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Gomez RA, Dallai R, Sims-West DJ, Mercati D, Sinka R, Ahmed-Braimah Y, Pitnick S, Dorus S. Proteomic diversification of spermatostyles among six species of whirligig beetles. Mol Reprod Dev 2024; 91:e23745. [PMID: 38785179 PMCID: PMC11246569 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23745] [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: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Seminal fluid protein composition is complex and commonly assumed to be rapidly divergent due to functional interactions with both sperm and the female reproductive tract (FRT), both of which evolve rapidly. In addition to sperm, seminal fluid may contain structures, such as mating plugs and spermatophores. Here, we investigate the evolutionary diversification of a lesser-known ejaculate structure: the spermatostyle, which has independently arisen in several families of beetles and true bugs. We characterized the spermatostyle proteome, in addition to spermatostyle and FRT morphology, in six species of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae). Spermatostyles were enriched for proteolytic enzymes, and assays confirmed they possess proteolytic activity. Sperm-leucylaminopeptidases (S-LAPs) were particularly abundant, and their localization to spermatostyles was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Although there was evidence for functional conservation of spermatostyle proteomes across species, phylogenetic regressions suggest evolutionary covariation between protein composition and the morphology of both spermatostyles and FRTs. We postulate that S-LAPs (and other proteases) have evolved a novel structural role in spermatostyles and discuss spermatostyles as adaptations for delivering male-derived materials to females.
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Affiliation(s)
- R. Antonio Gomez
- Department of Biology, Center for Reproductive Evolution, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Romano Dallai
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Dylan J. Sims-West
- Department of Biology, Center for Reproductive Evolution, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - David Mercati
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Rita Sinka
- Department of Genetics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Yasir Ahmed-Braimah
- Department of Biology, Center for Reproductive Evolution, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Scott Pitnick
- Department of Biology, Center for Reproductive Evolution, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Steve Dorus
- Department of Biology, Center for Reproductive Evolution, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA
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2
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Zelinger E, Brumfeld V, Rechav K, Waiger D, Kossovsky T, Heifetz Y. Three-dimensional correlative microscopy of the Drosophila female reproductive tract reveals modes of communication in seminal receptacle sperm storage. Commun Biol 2024; 7:155. [PMID: 38321098 PMCID: PMC10847118 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-05829-y] [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: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
In many taxa, females store sperm in specialized storage organs. Most insect sperm storage organs have a tubular structure, typically consisting of a central lumen surrounded by epithelial cells. These specialized tubules perform the essential tasks of transporting sperm through the female reproductive tract and supporting long-term sperm survival and function. Little is known about the way in which female sperm storage organs provide an environment conducive to sperm survival. We address this using a combined light microscopy, micro computed tomography (microCT), and Focused Ion Beam Scanning Electron Microscopy (FIB-SEM) approach for high-resolution correlative three-dimensional imaging to advance our understanding of sperm-female interactions in Drosophila melanogaster. Using this multimodal approach, we were able to scan the lower female reproductive tract and distal portion of the seminal receptacle at low magnification, and to subsequently zoom in for further analysis on an ultrastructural level. Our findings highlight aspects of the way in which the seminal receptacle keeps sperm viable in the lumen, and set the stage for further studies. The methods developed are suitable not only for Drosophila but also for other organisms with soft, delicate tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Einat Zelinger
- Department of Entomology, The Hebrew University, Rehovot, Israel
- Center for Scientific Imaging, The Hebrew University, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Vlad Brumfeld
- Chemical Research Support Department, Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Katya Rechav
- Chemical Research Support Department, Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Daniel Waiger
- Center for Scientific Imaging, The Hebrew University, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Tally Kossovsky
- Center for Scientific Imaging, The Hebrew University, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Yael Heifetz
- Department of Entomology, The Hebrew University, Rehovot, Israel.
