1
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Bailey ML, Nixon C, Rusch DB, Buechlein A, Rosvall KA, Bentz AB. Maternal social environment shapes yolk testosterone allocation and embryonic neural gene expression in tree swallows. Horm Behav 2024; 163:105561. [PMID: 38759417 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
Offspring from females breeding in competitive social environments are often exposed to more testosterone (T) during embryonic development, which can affect traits from growth to behavior in potentially adaptive ways. Despite the important role of maternally derived steroids in shaping offspring development, the molecular mechanisms driving these processes are currently unclear. Here, we use tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) to explore the effects of the maternal social environment on yolk T concentrations and genome-wide patterns of neural gene expression in embryos. We measured aggressive interactions among females breeding at variable densities and collected their eggs at two timepoints, including the day laid to measure yolk T concentrations and on embryonic day 11 to measure gene expression in whole brain samples. We found that females breeding in high-density sites experienced elevated rates of physical aggression and their eggs had higher yolk T concentrations. A differential gene expression and weighted gene co-expression network analysis indicated that embryos from high-density sites experienced an upregulation of genes involved in hormone, circulatory, and immune processes, and these gene expression patterns were correlated with yolk T levels and aggression. Genes implicated in neural development were additionally downregulated in embryos from high-density sites. These data highlight how early neurogenomic processes may be affected by the maternal social environment, giving rise to phenotypic plasticity in offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Leigh Bailey
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Cameron Nixon
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Douglas B Rusch
- Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Aaron Buechlein
- Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | | | - Alexandra B Bentz
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA; Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
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2
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Chen CK, Chang YM, Jiang TX, Yue Z, Liu TY, Lu J, Yu Z, Lin JJ, Vu TD, Huang TY, Harn HIC, Ng CS, Wu P, Chuong CM, Li WH. Conserved regulatory switches for the transition from natal down to juvenile feather in birds. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4174. [PMID: 38755126 PMCID: PMC11099144 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48303-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
The transition from natal downs for heat conservation to juvenile feathers for simple flight is a remarkable environmental adaptation process in avian evolution. However, the underlying epigenetic mechanism for this primary feather transition is mostly unknown. Here we conducted time-ordered gene co-expression network construction, epigenetic analysis, and functional perturbations in developing feather follicles to elucidate four downy-juvenile feather transition events. We report that extracellular matrix reorganization leads to peripheral pulp formation, which mediates epithelial-mesenchymal interactions for branching morphogenesis. α-SMA (ACTA2) compartmentalizes dermal papilla stem cells for feather renewal cycling. LEF1 works as a key hub of Wnt signaling to build rachis and converts radial downy to bilateral symmetry. Novel usage of scale keratins strengthens feather sheath with SOX14 as the epigenetic regulator. We show that this primary feather transition is largely conserved in chicken (precocial) and zebra finch (altricial) and discuss the possibility that this evolutionary adaptation process started in feathered dinosaurs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Kuan Chen
- Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- The iEGG and Animal Biotechnology Center, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Rong Hsing Research Center for Translational Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yao-Ming Chang
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ting-Xin Jiang
- Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - ZhiCao Yue
- Department of Cell Biology and Medical Genetics, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Genome Instability and Human Disease Prevention, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Tzu-Yu Liu
- Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Life Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Jiayi Lu
- Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Zhou Yu
- Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jinn-Jy Lin
- National Applied Research Laboratories, National Center for High-performance Computing, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Trieu-Duc Vu
- Michigan Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Tao-Yu Huang
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hans I-Chen Harn
- Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Chen Siang Ng
- The iEGG and Animal Biotechnology Center, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
- Department of Life Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
- Bioresource Conservation Research Center, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Ping Wu
- Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Cheng-Ming Chuong
- Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Wen-Hsiung Li
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
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3
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Longtine C, Eliason CM, Mishkind D, Lee C, Chiappone M, Goller F, Love J, Kingsley EP, Clarke JA, Tabin CJ. Homology and the evolution of vocal folds in the novel avian voice box. Curr Biol 2024; 34:461-472.e7. [PMID: 38183987 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
The origin of novel traits, those that are not direct modifications of a pre-existing ancestral structure, remains a fundamental problem in evolutionary biology. For example, little is known about the evolutionary and developmental origins of the novel avian vocal organ, the syrinx. Located at the tracheobronchial junction, the syrinx is responsible for avian vocalization, but it is unclear whether avian vocal folds are homologous to the laryngeal vocal folds in other tetrapods or convergently evolved. Here, we identify a core developmental program involved in avian vocal fold formation and infer the morphology of the syrinx of the ancestor of modern birds. We find that this ancestral syrinx had paired sound sources induced by a conserved developmental pathway and show that shifts in these signals correlate with syringeal diversification. We show that, despite being derived from different developmental tissues, vocal folds in the syrinx and larynx have similar tissue composition and are established through a strikingly similar developmental program, indicating that co-option of an ancestral developmental program facilitated the origin of vocal folds in the avian syrinx.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlie Longtine
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Chad M Eliason
- The Jackson School of Geosciences and Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Darcy Mishkind
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - ChangHee Lee
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Michael Chiappone
- The Jackson School of Geosciences and Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Franz Goller
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; Department of Zoophysiology, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Jay Love
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Evan P Kingsley
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Julia A Clarke
- The Jackson School of Geosciences and Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
| | - Clifford J Tabin
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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4
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Álvarez-Hernán G, de Mera-Rodríguez JA, Calle-Guisado V, Martín-Partido G, Rodríguez-León J, Francisco-Morcillo J. Retinal Development in a Precocial Bird Species, the Quail (Coturnix coturnix, Linnaeus 1758). Cells 2023; 12:cells12070989. [PMID: 37048062 PMCID: PMC10093483 DOI: 10.3390/cells12070989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The quail (Coturnix coturnix, Linnaeus 1758), a notable model used in developmental biology, is a precocial bird species in which the processes of retinal cell differentiation and retinal histogenesis have been poorly studied. The purpose of the present research is to examine the retinogenesis in this bird species immunohistochemically and compare the results with those from previous studies in precocial and altricial birds. We found that the first PCNA-negative nuclei are detected at Stage (St) 21 in the vitreal region of the neuroblastic layer, coinciding topographically with the first αTubAc-/Tuj1-/Isl1-immunoreactive differentiating ganglion cells. At St28, the first Prox1-immunoreactive nuclei can be distinguished in the vitreal side of the neuroblastic layer (NbL), but also the first visinin-immunoreactive photoreceptors in the scleral surface. The inner plexiform layer (IPL) emerges at St32, and the outer plexiform layer (OPL) becomes visible at St35—the stage in which the first GS-immunoreactive Müller cells are distinguishable. Newly hatched animals show a well-developed stratified retina in which the PCNA-and pHisH3-immunoreactivies are absent. Therefore, retinal cell differentiation in the quail progresses in the stereotyped order conserved among vertebrates, in which ganglion cells initially appear and are followed by amacrine cells, horizontal cells, and photoreceptors. Müller glia are one of the last cell types to be born. Plexiform layers emerge following a vitreal-to-scleral gradient. Finally, our results suggest that there are no significant differences in the timing of different events involved in retinal maturation between the quail and the chicken, but the same events are delayed in an altricial bird species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guadalupe Álvarez-Hernán
- Área de Biología Celular, Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain
| | - José Antonio de Mera-Rodríguez
- Área de Biología Celular, Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain
| | - Violeta Calle-Guisado
- Área de Anatomía y Embriología Humana, Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain
| | - Gervasio Martín-Partido
- Área de Biología Celular, Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain
| | - Joaquín Rodríguez-León
- Área de Anatomía y Embriología Humana, Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain
| | - Javier Francisco-Morcillo
- Área de Biología Celular, Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain
- Correspondence:
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5
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Jung KM, Kim YM, Han JY. Transplantation and enrichment of busulfan-resistant primordial germ cells into adult testes for efficient production of germline chimeras in songbirds†. Biol Reprod 2023; 108:316-323. [PMID: 36383400 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioac206] [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: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Zebra finch is a unique model for behavioral, neural, and genomic studies of vocal learning. Several transgenic zebra finches have been produced, although the germline transmission efficiencies are reportedly low. Recently, there have been attempts to produce germline chimeras using primordial germ cells (PGCs). However, this has been hampered by difficulties associated with the manipulation of the small eggs and the fact that the zebra finch is an altricial species that requires parental care after birth, unlike precocial chickens. Consequently, it is difficult to transplant PGCs into embryos and maintain the chimeras. Here, we developed a busulfan-mediated system for transplantation of PGCs into adult testes, to produce germline chimeras with an improved germline transmission capacity. We established microsomal glutathione-S-transferase II (MGSTII)-overexpressing PGCs that are resistant to busulfan, which induces germ cell-specific cytotoxicity, and transplanted them into testes rendered temporarily infertile by busulfan. The recipients were given a second dose of busulfan to deplete endogenous germ cells and enrich the transplanted cells, and donor cell-derived spermatogenesis was accomplished. This method requires fewer recipients due to higher survival rates, and there is no need to wait for maturation of the founders, which is required when transplanting PGCs into embryos. These results are expected to improve transgenic zebra finch production.
