The effect of hibernation on reproduction performance of Alligator sinensis, Chinese Alligator is not limited to maintenance of matural follicle, but also involves the fundamental resource of germ cells.

Hibernation, acknowledged as a survival strategy under low-temperatures, is regarded as exert a substantial impact on reproductive performance. However, numerous enigmas remain concerning the underlying mechanisms of this interaction. Ultrasound scanning was employed to quantify follicle numbers, and assay of plasma neurotransmitters and steroid hormones were conducted to elucidate the dynamic correlations between follicle development and endocrine fluctuations during the hibernation period, encompassing onset of hibernation (OH), deep hibernation (DH), and ending of hibernation (EH). The findings demonstrated that a cycle of follicular development commenced prior to the OH, and an additional cycle of yolk deposition occurred subsequent to hibernation. Furthermore, a notable correlation was identified between the quantity of follicles larger than 20 mm (PF, the one closest to mature size) and the plasma GABA/glutamine concentration. This strongly suggests that the maintenance of follicles nearing maturity might be associated with the fluctuations of neurotransmitters during hibernation. The RNA-seq results indicate that the down-regulation of GABA receptors in PF may imply a reduced neurotransmitter responsiveness, a phenomenon that is temporally congruent with the hibernation period. We postulate that this phenomenon might function to prevent excessive cell proliferation and apoptosis, potentially facilitating their continuous existence during hibernation. The findings from MeRIP-seq in conjunction in vitro molecular responses following sh-METTL3 treatment, further indicate that the suppression of oocyte recruitment into vitellogenic growth during hibernation is correlated with the M6A methylation modification. Additionally, the corresponding results imply that, beyond the initiation and recruitment of primordial follicles, the ovarian reserve may also been potentially influenced by the hibernation depth through crucial biological events such as double-strand breaks (DSBs) and the synapsis of homologous chromosomes during oogenesis.