1
|
Pappert FA, Kolbe D, Dubin A, Roth O. The effect of parental age on the quantity and quality of offspring in Syngnathus typhle, a species with male pregnancy. Evol Appl 2024; 17:e13755. [PMID: 39027687 PMCID: PMC11254578 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Parental age impacts offspring quantity and quality. Most prior research focused on maternal age. Since in most organisms the mother produces the costly eggs plus provides all or most parental care, it is difficult to distinguish maternal effects mediated via the egg from later maternal care. Here, we addressed the effects of parental age on offspring in Syngnathus typhle, a pipefish with male pregnancy. The divide between one parent producing the eggs and the second parent being the exclusive provider of parental care facilitates a distinction between the effects of parental age on egg quality versus parental age on early development. We fully reciprocally crossed young and old mothers and young and old fathers and assessed impact of parental age combination on offspring number, offspring size, and offspring gene expression patterns. Neither parental combination significantly influenced offspring size or male gestation duration; however, they influenced the number of offspring. Paternal, but not maternal, age strongly affected the offspring gene expression. Offspring from old fathers exhibited substantial changes in the expression of genes related to cell cycle regulation, protein synthesis, DNA repair, and neurogenesis. Our findings thus highlight the importance of gestation, as opposed to gamete production, in shaping the parental contribution to offspring development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Freya Adele Pappert
- Marine Evolutionary BiologyZoological Institute, Christian‐Albrechts‐Universität KielKielGermany
- Evolutionary Ecology of Marine FishesHelmholtz‐Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR)KielGermany
| | - Daniel Kolbe
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology (IKMB)Christian‐Albrechts‐Universität KielKielGermany
| | - Arseny Dubin
- Marine Evolutionary BiologyZoological Institute, Christian‐Albrechts‐Universität KielKielGermany
| | - Olivia Roth
- Marine Evolutionary BiologyZoological Institute, Christian‐Albrechts‐Universität KielKielGermany
- Evolutionary Ecology of Marine FishesHelmholtz‐Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR)KielGermany
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Pappert FA, Dubin A, Torres GG, Roth O. Navigating sex and sex roles: deciphering sex-biased gene expression in a species with sex-role reversal ( Syngnathus typhle). ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:rsos.231620. [PMID: 38577217 PMCID: PMC10987989 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.231620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Sexual dimorphism, the divergence in morphological traits between males and females of the same species, is often accompanied by sex-biased gene expression. However, the majority of research has focused on species with conventional sex roles, where females have the highest energy burden with both egg production and parental care, neglecting the diversity of reproductive roles found in nature. We investigated sex-biased gene expression in Syngnathus typhle, a sex-role reversed species with male pregnancy, allowing us to separate two female traits: egg production and parental care. Using RNA sequencing, we examined gene expression across organs (brain, head kidney and gonads) at various life stages, encompassing differences in age, sex and reproductive status. While some gene groups were more strongly associated with sex roles, such as stress resistance and immune defence, others were driven by biological sex, such as energy and lipid storage regulation in an organ- and age-specific manner. By investigating how genes regulate and are regulated by changing reproductive roles and resource allocation in a model system with an unconventional life-history strategy, we aim to better understand the importance of sex and sex role in regulating gene expression patterns, broadening the scope of this discussion to encompass a wide range of organisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Freya A. Pappert
- Marine Evolutionary Biology, Zoological Institute, Christian-Albrechts-Universität Kiel, Kiel24118, Germany
- Evolutionary Ecology of Marine Fishes, Helmholtz-Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR), Kiel24105, Germany
| | - Arseny Dubin
- Marine Evolutionary Biology, Zoological Institute, Christian-Albrechts-Universität Kiel, Kiel24118, Germany
| | - Guillermo G. Torres
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology (IKMB), University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel University, Kiel24105, Germany
| | - Olivia Roth
- Marine Evolutionary Biology, Zoological Institute, Christian-Albrechts-Universität Kiel, Kiel24118, Germany
- Evolutionary Ecology of Marine Fishes, Helmholtz-Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR), Kiel24105, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
van Eyndhoven F, Cameron EZ, Flanagan SP. High rates of male courtship in a female-ornamented pipefish. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:231428. [PMID: 37885981 PMCID: PMC10598436 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.231428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
In species with sex-specific signalling traits that appear to be ornamental (i.e. are conspicuous and with no obvious natural selection benefit), the ornamented sex typically initiates courtship and is most active in courtship. Here, we report for the first time courtship displays in the extremely sexually dimorphic, female-ornamented wide-bodied pipefish (Stigmatopora nigra), revealing unexpected behaviours. Females use their sex-specific ornament during courtship displays, as expected, but rarely in female-female interactions. Surprisingly, males initiated 61% of reciprocated courtship bouts and chased females in 17% of the bouts. This chasing behaviour could be a form of male harassment or be indicative of female disinterest in ardent males, either of which was unexpected to be found in this female-ornamented species. Our results highlight the need to study the details of species' behaviours in considering the potential roles of sexual selection and sexual conflict in shaping sexual dimorphism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fleur van Eyndhoven
