Biology subjects

Herzig, K.-H.

Publications and source records attributed to Herzig, K.-H..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2021

Adipose gene expression profiles reveal novel insights into the adaptation of northern Eurasian semi-domestic reindeer (Rangifer tarandus)

Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) are semi-domesticated animals adapted to the challenging arctic conditions of northern Eurasia. Adipose tissues play a crucial role in animals living in northern environments by altering gene expression in their tissues to regulate energy homeostasis and thermogenic activity. Here, we performed transcriptome profiling by RNA sequencing of adipose tissues from three different anatomical depots: metacarpal (bone marrow), perirenal, and prescapular fat in Finnish and Even reindeer (in Sakha) during two seasonal time points (spring and winter). On average 36.5 million pair-ended clean reads were obtained for each sample, and a total of 16,362 genes were expressed in our data. Gene expression profiles in metacarpal tissue were distinct and clustered separately from perirenal and prescapular adipose tissues. Notably, metacarpal adipose tissue appeared to have a significant role in the regulation of the energy metabolism of reindeer in spring when their nutritional condition is poor after winter. During spring, when the animals are in less optimal condition, genes associated with the immune system (e.g., CCL2, CCL11, CXCL14, IGSF3, IGHM, IGLC7, IGKC, JCHAIN, and IGSF10) were upregulated in the perirenal and prescapular adipose tissue, while genes involved in energy metabolism (e.g., ACOT2, APOA1, ANGPTL1, ANGPTL8, ELOVL7, MSMO1, PFKFB1, and ST3GAL6) were upregulated in metacarpal tissue. Even reindeer harboured relatively fewer significantly differentially expressed genes than Finnish reindeer, irrespective of the season, possibly owing to climatic and management differences. Moreover, blood and tissue parameters reflecting general physiological and metabolic status showed less seasonal variation in Even reindeer than in Finnish reindeer. This study identified adipose candidate genes potentially involved in immune response, fat deposition, energy metabolism, development, cell growth, and organogenesis. Taken together, this study provides new information on the mechanisms by which reindeer adapt to less optimal arctic conditions.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2018

Genome-wide association study identifies seven novel loci associating with circulating cytokines and cell adhesion molecules in Finns

BackgroundInflammatory processes contribute to the pathophysiology of multiple chronic conditions. Genetic factors play a crucial role in modulating the inflammatory load, but the exact mechanisms are incompletely understood.\n\nMethodsTo add understanding to the molecular mechanisms in inflammation, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) on 16 circulating cytokines and cell adhesion molecules (inflammatory phenotypes) in Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 (NFBC1966, N=5,284). A subsequent meta-analysis was completed for 10 phenotypes available in a GWAS of three other Finnish population cohorts adding up to 13,577 individuals in the study. Complementary association tests were performed to study the effect of the ABO blood types on soluble adhesion molecule levels.\n\nResultsWe identified seven novel and confirmed six previously reported loci associating with at least one of the studied inflammatory phenotypes (p<3.1x10-9). We observed three loci associating with the concentration of soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), one of which is the ABO locus that has been previously associated with soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) levels. Results from the complementary analyses suggest that the blood type B associates primarily with the concentration of sVCAM-1 while the A1 subtype shows a robust effect on sE-selectin and sICAM-1 levels. Furthermore, the genotypes in the ABO locus associating with higher soluble adhesion molecule levels tend to associate with lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level and lower cardiovascular disease risk.\n\nConclusionThe present results extend the knowledge about genetic factors contributing to the inflammatory load. Our findings suggest that two distinct mechanisms contribute to the soluble adhesion molecule levels at the ABO locus. The negative correlation between the genetic effects on soluble adhesion molecule levels and cardiovascular traits in this locus further suggests that increased soluble adhesion molecule levels per se may not be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

genetics↗

bioRxiv2018

Modern wolves trace their origin to a late Pleistocene expansion from Beringia

Grey wolves (Canis lupus) are one of the few large terrestrial carnivores that maintained a wide geographic distribution across the Northern Hemisphere throughout the Pleistocene and Holocene. Recent genetic studies have suggested that, despite this continuous presence, major demographic changes occurred in wolf populations between the late Pleistocene and early Holocene, and that extant wolves trace their ancestry to a single late Pleistocene population. Both the geographic origin of this ancestral population and how it became widespread remain a mystery. Here we analyzed a large dataset of novel modern and ancient mitochondrial wolf genomes, spanning the last 50,000 years, using a spatially and temporally explicit modeling framework to show that contemporary wolf populations across the globe trace their ancestry to an expansion from Beringia at the end of the Last Glacial Maximum - a process most likely driven by the significant ecological changes that occurred across the Northern Hemisphere during this period. This study provides direct ancient genetic evidence that long-range migration has played an important role in the population history of a large carnivore and provides an insight into how wolves survived the wave of megafaunal extinctions at the end of the last glaciation. Moreover, because late Pleistocene grey wolves were the likely source from which all modern dogs trace their origins, the demographic history described in this study has fundamental implications for understanding the geographical origin of the dog.

evolutionary biology↗