1
|
Kurta K, Jeuthe H, Naboulsi R, de Koning DJ, Palaiokostas C. Seasonal and age-related changes in sperm quality of farmed arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus). BMC Genomics 2023; 24:519. [PMID: 37667174 PMCID: PMC10478403 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09614-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Substantial variation in male fertility is regularly observed in farmed Arctic charr. However, detailed investigations of its fluctuation during a reproductive season and across years are lacking. Furthermore, information about the effect of underlying genetic factors influencing sperm quality is scarce. The current study focused on seasonal and age-related factors that may affect sperm quality characteristics in males reared in natural and delayed photoperiods. Animals were sampled three times for two consecutive years, and sperm quality parameters were recorded using a computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) system. Thereafter, high-throughput sequencing technologies were applied, aiming to identify genomic regions related to the variation of sperm quality throughout the reproductive season. RESULTS An across-season variation in the recorded sperm quality parameters was evident. Overall, 29% and 42% of males from the natural and delayed spawning groups had a highly variable total progressive motility. Males at four years of age showed significantly higher sperm motility and velocities during the early October and November recordings compared to the following year when the same animals were five years of age. On the other hand, the opposite was observed regarding sperm concentration during the last sampling. A genome-wide FST scan detected SNP differentiation among males with high and low variability in total progressive motility (PM) on eight chromosomes (FST > 0.17), Genome wide windows with the highest FST contained SNPs in proximity (within 250 kb up- and downstream distance) to 16 genes with sperm quality biological functions in mammalian species. CONCLUSION Our findings provide a detailed view of seasonal, age-related, and genetic effects on sperm quality and can be used to guide decisions on broodstock selection and hatchery management.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Khrystyna Kurta
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7090, Uppsala, 750 07, Sweden.
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Genetics and genomics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Henrik Jeuthe
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7090, Uppsala, 750 07, Sweden
- Aquaculture Center North, Åvägen 17, Kälarne, 844 61, Sweden
| | - Rakan Naboulsi
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institute, Tomtebodavägen 18A, Stockholm, 17177, Sweden
| | - Dirk-Jan de Koning
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7090, Uppsala, 750 07, Sweden
| | - Christos Palaiokostas
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7090, Uppsala, 750 07, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Strategic adjustment of ejaculate quality in response to variation of the socio-sexual environment. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-021-03032-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
|
3
|
Lara CE, Taylor HR, Holtmann B, Johnson SL, Santos ESA, Gemmell NJ, Nakagawa S. Dunnock social status correlates with sperm speed, but fast sperm does not always equal high fitness. J Evol Biol 2020; 33:1139-1148. [PMID: 32472954 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Sperm competition theory predicts that males should modulate sperm investment according to their social status. Sperm speed, one proxy of sperm quality, also influences the outcome of sperm competition because fast sperm cells may fertilize eggs before slow sperm cells. We evaluated whether the social status of males predicted their sperm speed in a wild population of dunnocks (Prunella modularis). In addition to the traditional analysis of the average speed of sperm cells per sample, we also analysed subsamples of the fastest sperm cells per sample. In other words, we systematically evaluated the effects of including different numbers of the fastest sperm in our analyses, ranging from the 5-fastest sperm cells to the 100-fastest sperm cells in a sample. We further evaluated whether fitness, defined here as the number of chicks sired per male per breeding season, relates to the sperm speed in the same population. We found that males in monogamous pairings (i.e. low levels of sperm competition), produced the slowest sperm cells, whereas subordinate males in polyandrous male-male coalitions (i.e. high levels of sperm competition) produced the fastest sperm cells. This result was consistent regardless of the number of fastest sperm included in our analyses, but statistical support was conditional on the number of sperm cells included in the analysis. Interestingly, we found no significant relationship between fitness and sperm speed, which suggests that it is possible that the differential mating opportunities across social status levelled out any possible difference. Our study also suggests that it is important to identify biologically meaningful subsets of fastest sperm and cut-offs for inclusions for assessing sperm competition via sperm speed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carlos E Lara
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- GEBIOME, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Caldas, Manizales, Colombia
| | - Helen R Taylor
- Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Benedikt Holtmann
- Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biology II, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Sheri L Johnson
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Eduardo S A Santos
- BECO Lab, Department of Zoology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Neil J Gemmell
- Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Shinichi Nakagawa
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Magris M, Chimetto G, Pilastro A. Strategic ejaculate adjustments and mismatches: are males paying sperm senescence costs? ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2020.1737577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Martina Magris
- Department of Biology, University of Padua, Padua 35131, Italy
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu 80100, Finland
