Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Climate change is driving high-altitude birds to move to even higher elevations, but their responses to these new environments remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated physiological and molecular responses of saker falcons (Falco cherrug) inhabiting the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau when exposed to simulated altitudes of 5000-6000 m, where hypoxic conditions are more severe than their natural habitats (approximately 4300 m). Although GPS tracking data showed that juvenile saker falcons maintained consistent activity levels between 4000-5000 m and 5000-6000 m, pre-fledging sakers exhibited significant increases in hemoglobin concentration and blood glucose levels after a three-day treatment in hypoxia chambers simulating an altitude of 6000 m. Transcriptome analysis revealed a downregulation of glycolysis in these hypoxia-treated individuals, including a significant decrease in the expression of hexokinase-1 (HK1), a key enzymatic gene in the glycolytic pathway. ATAC-seq analysis further identified a highly accessible region within the HK1 gene that contains two cis-regulatory elements for the transcription factor NR3C1 in the hypoxia-treated group, and the expression of NR3C1 was negatively correlated with HK1. Notably, these cis-regulatory elements were both unique and highly conserved in birds, suggesting their potential role in the response of highland birds to hypoxic stress. These findings enhance our understanding of avian responses to acute hypoxia and offer valuable insights into the conservation of bird species on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and other high-altitude regions, especially in the face of rapid global climate change.
Source: 动物学研究
Authors: Wu Wei, 中国科学院动物研究所动物多样性保护与有害动物防控全国重点实验室, 北京 100101, 中国, Zhang Xiao-Hang, Du Fei-Fei, Gu Zhong-Ru, Hu Li, Chen Jun-Feng, Lin Zhen-Zhen, Pan Sheng-Kai, Zhan Xiang-Jiang, 中国科学院动物研究所动物生态与保护生物学重点实验室, 北京 100101, 中国, 中国科学院动物所-英国卡迪夫大学生物复杂性联合实验室, 北京 100101, 中国, 中国科学院大学, 北京 100049, 中国, 中国科学院烟台海岸带研究所, 山东 烟台 264003, 中国, 北京林业大学自然保护学院, 北京 100083, 中国, 中国科学院动物进化与遗传卓越创新中心, 云南 昆明 650201, 中国
Language: English
Topic: High Altitude and Hypoxia
Subfield: Genetics
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4412682896