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Meszaros A, Ahmed J, Russo G, Tompa P, Lazar T. The evolution and polymorphism of mono-amino acid repeats in androgen receptor and their regulatory role in health and disease. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:1019803. [PMID: 36388907 PMCID: PMC9642029 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.1019803] [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: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Androgen receptor (AR) is a key member of nuclear hormone receptors with the longest intrinsically disordered N-terminal domain (NTD) in its protein family. There are four mono-amino acid repeats (polyQ1, polyQ2, polyG, and polyP) located within its NTD, of which two are polymorphic (polyQ1 and polyG). The length of both polymorphic repeats shows clinically important correlations with disease, especially with cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, as shorter and longer alleles exhibit significant differences in expression, activity and solubility. Importantly, AR has also been shown to undergo condensation in the nucleus by liquid-liquid phase separation, a process highly sensitive to protein solubility and concentration. Nonetheless, in prostate cancer cells, AR variants also partition into transcriptional condensates, which have been shown to alter the expression of target gene products. In this review, we summarize current knowledge on the link between AR repeat polymorphisms and cancer types, including mechanistic explanations and models comprising the relationship between condensate formation, polyQ1 length and transcriptional activity. Moreover, we outline the evolutionary paths of these recently evolved amino acid repeats across mammalian species, and discuss new research directions with potential breakthroughs and controversies in the literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Attila Meszaros
- VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), Brussels, Belgium
- Structural Biology Brussels (SBB), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Junaid Ahmed
- VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), Brussels, Belgium
- Structural Biology Brussels (SBB), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Giorgio Russo
- VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), Brussels, Belgium
- Structural Biology Brussels (SBB), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Peter Tompa
- VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), Brussels, Belgium
- Structural Biology Brussels (SBB), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
- Research Centre for Natural Sciences (RCNS), ELKH, Budapest, Hungary
- *Correspondence: Peter Tompa,
| | - Tamas Lazar
- VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), Brussels, Belgium
- Structural Biology Brussels (SBB), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
- Tamas Lazar,
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Sonnweber R, Stevens JMG, Hohmann G, Deschner T, Behringer V. Plasma Testosterone and Androstenedione Levels Follow the Same Sex-Specific Patterns in the Two Pan Species. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11091275. [PMID: 36138754 PMCID: PMC9495489 DOI: 10.3390/biology11091275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Generally male mammals are more aggressive than their female peers. In these males, aggressive behavior is linked to levels of androgens; higher levels of testosterone are predictive of higher aggression rates or more severe aggression. There are some species where the pattern of sex-specific aggression is reversed, and it was hypothesized that high levels of androgens may be responsible for social dominance and aggressiveness in these females. Studies so far found that females of species with sex-reversed aggression patterns (e.g., spotted hyenas and ring-tailed lemurs) had lower plasma testosterone levels than their male peers, but a precursor of testosterone, androstenedione, was comparable or even higher in females than in males. This supported the idea that selection for female aggressiveness may be facilitated through augmented androgen secretion. Here we show that in two sister species, bonobos and chimpanzees, that differ in terms of sex-specific aggression patterns, females have lower plasma testosterone levels and higher plasma androstenedione levels than their male peers. Thus, our data do not support a theory of a role of female androgen levels on the expression of sex-specific patterns of aggression. Abstract In most animals, males are considered more aggressive, in terms of frequency and intensity of aggressive behaviors, than their female peers. However, in several species this widespread male-biased aggression pattern is either extenuated, absent, or even sex-reversed. Studies investigating potential neuro-physiological mechanisms driving the selection for female aggression in these species have revealed an important, but not exclusive role of androgens in the expression of the observed sex-specific behavioral patterns. Two very closely related mammalian species that markedly differ in the expression and degree of sex-specific aggression are the two Pan species, where the chimpanzee societies are male-dominated while in bonobos sex-biased aggression patterns are alleviated. Using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) methods, we