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Valdivieso A, Wilson CA, Amores A, da Silva Rodrigues M, Nóbrega RH, Ribas L, Postlethwait JH, Piferrer F. Environmentally-induced sex reversal in fish with chromosomal vs. polygenic sex determination. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 213:113549. [PMID: 35618011 PMCID: PMC9620983 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Sex ratio depends on sex determination mechanisms and is a key demographic parameter determining population viability and resilience to natural and anthropogenic stressors. There is increasing evidence that the environment can alter sex ratio even in genetically sex-determined species (GSD), as elevated temperature can cause female-to-male sex reversal (neomales). Alarmingly, neomales are being discovered in natural populations of several fish, amphibian and reptile species worldwide. Understanding the basis of neomale development is important for conservation biology. Among GSD species, it is unknown whether those with chromosomal sex determination (CSD), the most common system, will better resist the influence of high temperature than those with polygenic sex determination (PSD). Here, we compared the effects of elevated temperature in two wild zebrafish strains, Nadia (NA) and Ekkwill (EKW), which have CSD with a ZZ/ZW system, against the AB laboratory strain, which has PSD. First, we uncovered novel sex genotypes and the results showed that, at control temperature, the masculinization rate roughly doubled with the addition of each Z chromosome, while some ZW and WW fish of the wild strains became neomales. Surprisingly, we found that at elevated temperatures WW fish were just as likely as ZW fish to become neomales and that all strains were equally susceptible to masculinization. These results demonstrate that the Z chromosome is not essential for male development and that the dose of W buffers masculinization at the control temperature but not at elevated temperature. Furthermore, at the elevated temperature the testes of neomales, but not of normal males, contained more spermatozoa than at the control temperature. Our results show in an unprecedented way that, in a global warming scenario, CSD species may not necessarily be better protected against the masculinizing effect of elevated temperature than PSD species, and reveal genotype-by-temperature interactions in male sex determination and spermatogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Valdivieso
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Angel Amores
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
| | - Maira da Silva Rodrigues
- Reproductive and Molecular Biology Group, Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rafael Henrique Nóbrega
- Reproductive and Molecular Biology Group, Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Laia Ribas
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Francesc Piferrer
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Barcelona, Spain.
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2
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Piferrer F. Epigenetic mechanisms in sex determination and in the evolutionary transitions between sexual systems. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200110. [PMID: 34247505 PMCID: PMC8273503 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The hypothesis that epigenetic mechanisms of gene expression regulation have two main roles in vertebrate sex is presented. First, and within a given generation, by contributing to the acquisition and maintenance of (i) the male or female function once during the lifetime in individuals of gonochoristic species; and (ii) the male and female function in the same individual, either at the same time in simultaneous hermaphrodites, or first as one sex and then as the other in sequential hermaphrodites. Second, if environmental conditions change, epigenetic mechanisms may have also a role across generations, by providing the necessary phenotypic plasticity to facilitate the transition: (i) from one sexual system to another, or (ii) from one sex-determining mechanism to another. Furthermore, if the environmental change lasts enough time, epimutations could facilitate assimilation into genetic changes that stabilize the new sexual system or sex-determining mechanism. Examples supporting these assertions are presented, caveats or difficulties and knowledge gaps identified, and possible ways to test this hypothesis suggested. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Challenging the paradigm in sex chromosome evolution: empirical and theoretical insights with a focus on vertebrates (Part I)’.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesc Piferrer
- Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Passeig Marítim, 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
