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Míčková K, Jelínek V, Tomášek O, Stopková R, Stopka P, Albrecht T. Proteomic analysis reveals dynamic changes in cloacal fluid composition during the reproductive season in a sexually promiscuous passerine. Sci Rep 2024; 14:14259. [PMID: 38902251 PMCID: PMC11190206 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62244-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Cryptic female choice (CFC) is a component of postcopulatory sexual selection that allows females to influence the fertilization success of sperm from different males. While its precise mechanisms remain unclear, they may involve the influence of the protein composition of the female reproductive fluids on sperm functionality. This study maps the protein composition of the cloacal fluid across different phases of female reproductive cycle in a sexually promiscuous passerine, the barn swallow. Similar to mammals, the protein composition in the female reproductive tract differed between receptive (when females copulate) and nonreceptive phases. With the change in the protein background, the enriched gene ontology terms also shifted. Within the receptive phase, distinctions were observed between proteomes sampled just before and during egg laying. However, three proteins exhibited increased abundance during the entire receptive phase compared to nonreceptive phases. These proteins are candidates in cryptic female choice, as all of them can influence the functionality of sperm or sperm-egg interaction. Our study demonstrates dynamic changes in the cloacal environment throughout the avian breeding cycle, emphasizing the importance of considering these fluctuations in studies of cryptic female choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristýna Míčková
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Václav Jelínek
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Oldřich Tomášek
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Romana Stopková
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Stopka
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Tomáš Albrecht
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic.
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2
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Kheawkanha T, Chankitisakul V, Pimprasert M, Boonkum W, Vongpralub T. Fertility and Insemination Characteristics of Sperm Storage Tubules in Old Thai-Native Hens. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:694. [PMID: 38473079 DOI: 10.3390/ani14050694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
We aimed to evaluate the effects of sperm concentration (150-250 × 106 spz/dose) and insemination frequency (once, twice, and thrice weekly) on fertility and sperm storage tubule (SST) characteristics. The SSTs were classified into five categories: namely, SSTs having an unscorable (SST1), empty (SST2), low (SST3), medium (SST4), and high (SST5) sperm count after insemination. The results showed that only insemination frequency affected the fertility rate (p < 0.05). The highest fertility was found in the thrice-weekly insemination group; however, this rate was not significantly different from that for the twice-weekly insemination group, except on day 7, while the once-weekly insemination group showed the lowest fertility rate (p < 0.05) from day four onward. On day 1, the SST characteristics showed no differences among the various insemination frequencies. On day 4, the SST2 and SST3 categories increased in the once-weekly insemination group (p < 0.05), while the SST4 and SST5 categories decreased compared to the twice- and thrice-weekly insemination groups (p < 0.05). On day 7, only the thrice-weekly insemination group maintained a level of SST5 category tubules like that measured on day 1 (p > 0.05). In summary, the insemination dose of 150 × 106 sperm was enough for fertilization, and thrice-weekly insemination was the appropriate frequency in old Thai native hens for maintaining a high sperm density in the SSTs throughout the week.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theerapat Kheawkanha
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Vibuntita Chankitisakul
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
- Network Center for Animal Breeding and Omics Research, Faculty of Agricultural, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Maruay Pimprasert
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Wuttigrai Boonkum
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
- Network Center for Animal Breeding and Omics Research, Faculty of Agricultural, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Thevin Vongpralub
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
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3
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Miller DJ. Sperm in the Mammalian Female Reproductive Tract: Surfing Through the Tract to Try to Beat the Odds. Annu Rev Anim Biosci 2024; 12:301-319. [PMID: 37906840 PMCID: PMC11149062 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-animal-021022-040629] [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] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Mammalian sperm are deposited in the vagina or the cervix/uterus at coitus or at artificial insemination, and the fertilizing sperm move through the female reproductive tract to the ampulla of the oviduct, the site of fertilization. But the destination of most sperm is not the oviduct. Most sperm are carried by retrograde fluid flow to the vagina, are phagocytosed, and/or do not pass barriers on the pathway to the oviduct. The sperm that reach the site of fertilization are the exceptions and winners of one of the most stringent selection processes in nature. This review discusses the challenges sperm encounter and how the few sperm that reach the site of fertilization overcome them. The sperm that reach the goal must navigate viscoelastic fluid, swim vigorously and cooperatively along the walls of the female tract, avoid the innate immune system, and respond to potential cues to direct their movement.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Miller
- Department of Animal Sciences and Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA;
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4
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A new bunting species in South China revealed by an integrative taxonomic investigation of the Emberiza godlewskii complex (Aves, Emberidae). Mol Phylogenet Evol 2023; 180:107697. [PMID: 36586546 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107697] [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: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Species boundaries of birds across the Euro-Asian continent, especially the widely distributed passerines with multiple subspecies, are not completely resolved. The Rock Bunting complex, Emberiza cia and E. godlewskii, is subject to ongoing debate due to geographic variation in its morphology, and deep genetic splits. In this study, the phylogenetic relationships of the E. cia/godlewskii complex were evaluated based on multilocus coalescence methods combined with analyses of plumage color and morphological variation. Although the northern and southern populations of E. godlewski formed reciprocally monophyletic groups, the northern E. godlewskii clade is the sister group to E. cia, rendering E. godlewskii as currently defined paraphyletic. The significant differences in morphometry and plumage color reflectance are complementary and support the phenotypic validity of northern and southern E. godlewskii. Thus, we recommend the following taxonomic revisions: the northern and southern E. godlewskii subspecies should be recognized as different full species, such as E. godlewskii and E. yunnanensis, respectively. This resolves the issue that E. godlewskii, as currently defined, is paraphyletic. Our research provides direct evidence of cryptic species in old world buntings and highlights the underestimation of species diversity in birds in East Asia.
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5
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Sperm morphology and performance in relation to postmating prezygotic isolation in two recently diverged passerine species. Sci Rep 2022; 12:22275. [PMID: 36566302 PMCID: PMC9789955 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-26101-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Divergence in sperm phenotype and female reproductive environment may be a common source of postmating prezygotic (PMPZ) isolation between species. However, compared to other reproductive barriers it has received much less attention. In this study, we examined sperm morphology and velocity in two hybridizing passerine species, the common nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos) and thrush nightingale (L. luscinia). In addition, we for the first time characterized a passerine female reproductive tract fluid proteome. We demonstrate that spermatozoa of the common nightingale have significantly longer and wider midpiece (proximal part of the flagellum containing mitochondria) and longer tail compared to spermatozoa of thrush nightingale. On the other hand, they have significantly shorter and narrower acrosome. Importantly, these differences did not have any effect on sperm velocity. Furthermore, the fluid from the reproductive tract of common nightingale females did not differentially affect velocity of conspecific and heterospecific sperm. Our results indicate that the observed changes in the flagellum and acrosome size are unlikely to contribute to PMPZ isolation through differential sperm velocity of conspecific and heterospecific sperm in the female reproductive tract. However, they could affect other postcopulatory processes, which might be involved in PMPZ isolation, such as sperm storage, longevity or sperm-egg interaction.
