Transcriptome-Wide Responses of Myotis lucifugus and Eptesicus Fuscus to White-Nose Syndrome

White-nose syndrome (WNS), caused by the psychrophilic fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd), has been decimating bat populations across the U.S. and Canada since its discovery in 2006. First identified in New York, Pd has spread westward at a rate of 200 miles per year, killing up to 90-100% of the bat populations it infects. While highly susceptible species like Myotis lucifugus experience high mortality, other species, such as Eptesicus fuscus, show little to no response to the fungal infection. To investigate the immune responses to WNS across a spatial and temporal gradient, we collected tissue samples from both M. lucifugus and E. fuscus in six states across the northern U.S.. Samples were taken during hibernation, when WNS was active, and in late summer, post infection. RNA was extracted to compare the transcriptomic responses of infected and uninfected areas of the wing to determine whether the response was localized or systemic. We hypothesize that 1) eastern M. lucifugus populations infected with WNS will exhibit different transcriptomic responses compared to western populations that are more naive to the infection, and 2) E. fuscus will display different transcriptomic responses from M. lucifugus due to differences in their susceptibility.