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3
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Berg C, Sieber M, Sun J. Finishing the egg. Genetics 2024; 226:iyad183. [PMID: 38000906 PMCID: PMC10763546 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyad183] [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: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Gamete development is a fundamental process that is highly conserved from early eukaryotes to mammals. As germ cells develop, they must coordinate a dynamic series of cellular processes that support growth, cell specification, patterning, the loading of maternal factors (RNAs, proteins, and nutrients), differentiation of structures to enable fertilization and ensure embryonic survival, and other processes that make a functional oocyte. To achieve these goals, germ cells integrate a complex milieu of environmental and developmental signals to produce fertilizable eggs. Over the past 50 years, Drosophila oogenesis has risen to the forefront as a system to interrogate the sophisticated mechanisms that drive oocyte development. Studies in Drosophila have defined mechanisms in germ cells that control meiosis, protect genome integrity, facilitate mRNA trafficking, and support the maternal loading of nutrients. Work in this system has provided key insights into the mechanisms that establish egg chamber polarity and patterning as well as the mechanisms that drive ovulation and egg activation. Using the power of Drosophila genetics, the field has begun to define the molecular mechanisms that coordinate environmental stresses and nutrient availability with oocyte development. Importantly, the majority of these reproductive mechanisms are highly conserved throughout evolution, and many play critical roles in the development of somatic tissues as well. In this chapter, we summarize the recent progress in several key areas that impact egg chamber development and ovulation. First, we discuss the mechanisms that drive nutrient storage and trafficking during oocyte maturation and vitellogenesis. Second, we examine the processes that regulate follicle cell patterning and how that patterning impacts the construction of the egg shell and the establishment of embryonic polarity. Finally, we examine regulatory factors that control ovulation, egg activation, and successful fertilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celeste Berg
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-5065USA
| | - Matthew Sieber
- Department of Physiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390USA
| | - Jianjun Sun
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269USA
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4
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Kulkarni A, Delgadillo FM, Gayathrinathan S, Grajeda BI, Roy S. Current Status of Omics Studies Elucidating the Features of Reproductive Biology in Blood-Feeding Insects. INSECTS 2023; 14:802. [PMID: 37887814 PMCID: PMC10607566 DOI: 10.3390/insects14100802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Female insects belonging to the genera Anopheles, Aedes, Glossina, and Rhodnius account for the majority of global vector-borne disease mortality. In response to mating, these female insects undergo several molecular, physiological, and behavioral changes. Studying the dynamic post-mating molecular responses in these insects that transmit human diseases can lead to the identification of potential targets for the development of novel vector control methods. With the continued advancements in bioinformatics tools, we now have the capability to delve into various physiological processes in these insects. Here, we discuss the availability of multiple datasets describing the reproductive physiology of the common blood-feeding insects at the molecular level. Additionally, we compare the male-derived triggers transferred during mating to females, examining both shared and species-specific factors. These triggers initiate post-mating genetic responses in female vectors, affecting not only their reproductive success but also disease transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditi Kulkarni
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA; (A.K.); (F.M.D.); (S.G.); (B.I.G.)
- Border Biomedical Research Center, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
| | - Frida M. Delgadillo
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA; (A.K.); (F.M.D.); (S.G.); (B.I.G.)
- Environmental Science and Engineering Ph.D. Program, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
| | - Sharan Gayathrinathan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA; (A.K.); (F.M.D.); (S.G.); (B.I.G.)
- Border Biomedical Research Center, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
| | - Brian I. Grajeda
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA; (A.K.); (F.M.D.); (S.G.); (B.I.G.)
- Biosciences Ph.D. Program, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
| | - Sourav Roy
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA; (A.K.); (F.M.D.); (S.G.); (B.I.G.)