measured levels of plasma testosterone and androstenedione levels in male and female zoo-housed bonobos (N = 21; 12 females, 9 males) and chimpanzees (N = 41; 27 females, 14 males). Our results show comparable absolute and relative intersexual patterns of blood androgen levels in both species of Pan. Plasma testosterone levels were higher in males (bonobos: females: average 0.53 ± 0.30 ng/mL; males 6.70 ± 2.93 ng/mL; chimpanzees: females: average 0.40 ± 0.23 ng/mL; males 5.84 ± 3.63 ng/mL) and plasma androstenedione levels were higher in females of either species (bonobos: females: average 1.83 ± 0.87 ng/mL; males 1.13 ± 0.44 ng/mL; chimpanzees: females: average 1.84 ± 0.92 ng/mL; males 1.22 ± 0.55 ng/mL). The latter result speaks against a role of androstenedione in the mediation of heightened female aggression, as had been suggested based on studies in other mammal species where females are dominant and show high levels of female aggressiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Sonnweber
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria
- Correspondence:
| | - Jeroen M. G. Stevens
- Behavioral Ecology and Ecophysiology, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken, Building D, D1.21, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Gottfried Hohmann
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell/Konstanz, Germany
| | - Tobias Deschner
- Comparative BioCognition, Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Osnabrück, Artilleriestrasse 34, 49090 Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Verena Behringer
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Endocrinology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
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Staes N, White CM, Guevara EE, Eens M, Hopkins WD, Schapiro SJ, Stevens JM, Sherwood CC, Bradley BJ. Chimpanzee Extraversion scores vary with epigenetic modification of dopamine receptor gene D2 ( DRD2) and early rearing conditions. Epigenetics 2022; 17:1701-1714. [PMID: 35345970 PMCID: PMC9621015 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2022.2058224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimpanzees have consistent individual differences in behaviour, also referred to as personality. Similar to human personality structure, five dimensions are commonly found in chimpanzee studies that show evidence for convergent and predictive validity (Dominance, Openness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Reactivity/Undependability). These dimensions are to some extent heritable, indicating a genetic component that explains part of the variation in personality scores, but are also influenced by environmental factors, such as the early social rearing background of the individuals. In this study, we investigated the role of epigenetic modification of the dopamine receptor D2 gene (DRD2) as a potential mechanism underlying personality variation in 51 captive chimpanzees. We used previously collected personality trait rating data and determined levels of DRD2 CpG methylation in peripheral blood samples for these same individuals. Results showed that DRD2 methylation is most strongly associated with Extraversion, and that varying methylation levels at specific DRD2 sites are associated with changes in Extraversion in nursery-reared, but not mother-reared, individuals. These results highlight the role of dopaminergic signalling in chimpanzee personality, and indicate that environmental factors, such as social experiences early in life, can have long-lasting behavioural effects, potentially through modification of the epigenome. These findings add to the growing evidence demonstrating the importance of the experience-dependent methylome for the development of complex social traits like personality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicky Staes
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
- Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
- Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Cassandra M. White
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Elaine E Guevara
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Marcel Eens
- Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - William D. Hopkins
- Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, USA
- Neuroscience Institute and Language Research Center, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA USA
- Ape Cognition and Conservation Initiative, Des Moines, IA, USA
| | - Steven J. Schapiro
- Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, USA
| | - Jeroen M.G. Stevens
- Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
- Salto Agro- and Biotechnology, Odisee University College, Sint-Niklaas, Belgium
| | - Chet C. Sherwood
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Brenda J Bradley
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