| | | | - Andrea Pilastro
- Department of Biology, University of Padua, Padua 35131, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Meniri M, Gohon F, Gning O, Glauser G, Vallat A, Fasel NJ, Helfenstein F. Experimental manipulation of reproductive tactics in Seba's short-tailed bats: consequences on sperm quality and oxidative status. Curr Zool 2019; 65:609-616. [PMID: 31857807 PMCID: PMC6911846 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoz011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
To reproduce, males have to fertilize the female's eggs, sometimes in competition with ejaculates of other males. In species where males display alternative reproductive tactics, whereby territorial males secure mating and non-territorial males have to sneak copulations, the latter might be expected to invest relatively more resources towards sperm quality compared with the territorial males. Sperm cells are especially vulnerable to oxidative stress, which reduces male fertility. Therefore, antioxidant resources are expected to modulate sperm quality, and might be allocated differently between reproductive tactics. To test the link between reproductive tactics, redox profile and sperm quality, we experimentally induced changes in the reproductive tactics of 39 captive males Seba's short-tailed bats Carollia perspicillata. We monitored the blood and ejaculate oxidative balance, and the sperm quality before, 7 days and 21 days after the manipulation of reproductive tactic. Although ejaculates' oxidative damage was negatively related to sperm velocity, males exhibited similar blood and ejaculates redox profiles and similar sperm quality, regardless of their reproductive tactic. Possibly, these results arise as a consequence of some constraints having been lifted during the experiment. Our results also suggest that, in Seba's short-tailed bats, the expression of alternative reproductive tactics is not subjected to strong oxidative constraints. Furthermore, our results could reflect an absence of trade-off between pre- and post-copulatory traits in harem males, as they could be selected to invest both in female attraction and sperm quality, as a consequence of their inability to fully monopolize females.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Magali Meniri
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Ecophysiology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Florence Gohon
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Ecophysiology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Ophélie Gning
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Ecophysiology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Gaétan Glauser
- Neuchatel Platform of Analytical Chemistry, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Armelle Vallat
- Neuchatel Platform of Analytical Chemistry, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | | | - Fabrice Helfenstein
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Ecophysiology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Losdat S, Rojas Mora A, Bellut C, Chargé R, Falchi V, Glauser G, Vallat A, Helfenstein F. Social dominance, but not parasite load, affects sperm quality and sperm redox status in house sparrows. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 222:jeb.200675. [PMID: 31439651 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.200675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 08/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Sperm performance is an important component of male reproductive success. However, sperm production is costly and males need to optimize their investment in sperm quality versus the somatic traits involved in mating success, e.g. their social status. As oxidative stress affects both sperm performance and somatic functions, it has been hypothesized to mediate such a trade-off. According to the oxidation-based soma/germline trade-off hypothesis, dominant males should favour the antioxidant protection of their somatic tissues, and subordinate males should favour the antioxidant protection of their sperm. We tested this hypothesis by experimentally infecting wild-caught house sparrows Passer domesticus with Coccidia Isopora sp., an internal parasite known to deplete antioxidant resources. We predicted that (i) increased parasite load affects sperm oxidative status and sperm performance and that (ii) males with experimentally high parasite load adjust the antioxidant protection of their soma versus their sperm according to their social status. Despite a 5400% increase in parasite load, sperm performance and somatic and spermatic oxidative status remained unaffected, irrespective of male social status. Nevertheless, males increased their sperm performance over time, a pattern mirrored by an increase in the antioxidant protection of their sperm. Moreover, males at the lower end of the hierarchy always produced sperm of lower velocity, suggesting that they were constrained and privileged their soma over their germline. To conclude, high parasite loads do not necessarily affect sperm performance and oxidative status. In contrast, social hierarchy and the relative investment in soma versus sperm antioxidant protection are determinants of sperm performance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sylvain Losdat
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Ecophysiology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Alfonso Rojas Mora
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Ecophysiology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Caroline Bellut
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Ecophysiology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Rémi Chargé
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Ecophysiology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Valentina Falchi
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Ecophysiology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Gaétan Glauser
- Neuchâtel Platform of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Neuchâtel, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Armelle Vallat
- Neuchâtel Platform of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Neuchâtel, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Fabrice Helfenstein
