Proteomics of old world camelid (Camelus dromedarius): Better understanding the interplay between homeostasis and desert environment

Abstract

Life is the interplay between structural–functional integrity of biological systems and the influence of the external environment. To understand this interplay, it is useful to examine an animal model that competes with harsh environment. The dromedary camel is the best model that thrives under severe environment with considerable durability. The current proteomic study on dromedary organs explains a number of cellular mysteries providing functional correlates to arid living. Proteome profiling of camel organs suggests a marked increased expression of various cytoskeleton proteins that promote intracellular trafficking and communication. The comparative overexpression of α-actinin of dromedary heart when compared with rat heart suggests an adaptive peculiarity to sustain hemoconcentration–hemodilution episodes associated with alternative drought-rehydration periods. Moreover, increased expression of the small heat shock protein, α B-crystallin facilitates protein folding and cellular regenerative capacity in dromedary heart. The observed unbalanced expression of different energy related dependent mitochondrial enzymes suggests the possibility of mitochondrial uncoupling in the heart in this species. The evidence of increased expression of H+-ATPase subunit in camel brain guarantees a rapidly usable energy supply. Interestingly, the guanidinoacetate methyltransferase in camel liver has a renovation effect on high energy phosphate with possible concomitant intercession of ion homeostasis. Surprisingly, both hump fat tissue and kidney proteomes share the altered physical distribution of proteins that favor cellular acidosis. Furthermore, the study suggests a vibrant nature for adipose tissue of camel hump by the up-regulation of vimentin in adipocytes, augmenting lipoprotein translocation, blood glucose trapping, and challenging external physical extra-stress. The results obtained provide new evidence of homeostasis in the arid habitat suitable for this mammal.

Old World camels in a modern world – a balancing act between conservation and genetic improvement

“…Several surveillance studies have been carried out addressing known (Tehseen et al 2015;El Wathig et al 2016) andemerging (Miguel et al 2017;Babelhadj et al 2018) zoonotic diseases, like the Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (reviewed in Mubarak et al 2019). The importance of proteomic studies to understand camel adaptation to desert environment has been highlighted (Warda et al 2014), as well as the cellular and molecular mechanisms in response to heat stress (Hoter et al 2019). To the best of our knowledge, no study has investigated genomic aspects in dromedaries or Bactrian camels related to disease resistance, resilience or environmental adaptation.…”

Temperature dependency of whole blood viscosity and red cell properties in desert ungulates: Studies on scimitar-horned oryx and dromedary camel

“…Such a "strengthening" of cell membranes could be a typical requisite for desert animals. This hypothesis is supported by a recent study using proteomics [7]. If species are adapted to periodic dehydration-rehydration cycles and fluid shifts between body compartments, there should be mechanisms that prevent cells from mechanical destruction due to the accompanying changes of the ionic environment.…”

“…The MCHC is very high (46 -51 g*dL −1 ), which results in a high cytoplasmic viscosity, since viscosity scales up in a non-linear fashion with MCHC [54]. In the camel, the marginal band on the cell poles and the high content of integral proteins in the red cell bilayer together with the close connection of band 3 protein to ankyrin fortify the RBCs against mechanical stress [7,24,25]. Such a "strengthening" of cell membranes could be a typical requisite for desert animals.…”

“…These mechanisms include low water turnover rates, fluid shift between compartments to maintain plasma volume [3], reduced urine and saliva production, urine and saliva concentration, reduction of the metabolic rate [4], selective brain cooling, and heterothermy [5,6]. In a proteomics study, Warda et al [7] found that heat shock proteins in brain and heart are overexpressed in the camel. The camel also expresses high levels of vimentin in hump adipocytes, affecting not only the lipid and glucose metabolism of the hump, but also underlining the importance to conserve cell shape and morphology.…”

Ultrastructure Features of Coronary Artery Endothelium in Bactrian Camel (Camelus bactrianus)

“…Meanwhile, the camel can survive long periods even after more than 40 % loss of its body hydration and drink as much as 57 L of water in a short period of time. Such rapid rehydration can cause death to other mammals (Warda et al, 2014). Special ultrastructure of endothelial cells in coronary arteries may be related to these features of such species.…”