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Jiang C, Shi Y, Shi X, Yan J, Xuan L, Zhuang L, Li J, Xu G, Zheng J. ELOVL5 and VLDLR synergistically affect n-3 PUFA deposition in eggs of different chicken breeds. Poult Sci 2024; 103:104016. [PMID: 39018654 PMCID: PMC11287006 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2024.104016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2024] [Revised: 06/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024] Open
Abstract
There was no significant difference in the composition and content of fatty acids in eggs among different breeds initially, but following the supplementation of flaxseed oil, Dwarf Layer were observed to deposit more n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) in eggs. Currently, there is limited research on the mechanisms underlying the differences in egg composition among different breeds. Therefore, in this study, 150 twenty-four-wk-old hens of each breed, including the Dwarf Layer and White Leghorn, were fed either a basal diet or a diet supplemented with 2.5% flaxseed oil. After 28 d, eggs and liver samples were collected to determine fatty acid composition, and serum, liver, intestine, and follicles were collected for subsequent biochemical, intestinal morphology, and lipid metabolism-related genes expression analysis. Duodenal contents were collected for microbial analysis. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the content and deposition efficiency of total n-3 PUFA in the liver of the 2 breeds, but the content and deposition efficiency of total n-3 PUFA in the egg of Dwarf Layer were significantly higher than those of White Leghorn after feeding flaxseed oil. Flaxseed oil and breeds did not have significant effects on cholesterol (CHO), free fatty acids (NEFA), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and estrogen (E2) levels. After feeding with flaxseed oil, the villus height and the villus-to-crypt ratio in both breeds were increased and duodenal crypt depth was decreased. The villus-to-crypt ratio (4.78 vs. 3.60) in the duodenum of Dwarf Layer was significantly higher than that in White Leghorn after feeding with flaxseed oil. Flaxseed oil can impact the gut microbiota in the duodenum and reduce the microbiota associated with fatty acid breakdown, such as Romboutsia, Subdolibranulum, Lachnochlostridium, and Clostridium. This may mean that less ALA can be decomposed and more ALA can be absorbed into the body. Additionally, after feeding flaxseed oil, the mRNA levels of elongation enzymes 5 (ELOVL5), fatty acid desaturase 1 (FADS1), and fatty acid transporter 1 (FATP1) in the liver of Dwarf Layer were significantly higher than those in White Leghorn, while the mRNA levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR), carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1 (CPT1), Acyl CoA oxidase 1 (ACOX1), and Acyl-CoA synthetase (ACSL) were significantly lower than those in White Leghorn. The mRNA level of FABP1 in the duodenum of Dwarf Layer was significantly higher than that of White Leghorn, while the mRNA level of FATP1 was significantly lower than that of White Leghorn. The protein levels of ELOVL5 in the liver of Dwarf Layer and very low-density lipoprotein receptor (VLDLR) in the follicles were significantly higher than those of White Leghorn. In summary, after feeding flaxseed oil, the higher ratio of villus height to crypt depth in Dwarf Layer allows more α-linolenic acid (ALA) to be absorbed into the body. The higher mRNA expression of FADS1, ELOVL5, and FATP1, as well as the higher protein expression of ELOVL5 in the liver of Dwarf Layer enhance the conversion of ALA into DHA. The higher protein expression of VLDLR in follicles of Dwarf Layer allows more n-3 PUFA to deposit in the follicles. These combined factors contribute to the Dwarf Layer's ability to deposit higher levels of n-3 PUFA in eggs, as well as improving the deposition efficiency of n-3 PUFA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caiyun Jiang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and MOA Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Yuanhang Shi
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and MOA Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Xuefeng Shi
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and MOA Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Jin Yan
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and MOA Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Lin Xuan
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and MOA Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Longyu Zhuang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and MOA Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Junying Li
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and MOA Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Guiyun Xu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and MOA Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Jiangxia Zheng
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and MOA Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
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Lamarre J, Cheema SK, Robertson GJ, Wilson DR. Foraging on anthropogenic food predicts problem-solving skills in a seabird. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 850:157732. [PMID: 35931163 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Species and populations with greater cognitive performance are more successful at adapting to changing habitats. Accordingly, urban species and populations often outperform their rural counterparts on problem-solving tests. Paradoxically, urban foraging also might be detrimental to the development and integrity of animals' brains because anthropogenic foods often lack essential nutrients such as the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are important for cognitive performance in mammals and possibly birds. We tested whether urbanization or consumption of EPA and DHA are associated with problem-solving abilities in ring-billed gulls, a seabird that historically exploited marine environments rich in omega-3 fatty acids but now also thrives in urban centres. Using incubating adults nesting across a range of rural to urban colonies with equal access to the ocean, we tested whether urban gulls preferentially consumed anthropogenic food while rural nesters relied on marine organisms. As we expected individual variation in foraging habits within nesting location, we characterized each captured gulls' diet using stable isotope and fatty acid analyses of their red blood cells. To test their problem-solving abilities, we presented the sampled birds with a horizontal rendition of the string-pull test, a foraging puzzle often used in animal cognitive studies. The isotopic and fatty acid profiles of urban nesters indicated a diet comprising primarily anthropogenic food, whereas the profiles of rural nesters indicated a high reliance on marine organisms. Despite the gulls' degree of access to urban foraging habitat not predicting solving success, birds with biochemical profiles reflecting anthropogenic food (less DHA and a higher carbon-13 ratio in their red blood cells) had a greater probability of solving the string-pull test. These results suggest that experience foraging on anthropogenic food is the main explanatory factor leading to successful problem-solving, while regular consumption of omega-3s during incubation appears inconsequential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessika Lamarre
- Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology Program, Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John's, Canada.
