Rhinolophus ferrumequinum Transcriptome or Gene expression
The gut is the major organ for nutrient absorption and immune response in the body of animals. Although effects of fasting on the gut functions have been extensively studied in model animals (e.g. mice), little is known about the response of the gut to fasting in a natural condition (such as hibernation). During hibernation, animals endure the long term of fasting and hypothermia. Here, we generated the first intestine transcriptome in hibernating mammals (the greater horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum), providing novel insights into changes of gut function associated with adaptation to hibernation.