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Tecot SR, Birr M, Dixon J, Lahitsara JP, Razafindraibe D, Razanajatovo S, Arroyo AS, Tombotiana AV, Velontsara JB, Baden AL. Functional relationships between estradiol and paternal care in male red-bellied lemurs, Eulemur rubriventer. Horm Behav 2023; 150:105324. [PMID: 36774699 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
Fathers contribute substantially to infant care, yet the mechanisms facilitating paternal bonding and interactions with infants are not as well understood as they are in mothers. Several hormonal changes occur as males transition into parenthood, first in response to a partner's pregnancy, and next in response to interacting with the newborn. These changes may prepare fathers for parenting and help facilitate and maintain paternal care. Experimental studies with monkeys and rodents suggest that paternal care requires elevated estradiol levels, which increase when a male's partner is pregnant and are higher in fathers than non-fathers, but its role in the expression of paternal behaviors throughout infant development is unknown. To assess estradiol's role in paternal care, we analyzed the relationship between paternal estradiol metabolites and 1) offspring age, and 2) paternal care behavior (holding, carrying, huddling, playing, grooming), in wild, red-bellied lemurs (Eulemur rubriventer). We collected 146 fecal samples and 1597 h of behavioral data on 10 adult males who had newborn infants during the study. Estradiol metabolites increased four-fold in expectant males, and in new fathers they fluctuated and gradually decreased with time. Infant age, not paternal behavior, best predicted hormone levels in new fathers. These results suggest that hormonal changes occur in expectant males with facultative paternal care, but they do not support the hypothesis that estradiol is directly associated with the day-to-day expression of paternal care. Future research should explore estradiol's role in facilitating behaviors, including infant-directed attention and responsiveness, or preparing fathers for infant care generally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacey R Tecot
- School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; Laboratory for the Evolutionary Endocrinology of Primates, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.
| | - Madalena Birr
- School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; Laboratory for the Evolutionary Endocrinology of Primates, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - Juliana Dixon
- School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; Laboratory for the Evolutionary Endocrinology of Primates, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.
| | | | | | - Soafaniry Razanajatovo
- Department of Zoology and Animal Biodiversity, University of Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Alicia S Arroyo
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (IBE-UPF CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | - Andrea L Baden
- PhD programs in Anthropology and Biology, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, NY 10016, USA; New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology (NYCEP), New York, NY, USA; Department of Anthropology, Hunter College of the City University of New York, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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2
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Gormally BMG, Lopes PC. The effect of infection risk on female blood transcriptomics. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2023; 330:114139. [PMID: 36209834 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2022.114139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Defenses against pathogens can take on many forms. For instance, behavioral avoidance of diseased conspecifics is widely documented. Interactions with these infectious conspecifics can also, however, lead to physiological changes in uninfected animals, an effect that is much less well understood. These changes in behavior and physiology are particularly important to study in a reproductive context, where they can impact reproductive decisions and offspring quality. Here, we studied how an acute (3 h) exposure to an immune-challenged male affected female blood transcriptomics and behavior. We predicted that females paired with immune-challenged males would reduce eating and drinking behaviors (as avoidance behaviors) and that their blood would show activation of immune and stress responses. We used female Japanese quail as a study system because they have been shown to respond to male traits, in terms of their own physiology and egg investment. Only two genes showed significant differential expression due to treatment, including an increase in the threonine dehydrogenase (TDH) transcript, an enzyme important for threonine breakdown. However, hundreds of genes in pathways related to activation of immune responses showed coordinated up-regulation in females exposed to immune-challenged males. Suppressed pathways revealed potential changes to metabolism and reduced responsiveness to glucocorticoids. Contrary to our prediction, we found that females paired with immune-challenged males increased food consumption. Water consumption was not changed by treatment. These findings suggest that even short exposure to diseased conspecifics can trigger both behavioral and physiological responses in healthy animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenna M G Gormally
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA, USA
| | - Patricia C Lopes
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA, USA.