- Border Biomedical Research Center, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
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5
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Zhang L, Wang Y, Sun X, Kang Y, Sohail T, Wang J, Li Y. Effects of Different Diluents on Semen Quality of Hu Ram Stored at 4 °C. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2823. [PMID: 37760223 PMCID: PMC10525221 DOI: 10.3390/ani13182823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the effects of various diluents on the quality of Hu ram sperm stored at 4 °C. Semen samples were collected from three Hu rams and diluted with diluents A (Sodium citrate-Glucose-Egg yolk), B (Sodium citrate-Glucose), C (Fructose-Skimmed milk powder-Soy lecithin), and D (Tris-Fructose-Citric acid-Egg yolk). Total motility (TM), straight-line velocity (VSL), average path velocity (VAP), curvilinear velocity (VCL), average motion degree (MAD), acrosome integrity, membrane integrity, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were evaluated. The results showed that diluent D had better preservation in terms of the sperm TM, VSL, VCL, VAP, MAD, and membrane and acrosome integrity. On the third day of the storage, the sperm PM of diluent D was higher than that of other diluents (p < 0.05). The ROS level of diluent D was lower than that of other diluents on the fifth day (p < 0.05). On the seventh day of the storage, the sperm TM in diluent D reached 50%, which was the highest in all diluent groups. On the seventh day of the storage, the integrity of the sperm membrane and the integrity of the acrosome of the sperm in diluent D were the highest in all diluent groups (p < 0.05). In conclusion, these results indicated that diluent D improved the semen quality during storage at 4 °C. In this study, diluent D was the best diluent formula for Hu ram semen stored at 4 °C.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Jian Wang
- Key Laboratory for Animal Genetics & Molecular Breeding of Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (L.Z.)
| | - Yongjun Li
- Key Laboratory for Animal Genetics & Molecular Breeding of Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; (L.Z.)
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6
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Garlovsky MD, Ahmed-Braimah YH. Evolutionary Quantitative Proteomics of Reproductive Protein Divergence in Drosophila. Mol Cell Proteomics 2023; 22:100610. [PMID: 37391044 PMCID: PMC10407754 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcpro.2023.100610] [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: 04/09/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Reproductive traits often evolve rapidly between species. Understanding the causes and consequences of this rapid divergence requires characterization of female and male reproductive proteins and their effect on fertilization success. Species in the Drosophila virilis clade exhibit rampant interspecific reproductive incompatibilities, making them ideal for studies on diversification of reproductive proteins and their role in speciation. Importantly, the role of intraejaculate protein abundance and allocation in interspecific divergence is poorly understood. Here, we identify and quantify the transferred male ejaculate proteome using multiplexed isobaric labeling of the lower female reproductive tract before and immediately after mating using three species of the virilis group. We identified over 200 putative male ejaculate proteins, many of which show differential abundance between species, suggesting that males transfer a species-specific allocation of seminal fluid proteins during copulation. We also identified over 2000 female reproductive proteins, which contain female-specific serine-type endopeptidases that showed differential abundance between species and elevated rates of molecular evolution, similar to that of some male seminal fluid proteins. Our findings suggest that reproductive protein divergence can also manifest in terms of species-specific protein abundance patterns.
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7
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Hakala SM, Fujioka H, Gapp K, De Gasperin O, Genzoni E, Kilner RM, Koene JM, König B, Linksvayer TA, Meurville MP, Negroni MA, Palejowski H, Wigby S, LeBoeuf AC. Socially transferred materials: why and how to study them. Trends Ecol Evol 2022; 38:446-458. [PMID: 36543692 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
When biological material is transferred from one individual's body to another, as in ejaculate, eggs, and milk, secondary donor-produced molecules are often transferred along with the main cargo, and influence the physiology and fitness of the receiver. Both social and solitary animals exhibit such social transfers at certain life stages. The secondary, bioactive, and transfer-supporting components in socially transferred materials have evolved convergently to the point where they are used in applications across taxa and type of transfer. The composition of these materials is typically highly dynamic and context dependent, and their components drive the physiological and behavioral evolution of many taxa. Our establishment of the concept of socially transferred materials unifies this multidisciplinary topic and will benefit both theory and applications.
