-
Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta Aug 2016Every year, environmental stresses such as limited water and nutrient availability, salinity, and temperature fluctuations inflict significant losses on crop yields... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Every year, environmental stresses such as limited water and nutrient availability, salinity, and temperature fluctuations inflict significant losses on crop yields across the globe. Recently, developments in analytical techniques, e.g. mass spectrometry, have led to great advances towards understanding how plants respond to environmental stresses. These processes are mediated by many molecular pathways and, at least partially, via proteome-environment interactions.
SCOPE OF REVIEW
This review focuses on the current state of knowledge about interactions between the plant proteome and the environment, with a special focus on drought and temperature responses of plant proteome dynamics, and subcellular and organ-specific compartmentalization, in Arabidopsis thaliana and crop species.
MAJOR CONCLUSIONS
Correct plant development under non-optimal conditions requires complex self-protection mechanisms, many of them common to different abiotic stresses. Proteome analyses of plant responses to temperature and drought stresses have revealed an intriguing interplay of modifications, mainly affecting the photosynthetic machinery, carbohydrate metabolism, and ROS activation and scavenging. Imbalances between transcript-level and protein-level regulation observed during adaptation to abiotic stresses suggest that many of the regulatory processes are controlled at translational and post-translational levels; proteomics is thus essential in revealing important regulatory networks.
GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE
Because information from proteomic data extends far beyond what can be deduced from transcriptome analysis, the results of proteome studies have substantially deepened our understanding of stress adaptation in plants; this is clearly a prerequisite for designing strategies to improve the yield and quality of crops grown under unfavorable conditions brought about by ongoing climatic change. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Plant Proteomics--a bridge between fundamental processes and crop production, edited by Dr. Hans-Peter Mock.
Topics: Acclimatization; Arabidopsis; Arabidopsis Proteins; Crops, Agricultural; Proteome; Stress, Physiological; Water
PubMed: 26861773
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2016.02.007 -
American Journal of Human Biology : the... 20071975 marked the end of a 20-year period of human biology research on physical environment. The focus then shifted from climatic adaptation to problems of nutrition,... (Review)
Review
1975 marked the end of a 20-year period of human biology research on physical environment. The focus then shifted from climatic adaptation to problems of nutrition, disease, and stress. However, many questions about human environmental patterns, especially in reference to their evolution, were abandoned rather than resolved. Assumptions about cold protective functions of low surface area/body mass ratio are entrenched in physical anthropology, despite lack of experimental validation. Since heat loss is controlled by vasoregulation and tissue insulation, a simple physics model of SA:mass may not apply. The issue merits investigation, as do the assumed thermal advantages of foreshortened extremities. Physiological assessment remains our primary research tool. In cold climate natives, elevated basal metabolic rates now appear to be genetically induced. During cold exposure, the body manages heat conservation through well known channels but also by specialized thermogenic functions such as metabolism in brown adipose tissue (BAT). The powerful protective capacity of BAT is largely unexplored either within or between populations of cold exposed human adults. An irony of our profession is that many biological variables seem to have minor effects when compared to behavioral cold protections. This is partly because biological anthropologists may have made incorrect assumptions about what most threatens the well being of cold climate people. Contrasts in environmental behaviors when comparing northern cultures such as Inuit, Athabaskan, and Norse are particularly instructive. Adaptations to life in the cold may ultimately reveal their secrets through biocultural research design modeling of environmental research. With both practical and theoretical gains still wide open, the field needs renewed attention from human biology.