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Ecophysiology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Taborsky M, Schütz D, Goffinet O, van Doorn GS. Alternative male morphs solve sperm performance/longevity trade-off in opposite directions. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2018; 4:eaap8563. [PMID: 29806019 PMCID: PMC5966226 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aap8563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2017] [Accepted: 04/17/2018] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Males pursuing alternative reproductive tactics have been predicted to face a trade-off between maximizing either swimming performance or endurance of their sperm. However, empirical evidence for this trade-off is equivocal, which may be due to simplistic assumptions. In the shell-brooding cichlid fish Lamprologus callipterus, two Mendelian male morphs compete for fertilization by divergent means: Bourgeois nest males ejaculate sperm, on average, about six times farther from the unfertilized ova than do parasitic dwarf males. This asymmetry is opposite to the usual situation, in which bourgeois males typically benefit from superior fertilization opportunities, suggesting that nest males' sperm should persist longer than dwarf male sperm. The assumed trade-off between sperm swimming performance and longevity predicts that, in turn, sperm of dwarf males should outperform that of nest males in swimming efficiency. Measurement of sperm performance and endurance reveals that dwarf male spermatozoa swim straighter initially than those of nest males, but their motility declines earlier and their velocity slows down more abruptly. Nest male sperm survives longer, which relates to a larger sperm head plus midpiece, implying more mitochondria. Thus, the trade-off between sperm performance and endurance is optimized in opposite directions by alternative male morphs. We argue that the relative success of alternative sperm performance strategies can be influenced strongly by environmental factors such as the time window between gamete release and fertilization, and the position of gamete release. This is an important yet little understood aspect of gametic adaptations to sperm competition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Taborsky
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Wohlenstrasse 50a, CH-3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
| | - Dolores Schütz
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Wohlenstrasse 50a, CH-3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
| | - Olivier Goffinet
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Wohlenstrasse 50a, CH-3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
| | - G. Sander van Doorn
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Wohlenstrasse 50a, CH-3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen, P.O. Box 11103, 9700 CC Groningen, Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Liberti J, Baer B, Boomsma JJ. Rival seminal fluid induces enhanced sperm motility in a polyandrous ant. BMC Evol Biol 2018; 18:28. [PMID: 29566664 PMCID: PMC5865361 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-018-1144-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Promiscuous mating and sperm competition often induce arms races between the sexes with detrimental outcomes for females. However, ants with multiply-inseminated queens have only a single time-window for sperm competition and queens are predicted to gain control over the outcome of sperm storage quickly. The seminal fluid of Acromyrmex leaf-cutting ants reduces the viability of rival sperm, but how confrontations between unrelated ejaculates affect sperm storage remains unknown. Results We investigated the effects of ejaculate admixture on sperm motility in A. echinatior and found that the proportion of motile spermatozoa, sperm swimming speed, and linearity of sperm movement increased when rival ejaculates were mixed in vitro. Major effects induced by the seminal fluid of rival males were of similar magnitude to those generated by queen reproductive tract secretions, whereas own seminal fluid induced lower sperm activation levels. Conclusions Our results suggest that ant sperm respond via a self–non-self recognition mechanism to similar or shared molecules expressed in the reproductive secretions of both sexes. Lower sperm motility in the presence of own seminal fluid indicates that enhanced motility is costly and may trade-off with sperm viability during sperm storage, consistent with studies in vertebrates. Our results imply that ant spermatozoa have evolved to adjust their energetic expenditure during insemination depending on the perceived level of sperm competition. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12862-018-1144-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joanito Liberti
- Centre for Social Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Boris Baer
- Centre for Integrative Bee Research (CIBER), Department of Entomology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - Jacobus J Boomsma
- Centre for Social Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Bartlett MJ, Steeves TE, Gemmell NJ, Rosengrave PC. Sperm competition risk drives rapid ejaculate adjustments mediated by seminal fluid. eLife 2017; 6:e28811. [PMID: 29084621 PMCID: PMC5669631 DOI: 10.7554/elife.28811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2017] [Accepted: 09/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In many species, males can make rapid adjustments to ejaculate performance in response to sperm competition risk; however, the mechanisms behind these changes are not understood. Here, we manipulate male social status in an externally fertilising fish, chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), and find that in less than 48 hr, males can upregulate sperm velocity when faced with an increased risk of sperm competition. Using a series of in vitro sperm manipulation and competition experiments, we show that rapid changes in sperm velocity are mediated by seminal fluid and the effect of seminal fluid on sperm velocity directly impacts paternity share and therefore reproductive success. These combined findings, completely consistent with sperm competition theory, provide unequivocal evidence that sperm competition risk drives plastic adjustment of ejaculate quality, that seminal fluid harbours the mechanism for the rapid adjustment of sperm velocity and that fitness benefits accrue to males from such adjustment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Bartlett