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6
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Ottenburghs J, Harteman J. Sexually dichromatic hybrids between two monochromatic duck species, the Chiloé wigeon and the Philippine duck. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:16409-16412. [PMID: 34938444 PMCID: PMC8668737 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Captive bird hybrids can provide important data on certain traits, such as hybrid viability and fertility. In this paper, we describe four hybrids between the Chiloé wigeon (Anas sibilatrix) and the Philippine duck (Anas luzonica). These two species diverged about 13 million years ago and are found on different continents, making the occurrence of wild hybrids extremely unlikely. Hence, these captive hybrids provide a unique opportunity to learn more about the outcome of hybridization between these highly divergent species. One pair of hybrids mated and produced six unfertilized eggs, suggesting that hybrids between these species are infertile. Morphologically, the hybrids were slightly larger than the parental species, but had intermediate bill lengths. With regard to plumage patterns, the hybrids displayed characteristics of both parental species: Males developed the iridescent green head pattern of the Chiloé wigeon, whereas the females showed the dark crown and eye stripe of the Philippine duck. Interestingly, Chiloé wigeon and Philippine duck are both sexually monochromatic whereas the hybrids showed clear sexual dimorphism. These hybrids can thus lead to novel insights into the genetic and developmental basis of sexual mono- and dichromatism in ducks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jente Ottenburghs
- Wildlife Ecology and ConservationWageningen University & ResearchWageningenThe Netherlands
- Forest Ecology and Forest ManagementWageningen University & ResearchWageningenThe Netherlands
| | - Jan Harteman
- Harteman Wildfowl AviariesWinssenThe Netherlands
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7
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Assersohn K, Brekke P, Hemmings N. Physiological factors influencing female fertility in birds. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 8:202274. [PMID: 34350009 PMCID: PMC8316823 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.202274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Fertility is fundamental to reproductive success, but not all copulation attempts result in a fertilized embryo. Fertilization failure is especially costly for females, but we still lack a clear understanding of the causes of variation in female fertility across taxa. Birds make a useful model system for fertility research, partly because their large eggs are easily studied outside of the female's body, but also because of the wealth of data available on the reproductive productivity of commercial birds. Here, we review the factors contributing to female infertility in birds, providing evidence that female fertility traits are understudied relative to male fertility traits, and that avian fertility research has been dominated by studies focused on Galliformes and captive (relative to wild) populations. We then discuss the key stages of the female reproductive cycle where fertility may be compromised, and make recommendations for future research. We particularly emphasize that studies must differentiate between infertility and embryo mortality as causes of hatching failure, and that non-breeding individuals should be monitored more routinely where possible. This review lays the groundwork for developing a clearer understanding of the causes of female infertility, with important consequences for multiple fields including reproductive science, conservation and commercial breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Assersohn
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Patricia Brekke
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regents Park, London NW1 4RY, UK
| | - Nicola Hemmings
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
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8
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Hernández-Hernández T, Miller EC, Román-Palacios C, Wiens JJ. Speciation across the Tree of Life. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 96:1205-1242. [PMID: 33768723 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Revised: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Much of what we know about speciation comes from detailed studies of well-known model systems. Although there have been several important syntheses on speciation, few (if any) have explicitly compared speciation among major groups across the Tree of Life. Here, we synthesize and compare what is known about key aspects of speciation across taxa, including bacteria, protists, fungi, plants, and major animal groups. We focus on three main questions. Is allopatric speciation predominant across groups? How common is ecological divergence of sister species (a requirement for ecological speciation), and on what niche axes do species diverge in each group? What are the reproductive isolating barriers in each group? Our review suggests the following patterns. (i) Based on our survey and projected species numbers, the most frequent speciation process across the Tree of Life may be co-speciation between endosymbiotic bacteria and their insect hosts. (ii) Allopatric speciation appears to be present in all major groups, and may be the most common mode in both animals and plants, based on non-overlapping ranges of sister species. (iii) Full sympatry of sister species is also widespread, and may be more common in fungi than allopatry. (iv) Full sympatry of sister species is more common in some marine animals than in terrestrial and freshwater ones. (v) Ecological divergence of sister species is widespread in all groups, including ~70% of surveyed species pairs of plants and insects. (vi) Major axes of ecological divergence involve species interactions (e.g. host-switching) and habitat divergence. (vii) Prezygotic isolation appears to be generally more widespread and important than postzygotic isolation. (viii) Rates of diversification (and presumably speciation) are strikingly different across groups, with the fastest rates in plants, and successively slower rates in animals, fungi, and protists, with the slowest rates in prokaryotes. Overall, our study represents an initial step towards understanding general patterns in speciation across all organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania Hernández-Hernández
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721-0088, U.S.A.,Catedrática CONACYT asignada a LANGEBIO-UGA Cinvestav, Libramiento Norte Carretera León Km 9.6, 36821, Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - Elizabeth C Miller
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721-0088, U.S.A
| | - Cristian Román-Palacios
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721-0088, U.S.A
| | - John J Wiens
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721-0088, U.S.A
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9
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Rowe M, Whittington E, Borziak K, Ravinet M, Eroukhmanoff F, Sætre GP, Dorus S. Molecular Diversification of the Seminal Fluid Proteome in a Recently Diverged Passerine Species Pair. Mol Biol Evol 2020; 37:488-506. [PMID: 31665510 PMCID: PMC6993853 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msz235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Seminal fluid proteins (SFPs) mediate an array of postmating reproductive processes that influence fertilization and fertility. As such, it is widely held that SFPs may contribute to postmating, prezygotic reproductive barriers between closely related taxa. We investigated seminal fluid (SF) diversification in a recently diverged passerine species pair (Passer domesticus and Passer hispaniolensis) using a combination of proteomic and comparative evolutionary genomic approaches. First, we characterized and compared the SF proteome of the two species, revealing consistencies with known aspects of SFP biology and function in other taxa, including the presence and diversification of proteins involved in immunity and sperm maturation. Second, using whole-genome resequencing data, we assessed patterns of genomic differentiation between house and Spanish sparrows. These analyses detected divergent selection on immunity-related SF genes and positive selective sweeps in regions containing a number of SF genes that also exhibited protein abundance diversification between species. Finally, we analyzed the molecular evolution of SFPs across 11 passerine species and found a significantly higher rate of positive selection in SFPs compared with the rest of the genome, as well as significant enrichments for functional pathways related to immunity in the set of positively selected SF genes. Our results suggest that selection on immunity pathways is an important determinant of passerine SF composition and evolution. Assessing the role of immunity genes in speciation in other recently diverged taxa should be prioritized given the potential role for immunity-related proteins in reproductive incompatibilities in Passer sparrows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissah Rowe
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Emma Whittington
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
| | - Kirill Borziak
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
| | - Mark Ravinet
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Fabrice Eroukhmanoff
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Glenn-Peter Sætre
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Steve Dorus
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
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10
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A genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism scan reveals genetic markers associated with fertility rate in Chinese Jing Hong chicken. Poult Sci 2020; 99:2873-2887. [PMID: 32475420 PMCID: PMC7597651 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2019.12.068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2019] [Revised: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The function of the sperm storage tubules is directly correlated with the fertility of laying hens. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms regulating the fertility traits in chicken. To identify genetic markers associated with reproductive traits, we calculated fertility rate at 61 to 69 wk (51 D) of Jing Hong chickens parent generation as the phenotype and the genotype were detected by the chicken 600K Affymetrix Axiom High Density single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP)-array. The genome-wide association study using 190 Jing Hong hens showed that the 20 SNP in chromosomes 3 and 13 were significantly associated with fertility rate. To verify these results, a total of 1900 Jing Hong laying hens from 2 populations (P1 and P2) were further genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragments length polymorphisms method. The association analysis results revealed that 12 polymorphisms (AX-75769978, AX-76582632, AX-75730546, AX-75730496, AX-75730588, AX-76530282, AX-76530329, AX-76529310, AX-75769906, AX-75755394, AX-80813697 and AX-76582809) out of 20 showed highly significant effects (P < 0.0001) on fertility rate in P1, P2 and P1+P2. Six haplotypes (TTAA, TTGG, TTAG, CTAA, CTGG, and CTAG) were inferred based on significant loci (AX-75730546 and AX-76530282) also showed significant association with fertility rate, where haplotype CTAG was shown to be markedly associated with the significantly highest (P < 0.0001) fertility rate (in P1, 86.42 ± 0.59; P2, 85.98 ± 0.59 and P1+P2, 86.16 ± 0.42) followed by other haplotypes for the irrespective of population studied. Collectively, we report for the first time that 12 SNP in the chromosomes 3 and 13 were significantly associated with fertility rate during the later stage of egg production, which could be used as the potential genetic markers that would be able to facilitate in the selection and improvement of fertility rate through chicken breeding.
