation, which is the rate-limiting factor for cellular ATP production. Under altitude hypoxia condition, energy reliance on anaerobic glycolysis increases to compensate for the shortfall caused by reduced fatty acid oxidation [1]. Therefore, training at altitude is expected to strongly influence the human metabolic system, and has the potential to be designed as a non-pharmacological or recreational intervention regimen for correcting diabetes or related metabolic problems. However, most people cannot accommodate high altitude exposure above 4500 M due to acute mountain sickness (AMS) and insulin resistance corresponding to a increased levels of the stress hormones cortisol and catecholamine [2]. Thus, less stringent conditions were evaluated to determine whether glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity could be improved by moderate altitude exposure (below 4000 M). In 2003, we and another group in Austria reported that short-term moderate altitude exposure plus endurance-related physical activity significantly improves glucose tolerance (not fasting glucose) in humans [3,4], which is associated with the improvement in the whole-body insulin sensitivity [5]. With daily hiking at an altitude of approximately 4000 M, glucose tolerance can still be improved but fasting glucose was slightly elevated. Individuals vary widely in their response to altitude challenge. In particular, the improvement in glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity by prolonged altitude hiking activity is not apparent in those individuals with low baseline DHEA-S concentration [6]. In addition, hematopoietic adaptation against altitude hypoxia can also be impaired in individuals with low DHEA-S. In short-lived mammals like rodents, the DHEA-S level is barely detectable since their adrenal cortex does not appear to produce this steroid [7]. In this model, exercise training recovery under prolonged hypoxia exposure (14-15% oxygen, 8 h per day for 6 weeks) can still improve insulin sensitivity, secondary to an effective suppression of adiposity [8]. Genetically obese rats exhibit hyperinsulinemia (sign of insulin resistance) with up-regulated baseline levels of AMP-activated protein kinase and AS160 phosphorylation in skeletal muscle compared to lean rats. After prolonged hypoxia training, this abnormality can be reversed concomitant with an approximately 50% increase in GLUT4 protein expression. Additionally, prolonged moderate hypoxia training results in decreased diffusion distance of muscle fiber (reduced cross-sectional area) without affecting muscle weight. In humans, moderate hypoxia increases postprandial blood distribution towards skeletal muscle during a training recovery. This physiological response plays a role in the redistribution of fuel storage among important energy storage sites and may explain its potent effect on changing body composition. Conclusion: Prolonged moderate altitude hypoxia (rangingfrom 1700 to 2400 M), but not acute high attitude hypoxia (above 4000 M), can effectively improve insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance for humans and antagonizes the obese phenotype in animals with a genetic defect. In humans, the magnitude of the improvementvaries widely and correlates with baseline plasma DHEA-S levels. Compared to training at sea-level, training at altitude effectively decreases fat mass in parallel with increased muscle mass. This change may be associated with increased perfusion of insulin and fuel towards skeletal muscle that favors muscle competing postprandial fuel in circulation against adipose tissues.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제19권6호
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• pp.825-831
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• 2009

본 연구에서는 저압.저산소환경의 노출을 시켜 30분간의 유산소성 자전거운동이 호흡기계 반응 및 면역기능의 응답에 미치는 영향을 검토하였다. 그 결과 몇 가지 지견을 도출해낼 수 있었다. 첫째로 75 $%HR_{max}$ 강도에서 30분간의 유산소성 운동 중에 저산소성 환기억제 또는 저하(hypoxic ventilatory depression or decline)라고 하는 현상은 평지뿐만이 아니라 3,000 m 고도에서도 나타나고 있고, 둘째 호흡기계의 반응은 축구선들이 특히 고소에서 적응과 감수성이 우수하다고 할 수 있으며, 셋째 면역기능의 항목인 단구(monocyte)는 운동습관의 유무 및 3,000 m의 고도에 따라 서로 다른 양상(상호작용)으로 변화를 하고 있다고 할 수 있다.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제22권3호
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• pp.336-342
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• 2009

Avian embryos at high altitude are independent of maternal protection against hypoxia, which is contrary to mammals. It is well known that chronic hypoxic exposure at key points can significantly impact on avian development. Tibetan Chicken, a Chinese indigenous breed, living in Tibetan areas with an altitude of 2.2 to 4.1 thousand meters, has an adaptive mechanism to hypoxia. In the present study, fertilized eggs of Tibetan Chicken were incubated under 13% and 21% oxygen concentration. Two lowland chicken breeds, Shouguang Chicken, an indigenous chicken breed in Shandong Province of China, and Dwarf Recessive White Chicken, an imported breed in Beijing, were used as control groups. The embryo mass and some organs such as brain, heart, liver, stomach and eye weight in the three species were measured at Hamburger-Hamilton stage 39, 41, 43 and 45 under hypoxic and normal conditions. The results showed that in hypoxia Tibetan Chicken significantly differed from the two lowland chicken breeds in embryo mass at Hamburger-Hamilton stage 41, 43 and 45 (p<0.01). In particular, Dwarf Recessive White Chicken and Shouguang Chicken showed retarded growth in hypoxic incubation (p<0.01), whereas Tibetan Chicken showed no significant difference between hypoxic and normal conditions (p>0.05). In addition, heart and the other organs showed different susceptibility to hypoxia at the studied stages. In conclusion, chronic hypoxia induced a change in the embryo development of the three different species and Tibetan Chicken showed adaptation to hypoxia. Of note, the embryo developmental physiology of Tibetan Chicken in response to hypoxia will shed light on the process of physiological acclimation or evolutionary adaptation as well as the study of clinical disease.