Topics: Acclimatization; Arctic Regions; Body Temperature; Body Temperature Regulation; Cold Climate; Cold Temperature; Geography; Humans
PubMed: 17286254
DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.20614 -
High Altitude Medicine & Biology 2001Some 140 million persons live permanently at high altitudes (>2500 m) in North, Central and South America, East Africa, and Asia. Reviewed here are recent studies which... (Review)
Review
Some 140 million persons live permanently at high altitudes (>2500 m) in North, Central and South America, East Africa, and Asia. Reviewed here are recent studies which address the question as to whether genetic adaptation to high altitude has occurred. Common to these studies are the use of the oxygen transport system and the passage of time as organizing principles, and the recognition of the multifaceted ways in which genetic factors can influence physiological processes. They differ in terms of study approach and sources of evidence for judging duration of high altitude residence. Migrant, family set, and admixture study designs have been used for comparisons within populations. These collectively demonstrate the existence of genetic influences on physiological characteristics of oxygen transport. Differences in oxygen transport-related traits between Tibetan, Andean and European populations have been interpreted as having demonstrated the existence of genetic influences on high altitude adaptation but there is not consensus as to which groups are the best-adapted. Part of the controversy lies in the kinds of evidence used to assess duration of high altitude habitation. More other information is needed for a fuller appreciation of duration of residence and also features of population history (genetic drift, gene flow) but existing data are consistent with Tibetans having lived at high altitude longer than the other groups studied. Another issue surrounds usage of the term "adaptation." The definition should be based on evolutionary biology and physiological traits linked to indices of differential fertility and/or mortality. Two examples are developed to illustrate such linkages; intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) at high altitude and the prevalence of Chronic Mountain Sickness (CMS). Interpopulational as well as intrapopulational variation exists in these conditions which appear linked to characteristics of oxygen transport. Both adversely influence survival and appear to be less severe (IUGR) or less common (CMS) among Tibetans than other groups. Thus available evidence suggest that Tibetans are better adapted. Needed, however, are studies which are better controlled for population ancestry, especially in South America, to determine the extent to which Tibetans differ from Andean highlanders. More precise information is also needed regarding the genetic factors underlying characteristics of oxygen transport. Such studies in Tibetan, Andean and Europeans as well as other high altitude populations offers a promising avenue for clarifying the adaptive value of physiological components of oxygen transport and the extent to which such factors differ among high altitude populations.
Topics: Acclimatization; Altitude Sickness; Birth Weight; Fetal Growth Retardation; Genetics, Population; Humans; Hypoxia
PubMed: 11443005
DOI: 10.1089/152702901750265341 -
Journal of Basic and Clinical... 2013Heat-related illness (HRI) is a broad term that includes clinical conditions ranging from heat cramps and syncope to heat exhaustion and heatstroke, which may result in... (Review)
Review
Heat-related illness (HRI) is a broad term that includes clinical conditions ranging from heat cramps and syncope to heat exhaustion and heatstroke, which may result in death. HRIs are one of the major causes of death worldwide and continue to increase in severity with the rise in global temperature. The identification and estimation of heat-related morbidity and mortality is a major challenge. Heat stress manifests itself into respiratory, cardiovascular, and cerebrovascular disorders, leading to the attribution of the deaths caused by heat stress to these disorders. Although HRIs affect mankind in general, certain occupational workers such as soldiers and athletes are more prone. Various pharmacological and nonpharmacological strategies have been employed to combat HRIs. Despite this, heat exposure results in significant morbidity and mortality. Hence, complete understanding of HRIs at physiological as well as molecular level is required to facilitate design of more efficient preventive and treatment strategies. The impact of heat on mankind is not just restricted to HRIs. Heat treatment, i.e., thermotherapy, has been used extensively since ancient times for relieving pain, making heat a two-edged sword. This review attempts to summarize various HRIs, their physiological and molecular basis, and the state-of-the-art techniques/research initiatives to combat the same. It also illustrates the application of thermotherapy as a means for improving quality of life and morbidity associated with several disease conditions such as fibromyalgia syndrome, heart diseases, cancer, chronic pain, and depression.
Topics: Acclimatization; Global Warming; Heat Stress Disorders; Heat-Shock Proteins; Humans; Morbidity; Mortality; Organ Specificity
PubMed: 23751391
DOI: 10.1515/jbcpp-2012-0080 -
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal... Apr 2022Shifting range limits are predicted for many species as the climate warms. However, the rapid pace of climate change will challenge the natural dispersal capacity of...