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
| | - Elissa Z. Cameron
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
| | - Sarah P. Flanagan
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Nolazco S, Delhey K, Fan M, Hall ML, Kingma SA, Roast MJ, Teunissen N, Peters A. Which plumage patches provide information about condition and success in a female fairy-wren? Behav Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arac096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Recent evidence suggests that female ornaments can commonly act as signals. However, how signaling functions might be affected by the tendency for reduced ornament elaboration in relation to males is less well-understood. We address this in mutually ornamented purple-crowned fairy-wrens. We investigated putatively ornamental (tail, ear coverts, crown) and non-ornamental (throat, back) plumage patches in females and compared our findings to previous studies in males. Both sexes have brown backs, buff-white throats, and turquoise-blue tails (bluer in males), while ear coverts are rufous in females and black in males. Both sexes also have a seasonal crown (slate-gray in females, black-and-purple in males). Dominant (breeder) females expressed more complete and grayer (more ornamented) crowns, although variation in coloration should not be discriminable by individuals. Unexpectedly, subordinates showed more colorful (saturated) rufous ear coverts, which should be discriminable. Condition-dependence was only evident for crown completeness (% slate-gray cover). Females with more reddish-brown backs were more reproductively successful. Variation in plumage characteristics did not explain differential allocation by mates or chances of gaining dominance. Our outcomes were not entirely consistent with findings in males. The most notable disparity was for the crown, a signal used in male-male competition that in females seems to be expressed as an incomplete version of the male crown that is not associated with fitness benefits. Our study shows that in a species, multiple traits can vary in their information content and that female ornaments can sometimes be less informative than in males, even those that are produced seasonally.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Nolazco
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University , 25 Rainforest Walk, Clayton, Victoria 3800 , Australia
| | - Kaspar Delhey
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University , 25 Rainforest Walk, Clayton, Victoria 3800 , Australia
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology , Seewiesen , Germany
| | - Marie Fan
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University , 25 Rainforest Walk, Clayton, Victoria 3800 , Australia
| | - Michelle L Hall
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology , Seewiesen , Germany
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia , 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, Western Australia 6009 , Australia
| | - Sjouke A Kingma
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology , Seewiesen , Germany
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University and Research , De Elst 1, 6708 WD Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Michael J Roast
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University , 25 Rainforest Walk, Clayton, Victoria 3800 , Australia
| | - Niki Teunissen
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University , 25 Rainforest Walk, Clayton, Victoria 3800 , Australia
| | - Anne Peters
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University , 25 Rainforest Walk, Clayton, Victoria 3800 , Australia
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology , Seewiesen , Germany
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Fuss T. Mate Choice, Sex Roles and Sexual Cognition in Vertebrates: Mate Choice Turns Cognition or Cognition Turns Mate Choice? Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.749495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The idea of “smart is sexy,” meaning superior cognition provides competitive benefits in mate choice and, therefore, evolutionary advantages in terms of reproductive fitness, is both exciting and captivating. Cognitively flexible individuals perceive and adapt more dynamically to (unpredictable) environmental changes. The sex roles that females and males adopt within their populations can vary greatly in response to the prevalent mating system. Based on how cognition determines these grossly divergent sex roles, different selection pressures could possibly shape the (progressive) evolution of cognitive abilities, suggesting the potential to induce sexual dimorphisms in superior cognitive abilities. Associations between an individual’s mating success, sexual traits and its cognitive abilities have been found consistently across vertebrate species and taxa, providing evidence that sexual selection may well shape the supporting cognitive prerequisites. Yet, while superior cognitive abilities provide benefits such as higher feeding success, improved antipredator behavior, or more favorable mate choice, they also claim costs such as higher energy levels and metabolic rates, which in turn may reduce fecundity, growth, or immune response. There is compelling evidence in a variety of vertebrate taxa that females appear to prefer skilled problem-solver males, i.e., they prefer those that appear to have better cognitive abilities. Consequently, cognition is also likely to have substantial effects on sexual selection processes. How the choosing sex assesses the cognitive abilities of potential mates has not been explored conclusively yet. Do cognitive skills guide an individual’s mate choice and does learning change an individual’s mate choice decisions? How and to which extent do individuals use their own cognitive skills to assess those of their conspecifics when choosing a mate? How does an individual’s role within a mating system influence the choice of the choosing sex in this context? Drawing on several examples from the vertebrate world, this review aims to elucidate various aspects associated with cognitive sex differences, the different roles of males and females in social and sexual interactions, and the potential influence of cognition on mate choice decisions. Finally, future perspectives aim to identify ways to answer the central question of how the triad of sex, cognition, and mate choice interacts.
