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Expression pattern and histone acetylation of energy metabolic genes in Xenopus laevis liver in response to diet statuses
Author(s) -
Tamaoki Keiji,
Ishihara Akinori,
Yamauchi Kiyoshi
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of experimental zoology part a: ecological and integrative physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.834
H-Index - 11
eISSN - 2471-5646
pISSN - 2471-5638
DOI - 10.1002/jez.2246
Subject(s) - xenopus , histone , biology , endocrinology , acetylation , medicine , gluconeogenesis , gene , triglyceride , catabolism , metabolism , cholesterol , biochemistry
Amphibians can survive without food for relatively longer periods by reducing the locomotor activity and metabolic rate and can recover quickly with refeeding from a dormant state. To clarify the molecular mechanism underlying this survival strategy, we investigated serum biochemical parameters, the transcript levels of energy metabolic genes, and global and gene‐specific histone modifications in the liver of adult male Xenopus laevis , which were fed, fasted, or refed after fasting. Glucose, triglyceride, cholesterol, and free fatty–acid levels in sera decreased with fasting for 22 days, with only glucose levels recovered with 1 day of refeeding. The transcript levels of two‐thirds of energy metabolic genes tested decreased with fasting for 22 days and partially recovered with 1 day of refeeding. The transcript levels of gluconeogenesis and lipid catabolism genes did not increase with fasting for 22 days. The Western blot analysis revealed no significant differences in the amounts of acetylated and methylated histones in the liver among the three groups on Day 22. The amounts of acetylated histone H4 did not change in diet‐response genes, although the transcript levels of these genes quickly responded to fasting and refeeding. Our results indicate that Xenopus liver may respond to fasting toward an overall decrease in transcriptional activity and to refeeding toward quick recovery, despite no significant changes in histone acetylation level. This unusual unresponsiveness of histone acetylation to diet conditions may serve as an effective adaptation strategy to minimize energy demands during fasting and to quickly respond to refeeding.