| | - Sukhinder Kaur Cheema
- Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John's, Canada
| | - Gregory J Robertson
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Mount Pearl, Canada
| | - David R Wilson
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John's, Canada
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3
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Della Costa NS, Martella MB, Bernad L, Marin RH, Navarro JL. Yolk corticosterone and progesterone levels in Greater Rhea (Rhea americana) eggs vary in a changing social environment. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART A, ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 337:594-599. [PMID: 35614573 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Maternal hormones in avian egg yolks may signal and prepare offspring for the prevailing conditions. However, this adjustment requires some degree of flexibility in regulating yolk hormone deposition. The Greater Rhea (Rhea americana) has a particular mating system that combines mixed polygyny and polyandry, communal nesting, and exclusive paternal care of chicks. In this species, we previously found that yolk hormone deposition varies among eggs of different captive populations and could influence chicks' physiology and behavior. However, it is still unknown whether females can modify yolk hormone deposition in a changing social environment. Using a captive population of Greater Rheas, in this study, we quantified yolk hormone levels before and after a reduction in the number of females present in the population. We found that females deposited on average higher yolk corticosterone and lower yolk progesterone after the change in their social environment. Since corticosterone deposited into the yolk comes exclusively from the female's plasma, our results suggest that females had, on average, higher plasma corticosterone levels. The change in the number of females may increase the events of male-male competitions, courtships, and matings, leading to an increase of corticosterone in the females' plasma and then into their eggs. Since we previously found that higher yolk corticosterone and lower yolk progesterone were associated with the production of chicks that have an attenuated stress response, the present study results suggest that yolk hormone deposition is mediated by flexible mechanisms that could adjust development to the prevailing conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia S Della Costa
- Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Córdoba Province, Argentina
- Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Córdoba, Córdoba Province, Argentina
| | - Mónica B Martella
- Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Córdoba Province, Argentina
- Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Córdoba, Córdoba Province, Argentina
| | - Lucía Bernad
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce, Balcarce, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina
| | - Raúl H Marin
- Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos (ICTA), Cátedra de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Córdoba Province, Argentina
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas (IIBYT), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Córdoba, Córdoba Province, Argentina
| | - Joaquín L Navarro
- Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Córdoba Province, Argentina
- Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Córdoba, Córdoba Province, Argentina
- Departamento de Diversidad Biológica y Ecología, Cátedra de Problemática Ambiental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Córdoba Province, Argentina
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4
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Mouton JC, Duckworth RA, Paitz RT, Martin TE. Nest predation risk and deposition of yolk steroids in a cavity nesting songbird: an experimental test. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:274901. [PMID: 35352809 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Maternal hormones can shape offspring development and increase survival when predation risk is elevated. In songbirds, yolk androgens influence offspring growth and begging behaviors which can help mitigate offspring predation risk in the nest. Other steroids may also be important for responding to nest predation risk, but non-androgen steroids have been poorly studied. We used a nest predator playback experiment and liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) to assess whether nest predation risk influences deposition of 10 yolk steroids. We found no clear evidence that yolk androgen deposition changed when perception of nest predation risk was experimentally increased. However, elevated nest predation risk led to decreased yolk progesterone deposition. Overall, our results suggest yolk progesterone may be more important than yolk androgens in responses to offspring predation risk and highlight new avenues for research.