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3
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Lopes PC, Gormally BMG, Emmi A, Schuerman D, Liyanage C, Beattie UK, Romero LM. Maternal Responses in the Face of Infection Risk. Integr Comp Biol 2022; 62:1584-1594. [PMID: 35675319 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icac082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
When animals are sick, their physiology and behavior change in ways that can impact their offspring. Research is emerging showing that infection risk alone can also modify the physiology and behavior of healthy animals. If physiological responses to environments with high infection risk take place during reproduction, it is possible that they lead to maternal effects. Understanding whether and how high infection risk triggers maternal effects is important to elucidate how the impacts of infectious agents extend beyond infected individuals and how, in this way, they are even stronger evolutionary forces than already considered. Here, to evaluate the effects of infection risk on maternal responses, we exposed healthy female Japanese quail to either an immune-challenged (lipopolysaccharide [LPS] treated) mate or to a healthy (control) mate. We first assessed how females responded behaviorally to these treatments. Exposure to an immune-challenged or control male was immediately followed by exposure to a healthy male, to determine whether treatment affected paternity allocation. We predicted that females paired with immune-challenged males would avoid and show aggression towards those males, and that paternity would be skewed towards the healthy male. After mating, we collected eggs over a 5-day period. As an additional control, we collected eggs from immune-challenged females mated to healthy males. We tested eggs for fertilization status, embryo sex ratio, as well as albumen corticosterone, lysozyme activity, and ovotransferrin, and yolk antioxidant capacity. We predicted that immune-challenged females would show the strongest changes in the egg and embryo metrics, and that females exposed to immune-challenged males would show intermediate responses. Contrary to our predictions, we found no avoidance of immune-challenged males and no differences in terms of paternity allocation. Immune-challenged females laid fewer eggs, with an almost bimodal distribution of sex ratio for embryos. In this group, albumen ovotransferrin was the lowest, and yolk antioxidant capacity decreased over time, while it increased in the other treatments. No differences in albumen lysozyme were found. Both females that were immune-challenged and those exposed to immune-challenged males deposited progressively more corticosterone in their eggs over time, a pattern opposed to that shown by females exposed to control males. Our results suggest that egg-laying Japanese quail may be able to respond to infection risk, but that additional or prolonged sickness symptoms may be needed for more extensive maternal responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia C Lopes
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866, USA
| | - Brenna M G Gormally
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866, USA
| | - Aubrey Emmi
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866, USA
| | - Delilah Schuerman
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866, USA
| | - Chathuni Liyanage
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866, USA
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4
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Wu SM, Tseng YJ, Chen TH. Maternal effect and dietary supplementation of estradiol-17β on female zebrafish (Danio rerio) affects the swimming behavior and stress-coping styles of its offspring. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2022; 252:109211. [PMID: 34655806 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2021.109211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Extrinsic estradiol-17β (E2) is an environmental hormone. Female fish exposure to waterborne E2 might affect the development of craniofacial cartilage of its offspring. The present study investigates the effects of maternal E2 on larval craniofacial cartilage development by administering oral feed containing E2 (F-E2) to female zebrafish, and examines whether the swimming behavior and their stress coping style are influenced by maternal E2. The results showed that E2 contents responded to dosage and time in male fish after being fed with a diet containing E2. In addition, the E2 contents in female ovaries showed a significant increase after 250 mg of E2/kg treatment for 14 d. On the other hand, the fecundity rate of F-E2 group was lower around 2 folds than FC (female fed 0 mg of E2/kg) group. Craniofacial chondrogenesis on 72 hpf (hours of post fertilization) of F-E2 larvae were abnormalities, and a recovery to a normal developmental pattern was observed at the 96 hpf stage. The swimming speed was slower for F-E2 larvae compared to the FC larvae; and the F-E2 juvenile seems to be less responsive to cortisol (LRC) after cold stress. According to the results, we suggested that F-E2 larvae might have worse environmental adaptability than FC larvae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su Mei Wu
- Department of Aquatic Biosciences, National Chiayi University, Taiwan.