Shifting range limits are predicted for many species as the climate warms. However, the rapid pace of climate change will challenge the natural dispersal capacity of long-lived, sessile organisms such as forest trees. Adaptive responses of populations will, therefore, depend on levels of genetic variation and plasticity for climate-responsive traits, which likely vary across the range due to expansion history and current patterns of selection. Here, we study levels of genetic and plastic variation for phenology and growth traits in populations of red spruce (), from the range core to the highly fragmented trailing edge. We measured more than 5000 offspring sampled from three genetically distinct regions (core, margin and edge) grown in three common gardens replicated along a latitudinal gradient. Genetic variation in phenology and growth showed low to moderate heritability and differentiation among regions, suggesting some potential to respond to selection. Phenology traits were highly plastic, but this plasticity was generally neutral or maladaptive in the effect on growth, revealing a potential liability under warmer climates. These results suggest future climate adaptation will depend on the regional availability of genetic variation in red spruce and provide a resource for the design and management of assisted gene flow. This article is part of the theme issue 'Species' ranges in the face of changing environments (Part II)'.
Topics: Acclimatization; Climate Change; Genotype; Phenotype; Picea; Plastics
PubMed: 35184589
DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0008 -
Nature Apr 2014
Topics: Acclimatization; Animals; Anthozoa; Awards and Prizes; Coral Reefs; Directed Molecular Evolution; Global Warming; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Samoa; Seawater; Symbiosis; Temperature
PubMed: 24759396
DOI: 10.1038/508444a -
Annals of the New York Academy of... Sep 2020Convergent evolution, where independent lineages evolve similar phenotypes in response to similar challenges, can provide valuable insight into how selection operates... (Review)
Review
Convergent evolution, where independent lineages evolve similar phenotypes in response to similar challenges, can provide valuable insight into how selection operates and the limitations it encounters. However, it has only recently become possible to explore how convergent evolution is reflected at the genomic level. The overlapping outlier approach (OOA), where genome scans of multiple independent lineages are used to find outliers that overlap and therefore identify convergently evolving loci, is becoming popular. Here, we present a quantitative analysis of 34 studies that used this approach across many sampling designs, taxa, and sampling intensities. We found that OOA studies with increased biological sampling power within replicates have increased likelihood of finding overlapping, "convergent" signals of adaptation between them. When identifying convergent loci as overlapping outliers, it is tempting to assume that any false-positive outliers derived from individual scans will fail to overlap across replicates, but this cannot be guaranteed. We highlight how population demographics and genomic context can contribute toward both true convergence and false positives in OOA studies. We finish with an exploration of emerging methods that couple genome scans with phenotype and environmental measures, leveraging added information from genome data to more directly test hypotheses of the likelihood of convergent evolution.
Topics: Acclimatization; Adaptation, Physiological; Animals; Animals, Wild; Biological Evolution; Evolution, Molecular; Genome; Genomics
PubMed: 31241191
DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14177 -
Environmental Science and Pollution... Jun 2023Thermal comfort is linked to our health, well-being, and productivity. The thermal environment is one of the main factors that influence thermal comfort and,... (Review)
Review
Thermal comfort is linked to our health, well-being, and productivity. The thermal environment is one of the main factors that influence thermal comfort and, consequently, the productivity of occupants inside buildings. Meanwhile, behavioural adaptation is well known to be the most critical contributor to the adaptive thermal comfort model. This systematic review aims to provide evidence regarding indoor thermal comfort temperature and related behavioural adaptation. Studies published between 2010 and 2022 examining indoor thermal comfort temperature and behavioural adaptations were considered. In this review, the indoor thermal comfort temperature ranges from 15.0 to 33.8 °C. The thermal comfort temperature range varied depending on several factors, such as climatic features, ventilation mode, type of buildings, and age of the study population. Elderly and younger children have distinctive thermal acceptability. Clothing adjustment, fan usage, AC usage, and open window were the most common adaptive behaviour performed. Evidence shows that behavioural adaptations were also influenced by climatic features, ventilation mode, type of buildings, and age of the study population. Building designs should incorporate all factors that affect the thermal comfort of the occupants. Awareness of practical behavioural adaptations is crucial to ensure occupants' optimal thermal comfort.