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11
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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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12
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Lindsay WR, Andersson S, Bererhi B, Höglund J, Johnsen A, Kvarnemo C, Leder EH, Lifjeld JT, Ninnes CE, Olsson M, Parker GA, Pizzari T, Qvarnström A, Safran RJ, Svensson O, Edwards SV. Endless forms of sexual selection. PeerJ 2019; 7:e7988. [PMID: 31720113 PMCID: PMC6839514 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the field of sexual selection has exploded, with advances in theoretical and empirical research complementing each other in exciting ways. This perspective piece is the product of a “stock-taking” workshop on sexual selection and sexual conflict. Our aim is to identify and deliberate on outstanding questions and to stimulate discussion rather than provide a comprehensive overview of the entire field. These questions are organized into four thematic sections we deem essential to the field. First we focus on the evolution of mate choice and mating systems. Variation in mate quality can generate both competition and choice in the opposite sex, with implications for the evolution of mating systems. Limitations on mate choice may dictate the importance of direct vs. indirect benefits in mating decisions and consequently, mating systems, especially with regard to polyandry. Second, we focus on how sender and receiver mechanisms shape signal design. Mediation of honest signal content likely depends on integration of temporally variable social and physiological costs that are challenging to measure. We view the neuroethology of sensory and cognitive receiver biases as the main key to signal form and the ‘aesthetic sense’ proposed by Darwin. Since a receiver bias is sufficient to both initiate and drive ornament or armament exaggeration, without a genetically correlated or even coevolving receiver, this may be the appropriate ‘null model’ of sexual selection. Thirdly, we focus on the genetic architecture of sexually selected traits. Despite advances in modern molecular techniques, the number and identity of genes underlying performance, display and secondary sexual traits remains largely unknown. In-depth investigations into the genetic basis of sexual dimorphism in the context of long-term field studies will reveal constraints and trajectories of sexually selected trait evolution. Finally, we focus on sexual selection and conflict as drivers of speciation. Population divergence and speciation are often influenced by an interplay between sexual and natural selection. The extent to which sexual selection promotes or counteracts population divergence may vary depending on the genetic architecture of traits as well as the covariance between mating competition and local adaptation. Additionally, post-copulatory processes, such as selection against heterospecific sperm, may influence the importance of sexual selection in speciation. We propose that efforts to resolve these four themes can catalyze conceptual progress in the field of sexual selection, and we offer potential avenues of research to advance this progress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Willow R Lindsay
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Staffan Andersson
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Badreddine Bererhi
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Jacob Höglund
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Arild Johnsen
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Charlotta Kvarnemo
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Erica H Leder
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jan T Lifjeld
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Calum E Ninnes
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden.,Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America
| | - Mats Olsson
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Geoff A Parker
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Tommaso Pizzari
- Department of Zoology, Edward Grey Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Anna Qvarnström
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Rebecca J Safran
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States of America
| | - Ola Svensson
- School of Natural Sciences, Technology and Environmental Studies, Södertörn University, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Scott V Edwards
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States of America.,Gothenburg Centre for Advanced Studies in Science and Technology, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, Sweden
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13
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Girndt A, Cockburn G, Sánchez-Tójar A, Hertel M, Burke T, Schroeder J. Male age and its association with reproductive traits in captive and wild house sparrows. J Evol Biol 2019; 32:1432-1443. [PMID: 31529748 PMCID: PMC8653889 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Revised: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Evolutionary theory predicts that females seek extra‐pair fertilizations from high‐quality males. In socially monogamous bird species, it is often old males that are most successful in extra‐pair fertilizations. Adaptive models of female extra‐pair mate choice suggest that old males may produce offspring of higher genetic quality than young males because they have proven their survivability. However, old males are also more likely to show signs of reproductive senescence, such as reduced sperm quality. To better understand why old males account for a disproportionally large number of extra‐pair offspring and what the consequences of mating with old males are, we compared several sperm traits of both captive and wild house sparrows, Passer domesticus. Sperm morphological traits and cloacal protuberance volume (a proxy for sperm load) of old and young males did not differ substantially. However, old males delivered almost three times more sperm to the female's egg than young males. We discuss the possibility of a post‐copulatory advantage for old over young males and the consequences for females mated with old males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antje Girndt
- Research Group Evolutionary Biology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany.,Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, UK.,Department of Evolutionary Biology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Glenn Cockburn
- Research Group Evolution of Sensory Systems, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Alfredo Sánchez-Tójar
- Research Group Evolutionary Biology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany.,Department of Evolutionary Biology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Moritz Hertel
- Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Terry Burke
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Julia Schroeder
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, UK
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14
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Gu L, Jing R, Gong Y, Yu M, Elokil A, Li S. Gene co-expression network analysis reveals key potential gene modules in utero-vaginal junction associated with duration of fertility trait of breeder hens. Sci Rep 2019; 9:13860. [PMID: 31554832 PMCID: PMC6761187 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-50148-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Accepted: 09/04/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The number of days (DN) when hens lay fertile eggs as well as the number of fertile eggs (FN) were produced after a single artificial insemination (AI), including the two duration of fertility (DF) traits. Indeed, they are the key production performance that associates with the production cost of hatching egg when its determination the interval between successive artificial inseminations. However, the relevant genes response for regulating the DF has not been uncovered yet. Therefore, we performed a weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to investigate the insight into co-expression gene modules on DF process in hens. The total mRNA was extracted from the utero-vaginal junction (UVJ, with the sperm storage function in hen’s oviduct which is the biological basis for DF) of 20 hens with several levels of DF traits, and performed transcriptome sequences of mRNA. As a result, three co-expression gene modules were identified to be highly correlated with DF traits. Moreover, the expression changes of top 5 hub genes in each module with DF traits were further confirmed in other 20 hens by RT-PCR. These findings highlighted the co-expression modules and their affiliated genes as playing important roles in the regulation of DF traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lantao Gu
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.,Guilin Medical University, Guilin, Guangxi, China
| | - Ruoxi Jing
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yanzhang Gong