| | - Yu-Jen Tseng
- Department of Aquatic Biosciences, National Chiayi University, Taiwan
| | - Te-Hao Chen
- National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Marine Biology, National Dong Hwa University, Taiwan
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Boulton K, Wilson PW, Bishop VR, Perez JH, Wilkinson T, Hogan K, Homer NZM, Robert C, Smith J, Meddle SL, Dunn IC, Watson K. Parental methyl-enhanced diet and in ovo corticosterone affect first generation Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) development, behaviour and stress response. Sci Rep 2021; 11:21092. [PMID: 34702953 PMCID: PMC8548525 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-99812-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of maternal investment in avian offspring has considerable life history implications on production traits and therefore potential for the poultry industry. A first generation (G1) of Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) were bred from a 2 × 2 factorial design. Parents were fed either a control or methyl-enhanced (HiBET) diet, and their eggs were treated with a vehicle or corticosterone injection during day 5 of incubation. A subset of G1 birds were subjected to an open field trial (OFT) and capture-restraint stress protocol. Significant effects of HiBET diet were found on parental egg and liver weights, G1 hatch, liver and female reproductive tract weights, egg productivity, latency to leave the OFT central zone, male baseline 11-dehydrocorticosterone, and female androstenedione plasma concentrations. In ovo treatment significantly affected latency to return to the OFT, male baseline testosterone and androstenedione, and change in androstenedione plasma concentration. Diet by treatment interactions were significant for G1 liver weight and male baseline plasma concentrations of corticosterone. These novel findings suggest significant positive effects on reproduction, growth, precociousness, and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function from enhanced methyl diets, and are important in understanding how in ovo stressors (representing maternal stress), affect the first offspring generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kay Boulton
- The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK.
| | - Peter W. Wilson
- grid.4305.20000 0004 1936 7988The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG UK
| | - Valerie R. Bishop
- grid.4305.20000 0004 1936 7988The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG UK
| | - Jonathan H. Perez
- grid.4305.20000 0004 1936 7988The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG UK ,grid.267153.40000 0000 9552 1255Department of Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL 36688 USA
| | - Toby Wilkinson
- grid.4305.20000 0004 1936 7988The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG UK
| | - Kris Hogan
- grid.4305.20000 0004 1936 7988The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG UK
| | - Natalie Z. M. Homer
- grid.4305.20000 0004 1936 7988The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG UK ,grid.4305.20000 0004 1936 7988Centre for Cardiovascular Sciences, Mass Spectrometry Core, E3.08, Queen’s Medical Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ UK
| | - Christelle Robert
- grid.4305.20000 0004 1936 7988The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG UK
| | - Jacqueline Smith
- grid.4305.20000 0004 1936 7988The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG UK
| | - Simone L. Meddle
- grid.4305.20000 0004 1936 7988The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG UK
| | - Ian C. Dunn
- grid.4305.20000 0004 1936 7988The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG UK
| | - Kellie Watson
- grid.4305.20000 0004 1936 7988The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG UK
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6
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Tseng YJ, Chen TH, Tsai SC, Wu SM. Effects of bisphenol A or diethyl phthalate on cartilage development and the swimming behavior of zebrafish (Danio rerio) through maternal exposure. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2021; 247:109057. [PMID: 33940192 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2021.109057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Waterborne bisphenol A (BPA) and diethyl phthalate (DEP) are endocrine disruptive chemicals that impact the reproductive system of fish. The present study checks the effectiveness of the reproductive capacity on zebrafish after BPA and DEP exposure, and consequently investigates its effect on their development and the swimming behavior of its offspring. The exposure of BPA and DEP to zebrafish reveals that the levels of ovarian 17β-estradiol (E2) and relative mRNA expression (RRE) ratios (Treatment/Control) of hepatic vitellogenin (vtg1) could be induced and decreased. Liver RRE levels in estrogen receptors (ERs) are also affected. Among the ERs, esr2a significantly increased upon BPA exposure, and esr1 and esr2b decreased upon DEP exposure. In addition, the ceratohyal cartilage (CH) angle of larvae whose mothers were exposed to BPA (F-BPA) was significantly bigger, but the CH angle of larvae whose mothers were exposed to DEP (F-DEP) was significantly smaller than the control. The swimming performance of larvae from F-DEP was more compromised than the control, but the situation did not appear in the larvae from the F-BPA group. The success rate of larvae hatching from F-BPA and F-DEP was lower than control group. Moreover, the successful rate of female spawns was higher in the control group compared to the treatment groups exposed to BPA and DEP. We suggested that both maternal BPA and DEP disrupt E2 levels, and influence the CH development of larvae, resulting in a decrease in successful hatching. Only the swimming behavior of larvae from maternal DEP was disrupted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Jen Tseng
- Department of Aquatic Biosciences, National Chiayi University, Chiayi 600, Taiwan
| | - Te-Hao Chen
- National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, 2 Houwan Road, Checheng, Pingtung, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Marine Biology, National Dong Hwa University, Houwan Road, Checheng, Pingtung, Taiwan
| | - Shu Chuan Tsai
- Department of Nursing, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taichung 40601, Taiwan
| | - Su Mei Wu
- Department of Aquatic Biosciences, National Chiayi University, Chiayi 600, Taiwan.