• 한국가시화정보학회지
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• 제10권1호
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• pp.47-54
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• 2012

Single Stage To Orbit (SSTO) missions which require its engines to be operated at varying back pressure conditions, use engines operate at high combustion chamber pressures (more than 100bar) with moderate area ratios (AR 70~80). This ensures that the exhaust jet flows full during most part of the operational regimes by optimal expansion at each altitude. Aero-spike nozzle is a kind of altitude adaptation nozzle where requirement of high combustion chamber pressures can be avoided as the flow is adapted to the outside conditions by the virtue of the nozzle configuration. However, the thrust prediction using the conventional thrust equations remains to be a challenge as the nozzle plume shapes vary with the back pressure conditions. In the present work, the performance evaluation of a new aero-spike nozzle is being carried out. Computational studies are carried out to predict the thrust generated by the aero-spike nozzle in varying back pressure conditions which requires the unsteady pressure boundary conditions in the computational domain. Schlieren pictures are taken to validate the computational results. It is found that the flow in the aero-spike nozzle is mainly affected by the base wall pressure variation. The aerospike nozzle exhibits maximum performance in the properly expanded flow regime due to the open wake formation.

• 한국자원식물학회지
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• 제19권4호
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• pp.555-561
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• 2006

수종간 독립성 검정결과 상수리-산초나무 외에는 지역별로 유의한 종간 상관이 서로 다르게 나타남으로써 수종간 생태적 지위의 공유관계는 수종간의 친화력뿐만 아니라 생육환경에 의한 영향도 큰 것으로 해석된다. 환경요인을 독립변수로 한 군집분석결과 물푸레나무는 화살나무, 노간주나무, 떡갈나무, 산초나무, 개옻나무 등과 같은 집단(물푸레나무-개옻나무 그룹)으로 분류되었으며, 음나무는 느릅나무, 당단풍, 병꽃나무, 물갬나무 등(음나무-느릅나무 그룹)과, 고로쇠나무는 두릅나무, 거제수나무, 서어나무 등과 같은 집단(고로쇠나무-거제수나무 그룹)으로 분류되었다. 환경요인과 군집간의 상관분석결과 지형, 해발고, 사면방향, 경사, 출현종수 등의 환경요인 중 지형과 해발고에 따른 영향을 많이 받는 것으로 분석되었다. 고로쇠나무-거제수나무 그룹은 해발고가 높은 계곡부${\sim}$사면하부에 주로 분포하는 것으로 나타났으며, 음나무-느릅나무 그룹과 물푸레나무-개옻나무 그룹 수종들은 지형적인 적응력이 높아 넓은 면적에 산발적으로 분포하는 것으로 분석되었다.

• Animal Bioscience
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• 제37권1호
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• pp.28-38
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• 2024

Objective: Tibetan chickens, which have unique adaptations to extreme high-altitude environments, exhibit phenotypic and physiological characteristics that are distinct from those of lowland chickens. However, the mechanisms underlying hypoxic adaptation in the liver of chickens remain unknown. Methods: RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) technology was used to assess the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in hypoxia adaptation in highland chickens (native Tibetan chicken [HT]) and lowland chickens (Langshan chicken [LS], Beijing You chicken [BJ], Qingyuan Partridge chicken [QY], and Chahua chicken [CH]). Results: A total of 352 co-DEGs were specifically screened between HT and four native lowland chicken breeds. Gene ontology and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes enrichment analyses indicated that these co-DEGs were widely involved in lipid metabolism processes, such as the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) signaling pathway, fatty acid degradation, fatty acid metabolism and fatty acid biosynthesis. To further determine the relationship from the 352 co-DEGs, protein-protein interaction network was carried out and identified eight genes (ACSL1, CPT1A, ACOX1, PPARC1A, SCD, ACSBG2, ACACA, and FASN) as the potential regulating genes that are responsible for the altitude difference between the HT and other four lowland chicken breeds. Conclusion: This study provides novel insights into the molecular mechanisms regulating hypoxia adaptation via lipid metabolism in Tibetan chickens and other highland animals.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• 제11권2호
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• pp.159-166
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• 1995

한국산 하루살이과(곤충강: 하루살이목)의 신종인 가는무늬하루살이(Ephemera separigata n. sp.)의 성숙유충과 암.수성충을 기재하였다. 본 신종은 7-9 배마디등판에 한쌍의 세로줄무늬가 매우 가늘고, 각자 옆쪽 가장자리로 치우쳐 있어서 하루살이속의 다른 종들과 구별된다. 본 종의 유충은 수온이 상대적으로 낮은 산간계류(고도 500-700m)의 모래, 왕모래 및 다량의 자갈이 섞인 하천바닥을 파고 서식한다. 한국산 하루살이 유충의 고도에 따른 서식처 적응에 관하여 간략히 논하였다.