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Mei Yu
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Abdelmotaleb Elokil
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.,Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Benha University, Moshtohor, Egypt
| | - Shijun Li
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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15
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16
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Hurley LL, Rowe M, Griffith SC. Differential sperm-egg interactions in experimental pairings between two subspecies and their hybrids in a passerine bird. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:11725-11732. [PMID: 30598770 PMCID: PMC6303703 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2018] [Accepted: 09/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Speciation research has largely overlooked reproductive barriers acting between copulation and the formation of the zygote (i.e., postmating, prezygotic [PMPZ] barriers), especially in internally fertilizing vertebrates. Nonetheless, it is becoming clear that PMPZ reproductive barriers can play a role in the formation and maintenance of species boundaries. We investigated sperm-egg interactions in the recently diverged subspecies pairs of the long-tailed finch, Poephila acuticauda acuticauda and P. a. hecki, to explore potential PMPZ barriers. Specifically, we compared the number of sperm reaching the perivitelline layer (PVL) of the ova, and hence the site of fertilization, in both intra- and inter-subspecies pairings and pairings of F1 hybrid adults with one parental subspecies. Although we found no difference in PVL sperm number among intra- and inter-subspecific pairs, a significantly lower number of sperm reached the site of fertilization in a backcross pairing. As low numbers of PVL sperm appear to be associated with low fertilization success in birds, our findings offer insight into the potential role of postcopulatory processes in limiting gene flow between the subspecies and may help explain the relatively narrow hybrid zone that exists in the wild in this species. Though further work is needed to gain a comprehensive understanding of the morphological, physiological, and molecular mechanisms underlying our results, our study supports the role of PMPZ reproductive barriers in avian speciation, even in recently diverged taxa, that may not yet be fully genetically incompatible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura L. Hurley
- Department of Biological SciencesMacquarie UniversitySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Melissah Rowe
- Natural History Museum, University of OsloOsloNorway
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of BiosciencesUniversity of OsloOsloNorway
| | - Simon C. Griffith
- Department of Biological SciencesMacquarie UniversitySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
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17
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Firman RC. Postmating sexual conflict and female control over fertilization during gamete interaction. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/nyas.13635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Renée C. Firman
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology University of Western Australia Western Australia Australia
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18
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Devigili A, Fitzpatrick JL, Gasparini C, Ramnarine IW, Pilastro A, Evans JP. Possible glimpses into early speciation: the effect of ovarian fluid on sperm velocity accords with post-copulatory isolation between two guppy populations. J Evol Biol 2017; 31:66-74. [PMID: 29044818 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2017] [Revised: 08/12/2017] [Accepted: 10/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Identifying mechanisms of reproductive isolation is key to understanding speciation. Among the putative mechanisms underlying reproductive isolation, sperm-female interactions (post-mating-prezygotic barriers) are arguably the hardest to identify, not least because these are likely to operate at the cellular or molecular level. Yet sperm-female interactions offer great potential to prevent the transfer of genetic information between different populations at the initial stages of speciation. Here, we provide a preliminary test for the presence of a putative post-mating-prezygotic barrier operating between three populations of Trinidadian guppies (Poecilia reticulata), an internally fertilizing fish that inhabits streams with different levels of connectivity across Trinidad. We experimentally evaluate the effect of female ovarian fluid on sperm velocity (a predictor of competitive fertilization success) according to whether males and females were from the same (native) or different (foreign) populations. Our results reveal the potential for ovarian fluid to act as a post-mating-prezygotic barrier between two populations from different drainages, but also that the strength of this barrier is different among populations. This result may explain the previous finding that, in some populations, sperm from native males have precedence over foreign sperm, which could eventually lead to reproductive isolation between these populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Devigili
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - J L Fitzpatrick
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.,Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences (M092), University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - C Gasparini
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padua, Italy.,Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences (M092), University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - I W Ramnarine
- Department of Life Sciences, University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
| | - A Pilastro
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - J P Evans
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences (M092), University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
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19
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20
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Lukasch B, Westerdahl H, Strandh M, Knauer F, Winkler H, Moodley Y, Hoi H. Major histocompatibility complex genes partly explain early survival in house sparrows. Sci Rep 2017; 7:6571. [PMID: 28747735 PMCID: PMC5529587 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-06631-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2016] [Accepted: 06/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Environmental factors and genetic incompatibilities between parents have been suggested as important determinants for embryonic mortality and survival. The genetic set-up of the immune system, specifically the highly polymorphic major histocompatibility complex (MHC) may also influence individual resistance to infections. MHC proteins are important for an appropriate adaptive immune response and enable T-cells to separate 'self' from 'non-self'. Here we investigate the importance of MHC functional diversity for early development in birds, more specifically, if offspring survival and body mass or size depends on number of different functional MHC alleles, specific functional MHC alleles or similarity of MHC alleles in the parents. Unhatched eggs are common in clutches of many bird species. In house sparrows (Passer domesticus), embryo and nestling mortality can exceed 50%. To control for environmental factors, our study was carried out on an aviary population. We found that one specific functional MHC allele was associated with reduced nestling survival, which was additionally supported by lower body mass and a smaller tarsus when nestlings have been 6 days old. Another allele was positively associated with tarsus length at a later nestling stage (nestlings 12 days old). These results indicate that MHC alleles might influence pathogen resistance or susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Lukasch
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna; Savoyenstraße 1a, A-1160, Vienna, Austria
| | - H Westerdahl
- Molecular Ecology & Evolution Lab, Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, Sölvegatan 37, SE-223 62, Lund, Sweden
| | - M Strandh
- Molecular Ecology & Evolution Lab, Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, Sölvegatan 37, SE-223 62, Lund, Sweden
| | - F Knauer
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna; Savoyenstraße 1a, A-1160, Vienna, Austria
| | - H Winkler
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna; Savoyenstraße 1a, A-1160, Vienna, Austria
| | - Y Moodley
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna; Savoyenstraße 1a, A-1160, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Zoology, University of Venda, Private Bag X5050, Thohoyandou, 0950, Republic of South Africa
| | - H Hoi
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna; Savoyenstraße 1a, A-1160, Vienna, Austria.