Topics: Child; Humans; Aged; Temperature; Air Conditioning; Acclimatization; Adaptation, Physiological; Adaptation, Psychological; Air Pollution, Indoor
PubMed: 37211568
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-27089-9 -
Journal of Physiological Anthropology Jul 2022This review mainly aimed to introduce the findings of research projects comparing the responses of tropical and temperate indigenes to heat. From a questionnaire survey... (Review)
Review
This review mainly aimed to introduce the findings of research projects comparing the responses of tropical and temperate indigenes to heat. From a questionnaire survey on thermal sensation and comfort of Indonesians and Japanese, we found that the thermal descriptor "cool" in tropical indigenes connotes a thermally comfortable feeling, suggesting that linguistic heat acclimatization exists on a cognitive level. Ten male students born and raised in Malaysia were invited to Fukuoka, Japan, and compared their responses with 10 Japanese male students with matched physical fitness and morphological characteristics. Cutaneous thermal sensitivity: The sensitivities were measured at 28 °C. The forehead warm sensitivity was significantly blunted in Malaysians. The less sensitivity to the warmth of tropical indigenes is advantageous in respect to withstanding heat stress with less discomfort and a greater ability to work in hot climates. Passive heat stress: Thermoregulatory responses, especially sweating, were investigated, during the lower leg hot bathing (42 °C for 60 min). The rectal temperature at rest was higher in Malaysians and increased smaller during immersion. There was no significant difference in the total amount of sweating between the two groups, while the local sweating on the forehead and thighs was lesser in Malaysians, suggesting distribution of sweating was different from Japanese. Exercise: Malaysian showed a significantly smaller increase in their rectal temperature during 55% maximal exercise for 60 min in heat (32 °C 70% relative humidity), even with a similar sweating and skin blood flow response in Japanese. The better heat tolerance in Malaysians could be explained by the greater convective heat transfer from the body core to the skin due to the greater core-to-skin temperature gradient. In addition, when they were hydrated, Malaysian participants showed better body fluid regulation with smaller reduction in plasma volume at the end of the exercise compared to the non-hydrated condition, whereas Japanese showed no difference between hydration conditions. We further investigated the de-acclimatization of heat adaptation by longitudinal observation on the heat tolerance of international students who had moved from tropical areas to Fukuoka for several years.
Topics: Acclimatization; Body Temperature; Body Temperature Regulation; Climate; Hot Temperature; Humans; Male; Sweating
PubMed: 35836266
DOI: 10.1186/s40101-022-00302-3 -
Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) Oct 2014Chronic exposure to a stressor elicits adaptations enhancing the tolerance to that stressor. These adaptive responses might also improve tolerance under less stressful... (Review)
Review
Chronic exposure to a stressor elicits adaptations enhancing the tolerance to that stressor. These adaptive responses might also improve tolerance under less stressful conditions. For example, historically there has been much interest in the adaptive responses to high-altitude, or hypoxia, and their ergogenic potential under sea-level, or normoxic, conditions. In contrast, the influence of the adaptive responses to heat on exercise under cooler conditions has received relatively little interest. Heat acclimation/acclimatization (HA) is known to increase work capacity in hot environments. Yet, aerobic exercise performance can progressively deteriorate as ambient temperature increases beyond ~10 °C, indicating a thermal limitation even under relatively cool conditions. The improved thermoregulatory capability induced by HA might attenuate this thermal decrement in a manner similar to that seen when exposed to hotter temperatures. Moreover, the suite of adaptations elicited by HA has the potential to increase maximal oxygen uptake, lactate threshold and economy, and thus may be ergogenic even under conditions where performance is not thermally limited. Indeed, evidence is now emerging to support an ergogenic effect of HA but the number of studies is limited and in some instances lack appropriate control, are confounded by methodological limitations, or do not address the mechanisms of action. Nevertheless, these tantalising insights into the ergogenic potential of heat will likely generate considerable interest in this new 'hot topic'. Future research will need to employ well-designed studies to clarify the exercise conditions under which ergogenic effects of HA are apparent, to elucidate the precise mechanisms, and to optimise HA strategies for performance.
Topics: Acclimatization; Athletic Performance; Energy Metabolism; Exercise; Hot Temperature; Humans; Lactic Acid; Oxygen Consumption
PubMed: 24943043
DOI: 10.1007/s40279-014-0212-8