CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China.
College of Life Science, Neijiang Normal University, Neijiang 641100, China.
Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Sep 3;23(17):10081. doi: 10.3390/ijms231710081.
Anan's rock agama () is a lizard species endemic to the harsh high-altitude environment of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, a region characterized by low oxygen tension and high ultraviolet (UV) radiation. To better understand the genetic mechanisms underlying highland adaptation of ectotherms, we assembled a 1.80-Gb genome, which contained 284 contigs with an N50 of 20.19 Mb and a BUSCO score of 93.54%. Comparative genomic analysis indicated that mutations in certain genes, including , , and NFAT family members and genes in the respiratory chain, may be common adaptations to hypoxia among high-altitude animals. Compared with lowland reptiles, showed a convergent mutation in and the Tibetan hot-spring snake (), which may affect their hypoxia adaptation. In , several genes related to cardiovascular remodeling, erythropoiesis, oxidative phosphorylation, and DNA repair may also be tailored for adaptation to UV radiation and hypoxia. Of note, and , two genes associated with adaptation to UV radiation in , exhibited -specific mutations that may affect peptide function. Thus, this study provides new insights into the potential mechanisms underpinning high-altitude adaptation in ectotherms and reveals certain genetic generalities for animals' survival on the plateau.
安南氏岩蜥（）是一种蜥蜴物种，仅分布于青藏高原这一高海拔、高寒、低氧、强紫外线（UV）辐射的恶劣环境中。为了更好地了解变温动物高原适应的遗传机制，我们组装了一个 18 亿碱基对的基因组，共包含 284 个 contigs，N50 为 20.19Mb，BUSCO 评分为 93.54%。比较基因组分析表明，某些基因的突变，包括、、NFAT 家族成员和呼吸链中的基因，可能是高原动物适应低氧的常见适应。与低地爬行动物相比，安南氏岩蜥（）和西藏温泉蛇（）中存在趋同突变的 ，这可能影响它们对低氧的适应。在安南氏岩蜥中，与心血管重塑、红细胞生成、氧化磷酸化和 DNA 修复相关的几个基因也可能是为了适应 UV 辐射和低氧而特化的。值得注意的是，和，两个与适应 UV 辐射相关的基因在中表现出 -特异性突变，这可能影响肽的功能。因此，本研究为理解变温动物高原适应的潜在机制提供了新的视角，并揭示了动物在高原生存的某些遗传共性。