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21
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Gu L, Sun C, Gong Y, Yu M, Li S. Novel copy number variation of the TGFβ3 gene is associated with TGFβ3 gene expression and duration of fertility traits in hens. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0173696. [PMID: 28301526 PMCID: PMC5354388 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0173696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [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: 08/23/2016] [Accepted: 02/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Improvements in the duration of fertility (DF) could increase the interval between successive artificial inseminations, thereby decreasing the cost associated with production of hatching eggs. The molecular mechanisms involved in DF in hens remains under-explored. In this study, expression levels of the transforming growth factor-β genes (TGFβs: TGFβ1, TGFβ2, TGFβ3) were investigated in utero-vaginal junctions (UVJs) of hens with long DF (Group L, n = 10) and short DF (Group S, n = 10). TGFβ1 and 2 tended to exhibit higher expression levels in UVJs from Group L hens. The expression levels of TGFβ3 mRNA and protein were significantly increased in UVJs of hens from Group L compared to hens in Group S. Consistently, six TGFβs downstream genes (DAXX, MEKK1, T-BET, GATA-3, TAK1, and FOXP3) associated with the immune response were found to be significantly differentially expressed in UVJs of Group L than Group S hens. In addition, four SNPs were identified in intron 1 of TGFβ3, and these SNPs were significantly associated with DF traits (P < 0.05). Furthermore, we identified multi-copy and copy number variants (CNVs) in chicken TGFβ3 and later determined significant associations between TGFβ3 CNVs and DF traits in hens. Specifically, TGFβ3 copy number exhibited a significant positive correlation with its expression (P < 0.05). Collectively, our results suggest that chicken DF traits may be regulated by the expression of TGFβ3 in UVJ. Meanwhile, the copy number variation in the TGFβ3 gene identified in this study seems to be one marker for DF traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lantao Gu
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, HuaZhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, HuBei, China
| | - Chenghao Sun
- Huadu Yukou Poultry Industry Co. Ltd, Beijing, China
| | - Yangzhang Gong
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, HuaZhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, HuBei, China
| | - Mei Yu
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, HuaZhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, HuBei, China
| | - Shijun Li
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science and Technology, HuaZhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, HuBei, China
- * E-mail:
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22
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Lifjeld JT, Anmarkrud JA, Calabuig P, Cooper JEJ, Johannessen LE, Johnsen A, Kearns AM, Lachlan RF, Laskemoen T, Marthinsen G, Stensrud E, Garcia-del-Rey E. Species-level divergences in multiple functional traits between the two endemic subspecies of Blue Chaffinches Fringilla teydea in Canary Islands. BMC ZOOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1186/s40850-016-0008-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
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23
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Abstract
Polyspermy is a major puzzle in reproductive biology. In some taxa, multiple sperm enter the ovum as part of the normal fertilization process, whereas in others, penetration of the ovum by more than one sperm is lethal. In birds, several sperm typically enter the germinal disc, yet only one fuses with the female pronucleus. It is unclear whether supernumerary sperm play an essential role in the avian fertilization process and, if they do, how females regulate the progression of sperm through the oviduct to ensure an appropriate number reach the ovum. Here, we show that when very few sperm penetrate the avian ovum, embryos are unlikely to survive beyond the earliest stages of development. We also show that when the number of inseminated sperm is limited, a greater proportion than expected reach and penetrate the ovum, indicating that females compensate for low sperm numbers in the oviduct. Our results suggest a functional role for supernumerary sperm in the processes of fertilization and early embryogenesis, providing an exciting expansion of our understanding of sperm function in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Hemmings
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S102TN, UK
| | - T R Birkhead
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S102TN, UK
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24
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Cramer ERA, Ålund M, McFarlane SE, Johnsen A, Qvarnström A. Females discriminate against heterospecific sperm in a natural hybrid zone. Evolution 2016; 70:1844-55. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.12986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2016] [Revised: 05/22/2016] [Accepted: 06/01/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Emily R. A. Cramer
- Natural History Museum; University of Oslo; 0318 Oslo Norway
- Current Address: Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center; PO Box 37012 MRC5503, Washington, District of Columbia 20008, and Cornell Lab of Ornithology Ithaca New York 14850
| | - Murielle Ålund
- Department of Ecology and Genetics; Animal Ecology, Uppsala University; Uppsala 75236 Sweden
| | - S. Eryn McFarlane
- Department of Ecology and Genetics; Animal Ecology, Uppsala University; Uppsala 75236 Sweden
| | - Arild Johnsen
- Natural History Museum; University of Oslo; 0318 Oslo Norway
| | - Anna Qvarnström
- Department of Ecology and Genetics; Animal Ecology, Uppsala University; Uppsala 75236 Sweden
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25
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Embryonic development and inviability phenotype of chicken-Japanese quail F1 hybrids. Sci Rep 2016; 6:26369. [PMID: 27199007 PMCID: PMC4873824 DOI: 10.1038/srep26369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2015] [Accepted: 03/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Interspecific hybrid incompatibility, including inviability and sterility, is important in speciation; however, its genetic basis remains largely unknown in vertebrates. Crosses between male chickens and female Japanese quails using artificial insemination can generate intergeneric hybrids; however, the hatching rate is low, and hatched hybrids are only sterile males. Hybrid development is arrested frequently during the early embryonic stages, and the sex ratio of living embryos is male-biased. However, the development and sex ratio of hybrid embryos have not been comprehensively analyzed. In the present study, we observed delayed embryonic development of chicken-quail hybrids during the early stage, compared with that of chickens and quails. The survival rate of hybrids decreased markedly during the blastoderm-to-pre-circulation stage and then decreased gradually through the subsequent stages. Hybrid females were observed at more than 10 d of incubation; however, the sex ratio of hybrids became male-biased from 10 d of incubation. Severely malformed embryos were observed frequently in hybrids. These results suggest that developmental arrest occurs at various stages in hybrid embryos, including a sexually non-biased arrest during the early stage and a female-biased arrest during the late stage. We discuss the genetic basis for hybrid inviability and its sex bias.
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26
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Cramer ERA, Stensrud E, Marthinsen G, Hogner S, Johannessen LE, Laskemoen T, Eybert MC, Slagsvold T, Lifjeld JT, Johnsen A. Sperm performance in conspecific and heterospecific female fluid. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:1363-77. [PMID: 26855769 PMCID: PMC4733106 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2015] [Revised: 12/08/2015] [Accepted: 01/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Divergent sexual selection within allopatric populations may result in divergent sexual phenotypes, which can act as reproductive barriers between populations upon secondary contact. This hypothesis has been most tested on traits involved in precopulatory sexual selection, with less work focusing on traits that act after copulation and before fertilization (i.e., postcopulatory prezygotic traits), particularly in internally fertilizing vertebrates. However, postcopulatory sexual selection within species can also drive trait divergence, resulting in reduced performance of heterospecific sperm within the female reproductive tract. Such incompatibilities, arising as a by‐product of divergent postcopulatory sexual selection in allopatry, can represent reproductive barriers, analogous to species‐assortative mating preferences. Here, we tested for postcopulatory prezygotic reproductive barriers between three pairs of taxa with diverged sperm phenotypes and moderate‐to‐high opportunity for postcopulatory sexual selection (barn swallows Hirundo rustica versus sand martins Riparia riparia, two subspecies of bluethroats, Luscinia svecica svecica versus L. s. namnetum, and great tits Parus major versus blue tits Cyanistes caeruleus). We tested sperm swimming performance in fluid from the outer reproductive tract of females, because the greatest reduction in sperm number in birds occurs as sperm swim across the vagina. Contrary to our expectations, sperm swam equally well in fluid from conspecific and heterospecific females, suggesting that postcopulatory prezygotic barriers do not act between these taxon pairs, at this stage between copulation and fertilization. We therefore suggest that divergence in sperm phenotypes in allopatry is insufficient to cause widespread postcopulatory prezygotic barriers in the form of impaired sperm swimming performance in passerine birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily R A Cramer