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Jung KM, Seo M, Han JY. Comparative single-cell transcriptomic analysis reveals differences in signaling pathways in gonadal primordial germ cells between chicken (Gallus gallus) and zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata). FASEB J 2023; 37:e22706. [PMID: 36520042 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202201569r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Primordial germ cells (PGCs) have been used in avian genetic resource conservation and transgenic animal production. Despite their potential applications to numerous avian taxa facing extinction due to habitat loss and degradation, research has largely focused on poultry, such as chickens, in part owing to the difficulty in obtaining intact PGCs from other species. Recently, phenotypic differences between PGCs of chicken and zebra finch, a wild bird with vocal learning, in early embryonic development have been reported. In this study, we used advanced single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technology to evaluate zebra finch and chicken PGCs and surrounding cells, and to identify species-specific characteristics. We constructed single-cell transcriptome landscapes of chicken gonadal PGCs for a comparison with previously reported scRNA-seq data for zebra finch. We identified interspecific differences in several signaling pathways in gonadal PGCs and somatic cells. In particular, NODAL and insulin signaling pathway activity levels were higher in zebra finch than in chickens, whereas activity levels of the downstream FGF signaling pathway, involved in the proliferation of chicken PGCs, were higher in chickens. This study is the first cross-species single-cell transcriptomic analysis targeting birds, revealing differences in germ cell development between phylogenetically distant Galliformes and Passeriformes. Our results provide a basis for understanding the reproductive physiology of avian germ cells and for utilizing PGCs in the restoration of endangered birds and the production of transgenic birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyung Min Jung
- Biomodulation Major, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Minseok Seo
- Department of Computer and Information Science, Korea University, Sejong, South Korea
| | - Jae Yong Han
- Biomodulation Major, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
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7
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Cordero GA, Werneburg I. Domestication and the comparative embryology of birds. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART B, MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2022; 338:447-459. [PMID: 35604321 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.23144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Studies of domesticated animals have greatly contributed to our understanding of avian embryology. Foundational questions in developmental biology were motivated by Aristotle's observations of chicken embryos. By the 19th century, the chicken embryo was at the center stage of developmental biology, but how closely does this model species mirror the ample taxonomic diversity that characterizes the avian tree of life? Here, we provide a brief overview of the taxonomic breadth of comparative embryological studies in birds. We particularly focused on staging tables and papers that attempted to document the timing of developmental transformations. We show that most of the current knowledge of avian embryology is based on Galliformes (chicken and quail) and Anseriformes (duck and goose). Nonetheless, data are available for some ecologically diverse avian subclades, including Struthioniformes (e.g., ostrich, emu) and Sphenisciformes (penguins). Thus far, there has only been a handful of descriptive embryological studies in the most speciose subclade of Aves, that is, the songbirds (Passeriniformes). Furthermore, we found that temporal variances for developmental events are generally uniform across a consensus chronological sequence for birds. Based on the available data, developmental trajectories for chicken and other model species appear to be highly similar. We discuss future avenues of research in comparative avian embryology in light of the currently available wealth of data on domesticated species and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerardo A Cordero
- Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment (HEP), Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Animal Biology, Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ingmar Werneburg
- Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment (HEP), Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Fachbereich Geowissenschaften, Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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8
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Hidalgo M, Curantz C, Quenech’Du N, Neguer J, Beck S, Mohammad A, Manceau M. A conserved molecular template underlies color pattern diversity in estrildid finches. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabm5800. [PMID: 36044564 PMCID: PMC9432839 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm5800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The color patterns that adorn animals' coats not only exhibit extensive diversity linked to various ecological functions but also display recurrences in geometry, orientation, or body location. How processes of pattern formation shape such phenotypic trends remains a mystery. Here, we surveyed plumage color patterns in passerine finches displaying extreme apparent variation and identified a conserved set of color domains. We linked these domains to putative embryonic skin regions instructed by early developmental tissues and outlined by the combinatory expression of few genetic markers. We found that this embryonic prepattern is largely conserved in birds displaying drastic color differences in the adult, interspecies variation resulting from the masking or display of each domain depending on their coloration. This work showed that a simple molecular landscape serves as common spatial template to extensive color pattern variation in finches, revealing that early conserved landmarks and molecular pathways are a major cause of phenotypic trends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Hidalgo
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Camille Curantz
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
- Sorbonne University, UPMC Paris VI, Paris, France
| | - Nicole Quenech’Du
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Julia Neguer
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Samantha Beck
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Ammara Mohammad
- Genomic Facility, Institute of Biology of the Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM Paris, France
| | - Marie Manceau
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
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9
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Álvarez-Hernán G, de Mera-Rodríguez JA, Hernández-Núñez I, Acedo A, Marzal A, Gañán Y, Martín-Partido G, Rodríguez-León J, Francisco-Morcillo J. Timing and Distribution of Mitotic Activity in the Retina During Precocial and Altricial Modes of Avian Development. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:853544. [PMID: 35615284 PMCID: PMC9125163 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.853544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
During development of the vertebrate retina, mitotic activity is defined as apical when is located at the external surface of the neuroepithelium or as non-apical when is found in more internal regions. Apical mitoses give rise to all retinal cell types. Non-apical mitoses are linked to committed horizontal cell precursors that subsequently migrate vitreo-sclerally, reaching their final position in the outer surface of the inner nuclear layer, where they differentiate. Previous studies have suggested differences in the timing of retinal maturation between altricial and precocial bird species. In the present study we analyze qualitatively and quantitatively the mitotic activity in the developing retina of an altricial (zebra finch, Taeniopygia guttata) and a precocial (Japanese quail, Coturnix coturnix) bird species. We found that pHisH3-immunoreactive apical and non-apical mitoses were abundant in the T. guttata retina at the hatching stage. In contrast, pHisH3 immunoreactivity almost disappeared from the quail retina at the embryonic day 10 (E10). Furthermore, we also found that the onset of the appearance of non-apical mitoses occurred at later stages in the altricial bird species than in the precocial one. The disappearance of apical mitoses and the spatiotemporal distribution of non-apical mitoses followed central to peripheral and dorsal to ventral gradients, similar to gradients of cell differentiation described in the retina of birds. Therefore, these results suggest that retinal neurogenesis is active at the hatching stage in T. guttata, and that horizontal cell differentiation is delayed in the altricial bird species compared to the precocial one. Together, this study reveals important insights into the timing differences that regulate bird retinal maturation and provides a better understanding of the evolution of avian altriciality and precociality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guadalupe Álvarez-Hernán
- Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
| | | | - Ismael Hernández-Núñez
- Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
| | - Abel Acedo
- Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
| | - Alfonso Marzal
- Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
| | - Yolanda Gañán
- Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
| | - Gervasio Martín-Partido
- Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
| | - Joaquín Rodríguez-León
- Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
- *Correspondence: Joaquín Rodríguez-León,
| | - Javier Francisco-Morcillo
- Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
- Javier Francisco-Morcillo,
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10
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Biegler MT, Fedrigo O, Collier P, Mountcastle J, Haase B, Tilgner HU, Jarvis ED. Induction of an immortalized songbird cell line allows for gene characterization and knockout by CRISPR-Cas9. Sci Rep 2022; 12:4369. [PMID: 35288582 PMCID: PMC8921232 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07434-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The zebra finch is one of the most commonly studied songbirds in biology, particularly in genomics, neuroscience and vocal communication. However, this species lacks a robust cell line for molecular biology research and reagent optimization. We generated a cell line, designated CFS414, from zebra finch embryonic fibroblasts using the SV40 large and small T antigens. This cell line demonstrates an improvement over previous songbird cell lines through continuous and density-independent growth, allowing for indefinite culture and monoclonal line derivation. Cytogenetic, genomic, and transcriptomic profiling established the provenance of this cell line and identified the expression of genes relevant to ongoing songbird research. Using this cell line, we disrupted endogenous gene sequences using S.aureus Cas9 and confirmed a stress-dependent localization response of a song system specialized gene, SAP30L. The utility of CFS414 cells enhances the comprehensive molecular potential of the zebra finch and validates cell immortalization strategies in a songbird species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew T Biegler
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics of Language, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA.
| | - Olivier Fedrigo
- Vertebrate Genome Laboratory, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Paul Collier
- Center for Neurogenetics, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Weil Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | | | - Bettina Haase
- Vertebrate Genome Laboratory, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Hagen U Tilgner
- Center for Neurogenetics, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Weil Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Erich D Jarvis
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics of Language, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA.
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11
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Wu Q, Liu H, Yang Q, Wei B, Wang L, Tang Q, Wang J, Xi Y, Han C, Wang J, Li L. Developmental Transcriptome Profiling of the Tibial Reveals the Underlying Molecular Basis for Why Newly Hatched Quails Can Walk While Newly Hatched Pigeons Cannot. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:745129. [PMID: 35198553 PMCID: PMC8858812 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.745129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Birds can be classified into altricial and precocial species. The hatchlings of altricial birds cannot stand, whereas precocial birds can walk and run soon after hatching. It might be owing to the development of the hindlimb bones in the embryo stage, but the molecular regulatory basis underlying the divergence is unclear. To address this issue, we chose the altricial pigeon and the precocial Japanese quail as model animals. The data of tibia weight rate, embryonic skeletal staining, and tibia tissues paraffin section during the embryonic stage showed that the Japanese quail and pigeon have similar skeletal development patterns, but the former had a faster calcification rate. We utilized the comparative transcriptome approach to screen the genes and pathways related to this heterochronism. We separately analyzed the gene expression of tibia tissues of quail and pigeon at two consecutive time points from an inability to stand to be able to stand. There were 2910 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of quail, and 1635 DEGs of pigeon, respectively. A total of 409 DEGs in common in the quail and pigeon. On the other hand, we compared the gene expression profiles of pigeons and quails at four time points, and screened out eight pairs of expression profiles with similar expression trends but delayed expression in pigeons. By screening the common genes in each pair of expression profiles, we obtained a gene set consisting of 152 genes. A total of 79 genes were shared by the 409 DEGs and the 152 genes. Gene Ontology analysis of these common genes showed that 21 genes including the COL gene family (COL11A1, COL9A3, COL9A1), IHH, MSX2, SFRP1, ATP6V1B1, SRGN, CTHRC1, NOG, and GDF5 involved in the process of endochondral ossification. These genes were the candidate genes for the difference of tibial development between pigeon and quail. This is the first known study on the embryo skeletal staining in pigeon. It provides some new insights for studying skeletal development mechanisms and locomotor ability of altricial and precocial bird species.
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12
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Jung KM, Seo M, Kim YM, Kim JL, Han JY. Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Revealed the Heterogeneity of Gonadal Primordial Germ Cells in Zebra Finch ( Taeniopygia guttata). Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:791335. [PMID: 34957119 PMCID: PMC8695979 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.791335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are undifferentiated gametes with heterogeneity, an evolutionarily conserved characteristic across various organisms. Although dynamic selection at the level of early germ cell populations is an important biological feature linked to fertility, the heterogeneity of PGCs in avian species has not been characterized. In this study, we sought to evaluate PGC heterogeneity in zebra finch using a single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) approach. Using scRNA-seq of embryonic gonadal cells from male and female zebra finches at Hamburger and Hamilton (HH) stage 28, we annotated nine cell types from 20 cell clusters. We found that PGCs previously considered a single population can be separated into three subtypes showing differences in apoptosis, proliferation, and other biological processes. The three PGC subtypes were specifically enriched for genes showing expression patterns related to germness or pluripotency, suggesting functional differences in PGCs according to the three subtypes. Additionally, we discovered a novel biomarker, SMC1B, for gonadal PGCs in zebra finch. The results provide the first evidence of substantial heterogeneity in PGCs previously considered a single population in birds. This discovery expands our understanding of PGCs to avian species, and provides a basis for further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyung Min Jung
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Minseok Seo
- Department of Computer Convergence Software, Korea University, Sejong, South Korea
| | - Young Min Kim
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jin Lee Kim
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jae Yong Han
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
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13
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Geometry and dynamics link form, function, and evolution of finch beaks. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2105957118. [PMID: 34750258 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2105957118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Darwin's finches are a classic example of adaptive radiation, exemplified by their adaptive and functional beak morphologies. To quantify their form, we carry out a morphometric analysis of the three-dimensional beak shapes of all of Darwin's finches and find that they can be fit by a transverse parabolic shape with a curvature that increases linearly from the base toward the tip of the beak. The morphological variation of beak orientation, aspect ratios, and curvatures allows us to quantify beak function in terms of the elementary theory of machines, consistent with the dietary variations across finches. Finally, to explain the origin of the evolutionary morphometry and the developmental morphogenesis of the finch beak, we propose an experimentally motivated growth law at the cellular level that simplifies to a variant of curvature-driven flow at the tissue level and captures the range of observed beak shapes in terms of a simple morphospace. Altogether, our study illuminates how a minimal combination of geometry and dynamics allows for functional form to develop and evolve.
