G5 Doctoral dissertation (article)
Metabolic and genomic characteristics of bank voles exposed to radionuclides (2022)
Radionuklideille altistuneiden metsämyyrien metaboliset ja genomiset ominaisuudet

Jernfors, T. (2022). Metabolic and genomic characteristics of bank voles exposed to radionuclides [Doctoral dissertation]. University of Jyväskylä. JYU dissertations, 507. http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-951-39-9108-1

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Jernfors, Toni

eISBN: 978-951-39-9108-1

Journal or series: JYU dissertations

eISSN: 2489-9003

Publication year: 2022

Number in series: 507

Number of pages in the book: 1 verkkoaineisto (55 sivua, 79 sivua useina numerointijaksoina, 4 numeroimatonta sivua)

Publisher: University of Jyväskylä

Place of Publication: Jyväskylä

Publication country: Finland

Publication language: English

Persistent website address: http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-951-39-9108-1

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Abstract

Organisms defend against external disturbances using various metabolic and genomic methods. Organisms experience stress when the disturbances grow severe enough to debilitate survival or reproduction. Low dose ionising radiation of environmental radionuclides is a form of contamination whose long-term metabolic and genomic effects on wild populations on the molecular level are not well understood. In this thesis I assess the metabolic and genomic consequences of inhabiting an environment polluted by radionuclides derived from the 1984 nuclear accident of Chernobyl, Ukraine, in the bank vole (Myodes glareolus) using techniques such as quantitative PCR, RNA-sequencing, 16S amplicon sequencing of gut microbiota, high precision liquid chromatography and gut tissue histology. I show that environmental radionuclides elicit expression changes in DNA repair mechanisms, fatty acid energy metabolism and mitochondrial function, which may facilitate oxidative balance. I also show that direct impact of radiation on the host rather than indirect effects through changes in gut microbiota composition better explain the observed metabolic changes. Moreover, bank voles exposed to radiation show immunosuppression and reduced mucus production in the colon, which may increase risk of infection. Furthermore, I show that voles exposed to radionuclides exhibit higher ribosomal DNA copy number, possibly improving genomic stability. Overall, inhabiting an environment contaminated by radionuclides possibly impacts metabolic and other regulatory mechanisms, causing diverse symptoms. Study of wildlife’s responses and its capabilities to survive anthropogenic disturbances continues to increase in importance along with increase in human population and land use.

Keywords: Clethrionomys glareolus; ionising radiation; exposure; nuclides; fatty acids; metabolism; doctoral dissertations

Free keywords: environmental stress; low dose ionising radiation; metabolism; ribosomal DNA; RNA-sequencing; short chain fatty acids

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

VIRTA submission year: 2022