Diverging transposon activity among polar bear sub-populations inhabiting different climate zones

A new subpopulation of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) was recently discovered in the South-East of Greenland. This isolated colony inhabits a warmer climate zone, akin to the predicted future environments of polar bears with vastly reduced sea ice habitats, rendering this population of bears particularly important. Over two-thirds of polar bears will be extinct by 2050 with total extinction predicted by the end of this century, therefore understanding possible mechanisms of adaptation via genomic analyses and preservation are critical. Transposable elements (TEs) are parasitic mobile elements that may play a role in an adaptive response to environmental challenges. We analysed transcriptome data from polar bear sub-populations in cooler North- East (NEG) and warmer South-East Greenland (SEG) to compare TE activity between the two populations and its correlation with temperature and associated changes in gene expression. We identified activity hotspots in the genome of regions with significantly differentially expressed TEs. LINE family TEs were the most abundant, and most differentially expressed and divergent in the SEG population compared to reference TEs. We report a significant shift in TE activity and age, with younger more abundant TEs in the SEG populations. Differentially expressed genes in SEG populations were linked to Foxo signalling, ageing and metabolic pathways. Our results provide insights into how a genomic response at the TE level may allow the SEG subpopulations to adapt and survive to climate change and provides a useful resource for conservation in polar bears.