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Piferrer F, Anastasiadi D. Do the Offspring of Sex Reversals Have Higher Sensitivity to Environmental Perturbations? Sex Dev 2021; 15:134-147. [PMID: 33910195 DOI: 10.1159/000515192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex determination systems in vertebrates vary along a continuum from genetic (GSD) to environmental sex determination (ESD). Individuals that show a sexual phenotype opposite to their genotypic sex are called sex reversals. Aside from genetic elements, temperature, sex steroids, and exogenous chemicals are common factors triggering sex reversal, a phenomenon that may occur even in strict GSD species. In this paper, we review the literature on instances of sex reversal in fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. We focus on the offspring of sex-reversed parents in the instances that they can be produced, and show that in all cases studied the offspring of these sex-reversed parents exhibit a higher sensitivity to environmental perturbations than the offspring of non-sex-reversed parents. We suggest that the inheritance of this sensitivity, aside from possible genetic factors, is likely to be mediated by epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation, since these mechanisms are responsive to environmental cues, and epigenetic modifications can be transmitted to the subsequent generations. Species with a chromosomal GSD system with environmental sensitivity and availability of genetic sex markers should be employed to further test whether offspring of sex-reversed parents have greater sensitivity to environmental perturbations. Future studies could also benefit from detailed whole-genome data in order to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. Finally, we discuss the consequences of such higher sensitivity in the context of global climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesc Piferrer
- Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Dafni Anastasiadi
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Nelson, New Zealand
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Anastasiadi D, Shao C, Chen S, Piferrer F. Footprints of global change in marine life: Inferring past environment based on DNA methylation and gene expression marks. Mol Ecol 2020; 30:747-760. [PMID: 33372368 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Ocean global warming affects the distribution, life history and physiology of marine life. Extreme events, like marine heatwaves, are increasing in frequency and intensity. During sensitive stages of early fish development, the consequences may be long-lasting and mediated by epigenetic mechanisms. Here, we used European sea bass as a model to study the possible long-lasting effects of a marine heatwave during early development. We measured DNA methylation and gene expression in four tissues (brain, muscle, liver and testis) and detected differentially methylated regions (DMRs). Six genes were differentially expressed and contained DMRs three years after exposure to increased temperature, indicating direct phenotypic consequences and representing persistent changes. Interestingly, nine genes contained DMRs around the same genomic regions across tissues, therefore consisting of common footprints of developmental temperature in environmentally responsive loci. These loci are, to our knowledge, the first metastable epialleles (MEs) described in fish. MEs may serve as biomarkers to infer past life history events linked with persistent consequences. These results highlight the importance of subtle phenotypic changes mediated by epigenetics to extreme weather events during sensitive life stages. Also, to our knowledge, it is the first time the molecular effects of a marine heatwave during the lifetime of individuals are assessed. MEs could be used in surveillance programs aimed at determining the footprints of climate change on marine life. Our study paves the way for the identification of conserved MEs that respond equally to environmental perturbations across species. Conserved MEs would constitute a tool of assessment of global change effects in marine life at a large scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dafni Anastasiadi
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Changwei Shao
- Key Lab of Sustainable Development of Marine Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS), Qingdao, China.,Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao, China
| | - Songlin Chen
- Key Lab of Sustainable Development of Marine Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS), Qingdao, China.,Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao, China
| | - Francesc Piferrer
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
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Valdivieso A, Ribas L, Monleón-Getino A, Orbán L, Piferrer F. Exposure of zebrafish to elevated temperature induces sex ratio shifts and alterations in the testicular epigenome of unexposed offspring. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 186:109601. [PMID: 32371278 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Revised: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Accumulating evidence shows that environmental changes can affect population sex ratios through epigenetic regulation of gene expression in species where sex depends on both genetic and environmental cues. Sometimes, altered sex ratios persist in the next generation even when the environmental cue is no longer present (a multigenerational effect). However, evidence of transgenerational effects (i.e., beyond the first non-exposed generation), which tend to be paternally transmitted, is scarce and a matter of debate. Here, we used the AB strain of zebrafish, where sex depends on both genetic and environmental influences, to study possible multi- (to the F1) and transgenerational (to the F2) effects of elevated temperature during the critical period of sex differentiation. From eight initial different families, five were selected in order to capture sufficient variation between the sex ratio of the control group (28 °C) and the group exposed to elevated (35 °C) temperature only at the parental (P) generation. Results showed a consistent increase in the proportion of males in the P generation in all five families as a result of heat treatment. Sex ratios were then determined in the F1 and F2 offspring derived from both above groups, which were all raised at 28 °C. A persisting male-skewed sex ratio in the 35°C-derived, unexposed offspring of the F1 generation was observed in three families, denoting family-dependent multigenerational effects. However, no transgenerational effects were observed in the F2 generation of any family. DNA methylation was also assessed in the testis of P, F1 and F2 males derived from exposed and non-exposed fathers and grandfathers. DNA methylation was significantly decreased only in the testis of the 35°C-derived males in the F1 generation but not of the F2 generation and, surprisingly, neither in the 35°C-exposed males of the P generation. Taken together, our results show great interfamily variation, not only in sex ratio response to elevated temperature, but also on its multigenerational effects, denoting a strong influence of genetics. Alterations in the testicular epigenome in F1 males calls for attention to possible, previously unnoticed, effects of temperature in the unexposed offspring of heat-exposed parents in a global warming scenario.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Valdivieso
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laia Ribas
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Antonio Monleón-Getino
- Group of Research in Biostatistics and Bioinformatics (GRBIO), BIOST(3), Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics: Section of Statistics. University of Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - László Orbán
- Frontline Fish Genomics Research Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Georgikon Faculty, University of Pannonia, Keszthely, Hungary
| | - Francesc Piferrer
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Barcelona, Spain.
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Rey O, Eizaguirre C, Angers B, Baltazar‐Soares M, Sagonas K, Prunier JG, Blanchet S. Linking epigenetics and biological conservation: Towards a
conservation epigenetics
perspective. Funct Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Rey
- CNRS UMR 5244, Interactions Hôtes‐Pathogènes‐Environnements (IHPE) Université de Perpignan Via Domitia Perpignan France
| | - Christophe Eizaguirre
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences Queen Mary University of London London UK
| | - Bernard Angers
- Department of Biological Sciences Université de Montréal Montreal QC Canada
| | | | - Kostas Sagonas
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences Queen Mary University of London London UK
| | - Jérôme G. Prunier
- Evolution et Diversité Biologique, École Nationale Supérieure de Formation de l'Enseignement Agricole (ENSFEA), CNRS, UPS, UMR5174 Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD) Toulouse France
| | - Simon Blanchet
- Evolution et Diversité Biologique, École Nationale Supérieure de Formation de l'Enseignement Agricole (ENSFEA), CNRS, UPS, UMR5174 Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD) Toulouse France
- Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale, UMR5321, CNRS Université Paul Sabatier (UP) Moulis France
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7
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Anastasiadi D, Vandeputte M, Sánchez-Baizán N, Allal F, Piferrer F. Dynamic epimarks in sex-related genes predict gonad phenotype in the European sea bass, a fish with mixed genetic and environmental sex determination. Epigenetics 2018; 13:988-1011. [PMID: 30265213 PMCID: PMC6284782 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2018.1529504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2018] [Revised: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The integration of genomic and environmental influences into methylation patterns to bring about a phenotype is of central interest in developmental epigenetics, but many details are still unclear. The sex ratios of the species used here, the European sea bass, are determined by genetic and temperature influences. We created four families from parents known to produce offspring with different sex ratios, exposed larvae to masculinizing temperatures and examined, in juvenile gonads, the DNA methylation of seven genes related to sexual development by a targeted sequencing approach. The genes most affected by both genetics and environment were cyp19a1a and dmrt1, with contrasting sex-specific methylation and temperature responses. The relationship between cyp19a1a methylation and expression is relevant to the epigenetic regulation of vertebrate sex, and we report the evidence of such