- Natural History Museum University of Oslo PO Box 1172 Blindern 0318 Oslo Norway
| | - Even Stensrud
- Natural History Museum University of Oslo PO Box 1172 Blindern 0318 Oslo Norway
| | - Gunnhild Marthinsen
- Natural History Museum University of Oslo PO Box 1172 Blindern 0318 Oslo Norway
| | - Silje Hogner
- Natural History Museum University of Oslo PO Box 1172 Blindern 0318 Oslo Norway
| | | | - Terje Laskemoen
- Natural History Museum University of Oslo PO Box 1172 Blindern 0318 Oslo Norway
| | | | - Tore Slagsvold
- Department of Biosciences Center for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES) University of Oslo PO Box 1066 Blindern 0316 Oslo Norway
| | - Jan T Lifjeld
- Natural History Museum University of Oslo PO Box 1172 Blindern 0318 Oslo Norway
| | - Arild Johnsen
- Natural History Museum University of Oslo PO Box 1172 Blindern 0318 Oslo Norway
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27
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García-Vázquez FA, Hernández-Caravaca I, Yánez-Quintana W, Matás C, Soriano-Úbeda C, Izquierdo-Rico MJ. Morphometry of boar sperm head and flagellum in semen backflow after insemination. Theriogenology 2015; 84:566-74. [PMID: 25998269 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2015.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2015] [Revised: 03/30/2015] [Accepted: 04/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Once deposited in the female reproductive system, sperm begin their competition and undergo a selection to reach the site of fertilization. Little is known about the special characteristics of sperm that reach the oviduct and are able to fertilize, with even less information on the role of sperm dimension and shape in transport and fertilization. Here, we examine whether sperm morphometry could be involved in their journey within the uterus. For this purpose, sperm head dimension (length, width, area, and perimeter) and shape (shape factor, ellipticity, elongation, and regularity), and flagellum length were analyzed in the backflow at different times after insemination (0-15, 16-30, and 31-60 minutes). Sperm morphometry in the backflow was also analyzed taking into account the site of semen deposition (cervical vs. intrauterine). Finally, flagellum length was measured at the uterotubal junction. Sperm analyzed in the backflow were small (head and flagellum) with different head shapes compared with sperm observed in the dose before insemination. The site of deposition influenced head morphometry and tail size both being smaller in the backflow after cervical insemination compared with intrauterine insemination. Mean tail length of sperm collected in the backflow was smaller than that in the insemination dose and at the uterotubal junction. Overall, our results suggest that sperm size may be involved in sperm transport either because of environment or through sperm selection and competence on their way to encounter the female gamete.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Alberto García-Vázquez
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, International Excellence Campus for Higher Education and Research "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain; Institute for Biomedical Research of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain.
| | - Iván Hernández-Caravaca
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, International Excellence Campus for Higher Education and Research "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain; Boehringer-Ingelheim S.A., Barcelona, Spain
| | - Wellington Yánez-Quintana
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, International Excellence Campus for Higher Education and Research "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Carmen Matás
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, International Excellence Campus for Higher Education and Research "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain; Institute for Biomedical Research of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain
| | - Cristina Soriano-Úbeda
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, International Excellence Campus for Higher Education and Research "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain; Institute for Biomedical Research of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain
| | - María José Izquierdo-Rico
- Institute for Biomedical Research of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain; Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Medicine, International Excellence Campus for Higher Education and Research "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
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28
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Rowe M, Albrecht T, Cramer ERA, Johnsen A, Laskemoen T, Weir JT, Lifjeld JT. Postcopulatory sexual selection is associated with accelerated evolution of sperm morphology. Evolution 2015; 69:1044-52. [PMID: 25655075 DOI: 10.1111/evo.12620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2014] [Accepted: 01/16/2015] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Rapid diversification of sexual traits is frequently attributed to sexual selection, though explicit tests of this hypothesis remain limited. Spermatozoa exhibit remarkable variability in size and shape, and studies report a correlation between sperm morphology (sperm length and shape) and sperm competition risk or female reproductive tract morphology. However, whether postcopulatory processes (e.g., sperm competition and cryptic female choice) influence the speed of evolutionary diversification in sperm form is unknown. Using passerine birds, we quantified evolutionary rates of sperm length divergence among lineages (i.e., species pairs) and determined whether these rates varied with the level of sperm competition (estimated as relative testes mass). We found that relative testes mass was significantly and positively associated with more rapid phenotypic divergence in sperm midpiece and flagellum lengths, as well as total sperm length. In contrast, there was no association between relative testes mass and rates of evolutionary divergence in sperm head size, and models suggested that head length is evolutionarily constrained. Our results are the first to show an association between the strength of sperm competition and the speed of sperm evolution, and suggest that postcopulatory sexual selection promotes rapid evolutionary diversification of sperm morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissah Rowe
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, PO Box 1172, Blindern, 0318, Oslo, Norway; Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, PO Box 1066, Blindern, 0316, Oslo, Norway.
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29
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Quilodrán CS, Currat M, Montoya-Burgos JI. A general model of distant hybridization reveals the conditions for extinction in Atlantic salmon and brown trout. PLoS One 2014; 9:e101736. [PMID: 25003336 PMCID: PMC4086968 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0101736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2014] [Accepted: 06/10/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Interspecific hybridization is common in nature but can be increased in frequency or even originated by human actions, such as species introduction or habitat modification, which may threaten species persistence. When hybridization occurs between distantly related species, referred to as "distant hybridization," the resulting hybrids are generally infertile or fertile but do not undergo chromosomal recombination during gametogenesis. Here, we present a model describing this frequent but poorly studied interspecific hybridization to assess its consequences on parental species and to anticipate the conditions under which they can reach extinction. Our general model fully incorporates three important processes: density-dependent competition, dominance/recessivity inheritance of traits and assortative mating. We demonstrate its use and flexibility by assessing population extinction risk between Atlantic salmon and brown trout in Norway, whose interbreeding has recently increased due to farmed fish releases into the wild. We identified the set of conditions under which hybridization may threaten salmonid species. Thanks to the flexibility of our model, we evaluated the effect of an additional risk factor, a parasitic disease, and showed that the cumulative effects dramatically increase the extinction risk. The consequences of distant hybridization are not genetically, but demographically mediated. Our general model is useful to better comprehend the evolution of such hybrid systems and we demonstrated its importance in the field of conservation biology to set up management recommendations when this increasingly frequent type of hybridization is in action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio S. Quilodrán
- Laboratory of anthropology, genetics and peopling history (AGP), Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Laboratory of molecular phylogeny and evolution in vertebrates, Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Mathias Currat
- Laboratory of anthropology, genetics and peopling history (AGP), Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- * E-mail:
| | - Juan I. Montoya-Burgos
- Laboratory of molecular phylogeny and evolution in vertebrates, Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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30
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Testing a post-copulatory pre-zygotic reproductive barrier in a passerine species pair. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-014-1724-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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31