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14
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McClelland SC, Reynolds M, Cordall M, Hauber ME, Goymann W, McClean LA, Hamama S, Lund J, Dixit T, Louder MIM, Safari I, Honza M, Spottiswoode CN, Portugal SJ. Embryo movement is more frequent in avian brood parasites than birds with parental reproductive strategies. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20211137. [PMID: 34702076 PMCID: PMC8548802 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Movement of the embryo is essential for musculoskeletal development in vertebrates, yet little is known about whether, and why, species vary. Avian brood parasites exhibit feats of strength in early life as adaptations to exploit the hosts that rear them. We hypothesized that an increase in embryonic movement could allow brood parasites to develop the required musculature for these demands. We measured embryo movement across incubation for multiple brood-parasitic and non-parasitic bird species. Using a phylogenetically controlled analysis, we found that brood parasites exhibited significantly increased muscular movement during incubation compared to non-parasites. This suggests that increased embryo movement may facilitate the development of the stronger musculoskeletal system required for the demanding tasks undertaken by young brood parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie C. McClelland
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX, UK
| | - Miranda Reynolds
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX, UK
| | - Molly Cordall
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX, UK
| | - Mark E. Hauber
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801, USA
- American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY 10024, USA
| | - Wolfgang Goymann
- Max-Planck-Institut für Ornithologie, Abteilung für Verhaltensneurobiologie, Eberhard-Gwinner-Str. 6a, D-82319 Seewiesen, Germany
- Coucal Project, PO Box 26, Chimala, Tanzania
| | - Luke A. McClean
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Silky Hamama
- c/o Musumanene Farm, PO Box 630038, Choma, Zambia
| | - Jess Lund
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Tanmay Dixit
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Matthew I. M. Louder
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801, USA
| | - Ignas Safari
- Max-Planck-Institut für Ornithologie, Abteilung für Verhaltensneurobiologie, Eberhard-Gwinner-Str. 6a, D-82319 Seewiesen, Germany
- Coucal Project, PO Box 26, Chimala, Tanzania
- Department of Biology, University of Dodoma, PO Box 338, Dodoma, Tanzania
| | - Marcel Honza
- The Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Květná 8, 603 65 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Claire N. Spottiswoode
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Steven J. Portugal
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX, UK
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15
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Estermann MA, Mariette MM, Moreau JLM, Combes AN, Smith CA. PAX 2 + Mesenchymal Origin of Gonadal Supporting Cells Is Conserved in Birds. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:735203. [PMID: 34513849 PMCID: PMC8429852 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.735203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
During embryonic gonadal development, the supporting cell lineage is the first cell type to differentiate, giving rise to Sertoli cells in the testis and pre-granulosa cells in the ovary. These cells are thought to direct other gonadal cell lineages down the testis or ovarian pathways, including the germline. Recent research has shown that, in contrast to mouse, chicken gonadal supporting cells derive from a PAX2/OSR1/DMRT1/WNT4 positive mesenchymal cell population. These cells colonize the undifferentiated genital ridge during early gonadogenesis, around the time that germ cells migrate into the gonad. During the process of somatic gonadal sex differentiation, PAX2 expression is down-regulated in embryonic chicken gonads just prior to up-regulation of testis- and ovary-specific markers and prior to germ cell differentiation. Most research on avian gonadal development has focused on the chicken model, and related species from the Galloanserae clade. There is a lack of knowledge on gonadal sex differentiation in other avian lineages. Comparative analysis in birds is required to fully understand the mechanisms of avian sex determination and gonadal differentiation. Here we report the first comparative molecular characterization of gonadal supporting cell differentiation in birds from each of the three main clades, Galloanserae (chicken and quail), Neoaves (zebra finch) and Palaeognathe (emu). Our analysis reveals conservation of PAX2+ expression and a mesenchymal origin of supporting cells in each clade. Moreover, down-regulation of PAX2 expression precisely defines the onset of gonadal sex differentiation in each species. Altogether, these results indicate that gonadal morphogenesis is conserved among the major bird clades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin A. Estermann
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Mylene M. Mariette
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia
| | - Julie L. M. Moreau
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Alexander N. Combes
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Craig A. Smith
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
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16
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Gessara I, Dittrich F, Hertel M, Hildebrand S, Pfeifer A, Frankl-Vilches C, McGrew M, Gahr M. Highly Efficient Genome Modification of Cultured Primordial Germ Cells with Lentiviral Vectors to Generate Transgenic Songbirds. Stem Cell Reports 2021; 16:784-796. [PMID: 33740464 PMCID: PMC8072032 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2021.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to genetically manipulate organisms has led to significant insights into functional genomics in many species. In birds, manipulation of the genome is hindered by the inaccessibility of the one-cell embryo. During embryonic development, avian primordial germ cells (PGCs) migrate through the bloodstream and reach the gonadal anlage, where they develop into mature germ cells. Here, we explored the use of PGCs to produce transgenic offspring in the zebra finch, which is a major animal model for sexual brain differentiation, vocal learning, and vocal communication. Zebra finch PGCs (zfPGCs) obtained from embryonic blood significantly proliferated when cultured in an optimized culture medium and conserved the expression of germ and stem cell markers. Transduction of cultured zfPGCs with lentiviral vectors was highly efficient, leading to strong expression of the enhanced green fluorescent protein. Transduced zfPGCs were injected into the host embryo and transgenic songbirds were successfully generated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivana Gessara
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard Gwinner Strasse, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany.
| | - Falk Dittrich
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard Gwinner Strasse, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Moritz Hertel
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard Gwinner Strasse, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Staffan Hildebrand
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Alexander Pfeifer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Mike McGrew
- The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Manfred Gahr
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard Gwinner Strasse, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
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17
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Bentz AB, Niederhuth CE, Carruth LL, Navara KJ. Prenatal testosterone triggers long-term behavioral changes in male zebra finches: unravelling the neurogenomic mechanisms. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:158. [PMID: 33676394 PMCID: PMC7937265 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07466-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal hormones, like testosterone, can strongly influence developing offspring, even generating long-term organizational effects on adult behavior; yet, the mechanisms facilitating these effects are still unclear. Here, we experimentally elevated prenatal testosterone in the eggs of zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) and measured male aggression in adulthood along with patterns of neural gene expression (RNA-seq) and DNA methylation (MethylC-Seq) in two socially relevant brain regions (hypothalamus and nucleus taenia of the amygdala). We used enrichment analyses and protein-protein interaction networks to find candidate processes and hub genes potentially affected by the treatment. We additionally identified differentially expressed genes that contained differentially methylated regions. RESULTS We found that males from testosterone-injected eggs displayed more aggressive behaviors compared to males from control eggs. Hundreds of genes were differentially expressed, particularly in the hypothalamus, including potential aggression-related hub genes (e.g., brain derived neurotrophic factor). There were also enriched processes with well-established links to aggressive phenotypes (e.g., somatostatin and glutamate signaling). Furthermore, several highly connected genes identified in protein-protein interaction networks also showed differential methylation, including adenylate cyclase 2 and proprotein convertase 2. CONCLUSIONS These results highlight genes and processes that may play an important role in mediating the effects of prenatal testosterone on long-term phenotypic outcomes, thereby providing insights into the molecular mechanisms that facilitate hormone-mediated maternal effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra B Bentz
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA.
- Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA.