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7
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Schwabl H, Partecke J. Developmental programming of the adrenocortical stress response by yolk testosterone depends on sex and life history stage. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb220152. [PMID: 32967995 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.220152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Developmental exposure of embryos to maternal hormones such as testosterone in the avian egg influences the expression of multiple traits, with certain effects being sex specific and lasting into adulthood. This pleiotropy, sex dependency and persistency may be the consequence of developmental programming of basic systemic processes such as adrenocortical activity or metabolic rate. We investigated whether experimentally increased in ovo exposure to testosterone influenced hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal function, i.e. baseline and stress-induced corticosterone secretion, and resting metabolic rate (RMR) of adult male and female house sparrows (Passer domesticus). In previous experiments with this passerine bird we demonstrated effects of embryonic testosterone exposure on adult agonistic and sexual behavior and survival. Here we report that baseline corticosterone levels and the stress secretion profile of corticosterone are modified by in ovo testosterone in a sex-specific and life history stage-dependent manner. Compared with controls, males from testosterone-treated eggs had higher baseline corticosterone levels, whereas females from testosterone-treated eggs showed prolonged stress-induced corticosterone secretion during the reproductive but not the non-reproductive phase. Adult RMR was unaffected by in ovo testosterone treatment but correlated with integrated corticosterone stress secretion levels. We conclude that exposure of the embryo to testosterone programs the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis in a sex-specific manner that in females depends, in expression, on reproductive state. The modified baseline corticosterone levels in males and stress-induced corticosterone levels in females may explain some of the long-lasting effects of maternal testosterone in the egg on behavior and could be linked to previously observed reduced mortality of testosterone-treated females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hubert Schwabl
- School of Biological Sciences, Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA
| | - Jesko Partecke
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
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Diquelou MC, Griffin AS. Behavioral Responses of Invasive and Nuisance Vertebrates to Harvesting: A Mechanistic Framework. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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9
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Herrel
- Département Adaptations du Vivant UMR 7179 CNRS/MNHN Paris Cedex 5 France
| | - Dominique Joly
- Laboratoire Evolution, Génomes, Comportement, Ecologie UMR9191 CNRS/IRD/Université Paris-Saclay Gif-sur-Yvette France
| | - Etienne Danchin
- Laboratoire Évolution & Diversité Biologique (EDB) UMR5174, CNRSUniversité Fédérale de ToulouseIRD Toulouse Cedex 9 France
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10
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Hooper AW, Berger RW, Rubin LS, McDonald BI, Crocker DE. Maternal age influences offspring behaviour and growth efficiency during provisioning in northern elephant seals. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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11
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Weber BM, Bowers EK, Terrell KA, Falcone JF, Thompson CF, Sakaluk SK. Pre- and postnatal effects of experimentally manipulated maternal corticosterone on growth, stress reactivity and survival of nestling house wrens. Funct Ecol 2018; 32:1995-2007. [PMID: 30344358 PMCID: PMC6191837 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Corticosterone plays a central role in maintaining homeostasis, promoting energy acquisition, and regulating the stress response in birds. Exposure to elevated levels of corticosterone during development can profoundly alter offspring behaviour and physiology, but the effects of elevated maternal corticosterone on offspring development remain poorly understood.We tested two competing hypotheses concerning the effect of maternally derived corticosterone on growth and development of free-living house wrens: (i) elevated maternal corticosterone causes damaging effects on nestling phenotype and fitness (collateral damage hypothesis) and (ii) increased maternal corticosterone enhances offspring fitness by preparing nestlings for the environment experienced by their mother (environmental/maternal-matching hypothesis).We used a non-invasive means to increase maternal corticosterone by providing females with corticosterone-injected mealworms prior to and during egg production in the absence of any overt pre-natal maternal stress. To disentangle pre- and post-natal effects of this elevation in maternal corticosterone, we cross-fostered young in two experiments: (i) nestlings of control and experimental females were reared by unmanipulated, natural females in a uniform maternal environment; (ii) a split-brood design that enabled us to assess the interaction between the mother's corticosterone treatment and that of the nestlings.There were significant pre-natal effects of increased maternal corticosterone on nestling growth and survival. Offspring of females experiencing experimentally increased corticosterone were heavier and larger than offspring of control females. There also was a significant interaction between maternal corticosterone treatment and the corticosterone treatment to which young were exposed within the egg in their effect on nestling survival while in the nest; experimental young exhibited greater survival than control young, but only when reared by control mothers. There was also a significant effect of maternal corticosterone treatment on nestling stress reactivity and, in both experiments, on the eventual recruitment of offspring as breeding adults in the local population.These patterns are broadly consistent with the environmental/maternal-matching hypothesis, and highlight the importance of disentangling pre- and post-natal effects of manipulations of maternal hormone levels on offspring phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beth M Weber