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Friesen CR, Mason RT, Arnold SJ, Estes S. Patterns of sperm use in two populations of Red-sided Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis) with long-term female sperm storage. CAN J ZOOL 2014. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2013-0195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Long-term sperm storage may contribute to postcopulatory sexual selection because it enhances the commingling of sperm from different males within the female reproductive tract, which is the prerequisite for sperm competition. Long-term sperm storage and multiple paternity has been documented in snakes, but the identity of the last potential father is usually unknown in studies demonstrating multiple paternity. Here we present the first study in Red-sided Garter Snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis (Say in James, 1832)) to use experimental population crosses to assess stored sperm usage, mate-order effects, and the potential for interpopulational gametic isolation. We found a high rate of multiple paternity indicative of ubiquitous long-term sperm storage in this system, and observed last-male sperm precedence in all families (n = 66). Postzygotic isolation was absent, and we observed only a weak asymmetry in pattern of sperm precedence in our population crosses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher R. Friesen
- Department of Zoology, Oregon State University, Cordley Hall 3029, Corvallis, OR 97330, USA
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, Heydon-Laurence Building AO8, Science Road, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Robert T. Mason
- Department of Zoology, Oregon State University, Cordley Hall 3029, Corvallis, OR 97330, USA
| | - Stevan J. Arnold
- Department of Zoology, Oregon State University, Cordley Hall 3029, Corvallis, OR 97330, USA
| | - Suzanne Estes
- Department of Biology, Portland State University, 1719 SW 10th Avenue, SRTC Room 246, Portland, OR 97201, USA
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Yeates SE, Diamond SE, Einum S, Emerson BC, Holt WV, Gage MJG. Cryptic choice of conspecific sperm controlled by the impact of ovarian fluid on sperm swimming behavior. Evolution 2013; 67:3523-36. [PMID: 24299405 PMCID: PMC3912916 DOI: 10.1111/evo.12208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2013] [Accepted: 06/29/2013] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Despite evidence that variation in male-female reproductive compatibility exists in many fertilization systems, identifying mechanisms of cryptic female choice at the gamete level has been a challenge. Here, under risks of genetic incompatibility through hybridization, we show how salmon and trout eggs promote fertilization by conspecific sperm. Using in vitro fertilization experiments that replicate the gametic microenvironment, we find complete interfertility between both species. However, if either species' ova were presented with equivalent numbers of both sperm types, conspecific sperm gained fertilization precedence. Surprisingly, the species' identity of the eggs did not explain this cryptic female choice, which instead was primarily controlled by conspecific ovarian fluid, a semiviscous, protein-rich solution that bathes the eggs and is released at spawning. Video analyses revealed that ovarian fluid doubled sperm motile life span and straightened swimming trajectory, behaviors allowing chemoattraction up a concentration gradient. To confirm chemoattraction, cell migration tests through membranes containing pores that approximated to the egg micropyle showed that conspecific ovarian fluid attracted many more spermatozoa through the membrane, compared with heterospecific fluid or water. These combined findings together identify how cryptic female choice can evolve at the gamete level and promote reproductive isolation, mediated by a specific chemoattractive influence of ovarian fluid on sperm swimming behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Yeates
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East AngliaNorwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Sian E Diamond
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East AngliaNorwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Sigurd Einum
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491Trondheim, Norway
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, NO-7485Trondheim, Norway
| | - Brent C Emerson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East AngliaNorwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
- Island Ecology and Evolution Research Group (IPNA-CSIC), C/Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez 338206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - William V Holt
- Academic Department of Reproductive and Developmental Medicine, University of SheffieldLevel 4, Jessop Wing, Tree Root Walk, Sheffield, S10 2SF, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew J G Gage
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East AngliaNorwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
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33
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Rose EG, Brand CL, Wilkinson GS. Rapid evolution of asymmetric reproductive incompatibilities in stalk-eyed flies. Evolution 2013; 68:384-96. [PMID: 24171729 DOI: 10.1111/evo.12307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2013] [Accepted: 10/22/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The steps by which isolated populations acquire reproductive incompatibilities remain poorly understood. One potentially important process is postcopulatory sexual selection because it can generate divergence between populations in traits that influence fertilization success after copulation. Here we present a comprehensive analysis of this form of reproductive isolation by conducting reciprocal crosses between variably diverged populations of stalk-eyed flies (Teleopsis dalmanni). First, we measure seven types of reproductive incompatibility between copulation and fertilization. We then compare fertilization success to hatching success to quantify hybrid inviability. Finally, we determine if sperm competition acts to reinforce or counteract any incompatibilities. We find evidence for multiple incompatibilities in most crosses, including failure to store sperm after mating, failure of sperm to reach the site of fertilization, failure of sperm to fertilize eggs, and failure of embryos to develop. Local sperm have precedence over foreign sperm, but this effect is due mainly to differences in sperm transfer and reduced hatching success. Crosses between recently diverged populations are asymmetrical with regard to the degree and type of incompatibility. Because sexual conflict in these flies is low, postcopulatory sexual selection, rather than antagonistic coevolution, likely causes incompatibilities due to mismatches between male and female reproductive traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily G Rose
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, 20742
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Arrieta RS, Lijtmaer DA, Tubaro PL. Evolution of postzygotic reproductive isolation in galliform birds: analysis of first and second hybrid generations and backcrosses. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/bij.12153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ramiro S. Arrieta
- División Ornitología; Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales ‘Bernardino Rivadavia’; Avenida Ángel Gallardo 470; Buenos Aires; C1405DJR; Argentina
| | - Darío A. Lijtmaer
- División Ornitología; Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales ‘Bernardino Rivadavia’; Avenida Ángel Gallardo 470; Buenos Aires; C1405DJR; Argentina
| | - Pablo L. Tubaro
- División Ornitología; Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales ‘Bernardino Rivadavia’; Avenida Ángel Gallardo 470; Buenos Aires; C1405DJR; Argentina
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Løvlie H, Gillingham MAF, Worley K, Pizzari T, Richardson DS. Cryptic female choice favours sperm from major histocompatibility complex-dissimilar males. Proc Biol Sci 2013; 280:20131296. [PMID: 24004935 PMCID: PMC3768299 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2013.1296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptic female choice may enable polyandrous females to avoid inbreeding or bias offspring variability at key loci after mating. However, the role of these genetic benefits in cryptic female choice remains poorly understood. Female red junglefowl, Gallus gallus, bias sperm use in favour of unrelated males. Here, we experimentally investigate whether this bias is driven by relatedness per se, or by similarity at the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), genes central to vertebrate acquired immunity, where polymorphism is critical to an individual's ability to combat pathogens. Through experimentally controlled natural matings, we confirm that selection against related males' sperm occurs within the female reproductive tract but demonstrate that this is more accurately predicted by MHC similarity: controlling for relatedness per se, more sperm reached the eggs when partners were MHC-dissimilar. Importantly, this effect appeared largely owing to similarity at a single MHC locus (class I minor). Further, the effect of MHC similarity was lost following artificial insemination, suggesting that male phenotypic cues might be required for females to select sperm differentially. These results indicate that postmating mechanisms that reduce inbreeding may do so as a consequence of more specific strategies of cryptic female choice promoting MHC diversity in offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanne Løvlie
- Department of Zoology, Edward Grey Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK.