- Poultry Science Department, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
| | - Chad E Niederhuth
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48823, USA
| | - Laura L Carruth
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA
| | - Kristen J Navara
- Poultry Science Department, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
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18
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Dobreva MP, Lynton-Jenkins JG, Chaves JA, Tokita M, Bonneaud C, Abzhanov A. Sex identification in embryos and adults of Darwin's finches. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0237687. [PMID: 33667220 PMCID: PMC7935298 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Darwin’s finches are an iconic example of adaptive radiation and evolution under natural selection. Comparative genetic studies using embryos of Darwin’s finches have shed light on the possible evolutionary processes underlying the speciation of this clade. Molecular identification of the sex of embryonic samples is important for such studies, where this information often cannot be inferred otherwise. We tested a fast and simple chicken embryo protocol to extract DNA from Darwin’s finch embryos. In addition, we applied minor modifications to two of the previously reported PCR primer sets for CHD1, a gene used for sexing adult passerine birds. The sex of all 29 tested embryos of six species of Darwin’s finches was determined successfully by PCR, using both primer sets. Next to embryos, hatchlings and fledglings are also impossible to distinguish visually. This extends to juveniles of sexually dimorphic species which are yet to moult in adult-like plumage and beak colouration. Furthermore, four species of Darwin’s finches are monomorphic, males and females looking alike. Therefore, sex assessment in the field can be a source of error, especially with respect to juveniles and mature monomorphic birds outside of the mating season. We caught 567 juveniles and adults belonging to six species of Darwin’s finches and only 44% had unambiguous sex-specific morphology. We sexed 363 birds by PCR: individuals sexed based on marginal sex specific morphological traits; and birds which were impossible to classify in the field. PCR revealed that for birds with marginal sex specific traits, sexing in the field produced a 13% error rate. This demonstrates that PCR based sexing can improve field studies on Darwin’s finches, especially when individuals with unclear sex-related morphology are involved. The protocols used here provide an easy and reliable way to sex Darwin’s finches throughout ontogeny, from embryos to adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariya P. Dobreva
- Department of Life Sciences (Silwood Park), Imperial College London, Ascot, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (MPD); (JGLJ)
| | - Joshua G. Lynton-Jenkins
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (MPD); (JGLJ)
| | - Jaime A. Chaves
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Campus Cumbayá, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Cumbayá, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Masayoshi Tokita
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Camille Bonneaud
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, United Kingdom
| | - Arkhat Abzhanov
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
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Álvarez-Hernán G, de Mera-Rodríguez JA, Hernández-Núñez I, Marzal A, Gañán Y, Martín-Partido G, Rodríguez-León J, Francisco-Morcillo J. Analysis of Programmed Cell Death and Senescence Markers in the Developing Retina of an Altricial Bird Species. Cells 2021; 10:cells10030504. [PMID: 33652964 PMCID: PMC7996935 DOI: 10.3390/cells10030504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
This study shows the distribution patterns of apoptotic cells and biomarkers of cellular senescence during the ontogeny of the retina in the zebra finch (T. guttata). Neurogenesis in this altricial bird species is intense in the retina at perinatal and post-hatching stages, as opposed to precocial bird species in which retinogenesis occurs entirely during the embryonic period. Various phases of programmed cell death (PCD) were distinguishable in the T. guttata visual system. These included areas of PCD in the central region of the neuroretina at the stages of optic cup morphogenesis, and in the sub-optic necrotic centers (St15–St20). A small focus of early neural PCD was detected in the neuroblastic layer, dorsal to the optic nerve head, coinciding with the appearance of the first differentiated neuroblasts (St24–St25). There were sparse pyknotic bodies in the non-laminated retina between St26 and St37. An intense wave of neurotrophic PCD was detected in the laminated retina between St42 and P8, the last post-hatching stage included in the present study. PCD was absent from the photoreceptor layer. Phagocytic activity was also detected in Müller cells during the wave of neurotrophic PCD. With regard to the chronotopographical staining patterns of senescence biomarkers, there was strong parallelism between the SA-β-GAL signal and p21 immunoreactivity in both the undifferentiated and the laminated retina, coinciding in the cell body of differentiated neurons. In contrast, no correlation was found between SA-β-GAL activity and the distribution of TUNEL-positive cells in the developing tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guadalupe Álvarez-Hernán
- Área de Biología Celular Departamento de Anatomía Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain; (G.Á.-H.); (J.A.d.M.-R.); (I.H.-N.); (G.M.-P.)
| | - José Antonio de Mera-Rodríguez
- Área de Biología Celular Departamento de Anatomía Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain; (G.Á.-H.); (J.A.d.M.-R.); (I.H.-N.); (G.M.-P.)
| | - Ismael Hernández-Núñez
- Área de Biología Celular Departamento de Anatomía Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain; (G.Á.-H.); (J.A.d.M.-R.); (I.H.-N.); (G.M.-P.)
| | - Alfonso Marzal
- Área de Zoología, Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain;
| | - Yolanda Gañán
- Área de Anatomía y Embriología Humana, Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain;
| | - Gervasio Martín-Partido
- Área de Biología Celular Departamento de Anatomía Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain; (G.Á.-H.); (J.A.d.M.-R.); (I.H.-N.); (G.M.-P.)
| | - Joaquín Rodríguez-León
- Área de Anatomía y Embriología Humana, Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain;
- Correspondence: (J.R.-L.); (J.F.-M.)
| | - Javier Francisco-Morcillo
- Área de Biología Celular Departamento de Anatomía Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain; (G.Á.-H.); (J.A.d.M.-R.); (I.H.-N.); (G.M.-P.)
- Correspondence: (J.R.-L.); (J.F.-M.)
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20
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Blackburn DG, Stewart JR. Morphological research on amniote eggs and embryos: An introduction and historical retrospective. J Morphol 2021; 282:1024-1046. [PMID: 33393149 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.21320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2020] [Revised: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 01/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Evolution of the terrestrial egg of amniotes (reptiles, birds, and mammals) is often considered to be one of the most significant events in vertebrate history. Presence of an eggshell, fetal membranes, and a sizeable yolk allowed this egg to develop on land and hatch out well-developed, terrestrial offspring. For centuries, morphologically-based studies have provided valuable information about the eggs of amniotes and the embryos that develop from them. This review explores the history of such investigations, as a contribution to this special issue of Journal of Morphology, titled Developmental Morphology and Evolution of Amniote Eggs and Embryos. Anatomically-based investigations are surveyed from the ancient Greeks through the Scientific Revolution, followed by the 19th and early 20th centuries, with a focus on major findings of historical figures who have contributed significantly to our knowledge. Recent research on various aspects of amniote eggs is summarized, including gastrulation, egg shape and eggshell morphology, eggs of Mesozoic dinosaurs, sauropsid yolk sacs, squamate placentation, embryogenesis, and the phylotypic phase of embryonic development. As documented in this review, studies on amniote eggs and embryos have relied heavily on morphological approaches in order to answer functional and evolutionary questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel G Blackburn
- Department of Biology and Electron Microscopy Center, Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut, USA
| | - James R Stewart
- Department of Biological Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee, USA
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21
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Álvarez-Hernán G, de Mera-Rodríguez JA, Gañán Y, Solana-Fajardo J, Martín-Partido G, Rodríguez-León J, Francisco-Morcillo J. Development and postnatal neurogenesis in the retina: a comparison between altricial and precocial bird species. Neural Regen Res 2021; 16:16-20. [PMID: 32788442 PMCID: PMC7818864 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.286947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2020] [Revised: 03/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The visual system is affected by neurodegenerative diseases caused by the degeneration of specific retinal neurons, the leading cause of irreversible blindness in humans. Throughout vertebrate phylogeny, the retina has two kinds of specialized niches of constitutive neurogenesis: the retinal progenitors located in the circumferential marginal zone and Müller glia. The proliferative activity in the retinal progenitors located in the circumferential marginal zone in precocial birds such as the chicken, the commonest bird model used in developmental and regenerative studies, is very low. This region adds only a few retinal cells to the peripheral edge of the retina during several months after hatching, but does not seem to be involved in retinal regeneration. Müller cells in the chicken retina are not proliferative under physiological conditions, but after acute damage some of them undergo a reprogramming event, dedifferentiating into retinal stem cells and generating new retinal neurons. Therefore, regenerative response after injury occurs with low efficiency in the precocial avian retina. In contrast, it has recently been shown that neurogenesis is intense in the retina of altricial birds at hatching. In particular, abundant proliferative activity is detected both in the circumferential marginal zone and in the outer half of the inner nuclear layer. Therefore, stem cell niches are very active in the retina of altricial birds. Although more extensive research is needed to assess the potential of proliferating cells in the adult retina of altricial birds, it emerges as an attractive model for studying different aspects of neurogenesis and neural regeneration in vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guadalupe Álvarez-Hernán
- Área de Biología Celular, Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
| | - José Antonio de Mera-Rodríguez
- Área de Anatomía Humana, Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
| | - Yolanda Gañán
- Área de Anatomía Humana, Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
| | - Jorge Solana-Fajardo
- Servicio de Oftalmología, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Badajoz, Badajoz, Spain
| | - Gervasio Martín-Partido
- Área de Biología Celular, Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
| | - Joaquín Rodríguez-León
- Área de Anatomía Humana, Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
| | - Javier Francisco-Morcillo
- Área de Biología Celular, Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
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Arrieta MB, Olea GB, Rodríguez FE, Lombardo DM. Ultrastructure of eggshell and embryological development of Salvator merianae (Squamata: Teiidae). Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2020; 304:1420-1438. [PMID: 33099895 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to characterize the external morphology of Salvator meriane embryos in different stages of embryonic development and establish a relationship with the ultrastructure of the shell from oviductal transit to hatching. A total of 120 embryos were analyzed to describe their external morphology, and 78 eggs were used for the analysis of the shell. For embryonic development, the series was established according to the total length of the body. We established 40 embryonic stages from the primitive streak. In the early stages, the external morphological features are the C-shaped body, the maxillary, and mandibular fusion processes with the frontal process and the fusion of the forelimb with the digital plate. In the middle stages, the eyelid appears, and there are claws on the toes, cornification of fingers, and the onset of pigmentation. The last stage of embryonic development is characterized by the beginning of the formation of the scales, appear the toenails, and finalize the entire pigmentation. Regarding the relationship that exists with the ultrastructure of the egg during development, it was possible to observe a marked change in the composition of the shell and well-marked compaction during embryonic development, which may be related to the transport of calcium during embryonic ossification. Our results allowed us to show the complete sequence of embryonic development, determining the laying stage for this species. It was possible to establish a relationship with the ultrastructure of the eggshell from the oviductal transit to the moment of hatching.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Belén Arrieta
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales y Agrimensura, Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, Cátedra de Química Biológica, Corrientes, Argentina
| | - Gabriela Beatriz Olea
- Facultad de Medicina, Laboratorio de Investigaciones Bioquímicas (LIBIM), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, Corrientes, Argentina
| | - Florencia Evelyn Rodríguez
- Facultad de Medicina, Laboratorio de Investigaciones Bioquímicas (LIBIM), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, Corrientes, Argentina
| | - Daniel Marcelo Lombardo
- Facultad de Cs Veterinarias, Instituto de Investigación y Tecnología en Reproducción Animal (INITRA), Cátedra de Histología y Embriología, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Pei 裴一凡 Y, Forstmeier W, Wang 王代平 D, Martin K, Rutkowska J, Kempenaers B. Proximate Causes of Infertility and Embryo Mortality in Captive Zebra Finches. Am Nat 2020; 196:577-596. [PMID: 33064590 DOI: 10.1086/710956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
AbstractSome species show high rates of reproductive failure, which is puzzling because natural selection works against such failure in every generation. Hatching failure is common in both captive and wild zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata), yet little is known about its proximate causes. Here we analyze data on reproductive performance (the fate of >23,000 eggs) based on up to 14 years of breeding of four captive zebra finch populations. We find that virtually all aspects of reproductive performance are negatively affected by inbreeding (mean r=-0.117); by an early-starting, age-related decline (mean r=-0.132); and by poor early-life nutrition (mean r=-0.058). However, these effects together explain only about 3% of the variance in infertility, offspring mortality, fecundity, and fitness. In contrast, individual repeatability of different fitness components varied between 15% and 50%. As expected, we found relatively low heritability in fitness components (median: 7% of phenotypic variation and 29% of individually repeatable variation). Yet some of the heritable variation in fitness appears to be maintained by antagonistic pleiotropy (negative genetic correlations) between male fitness traits and female and offspring fitness traits. The large amount of unexplained variation suggests a potentially important role of local dominance and epistasis, including the possibility of segregating genetic incompatibilities.