- Behavior, Ecology, Evolution and Systematics Section, School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL, USA
| | - E Keith Bowers
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Kimberly A Terrell
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA
- Department of Research and Conservation, Memphis Zoo, Memphis, TN, USA
| | | | - Charles F Thompson
- Behavior, Ecology, Evolution and Systematics Section, School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL, USA
| | - Scott K Sakaluk
- Behavior, Ecology, Evolution and Systematics Section, School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL, USA
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Sinpru P, Sartsoongnoen N, Rozenboim I, Porter TE, El Halawani ME, Chaiseha Y. The effects of replacing eggs with chicks on mesotocin, dopamine, and prolactin in the native Thai hen. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2018; 263:32-42. [PMID: 29660308 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2018.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2018] [Revised: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 04/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The mesotocinergic (MTergic) and dopaminergic (DAergic) systems have been documented to play pivotal roles in maternal behaviors in native Thai chickens. In native Thai chickens, plasma prolactin (PRL) concentrations are associated with maternal behaviors, which are also controlled by the DAergic system. However, the role of MT in conjunction with the roles of DA and PRL on the neuroendocrine regulation of the transition from incubating to rearing behavior has never been studied. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the association of MT, DA, and PRL during the transition from incubating to rearing behavior in native Thai hens. Using an immunohistochemistry technique, the numbers of MT-immunoreactive (-ir) and tyrosine hydroxylase-ir (TH-ir, a DA marker) neurons were compared between incubating hens (INC; n = 6) and hens for which the incubated eggs were replaced with 3 newly hatched chicks for 3 days after 6, 10, and 14 days of incubation (REC; n = 6). Plasma PRL concentrations were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The results revealed that the numbers of MT-ir neurons within the nucleus supraopticus, pars ventralis (SOv), nucleus preopticus medialis (POM), and nucleus paraventricularis magnocellularis (PVN) increased in the REC hens when compared with those of the INC hens at 3 different time points (at days 9, 13, and 17). On the other hand, the number of TH-ir neurons in the nucleus intramedialis (nI) decreased in the REC13 and REC17 hens when compared with those of the INC hens. However, the number of TH-ir neurons in the nucleus mamillaris lateralis (ML) only decreased in the REC13 hens when compared with the INC13 hens. The decrease in the numbers of TH-ir neurons within the nI and ML is associated with the decrease in the levels of plasma PRL. This study suggests that the presence of either eggs or chicks is the key factor regulating the MTergic system within the SOv, POM, and PVN and the DAergic system within the nI and ML during the transition from incubating to rearing behavior in native Thai chickens. The results further indicate that these two systems play pivotal roles in the transition from incubating to rearing behavior in this equatorial species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panpradap Sinpru
- School of Biology, Institute of Science, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
| | - Natagarn Sartsoongnoen
- Program of Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
| | - Israel Rozenboim
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Tom E Porter
- Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | | | - Yupaporn Chaiseha
- School of Biology, Institute of Science, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
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13
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Abstract
An ovulated egg of vertebrates is surrounded by unique extracellular matrix, the egg coat or zona pellucida, playing important roles in fertilization and early development. The vertebrate egg coat is composed of two to six zona pellucida (ZP) glycoproteins that are characterized by the evolutionarily conserved ZP-domain module and classified into six subfamilies based on phylogenetic analyses. Interestingly, investigations of biochemical and functional features of the ZP glycoproteins show that the roles of each ZP-glycoprotein family member in the egg-coat formation and the egg-sperm interactions seemingly vary across vertebrates. This might be one reason why comprehensive understandings of the molecular basis of either architecture or physiological functions of egg coat still remain elusive despite more than 3 decades of intensive investigations. In this chapter, an overview of avian egg focusing on the oogenesis are provided in the first section, and unique features of avian egg coat, i.e., perivitelline layer, including the morphology, biogenesis pathway, and physiological functions are discussed mainly on chicken and quail in terms of the characteristics of ZP glycoproteins in the following sections. In addition, these features of avian egg coat are compared to mammalian zona pellucida, from the viewpoint that the structural and functional varieties of ZP glycoproteins might be associated with the evolutionary adaptation to their reproductive strategies. By comparing the egg coat of birds and mammals whose reproductive strategies are largely different, new insights into the molecular mechanisms of vertebrate egg-sperm interactions might be provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Okumura
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan.