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Affiliation(s)
- James C Mouton
- Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA
| | - Renée A Duckworth
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA
| | - Ryan T Paitz
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790, USA
| | - Thomas E Martin
- Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
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5
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Mezrai N, Houdelier C, Bertin A, Calandreau L, Arnould C, Darmaillacq AS, Dickel L, Lumineau S. Impact of natural and artificial prenatal stimulations on the behavioural profile of Japanese quail. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:274521. [PMID: 35213895 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
As the sensory systems of vertebrates develop prenatally, embryos perceive many environmental stimuli that can influence the ontogeny of their behaviour. Whether the nature and intensity of prenatal stimuli affect differently this ontogeny remains to be investigated. In this context, this study aimed to analyse the effects of prenatal auditory stimulations (natural stimulations "NS": predator vocalisations, or artificial stimulations "AS": metallic sounds) on the subsequent behaviour of young Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica). For that, behavioural variables recorded during ethological tests evaluating emotional and social reactivity were analysed using a principal component analysis. This analysis revealed significant differences between the behavioural profile of stimulated chicks and that of non-exposed chicks. Indeed, chicks exposed to NS expressed more intense emotional responses in fearful situations, but less neophobia in the presence of a novel environment or object, whereas chicks exposed to AS appeared more sensitive to social isolation. Our original results show that the acoustic environment of embryos can influence the way young birds subsequently interact with their social and physical environment after hatching, and face challenges in changing living conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nawel Mezrai
- Univ Rennes, Normandie Univ, CNRS, EthoS (Éthologie animale et humaine) - UMR 6552, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Cécilia Houdelier
- Univ Rennes, Normandie Univ, CNRS, EthoS (Éthologie animale et humaine) - UMR 6552, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Aline Bertin
- INRAE, UMR 85 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, CNRS, UMR 7247, IFCE, Université F. Rabelais, Nouzilly, France
| | - Ludovic Calandreau
- INRAE, UMR 85 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, CNRS, UMR 7247, IFCE, Université F. Rabelais, Nouzilly, France
| | - Cécile Arnould
- INRAE, UMR 85 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, CNRS, UMR 7247, IFCE, Université F. Rabelais, Nouzilly, France
| | - Anne-Sophie Darmaillacq
- Normandie Univ, Unicaen, CNRS, EthoS, 14000 Caen, France.,Univ Rennes, CNRS, EthoS (Éthologie animale et humaine) - UMR 6552, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Ludovic Dickel
- Normandie Univ, Unicaen, CNRS, EthoS, 14000 Caen, France.,Univ Rennes, CNRS, EthoS (Éthologie animale et humaine) - UMR 6552, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Sophie Lumineau
- Univ Rennes, Normandie Univ, CNRS, EthoS (Éthologie animale et humaine) - UMR 6552, F-35000 Rennes, France
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6
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Direct and maternal reduced balanced protein diet influences the liver transcriptome in chickens. Br J Nutr 2021; 126:337-344. [PMID: 32981531 DOI: 10.1017/s0007114520003785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate, by means of RNA sequencing, the direct and transgenerational effect of a reduced balanced protein (RP) diet on broiler breeder metabolism. Chickens of the F0 generation were fed a control (C) or RP diet, and their F1 progeny was fed a C or RP diet as well, resulting in four groups of chickens: C/C, C/RP, RP/C and RP/RP. While both direct and maternal effects were seen on body weight, breast muscle weight and abdominal fat weight in the F1 generation, the direct effect was the most dominant one. The liver transcriptome in the F1 generation showed that amino acid metabolism was up-regulated in chickens that received the control feed when compared with their respective contemporaries that received the reduced protein diet. Interestingly, chickens hatched from control-fed hens but reared on the reduced protein diet (C/RP group) activated a fatty acid metabolism, expressing more fatty acid desaturase 1 gene, fatty acid desaturase 2 gene and elongation of very long-chain fatty acids protein 2 gene, when compared with control-fed chickens hatched from control-fed hens (C/C group), while chickens hatched from reduced protein-fed hens that received themselves the same reduced protein diet (RP/RP group) triggered their glucose metabolism more, showing elevated levels of phosphofructokinase gene, 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-biphospatase 4 and fructose-biphosphate aldolase C mRNA compared with the chickens hatched from reduced protein-fed hens but reared on a control diet (RP/C group). This suggests that the maternal protein diet has an impact on the metabolism of broilers when they are reared on a RP diet.