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24
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Álvarez-Hernán G, Hernández-Núñez I, Rico-Leo EM, Marzal A, de Mera-Rodríguez JA, Rodríguez-León J, Martín-Partido G, Francisco-Morcillo J. Retinal differentiation in an altricial bird species, Taeniopygia guttata: An immunohistochemical study. Exp Eye Res 2020; 190:107869. [DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2019.107869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Revised: 11/03/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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25
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Hurley LL, Rowe M, Griffith SC. Reproductive coordination breeds success: the importance of the partnership in avian sperm biology. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-019-2782-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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26
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Jung KM, Kim YM, Keyte AL, Biegler MT, Rengaraj D, Lee HJ, Mello CV, Velho TAF, Fedrigo O, Haase B, Jarvis ED, Han JY. Identification and characterization of primordial germ cells in a vocal learning Neoaves species, the zebra finch. FASEB J 2019; 33:13825-13836. [DOI: 10.1096/fj.201900760rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kyung Min Jung
- Department of Agricultural BiotechnologyResearch Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life SciencesSeoul National UniversitySeoulSouth Korea
| | - Young Min Kim
- Department of Agricultural BiotechnologyResearch Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life SciencesSeoul National UniversitySeoulSouth Korea
| | - Anna L. Keyte
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics of LanguageThe Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Matthew T. Biegler
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics of LanguageThe Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
- Department of NeurobiologyDuke University Medical CenterDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Deivendran Rengaraj
- Department of Agricultural BiotechnologyResearch Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life SciencesSeoul National UniversitySeoulSouth Korea
| | - Hong Jo Lee
- Department of Agricultural BiotechnologyResearch Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life SciencesSeoul National UniversitySeoulSouth Korea
| | - Claudio V. Mello
- Department Behavioral NeuroscienceOregon Health and Science UniversityPortlandOregonUSA
| | - Tarciso A. F. Velho
- The Division of Biology and Biological EngineeringCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCaliforniaUSA
- Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do NorteNatalBrazil
| | - Olivier Fedrigo
- Laboratory of Vertebrate GenomesThe Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Bettina Haase
- Laboratory of Vertebrate GenomesThe Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Erich D. Jarvis
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics of LanguageThe Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
- Department of NeurobiologyDuke University Medical CenterDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA
- Howard Hughes Medical InstituteChevy ChaseMarylandUSA
| | - Jae Yong Han
- Department of Agricultural BiotechnologyResearch Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life SciencesSeoul National UniversitySeoulSouth Korea
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27
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Mets DG, Brainard MS. Learning is enhanced by tailoring instruction to individual genetic differences. eLife 2019; 8:e47216. [PMID: 31526480 PMCID: PMC6748825 DOI: 10.7554/elife.47216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Accepted: 08/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
It is widely argued that personalized instruction based on individual differences in learning styles or genetic predispositions could improve learning outcomes. However, this proposition has resisted clear demonstration in human studies, where it is difficult to control experience and quantify outcomes. Here, we take advantage of the tractable nature of vocal learning in songbirds (Lonchura striata domestica) to test the idea that matching instruction to individual genetic predispositions can enhance learning. We use both cross-fostering and computerized instruction with synthetic songs to demonstrate that matching the tutor song to individual predispositions can improve learning across genetic backgrounds. Moreover, we find that optimizing instruction in this fashion can equalize learning differences across individuals that might otherwise be construed as genetically determined. Our results demonstrate potent, synergistic interactions between experience and genetics in shaping song, and indicate the likely importance of such interactions for other complex learned behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- David G Mets
- Center for Integrative NeuroscienceUniversity of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Michael S Brainard
- Center for Integrative NeuroscienceUniversity of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Department of PhysiologyUniversity of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
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28
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Eng ML, Williams TD, Fernie KJ, Karouna Renier NK, Henry PFP, Letcher RJ, Elliott JE. In ovo exposure to brominated flame retardants Part I: Assessment of effects of TBBPA-BDBPE on survival, morphometric and physiological endpoints in zebra finches. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2019; 179:104-110. [PMID: 31026748 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2019.04.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2019] [Revised: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Tetrabromobisphenol A bis(2,3-dibromopropyl) ether (TBBPA-BDBPE) is an additive flame retardant used in polyolefins and polymers. It has been detected in biota, including in avian eggs, yet little is known of its effects. We assessed the pattern of TBBPA-BDBPE concentrations in songbird eggs over the incubation period, and the effects of embryonic exposure to TBBPA-BDBPE in a model songbird species, the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata). To assess concentrations during embryo development, eggs were injected on the day they were laid with the vehicle control (safflower oil) or 100 ng TBBPA-BDBPE/g egg, and whole egg contents were collected throughout embryonic development on day 0 (unincubated), 5, 10 and 13. To evaluate effects of embryonic exposure to TBBPA-BDBPE, eggs were injected at Hamburger-Hamilton stage 18 (∼80 h after initiation of incubation) with safflower oil only, 10, 50 or 100 ng TBBPA-BDBPE/g egg (albumin injection volume 1 μl/g). Eggs were monitored for hatching success, and nestlings were monitored for growth and survival. At 15 days post-hatch, tissues were collected to assess physiological effects. TBBPA-BDBPE was incorporated into the egg as the embryo developed, and concentrations started declining in late incubation, suggesting biotransformation by the embryo. There were no effects on hatching success, nestling survival, growth, organ somatic indices, or thyroid hormone homeostasis; however, there was evidence that body condition declined in a dose-dependent manner towards the end of the rapid nestling growth phase. This decreased body condition could be a delayed effect of early developmental exposure, or it may be the result of increased exposure to biotransformation products of TBBPA-BDBPE produced over the nestling period, which are predicted to be more bioaccumulative and toxic than the parent compound.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret L Eng
- Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Pacific Wildlife Research Centre, Delta, British Columbia, Canada; Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
| | - Tony D Williams
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Kim J Fernie
- Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Paula F P Henry
- U. S. Geological Survey, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Beltsville, MD, USA
| | - Robert J Letcher
- Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - John E Elliott
- Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Pacific Wildlife Research Centre, Delta, British Columbia, Canada; Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
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29
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de Mera-Rodríguez JA, Álvarez-Hernán G, Gañán Y, Martín-Partido G, Rodríguez-León J, Francisco-Morcillo J. Senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity in the developing avian retina. Dev Dyn 2019; 248:850-865. [PMID: 31226225 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.74] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Revised: 05/22/2019] [Accepted: 06/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-GAL) histochemistry is the most commonly used biomarker of cellular senescence. These SA-β-GAL-positive cells are senescent embryonic cells that are usually removed by apoptosis from the embryo, followed by macrophage-mediated clearance. RESULTS Some authors have proposed that SA-β-GAL activity in differentiated neurons from young and adult mammals cannot be uniquely attributed to cell senescence, whether in vivo or in vitro. Using the developing visual system of the chicken as a model, the present study found that SA-β-GAL detected in the developing retina corresponded to lysosomal β-galactosidase activity, and that SA-β-GAL activity did not correlate with the chronotopographical distribution of apoptotic cells. However, SA-β-GAL staining in the undifferentiated retina coincided with the appearance of early differentiating neurons. In the laminated retina, SA-β-GAL staining was concentrated in the ganglion, amacrine, and horizontal cell layers. The photoreceptors and pigment epithelial cells also exhibited SA-β-GAL activity throughout retinal development. We have also found that SA-β-GAL staining strongly correlated p21 immunoreactivity. CONCLUSION In conclusion, the results clearly show that SA-β-GAL activity cannot be regarded as a specific marker of senescence during retinal development, and that it is mainly expressed in subpopulations of postmitotic neurons, which are nonproliferative cells, even at early stages of cell differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Antonio de Mera-Rodríguez
- Área de Anatomía Humana, Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
| | - Guadalupe Álvarez-Hernán
- Área de Biología Celular, Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
| | - Yolanda Gañán
- Área de Anatomía Humana, Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
| | - Gervasio Martín-Partido
- Área de Biología Celular, Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
| | - Joaquín Rodríguez-León
- Área de Anatomía Humana, Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
| | - Javier Francisco-Morcillo
- Área de Biología Celular, Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
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30
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Kawahata K, Cordeiro IR, Ueda S, Sheng G, Moriyama Y, Nishimori C, Yu R, Koizumi M, Okabe M, Tanaka M. Evolution of the avian digital pattern. Sci Rep 2019; 9:8560. [PMID: 31189916 PMCID: PMC6561939 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-44913-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Variation in digit number has occurred multiple times in the history of archosaur evolution. The five digits of dinosaur limbs were reduced to three in bird forelimbs, and were further reduced in the vestigial forelimbs of the emu. Regulation of digit number has been investigated previously by examining genes involved in anterior-posterior patterning in forelimb buds among emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae), chicken (Gallus gallus) and zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata). It was described that the expression of posterior genes are conserved among these three birds, whereas expression of anterior genes Gli3 and Alx4 varied significantly. Here we re-examined the expression pattern of Gli3 and Alx4 in the forelimb of emu, chicken and zebra finch. We found that Gli3 is expressed in the anterior region, although its range varied among species, and that the expression pattern of Alx4 in forelimb buds is broadly conserved in a stage-specific manner. We also found that the dynamic expression pattern of the BMP antagonist Gremlin1 (Grem1) in limb buds, which is critical for autopodial expansion, was consistent with the digital pattern of emu, chicken and zebra finch. Furthermore, in emu, variation among individuals was observed in the width of Grem1 expression in forelimb buds, as well as in the adult skeletal pattern. Our results support the view that the signalling system that regulates the dynamic expression of Grem1 in the limb bud contributes substantially to variations in avian digital patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenta Kawahata
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Japan
| | | | - Shogo Ueda
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Japan.,Laboratory for Immunotherapy, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Guojun Sheng
- International Research Center for Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.,RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, Kobe, Japan
| | - Yuuta Moriyama
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Japan.,Department of Physics and Mathematics, College of Science and Engineering, Aoyama Gakuin University, Sagamihara, Japan
| | - Chika Nishimori
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Reiko Yu
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Makoto Koizumi
- Laboratory Animal Facilities, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masataka Okabe
- Department of Anatomy, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mikiko Tanaka
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Japan.
