
We applied genome-wide gene expression analysis to the evolutionary processes of adaptive speciation of the Israeli blind subterranean mole rats of theSpalax ehrenbergisuperspecies. The four Israeli allospecies climatically and adaptively radiated into the cooler, mesic northern domain (N) and warmer, xeric southern domain (S). The kidney and brain mRNAs of two N and two S animals were examined through cross-species hybridizations with two types of Affymetrix arrays (mouse and rat) and muscle mRNA of six N and six S animals with spotted cDNA mouse arrays. The initial microarray analysis was hypothesis-free, i.e., conducted without reference to the origin of animals. Principal component analysis revealed that 20-30% of the expression signal variability could be explained by the differentiation of N-S species. Similar N-S effects were obtained for all tissues and types of arrays: two Affymetrix microarrays using probe oligomer signals and the spotted array. Likewise, ANOVA andttest statistics demonstrated significant N-S ecogeographic divergence and region-tissue specificity in gene expression. Analysis of differential gene expression between species corroborates previous results deduced by allozymes and DNA molecular polymorphisms. Functional categories show significant N-S ecologic putative adaptive divergent up-regulation of genes highlighting a higher metabolism in N, and potential adaptive brain activity and kidney urine cycle pathways in S. The present results confirm ecologic-genomic separation of blind mole rats into N and S. Gene expression regulation appears to be central to the evolution of blind mole rats.
Male, Analysis of Variance, Genome, Ecology, Gene Expression Profiling, Adaptation, Physiological, Evolution, Molecular, Animals, Cluster Analysis, Spalax, Israel, Phylogeny
Male, Analysis of Variance, Genome, Ecology, Gene Expression Profiling, Adaptation, Physiological, Evolution, Molecular, Animals, Cluster Analysis, Spalax, Israel, Phylogeny
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 22 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Average | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Top 10% | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% |