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36
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Wan D, Chang P, Yin J. Causes of extra-pair paternity and its inter-specific variation in socially monogamous birds. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chnaes.2013.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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37
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Liu J, Cheng KM, Silversides FG. Production of live offspring from testicular tissue cryopreserved by vitrification procedures in Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica). Biol Reprod 2013; 88:124. [PMID: 23575148 DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod.113.108951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryopreservation of testicular tissue can be used for ex situ conservation of male germplasm of avian species. The possibility of using vitrification and transplantation of testicular tissue for fertility preservation and recovery was tested in Japanese quail. Testes were removed from 1-wk-old Japanese quail; transfixed on acupuncture needles; equilibrated with dimethyl sulphoxide, ethylene glycol, and sucrose; plunged into liquid nitrogen; and stored in 2-ml straws. Cryopreserved tissue was warmed in sucrose solution at room temperature or at 40°C. Fresh and cryopreserved tissue were transplanted subcutaneously into castrated, 1-wk-old recipients. Twenty of 21 recipients survived the surgery, and 18 had viable transplants at maturity, with no difference in transplantation success between fresh and cryopreserved tissue. Fluid extrusion from 11 of the transplants was collected and inseminated surgically into the magnum of 22 quail hens, and 10 inseminations included foam from the proctodeal gland of the same recipients. Egg production in the 2 wk after insemination was reduced, and none of the hens inseminated with foam produced fertile eggs. Five hens inseminated without foam produced a total of eight live offspring; four of these hens had been inseminated with fluid extrusion from cryopreserved tissue. Histological examination showed spermatogenesis in the transplants, and the tubules, lumens, and epithelium of the seminiferous tubules were of comparable size to those of testicular tissue from intact males. These results demonstrate that testicular tissue of Japanese quail can be preserved using vitrification procedures and recovered through transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianan Liu
- Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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38
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References. Mol Ecol 2012. [DOI: 10.1002/9780470979365.refs] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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39
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Kowalczyk A, Łukaszewicz E. The possibility of obtaining intergeneric hybrids via White Kołuda (Anser anser L.) goose insemination with fresh and frozen-thawed Canada goose (Branta canadensis L.) gander semen. Theriogenology 2012; 77:507-13. [DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2011.08.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2011] [Revised: 08/08/2011] [Accepted: 08/16/2011] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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40
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Biological Features of the Avian Male Gamete and their Application to Biotechnology of Conservation. J Poult Sci 2012. [DOI: 10.2141/jpsa.011120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
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41
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Bakst MR. PHYSIOLOGY AND ENDOCRINOLOGY SYMPOSIUM: Role of the oviduct in maintaining sustained fertility in hens1. J Anim Sci 2011; 89:1323-9. [DOI: 10.2527/jas.2010-3663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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42
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Sagga N, Civetta A. Male-Female Interactions and the Evolution of Postmating Prezygotic Reproductive Isolation among Species of the Virilis Subgroup. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY 2011; 2011:485460. [PMID: 21716738 PMCID: PMC3119474 DOI: 10.4061/2011/485460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2010] [Accepted: 02/03/2011] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Reproductive isolation reduces breeding between species. Traditionally, prezygotic and postzygotic barriers to reproduction have been broadly studied, but in recent years, attention has been brought to the existence of barriers that act after copulation but before fertilization. Here, we show that when D. virilis females from different geographic locations mate with D. novamexicana males, egg laying is normal, but fertilization rates are severely reduced, despite normal rates of sperm transfer. This reduction in fertilization is probably due to lower retention of heterospecific sperm in female storage organs one-to-two days after copulation. An inspection of egg hatchability in crosses between females and males from other virilis subgroup species reveals that isolation due to poor egg hatchability likely evolved during the diversification of D. virilis/D. lummei from species of the novamexicana-americana clade. Interestingly, the number of eggs laid by D. virilis females in heterospecific crosses was not different from the numbers of eggs laid in conspecific crosses, suggesting that females exert some form of cryptic control over the heterospecific ejaculate and that future studies should focus on how female and female-sperm interactions contribute to the loss or active exclusion of heterospecific sperm from storage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nada Sagga
- Department of Biology, University of Winnipeg, 515 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, Canada R3B 2E9
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Immler S, Hamilton MB, Poslusny NJ, Birkhead TR, Epifanio JM. Post-mating reproductive barriers in two unidirectionally hybridizing sunfish (Centrarchidae: Lepomis). J Evol Biol 2010; 24:111-20. [PMID: 21029236 DOI: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2010.02142.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The evolutionary sequence of events in the evolution of reproductive barriers between species is at the core of speciation biology. Where premating barriers fail, post-mating barriers, such as conspecific sperm precedence (CSP), gamete incompatibility (GI) and hybrid inviability (HI) may evolve to prevent the production of (often) costly hybrid offspring with reduced fitness. We tested the role of post-mating mechanisms for the reproductive isolation between two sunfish species [bluegill (BG) Lepomis macrochirus and pumpkinseed (PS) Lepomis gibbosus] and their first-generation hybrids. Performing in vitro sperm competition experiments, we observed asymmetric CSP as main post-mating isolation mechanism when BG and PS sperm were competing for PS eggs, whereas when sperm from both species were competing for BG eggs it was HI. Furthermore, hybrid sperm--although fertile in the absence of competition--were outcompeted by sperm of either parental species. This result may at least partly explain previous observations that natural hybridization in the study system is unidirectional.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Immler
- Evolutionary Biology Centre/Evolutionary Biology, University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden.
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45
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Bakst M, Donoghue A, Yoho D, Moyle J, Whipple S, Camp M, Liu G, Bramwell R. Comparisons of sperm storage tubule distribution and number in 4 strains of mature broiler breeders and in turkey hens before and after the onset of photostimulation1. Poult Sci 2010; 89:986-92. [DOI: 10.3382/ps.2009-00481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
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46
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47
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Moyle J, Yoho D, Harper R, Bramwell R. Mating behavior in commercial broiler breeders: Female effects. J APPL POULTRY RES 2010. [DOI: 10.3382/japr.2009-00061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
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48
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Helfenstein F, Podevin M, Richner H. Sperm morphology, swimming velocity, and longevity in the house sparrow Passer domesticus. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2009. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-009-0871-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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49
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Mettler RD, Spellman GM. A hybrid zone revisited: molecular and morphological analysis of the maintenance, movement, and evolution of a Great Plains avian (Cardinalidae: Pheucticus) hybrid zone. Mol Ecol 2009; 18:3256-67. [PMID: 19619198 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2009.04217.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Black-headed grosbeaks (Pheucticus melanocephalus) and rose-breasted grosbeaks (Pheucticus ludovicianus) are passerine bird species known to hybridize in the Great Plains of North America. Both extrinsic (environmental) and intrinsic factors (pre- and postzygotic reproductive isolation) have been credited for the generation and maintenance of the grosbeak hybrid zone, but little is known about the genetic characteristics of this hybrid zone. To investigate the stability and extent of the grosbeak hybrid zone, we constructed clines from both molecular sequence data (mtDNA, three autosomal intron loci, and one Z-linked locus) and morphological data (morphometric analyses and hybrid index scores) to determined zone centre and width. Hybrid zone centre and width were also determined for samples collected across the zone 40 years ago from morphological data. The present and past clines were compared and provided support for stability in hybrid zone location and width, and the evolutionary implications of this are discussed. Three models of hybrid zone maintenance were investigated to consider the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on this zone. Our results suggest low hybrid frequencies, a stable zone location and narrow width, and reduced hybrid fitness over the past 40 years best categorize the grosbeak hybrid zone as a tension zone.
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Affiliation(s)
- R D Mettler
- Department of Biology, Black Hills State University, Spearfish, SD 57799, USA.
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50
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Martín-Coello J, Benavent-Corai J, Roldan ERS, Gomendio M. SPERM COMPETITION PROMOTES ASYMMETRIES IN REPRODUCTIVE BARRIERS BETWEEN CLOSELY RELATED SPECIES. Evolution 2009; 63:613-23. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2008.00585.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
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