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7
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De Haas EN, Newberry RC, Edgar J, Riber AB, Estevez I, Ferrante V, Hernandez CE, Kjaer JB, Ozkan S, Dimitrov I, Rodenburg TB, Janczak AM. Prenatal and Early Postnatal Behavioural Programming in Laying Hens, With Possible Implications for the Development of Injurious Pecking. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:678500. [PMID: 34336975 PMCID: PMC8323009 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.678500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Injurious pecking (IP) represents a serious concern for the welfare of laying hens (Gallus gallus domesticus). The risk of IP among hens with intact beaks in cage-free housing prompts a need for solutions based on an understanding of underlying mechanisms. In this review, we explore how behavioural programming via prenatal and early postnatal environmental conditions could influence the development of IP in laying hens. The possible roles of early life adversity and mismatch between early life programming and subsequent environmental conditions are considered. We review the role of maternal stress, egg conditions, incubation settings (temperature, light, sound, odour) and chick brooding conditions on behavioural programming that could be linked to IP. Brain and behavioural development can be programmed by prenatal and postnatal environmental conditions, which if suboptimal could lead to a tendency to develop IP later in life, as we illustrate with a Jenga tower that could fall over if not built solidly. If so, steps taken to optimise the environmental conditions of previous generations and incubation conditions, reduce stress around hatching, and guide the early learning of chicks will aid in prevention of IP in commercial laying hen flocks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elske N De Haas
- Division of Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.,Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food, Melle, Belgium
| | - Ruth C Newberry
- Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences, Faculty of Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Joanne Edgar
- Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford, United Kingdom
| | - Anja B Riber
- Aarhus University, Department of Animal Science, Tjele, Denmark
| | - Inma Estevez
- Department of Animal Production, Neiker, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.,IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Valentina Ferrante
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Carlos E Hernandez
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Joergen B Kjaer
- Institute of Animal Welfare and Animal Husbandry, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Celle, Germany
| | - Sezen Ozkan
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Ivan Dimitrov
- Agricultural Institute - Stara Zagora, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
| | - T Bas Rodenburg
- Division of Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Andrew M Janczak
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
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8
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Lamarre J, Cheema SK, Robertson GJ, Wilson DR. Omega-3 fatty acids accelerate fledging in an avian marine predator: a potential role of cognition. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:jeb.235929. [PMID: 33462136 PMCID: PMC7929930 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.235929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Consuming omega-3 fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFAs) during development improves cognition in mammals, but the effect remains untested in other taxa. In aquatic ecosystems, n-3 LCPUFAs are produced by phytoplankton and bioaccumulate in the food web. Alarmingly, the warming and acidification of aquatic systems caused by climate change impair n-3 LCPUFA production, with an anticipated decrease of 80% by the year 2100. We tested whether n-3 LCPUFA consumption affects the physiology, morphology, behaviour and cognition of the chicks of a top marine predator, the ring-billed gull. Using a colony with little access to n-3 LCPUFAs, we supplemented siblings from 22 fenced nests with contrasting treatments from hatching until fledging; one sibling received n-3 LCPUFA-rich fish oil and the other, a control sucrose solution without n-3 LCPUFAs. Halfway through the nestling period, half the chicks receiving fish oil were switched to the sucrose solution to test whether n-3 LCPUFA intake remains crucial past the main growth phase (chronic versus transient treatments). Upon fledging, n-3 LCPUFAs were elevated in the blood and brains of chicks receiving the chronic treatment, but were comparable to control levels among those receiving the transient treatment. Across the entire sample, chicks with elevated n-3 LCPUFAs in their tissues fledged earlier despite their morphology and activity levels being unrelated to fledging age. Fledging required chicks to escape fences encircling their nest. We therefore interpret fledging age as a possible indicator of cognition, with chicks with improved cognition fledging earlier. These results provide insight into whether declining dietary n-3 LCPUFAs will compromise top predators' problem-solving skills, and thus their ability to survive in a rapidly changing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessika Lamarre
- Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology Program, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St John's, NL, Canada, A1B 3X9
| | - Sukhinder Kaur Cheema
- Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St John's, NL, Canada, A1B 3X9
| | - Gregory J Robertson
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Mount Pearl, NL, Canada, A1N 4T3
| | - David R Wilson
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St John's, NL, Canada, A1B 3X9
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Abstract
AbstractEvolution of adaptation requires predictability and recurrence of functional contexts. Yet organisms live in multifaceted environments that are dynamic and ever changing, making it difficult to understand how complex adaptations evolve. This problem is particularly apparent in the evolution of adaptive maternal effects, which are often assumed to require reliable and discrete cues that predict conditions in the offspring environment. One resolution to this problem is if adaptive maternal effects evolve through preexisting, generalized maternal pathways that respond to many cues and also influence offspring development. Here, we assess whether an adaptive maternal effect in western bluebirds is influenced by maternal stress pathways across multiple challenging environments. Combining 18 years of hormone sampling across diverse environmental contexts with an experimental manipulation of the competitive environment, we show that multiple environmental factors influenced maternal corticosterone levels, which, in turn, influenced a maternal effect on aggression of sons in adulthood. Together, these results support the idea that multiple stressors can induce a known maternal effect in this system. More generally, they suggest that activation of general pathways, such as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, may simplify and facilitate the evolution of adaptive maternal effects by integrating variable environmental conditions into preexisting maternal physiological systems.