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8
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Álvarez B, Koene JM. Cognition and Its Shaping Effect on Sexual Conflict: Integrating Biology and Psychology. Front Integr Neurosci 2022; 16:826304. [PMID: 35515268 PMCID: PMC9062228 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2022.826304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
While genetic variation is of crucial importance for organisms to be able to adapt to their ever-changing environments over generations, cognitive processes can serve the same purpose by acting at shorter time scales. Cognition, and its resulting behaviour, allows animals to display flexible, fast and reversible responses that, without implying a genetic change, are crucial for adaptation and survival. In the research field on sexual conflict, where studies focus on male and female mating strategies that increase the individual's reproductive fitness while forcing a cost on the partner, the role that cognition may play in how such strategies can be optimised has been widely overlooked. However, a careful analysis of behavioural studies shows that animals can develop and change their responses depending on what they perceive as well as on what they can predict from their experience, which can be of prime importance for optimising their reproductive fitness. As will be reviewed here, largely psychological processes, such as perception, memory, learning and decision-making, can not only modulate sexual conflict, but can also have a big impact on the reproductive success of a given individual. This review highlights the need for a more integrative view of sexual conflict where cognitive processes are also considered as a fundamental part of an animal's adaptive mating response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Álvarez
- Department of Psychology, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Joris M. Koene
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Naturalis Biodiversity Centre, Leiden, Netherlands
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9
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The life history of
Drosophila
sperm involves molecular continuity between male and female reproductive tracts. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2119899119. [PMID: 35254899 PMCID: PMC8931355 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2119899119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In species with internal fertilization, sperm spend an important part of their lives within the female. To examine the life history of the sperm during this time, we used semiquantitative proteomics and sex-specific isotopic labeling in fruit flies to determine the extent of molecular continuity between male and female reproductive tracts and provide a global catalog of sperm-associated proteins. Multiple seminal fluid proteins and female proteins associate with sperm immediately after mating. Few seminal fluid proteins remain after long-term sperm storage, whereas female-derived proteins constitute one-fifth of the postmating sperm proteome by then. Our data reveal a molecular “hand-off” from males to females, which we postulate to be an important component of sperm–female interactions. Interactions between sperm and the female reproductive tract (FRT) are critical to reproductive success and yet are poorly understood. Because sperm complete their functional maturation within the FRT, the life history of sperm is likely to include a molecular “hand-off” from males to females. Although such intersexual molecular continuity is likely to be widespread among all internally fertilizing species, the identity and extent of female contributions are largely unknown. We combined semiquantitative proteomics with sex-specific isotopic labeling to catalog the posttesticular life history of the sperm proteome and determine the extent of molecular continuity between male and FRTs. We show that the Drosophila melanogaster sperm proteome undergoes substantial compositional changes after being transferred to the FRT. Multiple seminal fluid proteins initially associate with sperm, but most become undetectable after sperm are stored. Female-derived proteins also begin to associate with sperm immediately after mating, and they comprise nearly 20% of the postmating sperm proteome following 4 d of storage in the FRT. Female-derived proteins that associate with sperm are enriched for processes associated with energy metabolism, suggesting that female contributions support sperm viability during the prolonged period between copulation and fertilization. Our research provides a comprehensive characterization of sperm proteome dynamics and expands our understanding of the critical process of sperm–FRT interactions.
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10
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McDonough-Goldstein CE, Pitnick S, Dorus S. Drosophila female reproductive glands contribute to mating plug composition and the timing of sperm ejection. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20212213. [PMID: 35105240 PMCID: PMC8808094 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.2213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Reproductive traits that influence female remating and competitive fertilization rapidly evolve in response to sexual selection and sexual conflict. One such trait, observed across diverse animal taxa, is the formation of a structural plug inside the female reproductive tract (FRT), either during or shortly after mating. In Drosophila melanogaster, male seminal fluid forms a mating plug inside the female bursa, which has been demonstrated to influence sperm entry into storage and latency of female remating. Processing of the plug, including its eventual ejection from the female's reproductive tract, influences the competitive fertilization success of her mates and is mediated by female × male genotypic interactions. However, female contributions to plug formation and processing have received limited attention. Using developmental mutants that lack glandular FRT tissues, we reveal that these tissues are essential for mating plug ejection. We further use proteomics to demonstrate that female glandular proteins, and especially proteolytic enzymes, contribute to mating plug composition and have a widespread impact on plug formation and composition. Together, these phenotypic and molecular data identify female contributions to intersexual interactions that are a potential mechanism of post-copulatory sexual selection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Scott Pitnick
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Biology Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | - Steve Dorus
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Biology Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
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