title: Increased radiation from Chernobyl decreases the expression of red colouration in natural populations of bank voles (Myodes glareolus).
abstract: Pheomelanin is a pink to red version of melanin pigment deposited in skin and hair. Due to its bright colour, pheomelanin plays a crucial function in signalling, in particular sexual signalling. However, production of pheomelanin, as opposed to its dark alternative, eumelanin, bears costs in terms of consumption of antioxidants important for protection of DNA against naturally produced reactive oxidative species. Therefore, decreased expression of pheomelanin is expected in organisms exposed to severe oxidative stress such as that caused by exposure to chronic ionizing radiation. We tested if variable exposure to radiation among natural populations of bank voles Myodes glareolus in Chernobyl affected expression of red colouration in their dorsal fur. The relative redness of dorsal fur was positively correlated with weight, but also negatively correlated with the level of background radiation. These results suggest that the development of the natural red colouration in adult bank voles is affected by ionizing background radiation, and potentially causing elevated levels of oxidative stress. Reduced production of pheomelanin allows more antioxidants to mitigate the oxidative stress caused by radiation. However, changing natural animal colouration for physiological reasons can have ecological costs, if e.g. it causes mismatch with habitat colouration and conspicuousness for predators.
authors.affiliation: 1] CIBIO/InBIO, Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, University of Porto, PT-4485-661 Vairão, Portugal [2] Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions Research, Department of Biological and Environmental Science, P.O. Box 35, FI-40014 University of Jyväskylä, Finland.
authors.forename: Zbyszek
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Boratyński
authors.affiliation: 1] Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions Research, Department of Biological and Environmental Science, P.O. Box 35, FI-40014 University of Jyväskylä, Finland [2] Department of Zoology, SE-106 91, University of Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lehmann
authors.affiliation: Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions Research, Department of Biological and Environmental Science, P.O. Box 35, FI-40014 University of Jyväskylä, Finland.
authors.forename: Tapio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mappes
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA.
authors.forename: Timothy A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Mousseau
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Ecologie, Systématique et Evolution, CNRS UMR 8079, Université Paris-Sud, Bâtiment 362, F-91405 Orsay Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Anders Pape
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Møller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003411:Arvicolinae / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight / Q000528:radiation effects; D047852:Chernobyl Nuclear Accident; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000528:radiation effects*; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008297:Male; D008543:Melanins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010858:Pigmentation / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011839:Radiation, Ionizing
chemical_list: D008543:Melanins