Collapse
|
6
|
Hopkins J, Lehtonen TK, Baudry G, Kaitala A. Costly mating delays drive female ornamentation in a capital breeder. Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Juhani Hopkins
- Ecology and Genetics Research Unit University of Oulu Oulu Finland
- Tvärminne Zoological Station University of Helsinki Hanko Finland
| | - Topi K. Lehtonen
- Ecology and Genetics Research Unit University of Oulu Oulu Finland
- Tvärminne Zoological Station University of Helsinki Hanko Finland
| | - Gautier Baudry
- Ecology and Genetics Research Unit University of Oulu Oulu Finland
- Tvärminne Zoological Station University of Helsinki Hanko Finland
| | - Arja Kaitala
- Ecology and Genetics Research Unit University of Oulu Oulu Finland
- Tvärminne Zoological Station University of Helsinki Hanko Finland
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Anderson AP, Rose E, Flanagan SP, Jones AG. The Estrogen-Responsive Transcriptome of Female Secondary Sexual Traits in the Gulf Pipefish. J Hered 2020; 111:294-306. [PMID: 32124926 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esaa008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Sexual dimorphism often results from hormonally regulated trait differences between the sexes. In sex-role-reversed vertebrates, females often have ornaments used in mating competition that are expected to be under hormonal control. Males of the sex-role-reversed Gulf pipefish (Syngnathus scovelli) develop female-typical traits when they are exposed to estrogens. We aimed to identify genes whose expression levels changed during the development and maintenance of female-specific ornaments. We performed RNA-sequencing on skin and muscle tissue in male Gulf pipefish with and without exposure to estrogen to investigate the transcriptome of the sexually dimorphic ornament of vertical iridescent bands found in females and estrogen-exposed males. We further compared differential gene expression patterns between males and females to generate a list of genes putatively involved in the female secondary sex traits of bands and body depth. A detailed analysis of estrogen-receptor binding sites demonstrates that estrogen-regulated genes tend to have nearby cis-regulatory elements. Our results identified a number of genes that differed between the sexes and confirmed that many of these were estrogen-responsive. These estrogen-regulated genes may be involved in the arrangement of chromatophores for color patterning, as well as in the growth of muscles to achieve the greater body depth typical of females in this species. In addition, anaerobic respiration and adipose tissue could be involved in the rigors of female courtship and mating competition. Overall, this study generates a number of interesting hypotheses regarding the genetic basis of a female ornament in a sex-role-reversed pipefish.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Emily Rose
- Department of Biology, University of Tampa, Tampa, FL
| | - Sarah P Flanagan
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Adam G Jones
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Zajitschek S, Zajitschek F, Josway S, Al Shabeeb R, Weiner H, Manier MK. Costs and benefits of giant sperm and sperm storage organs in
Drosophila melanogaster. J Evol Biol 2019; 32:1300-1309. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Revised: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Zajitschek
- Department of Biological Sciences George Washington University Washington DC USA
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences University of New South Wales Sydney NSW Australia
| | - Felix Zajitschek
- Department of Biological Sciences George Washington University Washington DC USA
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences University of New South Wales Sydney NSW Australia
| | - Sarah Josway
- Department of Biological Sciences George Washington University Washington DC USA
| | - Reem Al Shabeeb
- Department of Biological Sciences George Washington University Washington DC USA
| | - Halli Weiner
- Department of Biological Sciences George Washington University Washington DC USA
| | - Mollie K. Manier
- Department of Biological Sciences George Washington University Washington DC USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Anderson AP, Jones AG. Choosy Gulf pipefish males ignore age but prefer active females with deeply keeled bodies. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
|
10
|
Prokop P. Male preferences for nuptial gifts and gift weight loss amongst the nursery web spider, Pisaura mirabilis. J ETHOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10164-019-00612-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
|