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Vaglietti S, Fiumara F. PolyQ length co-evolution in neural proteins. NAR Genom Bioinform 2021; 3:lqab032. [PMID: 34017944 PMCID: PMC8121095 DOI: 10.1093/nargab/lqab032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Intermolecular co-evolution optimizes physiological performance in functionally related proteins, ultimately increasing molecular co-adaptation and evolutionary fitness. Polyglutamine (polyQ) repeats, which are over-represented in nervous system-related proteins, are increasingly recognized as length-dependent regulators of protein function and interactions, and their length variation contributes to intraspecific phenotypic variability and interspecific divergence. However, it is unclear whether polyQ repeat lengths evolve independently in each protein or rather co-evolve across functionally related protein pairs and networks, as in an integrated regulatory system. To address this issue, we investigated here the length evolution and co-evolution of polyQ repeats in clusters of functionally related and physically interacting neural proteins in Primates. We observed function-/disease-related polyQ repeat enrichment and evolutionary hypervariability in specific neural protein clusters, particularly in the neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric domains. Notably, these analyses detected extensive patterns of intermolecular polyQ length co-evolution in pairs and clusters of functionally related, physically interacting proteins. Moreover, they revealed both direct and inverse polyQ length co-variation in protein pairs, together with complex patterns of coordinated repeat variation in entire polyQ protein sets. These findings uncover a whole system of co-evolving polyQ repeats in neural proteins with direct implications for understanding polyQ-dependent phenotypic variability, neurocognitive evolution and neuropsychiatric disease pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Vaglietti
- Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Torino 10125, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Fiumara
- Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Torino 10125, Italy
- National Institute of Neuroscience (INN), University of Torino, Torino 10125, Italy
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Staes N, Sherwood CC, Freeman H, Brosnan SF, Schapiro SJ, Hopkins WD, Bradley BJ. Serotonin Receptor 1A Variation Is Associated with Anxiety and Agonistic Behavior in Chimpanzees. Mol Biol Evol 2020; 36:1418-1429. [PMID: 31045220 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msz061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that plays an important role in regulating behavior and personality in humans and other mammals. Polymorphisms in genes coding for the serotonin receptor subtype 1A (HTR1A), the serotonin transporter (SLC6A4), and the serotonin degrading enzyme monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) are associated with anxiety, impulsivity, and neurotic personality in humans. In primates, previous research has largely focused on SLC6A4 and MAOA, with few studies investigating the role of HTR1A polymorphic variation on behavior. Here, we examined variation in the coding region of HTR1A across apes, and genotyped polymorphic coding variation in a sample of 214 chimpanzees with matched measures of personality and behavior. We found evidence for positive selection at three amino acid substitution sites, one in chimpanzees-bonobos (Thr26Ser), one in humans (Phe33Val), and one in orangutans (Ala274Gly). Investigation of the HTR1A coding region in chimpanzees revealed a polymorphic site, where a C/A single nucleotide polymorphism changes a proline to a glutamine in the amino acid sequence (Pro248Gln). The substitution is located in the third intracellular loop of the receptor, a region important for serotonin signal transduction. The derived variant is the major allele in this population (frequency 0.67), and is associated with a reduction in anxiety, decreased rates of male agonistic behavior, and an increase in socio-positive behavior. These results are the first evidence that the HTR1A gene may be involved in regulating social behavior in chimpanzees and encourage further systematic investigation of polymorphic variation in other primate populations with corresponding data on behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicky Staes
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC.,Department of Biology, Behavioral Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.,Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Chet C Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Hani Freeman
- Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterBastrop, TX
| | - Sarah F Brosnan
- Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterBastrop, TX.,Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA.,Neuroscience Institute and Language Research Center, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Steven J Schapiro
- Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterBastrop, TX
| | - William D Hopkins
- Neuroscience Institute and Language Research Center, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA.,Ape Cognition and Conservation Initiative, Des Moines, IA
| | - Brenda J Bradley
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC
