"Cunning bamboo" regulates panda genes and alters their behavior: findings from researchers.

Pandas are curious animals that attract attention with their appearance and behavior. In a recent study, researchers made an intriguing discovery by finding genetic material from bamboo in the blood of giant pandas, which could potentially alter the dietary habits of these creatures, as reported by Live Science.

The study revealed the presence of microRNA—small fragments of genetic information that play a crucial role in gene regulation—originating from bamboo within the blood of pandas. Scientists believe that this microRNA, or miRNA, may influence the expression of genes related to smell, taste, and dopamine pathways in pandas.

According to co-author Feng Li, a researcher from the Western China Normal University, he and his colleagues demonstrated that plant-derived microRNAs are present in the blood of giant pandas. The research also confirmed that the bamboo consumed by giant pandas indeed affects their dietary habits. When pandas eat bamboo, they absorb tiny fragments of genetic material from the bamboo into their bodies, similar to how we do with the plants we consume.

It is important to note that RNA is a single-stranded molecule made up of the same molecular letters as our DNA. DNA, on the other hand, is a double-stranded instruction consisting of individual genes that tell our cells how to produce specific proteins. MicroRNA consists of tiny RNA fragments that can influence the activation and deactivation of genes, as well as how much of their products should be produced.

In their new study, Li and his colleagues analyzed the blood of seven pandas, one of which was young. They successfully identified the presence of 57 microRNAs likely originating from a bamboo diet.

The team also discovered that these microRNAs affect the expression of genes related to the animals' dietary habits, including their taste and smell signals, digestion, and dopamine pathways that make certain processes enjoyable. All of this suggests that these bamboo microRNAs likely influenced the animals' food preferences, making bamboo more appealing to them. Conversely, such changes probably also made pandas better adapted to a lifestyle where they primarily consume bamboo.

Li stated that bamboo microRNAs are not merely food remnants but active regulators that enable giant pandas to thrive on an unlikely diet, bridging the gap between their carnivorous ancestors and their herbivorous lifestyle.

Researchers also found that these bamboo RNA particles essentially affect pandas' ability to sniff out fresh bamboo and help the animals absorb more calories from the nutrient-poor plant.

The discovery that plant miRNA can significantly influence gene expression in animals may pave the way for various treatment methods for both animals and humans. Notably, previous studies have already shown that plant microRNAs we consume can affect gene expression in humans and mammals. This potentially plays a crucial role in regulating immune activity, for instance, enhancing animals' resistance to diseases.