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of CanterburyChristchurchNew Zealand
| | - Tammy E Steeves
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of CanterburyChristchurchNew Zealand
| | - Neil J Gemmell
- Department of AnatomyUniversity of OtagoDunedinNew Zealand
| | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Egeland TB, Rudolfsen G, Nordeide JT, Folstad I. Status Specific Tailoring of Sperm Behavior in an External Fertilizer. Front Ecol Evol 2016. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2016.00135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
|
11
|
Fenkes M, Shiels HA, Fitzpatrick JL, Nudds RL. The potential impacts of migratory difficulty, including warmer waters and altered flow conditions, on the reproductive success of salmonid fishes. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2015; 193:11-21. [PMID: 26603555 PMCID: PMC4751979 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2015.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2015] [Revised: 11/10/2015] [Accepted: 11/15/2015] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Climate change and urbanisation of watercourses affect water temperatures and current flow velocities in river systems on a global scale. This represents a particularly critical issue for migratory fish species with complex life histories that use rivers to reproduce. Salmonids are migratory keystone species that provide substantial economical value to ecosystems and human societies. Consequently, a comprehensive understanding of the effects of environmental stressors on their reproductive success is critical in order to ensure their continued abundance during future climatic change. Salmonids are capital breeders, relying entirely on endogenous energy stores to fuel return migration to their natal spawning sites and reproduction upon arrival. Metabolic rates and cost of transport en-route increase with temperature and at extreme temperatures, swimming is increasingly fuelled anaerobically, resulting in an oxygen debt and reduced capacity to recover from exhaustive exercise. Thermally challenged salmonids also produce less viable gametes, which themselves are affected by water temperature after release. Passage through hydrological barriers and temperature changes both affect energy expenditure. As a result, important energetic tradeoffs emerge between extra energy used during migration and that available for other facets of the reproductive cycle, such as reproductive competition and gamete production. However, studies identifying these tradeoffs are extremely sparse. This review focuses on the specific locomotor responses of salmonids to thermal and hydrological challenges, identifying gaps in our knowledge and highlighting the potential implications for key aspects of their reproduction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Fenkes
- University of Manchester, Faculty of Life Sciences, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom.
| | - Holly A Shiels
- University of Manchester, Faculty of Life Sciences, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom
| | - John L Fitzpatrick
- University of Manchester, Faculty of Life Sciences, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom
| | - Robert L Nudds
- University of Manchester, Faculty of Life Sciences, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Rudolfsen G, Serrano JV, Folstad I. Own, but not foreign seminal fluid inhibits sperm activation in a vertebrate with external fertilization. Front Ecol Evol 2015. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2015.00092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
|
13
|
|
14
|
Filby AL, Paull GC, Bartlett EJ, Van Look KJW, Tyler CR. Physiological and health consequences of social status in zebrafish (Danio rerio). Physiol Behav 2010; 101:576-87. [PMID: 20851709 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2010.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2010] [Revised: 08/26/2010] [Accepted: 09/06/2010] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Social status affects access to food, mates and shelter and has consequences for the physiology of individuals and their health status. In the zebrafish (Danio rerio), an emerging model for studies into animal behavior, the possible consequences of social hierarchy to an individual's physiology and health are unknown. To address this, in this species we assessed the effects of social interaction (for periods of 1-5days) on growth, stress, immune function and reproductive condition. Wide-ranging differences in physiology occurred between the social ranks, some of which were sex-related and time-dependent. In both sexes, dominant fish were larger than subordinates and dominant males had a higher growth rate during the trials. Subordinates had higher plasma cortisol and in males higher telencephalic corticotrophin-releasing hormone, neuropeptide y and glucocorticoid receptor gene expression. Splenic cytokine expression suggested differences in immune status between ranks in both sexes and hematocrit was elevated in subordinate males. In both sexes, dominants and subordinates differed in the expression of genes for various gonadal sex steroid receptors and steroidogenic enzymes and in dominant females the ovary was larger relative to body mass compared with in subordinates. Dominant males had higher plasma 11-ketotestosterone than subordinates and there was an increase in the number of spermatids in their testes over the duration of the study that was not seen in subordinate males. The wide-ranging physiological differences seen between dominant and subordinate zebrafish as a consequence of their social status suggest negative health impacts for subordinates after prolonged durations in those hierarchies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amy L Filby
- School of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Hatherly Laboratories, Prince of Wales Road, Exeter, Devon EX4 4PS, United Kingdom.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
JANHUNEN MATTI, RUDOLFSEN GEIR, KEKÄLÄINEN JUKKA, FIGENSCHOU LARS, PEUHKURI NINA, KORTET RAINE. Spawning coloration and sperm quality in a large lake population of Arctic charr (Salmonidae: Salvelinus alpinus L.). Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2009. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2009.01317.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
|