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31
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Pilarski JQ, Leiter JC, Fregosi RF. Muscles of Breathing: Development, Function, and Patterns of Activation. Compr Physiol 2019; 9:1025-1080. [PMID: 31187893 DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c180008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
This review is a comprehensive description of all muscles that assist lung inflation or deflation in any way. The developmental origin, anatomical orientation, mechanical action, innervation, and pattern of activation are described for each respiratory muscle fulfilling this broad definition. In addition, the circumstances in which each muscle is called upon to assist ventilation are discussed. The number of "respiratory" muscles is large, and the coordination of respiratory muscles with "nonrespiratory" muscles and in nonrespiratory activities is complex-commensurate with the diversity of activities that humans pursue, including sleep (8.27). The capacity for speech and adoption of the bipedal posture in human evolution has resulted in patterns of respiratory muscle activation that differ significantly from most other animals. A disproportionate number of respiratory muscles affect the nose, mouth, pharynx, and larynx, reflecting the vital importance of coordinated muscle activity to control upper airway patency during both wakefulness and sleep. The upright posture has freed the hands from locomotor functions, but the evolutionary history and ontogeny of forelimb muscles pervades the patterns of activation and the forces generated by these muscles during breathing. The distinction between respiratory and nonrespiratory muscles is artificial, as many "nonrespiratory" muscles can augment breathing under conditions of high ventilator demand. Understanding the ontogeny, innervation, activation patterns, and functions of respiratory muscles is clinically useful, particularly in sleep medicine. Detailed explorations of how the nervous system controls the multiple muscles required for successful completion of respiratory behaviors will continue to be a fruitful area of investigation. © 2019 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 9:1025-1080, 2019.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Q Pilarski
- Department of Biological and Dental Sciences, Idaho State University Pocatello, Idaho, USA
| | - James C Leiter
- Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Ralph F Fregosi
- Departments of Physiology and Neuroscience, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
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32
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Retinal differentiation in syngnathids: comparison in the developmental rate and acquisition of retinal structures in altricial and precocial fish species. ZOOMORPHOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00435-019-00447-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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33
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Friocourt F, Kozulin P, Belle M, Suárez R, Di‐Poï N, Richards LJ, Giacobini P, Chédotal A. Shared and differential features of Robo3 expression pattern in amniotes. J Comp Neurol 2019; 527:2009-2029. [DOI: 10.1002/cne.24648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Revised: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 01/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Peter Kozulin
- The Queensland Brain Institute The University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland Australia
| | - Morgane Belle
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS Institut de la Vision Paris France
| | - Rodrigo Suárez
- The Queensland Brain Institute The University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland Australia
| | - Nicolas Di‐Poï
- Research Program in Developmental Biology, Institute of Biotechnology University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
| | - Linda J. Richards
- The Queensland Brain Institute The University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland Australia
- The School of Biomedical Sciences The University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland Australia
| | - Paolo Giacobini
- University of Lille, UMR‐S 1172, Centre de Recherche Jean‐Pierre AUBERT Lille France
- Laboratory of Development and Plasticity of the Neuroendocrine Brain INSERM, UMR‐S 1172 Lille France
- FHU 1,000 Days for Health School of Medicine Lille France
| | - Alain Chédotal
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS Institut de la Vision Paris France
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34
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Pickett KL, Stein PS, Vincen-Brown MA, Pilarski JQ. Maturation of Breathing-Related Inhibitory Neurotransmission in the Medulla Oblongata of the Embryonic and Perinatal Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata). Dev Neurobiol 2018; 78:1081-1096. [PMID: 30160056 PMCID: PMC6596416 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2018] [Revised: 07/07/2018] [Accepted: 07/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The medullary portion of the embryonic zebra finch hindbrain was isolated and superfused with physiologically relevant artificial cerebral spinal fluid. This in vitro preparation produced uninterrupted rhythmic episodes of neural activity via cranial nerve IX (glossopharyngeal) from embryonic day 4 (E4) through hatching on E14. Cranial nerve IX carries motor activity to the glottis during the inspiratory phase of breathing, and we focused on the role of synaptic inhibition during the embryonic and perinatal maturation of this branchiomotor outflow. We show that spontaneous neural activity (SNA) is first observed on E4 and temporally transforms as the embryo ages. To start, SNA is dependent on the excitatory actions of GABAA and glycine. As the embryo continues to develop, GABAergic and glycinergic neurotransmission take on a modulatory role, albeit an excitatory one, through E10. After that, data show that GABAergic and glycinergic neurotransmission switches to a phenotype consistent with inhibition, coincident with the onset of functional breathing. We also report that the inhibitory action of GABAergic and glycinergic receptor gating is not necessary for the spontaneous generation of branchiomotor motor rhythms in these birds near hatching. This is the first report focusing on the development of central breathing-related inhibitory neurotransmission in birds during the entire period of embryogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaci L. Pickett
- Department of Biological Sciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID. 83209-8007
| | - Paxton S. Stein
- Department of Biological Sciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID. 83209-8007
| | | | - Jason Q. Pilarski
- Department of Biological Sciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID. 83209-8007
- Department of Dental Sciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID. 83209-8007
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Rodríguez FE, Sandoval MT, Álvarez BB, Lombardo DM. Comparative Study of Prenatal Development Between Myotis albescens
(Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) and Eumops patagonicus
(Chiroptera: Molossidae): The Chorionic Vesicle and Extraembryonic Membranes Considerations. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2018; 301:1527-1543. [DOI: 10.1002/ar.23896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Revised: 02/02/2018] [Accepted: 02/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Florencia Evelyn Rodríguez
- Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales y Agrimensura, Departamento de Biología; Avenida Libertad, Corrientes Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET); Argentina
| | - María Teresa Sandoval
- Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales y Agrimensura, Departamento de Biología; Avenida Libertad, Corrientes Argentina
| | - Blanca Beatriz Álvarez
- Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales y Agrimensura, Departamento de Biología; Avenida Libertad, Corrientes Argentina
| | - Daniel Marcelo Lombardo
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Instituto de Investigación y Tecnología en Reproducción Animal (INITRA), Cátedra de Histología y Embriología; Chorroain, Buenos Aires Argentina
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36
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Álvarez-Hernán G, Sánchez-Resino E, Hernández-Núñez I, Marzal A, Rodríguez-León J, Martín-Partido G, Francisco-Morcillo J. Retinal histogenesis in an altricial avian species, the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata, Vieillot 1817). J Anat 2018; 233:106-120. [PMID: 29582431 DOI: 10.1111/joa.12809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Comparative developmental studies have shown that the retina of altricial fish and mammals is incompletely developed at birth, and that, during the first days of life, maturation proceeds rapidly. In contrast, precocial fish and mammals are born with fully differentiated retinas. Concerning birds, knowledge about retinal development is generally restricted to a single order of precocial birds, Galliformes, due to the fact that both the chicken and the Japanese quail are considered model systems. However, comparison of embryonic pre-hatchling retinal development between altricial and precocial birds has been poorly explored. The purpose of this study was to examine the morphogenesis and histogenesis of the retina in the altricial zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata, Vieillot 1817) and compare the results with those from previous studies in the precocial chicken. Several maturational features (morphogenesis of the optic vesicle and optic cup, appearance of the first differentiated neurons, the period in which the non-apical cell divisions are observable, and the emergence of the plexiform layers) were found to occur at later stages in the zebra finch than in the chicken. At hatching, the retina of T. guttata showed the typical cytoarchitecture of the mature tissue, although features of immaturity were still observable, such as a ganglion cell layer containing many thick cells, very thin plexiform layers, and poorly developed photoreceptors. Moreover, abundant mitotic activity was detected in the entire retina, even in the regions where the layering was complete. The circumferential marginal zone was very prominent and showed abundant mitotic activity. The partially undifferentiated stage of maturation at hatching makes the T. guttata retina an appropriate model with which to study avian postnatal retinal neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guadalupe Álvarez-Hernán
- Área de Biología Celular, Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
| | - Elena Sánchez-Resino
- Área de Biología Celular, Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
| | - Ismael Hernández-Núñez
- Área de Biología Celular, Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
| | - Alfonso Marzal
- Área de Zoología, Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
| | - Joaquín Rodríguez-León
- Área de Anatomía Humana, Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
| | - Gervasio Martín-Partido
- Área de Biología Celular, Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
| | - Javier Francisco-Morcillo
- Área de Biología Celular, Departamento de Anatomía, Biología Celular y Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
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37
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Mets DG, Brainard MS. Genetic variation interacts with experience to determine interindividual differences in learned song. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:421-426. [PMID: 29279376 PMCID: PMC5777042 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1713031115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Learning reflects the influence of experience on genetically determined circuitry, but little is known about how experience and genetics interact to determine complex learned phenotypes. Here, we used vocal learning in songbirds to study how experience and genetics contribute to interindividual differences in learned song. Previous work has established that such differences in song within a species depend on learning, but in principle some of these differences could also depend on genetic variation. We focused on song tempo, a learned and quantifiable feature that is controlled by central neural circuitry. To identify genetic contributions to tempo we computer-tutored juvenile Bengalese finches (Lonchura striata domestica) from different genetic backgrounds with synthetic songs in which tempo was systematically varied. Computer-tutored birds exhibited unexpectedly strong heritability for song tempo and comparatively weak influence of experience. We then tested whether heritability was fixed and independent of experience by providing a second group of birds with enriched instruction via live social tutoring. Live tutoring resulted in not only a significant increase in the influence of experience on tempo but also a dramatic decrease in the influence of genetics, indicating that enriched instruction could overcome genetic biases evident under computer tutoring. Our results reveal strong heritable genetic contributions to interindividual variation in song tempo but that the degree of heritability depends profoundly on the quality of instruction. They suggest that for more complex learned phenotypes, where it can be difficult to identify and control relevant experiential variables, heritability may similarly be contingent on the specifics of experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- David G Mets
- Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158;
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158
- Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158
| | - Michael S Brainard
- Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158;
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158
- Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158
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38
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Lutyk D, Tagirov M, Drobniak S, Rutkowska J. Higher growth rate and gene expression in male zebra finch embryos are independent of manipulation of maternal steroids in the eggs. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2017; 254:1-7. [PMID: 28935580 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2017.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2017] [Revised: 06/23/2017] [Accepted: 09/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Sexual dimorphism in prenatal development is widespread among vertebrates, including birds. Its mechanism remains unclear, although it has been attributed to the effect of maternal steroid hormones. The aim of this study was to investigate how increased levels of steroid hormones in the eggs influence early embryonic development of male and female offspring. We also asked whether maternal hormones take part in the control of sex-specific expression of the genes involved in prenatal development. We experimentally manipulated hormones' concentrations in the egg yolk by injecting zebra finch females prior to ovulation with testosterone or corticosterone. We assessed growth rate and expression levels of CDK7, FBP1 and GHR genes in 37h-old embryos. We found faster growth and higher expression of two studied genes in male compared to female embryos. Hormonal treatment, despite clearly differentiating egg steroid levels, had no effect on the sex-specific pattern of the embryonic gene expression, even though we confirmed expression of receptors of androgens and glucocorticoids at such an early stage of development. Thus, our study shows high stability of the early sex differences in the embryonic development before the onset of sexual differentiation and indicates their independence of maternal hormones in the egg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorota Lutyk
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Makhsud Tagirov
- Poultry Research Institute, Ukrainian Academy of Agrarian Sciences, Lenin Street 20, Borky, Zmiiv District, Kharkiv Region 63421, Ukraine
| | - Szymon Drobniak
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Joanna Rutkowska
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland.