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10
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Fu C, Zhang Y, Shi T, Wei X, Liu X. Soybean oil alleviates maternal conjugated linoleic acid dietary-induced hatchability decrease and embryo hepatic lipolysis in broiler breeders. Livest Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2019.103913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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11
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Human behaviour at the origin of maternal effects on offspring behaviour in laying hens (Gallus gallus domesticus). Physiol Behav 2019; 201:175-183. [PMID: 30659872 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2018] [Revised: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Regular visual presence of humans is known to reduce chickens' human-generated stress responses. Here we questioned whether, more than mere visual presence, human behaviour affects laying hen behaviour and subsequently their offspring's behaviour. We hypothesized that human behaviour triggers maternal effects via variations in yolk hormone levels. For five consecutive weeks, two groups of hens were exposed to the same durations of human presence (30 min twice a day, five days a week) but the behaviour of the human differed between groups. The first group (H+) was exposed to predictable arrival of the experimenter, slow movements combined with static presence, stroking during handling and human voice. Whereas the second group of hens (H-) was exposed to unpredictable arrival of the experimenter which remained silent, in motion, and did not provide stroking during handling. At the end of the treatment, we evaluated egg quality and offspring behaviour. We found that avoidance of the experimenter by H+ hens but not by H- hens decreased significantly. Fertility rates and concentrations of yolk progesterone and estradiol in H+ hens' eggs were higher than in H- hens' eggs. Fear of humans, neophobia or the capacity to solve a detour task did not differ significantly between H+ and H- chicks. Social discrimination tests showed that H+ chicks but not H- chicks typically preferred a familiar conspecific to a stranger. These results show that, with the same duration in the presence of the birds, humans through their behaviour engender variations in fertility rates, yolk hormone levels and transgenerational effects on social skills. Rarely explored, our data suggest that maternal effects influence filial imprinting. These data have broad implications for laboratory, commercial systems and conservatory programs where the inevitable presence of humans could trigger maternal effects on offspring phenotype.
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12
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Guerrero-Bosagna C, Morisson M, Liaubet L, Rodenburg TB, de Haas EN, Košťál Ľ, Pitel F. Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance in birds. ENVIRONMENTAL EPIGENETICS 2018; 4:dvy008. [PMID: 29732172 PMCID: PMC5920295 DOI: 10.1093/eep/dvy008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2018] [Revised: 03/02/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2018] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
While it has been shown that epigenetics accounts for a portion of the variability of complex traits linked to interactions with the environment, the real contribution of epigenetics to phenotypic variation remains to be assessed. In recent years, a growing number of studies have revealed that epigenetic modifications can be transmitted across generations in several animal species. Numerous studies have demonstrated inter- or multi-generational effects of changing environment in birds, but very few studies have been published showing epigenetic transgenerational inheritance in these species. In this review, we mention work conducted in parent-to-offspring transmission analyses in bird species, with a focus on the impact of early stressors on behaviour. We then present recent advances in transgenerational epigenetics in birds, which involve germline linked non-Mendelian inheritance, underline the advantages and drawbacks of working on birds in this field and comment on future directions of transgenerational studies in bird species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Guerrero-Bosagna
- Avian Behavioural Genomics and Physiology Group, IFM Biology, Linköping University, Linköping 58 183, Sweden
| | - Mireille Morisson
- GenPhySE, Université de Toulouse, INRA, ENVT, F-31326 Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Laurence Liaubet
- GenPhySE, Université de Toulouse, INRA, ENVT, F-31326 Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - T Bas Rodenburg
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen University, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Elske N de Haas
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen University, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ľubor Košťál
- Centre of Biosciences, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 840 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Frédérique Pitel
- GenPhySE, Université de Toulouse, INRA, ENVT, F-31326 Castanet-Tolosan, France
- Correspondence address. GenPhySE, INRA, 31326 Castanet-Tolosan, France. Tel:+33 561 28 54 35. E-mail:
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