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Monoamine oxidase polymorphisms in rhesus and Japanese macaques (Macaca mulatta and M. fuscata). J Chem Neuroanat 2020; 103:101726. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2019.101726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Revised: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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Hiramatsu C, Paukner A, Kuroshima H, Fujita K, Suomi SJ, Inoue-Murayama M. Short poly-glutamine repeat in the androgen receptor in New World monkeys. Meta Gene 2017; 14:105-113. [PMID: 28948156 PMCID: PMC5609184 DOI: 10.1016/j.mgene.2017.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2017] [Revised: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 08/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The androgen receptor mediates various physiological and developmental functions and is highly conserved in mammals. Although great intraspecific length polymorphisms in poly glutamine (poly-Q) and poly glycine (poly-G) regions of the androgen receptor in humans, apes and several Old World monkeys have been reported, little is known about the characteristics of these regions in New World monkeys. In this study, we surveyed 17 species of New World monkeys and found length polymorphisms in these regions in three species (common squirrel monkeys, tufted capuchin monkeys and owl monkeys). We found that the poly-Q region in New World monkeys is relatively shorter than that in catarrhines (humans, apes and Old World monkeys). In addition, we observed that codon usage for poly-G region in New World monkeys is unique among primates. These results suggest that the length of polymorphic regions in androgen receptor genes have evolved uniquely in New World monkeys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chihiro Hiramatsu
- Department of Human Science, Faculty of Design, Kyushu University, 4-9-1 Shiobaru, Minamiku, Fukuoka 815-8540, Japan
- Physiological Anthropology Research Center, Kyushu University, 4-9-1 Shiobaru, Minamiku, Fukuoka 815-8540, Japan
| | - Annika Paukner
- Laboratory of Comparative Ethology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Elmer School RD Room 217, Poolesville, MD 20837, USA
| | - Hika Kuroshima
- Department of Psychology, Graduate School of Letters, Kyoto University, Yoshidahonmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Kazuo Fujita
- Department of Psychology, Graduate School of Letters, Kyoto University, Yoshidahonmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Stephen J. Suomi
- Laboratory of Comparative Ethology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Elmer School RD Room 217, Poolesville, MD 20837, USA
| | - Miho Inoue-Murayama
- Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Tanaka-Sekiden-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8203, Japan
- Wildlife Genome Collaborative Research Group, National Institute for Environmental Studies, 16-2, Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8506, Japan
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Maney DL. Polymorphisms in sex steroid receptors: From gene sequence to behavior. Front Neuroendocrinol 2017; 47:47-65. [PMID: 28705582 PMCID: PMC6312198 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2017.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2017] [Revised: 07/05/2017] [Accepted: 07/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Sex steroid receptors have received much interest as potential mediators of human behaviors and mental disorders. Candidate gene association studies have identified about 50 genetic variants of androgen and estrogen receptors that correlate with human behavioral phenotypes. Because most of these polymorphisms lie outside coding regions, discerning their effect on receptor function is not straightforward. Thus, although discoveries of associations improve our ability to predict risk, they have not greatly advanced our understanding of underlying mechanisms. This article is intended to serve as a starting point for psychologists and other behavioral biologists to consider potential mechanisms. Here, I review associations between polymorphisms in sex steroid receptors and human behavioral phenotypes. I then consider ways in which genetic variation can affect processes such as mRNA transcription, splicing, and stability. Finally, I suggest ways that hypotheses about mechanism can be tested, for example using in vitro assays and/or animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donna L Maney
- Department of Psychology, 36 Eagle Row, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
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10
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Androgen receptor gene polymorphism in zebra species. Meta Gene 2015; 5:120-3. [PMID: 26236645 PMCID: PMC4501558 DOI: 10.1016/j.mgene.2015.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2015] [Revised: 06/12/2015] [Accepted: 06/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Androgen receptor genes (AR) have been found to have associations with reproductive development, behavioral traits, and disorders in humans. However, the influence of similar genetic effects on the behavior of other animals is scarce. We examined the loci AR glutamine repeat (ARQ) in 44 Grevy's zebras, 23 plains zebras, and three mountain zebras, and compared them with those of domesticated horses. We observed polymorphism among zebra species and between zebra and horse. As androgens such as testosterone influence aggressiveness, AR polymorphism among equid species may be associated with differences in levels of aggression and tameness. Our findings indicate that it would be useful to conduct further studies focusing on the potential association between AR and personality traits, and to understand domestication of equid species.
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