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Hirst CE, Major AT, Ayers KL, Brown RJ, Mariette M, Sackton TB, Smith CA. Sex Reversal and Comparative Data Undermine the W Chromosome and Support Z-linked DMRT1 as the Regulator of Gonadal Sex Differentiation in Birds. Endocrinology 2017; 158:2970-2987. [PMID: 28911174 DOI: 10.1210/en.2017-00316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The exact genetic mechanism regulating avian gonadal sex differentiation has not been completely resolved. The most likely scenario involves a dosage mechanism, whereby the Z-linked DMRT1 gene triggers testis development. However, the possibility still exists that the female-specific W chromosome may harbor an ovarian determining factor. In this study, we provide evidence that the universal gene regulating gonadal sex differentiation in birds is Z-linked DMRT1 and not a W-linked (ovarian) factor. Three candidate W-linked ovarian determinants are HINTW, female-expressed transcript 1 (FET1), and female-associated factor (FAF). To test the association of these genes with ovarian differentiation in the chicken, we examined their expression following experimentally induced female-to-male sex reversal using the aromatase inhibitor fadrozole (FAD). Administration of FAD on day 3 of embryogenesis induced a significant loss of aromatase enzyme activity in female gonads and masculinization. However, expression levels of HINTW, FAF, and FET1 were unaltered after experimental masculinization. Furthermore, comparative analysis showed that FAF and FET1 expression could not be detected in zebra finch gonads. Additionally, an antibody raised against the predicted HINTW protein failed to detect it endogenously. These data do not support a universal role for these genes or for the W sex chromosome in ovarian development in birds. We found that DMRT1 (but not the recently identified Z-linked HEMGN gene) is male upregulated in embryonic zebra finch and emu gonads, as in the chicken. As chicken, zebra finch, and emu exemplify the major evolutionary clades of birds, we propose that Z-linked DMRT1, and not the W sex chromosome, regulates gonadal sex differentiation in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire E Hirst
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Andrew T Major
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Katie L Ayers
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, Royal Children's Hospital, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Rosie J Brown
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Mylene Mariette
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria 3216, Australia
| | - Timothy B Sackton
- Informatics Group, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
| | - Craig A Smith
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
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40
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Varian-Ramos CW, Whitney M, Rice GW, Cristol DA. Form of Dietary Methylmercury does not Affect Total Mercury Accumulation in the Tissues of Zebra Finch. BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2017; 99:1-8. [PMID: 28497383 DOI: 10.1007/s00128-017-2104-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2016] [Accepted: 05/03/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to mercury in humans, other mammals, and birds is primarily dietary, with mercury in the methylated form and bound to cysteine in the tissues of prey items. Yet dosing studies are generally carried out using methylmercury chloride. Here we tested whether the accumulation of total mercury in zebra finch blood, egg, muscle, liver, kidney or brain differed depending on whether dietary mercury was complexed with chloride or cysteine. We found no effect of form of mercury on tissue accumulation. Some previous studies have found lower accumulation of mercury in tissues of animals fed complexed mercury. Much remains to be understood about what happens to ingested mercury once it enters the intestines, but our results suggest that dietary studies using methylmercury chloride in birds will produce similar tissue accumulation levels to those using methylmercury cysteine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire W Varian-Ramos
- Institute for Integrative Bird Behavior Studies, Biology Department, College of William and Mary, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA, 23187, USA.
- Biology Department, Colorado State University - Pueblo, 2200 Bonforte Blvd., Pueblo, CO, 81011, USA.
| | - Margaret Whitney
- Institute for Integrative Bird Behavior Studies, Biology Department, College of William and Mary, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA, 23187, USA
| | - Gary W Rice
- Chemistry Department, College of William and Mary, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA, 23187, USA
| | - Daniel A Cristol
- Institute for Integrative Bird Behavior Studies, Biology Department, College of William and Mary, P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA, 23187, USA
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41
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Friocourt F, Lafont AG, Kress C, Pain B, Manceau M, Dufour S, Chédotal A. Recurrent DCC gene losses during bird evolution. Sci Rep 2017; 7:37569. [PMID: 28240285 PMCID: PMC5327424 DOI: 10.1038/srep37569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2016] [Accepted: 10/31/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
During development, midline crossing by axons brings into play highly conserved families of receptors and ligands. The interaction between the secreted ligand Netrin-1 and its receptor Deleted in Colorectal Carcinoma (DCC) is thought to control midline attraction of crossing axons. Here, we studied the evolution of this ligand/receptor couple in birds taking advantage of a wealth of newly sequenced genomes. From phylogeny and synteny analyses we can infer that the DCC gene has been conserved in most extant bird species, while two independent events have led to its loss in two avian groups, passeriformes and galliformes. These convergent accidental gene loss events are likely related to chromosome Z rearrangement. We show, using whole-mount immunostaining and 3Disco clearing, that in the nervous system of all birds that have a DCC gene, DCC protein expression pattern is similar to other vertebrates. Surprisingly, we show that the early developmental pattern of commissural tracts is comparable in all birds, whether or not they have a DCC receptor. Interestingly, only 4 of the 5 genes encoding secreted netrins, the DCC ligands in vertebrates, were found in birds, but Netrin-5 was absent. Together, these results support a remarkable plasticity of commissural axon guidance mechanisms in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Friocourt
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, 17 Rue Moreau, 75012 Paris, France
| | - Anne-Gaelle Lafont
- Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Universités, Research Unit BOREA, Biology of Aquatic Organisms and Ecosystems, CNRS 7208, IRD207, UPMC, UCN, Paris, France
| | - Clémence Kress
- Université Lyon 1, INSERM, INRA, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute, U1208, USC1361, 69500 Bron, France
| | - Bertrand Pain
- Université Lyon 1, INSERM, INRA, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute, U1208, USC1361, 69500 Bron, France
| | - Marie Manceau
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, CNRS UMR 7241, Collège de France, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Sylvie Dufour
- Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Universités, Research Unit BOREA, Biology of Aquatic Organisms and Ecosystems, CNRS 7208, IRD207, UPMC, UCN, Paris, France
| | - Alain Chédotal
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, 17 Rue Moreau, 75012 Paris, France
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42
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Hou PS, Kumamoto T, Hanashima C. A Sensitive and Versatile In Situ Hybridization Protocol for Gene Expression Analysis in Developing Amniote Brains. Methods Mol Biol 2017; 1650:319-334. [PMID: 28809032 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7216-6_22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The detection of specific RNA molecules in embryonic tissues has wide research applications including studying gene expression dynamics in brain development and evolution. Recent advances in sequencing technologies have introduced new animal models to explore the molecular principles underlying the assembly and diversification of brain circuits between different amniote species. Here, we provide a step-by-step protocol for a versatile in situ hybridization method that is immediately applicable to a range of amniote embryos including zebra finch and Madagascar ground gecko, two new model organisms that have rapidly emerged for comparative brain studies over recent years. The sensitive detection of transcripts from low to high abundance expression range using the same platform enables direct comparison of gene of interest among different amniotes, providing high-resolution spatiotemporal information of gene expression to dissect the molecular principles underlying brain evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Shan Hou
- Laboratory for Neocortical Development, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, Kobe, 650-0047, Japan
| | - Takuma Kumamoto
- Laboratory for Neocortical Development, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, Kobe, 650-0047, Japan
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, INSERM U968, CNRS UMR 7210, Institut de la Vision, 17 rue Moreau, 75012, Paris, France
| | - Carina Hanashima
- Laboratory for Neocortical Development, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, Kobe, 650-0047, Japan.
- Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Kobe University, Kobe, 657-8501, Japan.
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43
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Eng ML, Letcher RJ, Williams TD, Elliott JE. In ovo tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate concentrations significantly decrease in late incubation after a single exposure via injection, with no evidence of effects on hatching success or latent effects on growth or reproduction in zebra finches. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2017; 36:83-88. [PMID: 27207485 DOI: 10.1002/etc.3502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2016] [Revised: 05/12/2016] [Accepted: 05/17/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) eggs were injected with the organophosphate triester flame retardant tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBOEP) at 0 μg/g, 0.01 μg/g, 1 μg/g, 10 μg/g, or 50 μg/g egg. Subsets of high-dose eggs were collected throughout incubation to measure TBOEP, which started declining in late incubation and then decreased rapidly to 28% of injected concentration by hatching. The authors found no effects of TBOEP on survival, growth, or reproduction even at very high doses. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:83-88. © 2016 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret L Eng
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Pacific Wildlife Research Centre, Delta, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Robert J Letcher
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tony D Williams
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - John E Elliott
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Pacific Wildlife Research Centre, Delta, British Columbia, Canada
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44
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Olea B G, Hernando B A, Lombardo M DM. Heterochronic events in the ontogeny of Columba livia, Coturnix coturnix, and Gallus gallus domesticus. REV COLOMB CIENC PEC 2016. [DOI: 10.17533/udea.rccp.v29n4a04] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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45
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Bramley JC, Collins SVA, Clark KB, Buchser WJ. Avian axons undergo Wallerian degeneration after injury and stress. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2016; 202:813-822. [PMID: 27614771 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-016-1123-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2015] [Revised: 06/20/2016] [Accepted: 08/31/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The integrity of long axons is essential for neural communication. Unfortunately, relatively minor stress to a neuron can cause extensive loss of this integrity. Axon degeneration is the cell-intrinsic program that actively deconstructs an axon after injury or damage. Although ultrastructural examination has revealed signs of axon degeneration in vivo, the occurrence and progression of axon degeneration in avian species have not yet been documented in vitro. Here, we use a novel cell culture system with primary embryonic zebra finch retinal ganglion cells to interrogate the properties of avian axon degeneration. First, we establish that both axotomy and a chemically induced injury (taxol and vincristine) are sufficient to initiate degeneration. These events are dependent on a late influx of calcium. In addition, as in mammals, the NAD pathway is involved, since a decrease in NMN with FK866 can reduce degeneration. Importantly, these retinal ganglion cell axons were sensitive to a pressure-induced injury, which may mimic the effect of high intraocular pressure associated with glaucoma. We have demonstrated that avian neurons undergo Wallerian degeneration in response to both physical and chemical injury. Subsequent avian studies will investigate whether blocking the degeneration pathway can protect individuals from neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- John C Bramley
- Department of Biology, College of William & Mary, 540 Landrum Dr., Williamsburg, VA, USA
| | - Samantha V A Collins
- Department of Biology, College of William & Mary, 540 Landrum Dr., Williamsburg, VA, USA
| | - Karen B Clark
- Department of Biology, College of William & Mary, 540 Landrum Dr., Williamsburg, VA, USA
| | - William J Buchser
- Department of Biology, College of William & Mary, 540 Landrum Dr., Williamsburg, VA, USA.