relationship only below a methylation threshold, ~ 80%, and that it was sex-specific: negatively correlated in females but positively correlated in males. From parents to offspring, the methylation in gonads was midway between oocytes and sperm, with bias towards oocytes for amh-r2, er-β2, fsh-r and cyp19a1a. In contrast, dmrt1 levels resembled those of sperm. The methylation of individual CpGs from foxl2, er-β2 and nr3c1 were conserved from parents to offspring, whereas those of cyp19a1a, dmrt1 and amh-r2 were affected by temperature. Utilizing a machine-learning procedure based on the methylation levels of a selected set of CpGs, we present the first, to our knowledge, system based on epigenetic marks capable of predicting sex in an animal with ~ 90% accuracy and discuss possible applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dafni Anastasiadi
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marc Vandeputte
- MARBEC, Univ. Montpellier, Ifremer-CNRS-IRD, Palavas-les-Flots, France
- GABI, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Núria Sánchez-Baizán
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - François Allal
- MARBEC, Univ. Montpellier, Ifremer-CNRS-IRD, Palavas-les-Flots, France
| | - Francesc Piferrer
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
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8
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Anastasiadi D, Díaz N, Piferrer F. Small ocean temperature increases elicit stage-dependent changes in DNA methylation and gene expression in a fish, the European sea bass. Sci Rep 2017; 7:12401. [PMID: 28963513 PMCID: PMC5622125 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-10861-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2016] [Accepted: 08/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
In natural fish populations, temperature increases can result in shifts in important phenotypic traits. DNA methylation is an epigenetic mechanism mediating phenotypic changes. However, whether temperature increases of the magnitude predicted by the latest global warming models can affect DNA methylation is unknown. Here, we exposed European sea bass to moderate temperature increases in different periods within the first two months of age. We show that increases of even 2 °C in larvae significantly changed global DNA methylation and the expression of ecologically-relevant genes related to DNA methylation, stress response, muscle and organ formation, while 4 °C had no effect on juveniles. Furthermore, DNA methylation changes were more marked in larvae previously acclimated to a different temperature. The expression of most genes was also affected by temperature in the larvae but not in juveniles. In conclusion, this work constitutes the first study of DNA methylation in fish showing that temperature increases of the magnitude predicted by the latest global warming models result in stage-dependent alterations in global DNA methylation and gene expression levels. This study, therefore, provides insights on the possible consequences of climate change in fish mediated by genome-wide epigenetic modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dafni Anastasiadi
- Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM-CSIC), Passeig Marítim, 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Noelia Díaz
- Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM-CSIC), Passeig Marítim, 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain.,Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Regulatory Genomics Lab, Röntgenstraße 20, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Francesc Piferrer
- Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM-CSIC), Passeig Marítim, 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain.
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Santi S, Rougeot C, Toguyeni A, Gennotte V, Kebe I, Melard C. Temperature Preference and Sex Differentiation in African Catfish, Clarias gariepinus. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2017; 327:28-37. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.2066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2016] [Revised: 02/02/2017] [Accepted: 02/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Saïdou Santi
- Aquaculture Research and Education Center (CEFRA); University of Liège; Tihange Belgium
- Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences Research and Studies Laboratory (LERNSE); Institute of Rural Development (IDR); Polytechnic University of Bobo-Dioulasso; Bobo-Dioulasso; Burkina Faso
| | - Carole Rougeot
- Aquaculture Research and Education Center (CEFRA); University of Liège; Tihange Belgium
| | - Aboubacar Toguyeni
- Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences Research and Studies Laboratory (LERNSE); Institute of Rural Development (IDR); Polytechnic University of Bobo-Dioulasso; Bobo-Dioulasso; Burkina Faso
| | - Vincent Gennotte
- Aquaculture Research and Education Center (CEFRA); University of Liège; Tihange Belgium
| | - Ibrahima Kebe
- Aquaculture Research and Education Center (CEFRA); University of Liège; Tihange Belgium
| | - Charles Melard
- Aquaculture Research and Education Center (CEFRA); University of Liège; Tihange Belgium
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