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46
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Uygur A, Young J, Huycke TR, Koska M, Briscoe J, Tabin CJ. Scaling Pattern to Variations in Size during Development of the Vertebrate Neural Tube. Dev Cell 2016; 37:127-35. [PMID: 27093082 PMCID: PMC4854284 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2016.03.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2014] [Revised: 02/29/2016] [Accepted: 03/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Anatomical proportions are robustly maintained in individuals that vary enormously in size, both within a species and between members of related taxa. However, the mechanisms underlying scaling are still poorly understood. We have examined this phenomenon in the context of the patterning of the ventral neural tube in response to a gradient of the morphogen Sonic hedgehog (SHH) in the chick and zebra finch, two species that differ in size during the time of neural tube patterning. We find that scaling is achieved, at least in part, by altering the sensitivity of the target cells to SHH and appears to be achieved by modulating the ratio of the repressive and activating transcriptional regulators, GLI2 and GLI3. This mechanism contrasts with previous experimental and theoretical analyses of morphogenic scaling that have focused on compensatory changes in the morphogen gradient itself.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aysu Uygur
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - John Young
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Tyler R Huycke
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Mervenaz Koska
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - James Briscoe
- Mill Hill Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW7 1AA, UK
| | - Clifford J Tabin
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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47
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Noguera JC, Metcalfe NB, Reichert S, Monaghan P. Embryonic and postnatal telomere length decrease with ovulation order within clutches. Sci Rep 2016; 6:25915. [PMID: 27174767 PMCID: PMC4865837 DOI: 10.1038/srep25915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2016] [Accepted: 04/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomere length (TL) in early life has been found to be predictive of subsequent lifespan. Factors such as parental TL, parental age and environmental conditions during development have been shown to contribute to the observed variation in TL among individuals. One factor that has not hitherto been considered is ovulation order, although it is well established that the last hatched/born offspring in a brood or litter often show relatively poor subsequent performance. We examined the within- and across-clutch effect of ovulation order on TL in embryos of zebra finches experiencing the same controlled incubation conditions (N = 151), and tested whether any such ovulation order effects remained detectable in adults (N = 122). Irrespective of clutch and egg size, TL in early-stage embryos (72 h incubation) markedly decreased with within-clutch ovulation order; the difference in TL of first and last-laid embryos was equivalent to the average within-individual telomere loss over the entire period of nestling and juvenile life. This ovulation-order effect occurred only within but not across clutches, and was still evident in adults. Given that TL in early life predicts lifespan, our results suggest that parental effects on telomere length could contribute to the known poor performance of later-ovulated family members.
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Affiliation(s)
- José C Noguera
- Institute of Biodiversity Animal Health &Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary &Life Sciences, Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Neil B Metcalfe
- Institute of Biodiversity Animal Health &Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary &Life Sciences, Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Sophie Reichert
- Institute of Biodiversity Animal Health &Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary &Life Sciences, Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Pat Monaghan
- Institute of Biodiversity Animal Health &Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary &Life Sciences, Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
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Vicario A, Mendoza E, Abellán A, Scharff C, Medina L. Genoarchitecture of the extended amygdala in zebra finch, and expression of FoxP2 in cell corridors of different genetic profile. Brain Struct Funct 2016; 222:481-514. [PMID: 27160258 PMCID: PMC5225162 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-016-1229-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2015] [Accepted: 04/21/2016] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
We used a battery of genes encoding transcription factors (Pax6, Islet1, Nkx2.1, Lhx6, Lhx5, Lhx9, FoxP2) and neuropeptides to study the extended amygdala in developing zebra finches. We identified different components of the central extended amygdala comparable to those found in mice and chickens, including the intercalated amygdalar cells, the central amygdala, and the lateral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. Many cells likely originate in the dorsal striatal domain, ventral striatal domain, or the pallidal domain, as is the case in mice and chickens. Moreover, a cell subpopulation of the central extended amygdala appears to originate in the prethalamic eminence. As a general principle, these different cells with specific genetic profiles and embryonic origin form separate or partially intermingled cell corridors along the extended amygdala, which may be involved in different functional pathways. In addition, we identified the medial amygdala of the zebra finch. Like in the chickens and mice, it is located in the subpallium and is rich in cells of pallido-preoptic origin, containing minor subpopulations of immigrant cells from the ventral pallium, alar hypothalamus and prethalamic eminence. We also proposed that the medial bed nucleus of the stria terminalis is composed of several parallel cell corridors with different genetic profile and embryonic origin: preoptic, pallidal, hypothalamic, and prethalamic. Several of these cell corridors with distinct origin express FoxP2, a transcription factor implicated in synaptic plasticity. Our results pave the way for studies using zebra finches to understand the neural basis of social behavior, in which the extended amygdala is involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alba Vicario
- Laboratory of Brain Development and Evolution, Department of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lleida, Institute of Biomedical Research of Lleida (IRBLleida), Avda. Alcalde Rovira Roure 80, Catalunya, 25198, Lleida, Spain
| | | | - Antonio Abellán
- Laboratory of Brain Development and Evolution, Department of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lleida, Institute of Biomedical Research of Lleida (IRBLleida), Avda. Alcalde Rovira Roure 80, Catalunya, 25198, Lleida, Spain
| | | | - Loreta Medina
- Laboratory of Brain Development and Evolution, Department of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lleida, Institute of Biomedical Research of Lleida (IRBLleida), Avda. Alcalde Rovira Roure 80, Catalunya, 25198, Lleida, Spain.
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Ruuskanen S, Darras VM, Visser ME, Groothuis TGG. Effects of experimentally manipulated yolk thyroid hormone levels on offspring development in a wild bird species. Horm Behav 2016; 81:38-44. [PMID: 27056104 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2016.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2015] [Revised: 03/18/2016] [Accepted: 03/19/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Maternal effects are a crucial mechanism in a wide array of taxa to generate phenotypic variation, thereby affecting offspring development and fitness. Maternally derived thyroid hormones (THs) are known to be essential for offspring development in mammalian and fish models, but have been largely neglected in avian studies, especially in respect to natural variation and an ecological context. We studied, for the first time in a wild species and population, the effects of maternally derived THs on offspring development, behavior, physiology and fitness-related traits by experimental elevation of thyroxine and triiodothyronine in ovo within the physiological range in great tits (Parus major). We found that elevated yolk TH levels had a sex-specific effect on growth, increasing male and decreasing female growth, relative to controls, and this effect was similar throughout the nestling period. Hatching or fledging success, motor coordination behavior, stress reactivity and resting metabolic rate were not affected by the TH treatment. We conclude that natural variation in maternally derived THs may affect some offspring traits in a wild species. As this is the first study on yolk thyroid hormones in a wild species and population, more such studies are needed to investigate its effects on pre-hatching development, and juvenile and adult fitness before generalizations on the importance of maternally derived yolk thyroid hormones can be made. However, this opens a new, interesting avenue for further research in the field of hormone mediated maternal effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suvi Ruuskanen
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, Finland; Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Veerle M Darras
- Laboratory of Comparative Endocrinology, Biology Department, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Marcel E Visser
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Ton G G Groothuis
- Groningen Institute of Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
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Chen CK, Ng CS, Wu SM, Chen JJ, Cheng PL, Wu P, Lu MYJ, Chen DR, Chuong CM, Cheng HC, Ting CT, Li WH. Regulatory Differences in Natal Down Development between Altricial Zebra Finch and Precocial Chicken. Mol Biol Evol 2016; 33:2030-43. [PMID: 27189543 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msw085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Birds can be classified into altricial and precocial. The hatchlings of altricial birds are almost naked, whereas those of precocial birds are covered with natal down. This regulatory divergence is thought to reflect environmental adaptation, but the molecular basis of the divergence is unclear. To address this issue, we chose the altricial zebra finch and the precocial chicken as the model animals. We noted that zebra finch hatchlings show natal down growth suppressed anterior dorsal (AD) skin but partially down-covered posterior dorsal (PD) skin. Comparing the transcriptomes of AD and PD skins, we found that the feather growth promoter SHH (sonic hedgehog) was expressed higher in PD skin than in AD skin. Moreover, the data suggested that the FGF (fibroblast growth factor)/Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway is involved in natal down growth suppression and that FGF16 is a candidate upstream signaling suppressor. Ectopic expression of FGF16 on chicken leg skin showed downregulation of SHH, upregulation of the feather growth suppressor FGF10, and suppression of feather bud elongation, similar to the phenotype found in zebra finch embryonic AD skin. Therefore, we propose that FGF16-related signals suppress natal down elongation and cause the naked AD skin in zebra finch. Our study provides insights into the regulatory divergence in natal down formation between precocial and altricial birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Kuan Chen
- Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chen Siang Ng
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Siao-Man Wu
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jiun-Jie Chen
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Po-Liang Cheng
- Department of Life Science, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Ping Wu
- Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
| | - Mei-Yeh Jade Lu
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Di-Rong Chen
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Ming Chuong
- Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles Center for the Integrative and Evolutionary Galliformes Genomics (iEGG Center), National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan Research Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsu-Chen Cheng
- Department of Life Science, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan Center for the Integrative and Evolutionary Galliformes Genomics (iEGG Center), National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chau-Ti Ting
- Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan Research Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan Department of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Hsiung Li
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan Center for the Integrative and Evolutionary Galliformes Genomics (iEGG Center), National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago
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