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14
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Langenhof MR, Komdeur J. Why and how the early-life environment affects development of coping behaviours. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2018; 72:34. [PMID: 29449757 PMCID: PMC5805793 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-018-2452-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2017] [Revised: 01/19/2018] [Accepted: 01/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the ways in which individuals cope with threats, respond to challenges, make use of opportunities and mediate the harmful effects of their surroundings is important for predicting their ability to function in a rapidly changing world. Perhaps one of the most essential drivers of coping behaviour of adults is the environment experienced during their early-life development. Although the study of coping, defined as behaviours displayed in response to environmental challenges, has a long and rich research history in biology, recent literature has repeatedly pointed out that the processes through which coping behaviours develop in individuals are still largely unknown. In this review, we make a move towards integrating ultimate and proximate lines of coping behaviour research. After broadly defining coping behaviours (1), we review why, from an evolutionary perspective, the development of coping has become tightly linked to the early-life environment (2), which relevant developmental processes are most important in creating coping behaviours adjusted to the early-life environment (3), which influences have been shown to impact those developmental processes (4) and what the adaptive significance of intergenerational transmission of coping behaviours is, in the context of behavioural adaptations to a fast changing world (5). Important concepts such as effects of parents, habitat, nutrition, social group and stress are discussed using examples from empirical studies on mammals, fish, birds and other animals. In the discussion, we address important problems that arise when studying the development of coping behaviours and suggest solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Rohaa Langenhof
- Behavioural Physiology and Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Jan Komdeur
- Behavioural Physiology and Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
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15
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Ikebuchi M, Okanoya K, Hasegawa T, Bischof HJ. Chick Development and Asynchroneous Hatching in the Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata castanotis). Zoolog Sci 2017; 34:369-376. [PMID: 28990473 DOI: 10.2108/zs160205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The mode of hatching in birds has important impacts on both parents and chicks, including the costs and risks of breeding for parents, and sibling competition in a clutch. Birds with multiple eggs in a single clutch often begin incubating when most eggs are laid, thereby reducing time of incubation, nursing burden, and sibling competition. In some songbirds and some other species, however, incubation starts immediately after the first egg is laid, and the chicks thus hatch asynchronously. This may result in differences in parental care and in sibling competition based on body size differences among older and younger chicks, which in turn might produce asynchronous development among siblings favoring the first hatchling, and further affect the development and fitness of the chicks after fledging. To determine whether such processes in fact occur in the zebra finch, we observed chick development in 18 clutches of zebra finches. We found that there were effects of asynchronous hatching, but these were smaller than expected and mostly not significant. Our observations suggest that the amount of care given to each chick may be equated with such factors as a camouflage effect of the down feathers, and that the low illumination within the nest also complicates the determination of the hatching order by the parents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maki Ikebuchi
- 1 Cognition and Behavior Joint Research Laboratory, Brain Science Institute, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.,2 JST, ERATO, OKANOYA Emotional Information Project, Japan.,3 Research Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, 6 Ichibanmachi, Chiyoda, Tokyo 102-8471, Japan.,4 Department of Life Sciences Graduate School of Art & Science, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan.,5 Verhaltensforschung, Fakultät Biologie, Universität Bielefeld, Morgenbreede 45, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Kazuo Okanoya
- 1 Cognition and Behavior Joint Research Laboratory, Brain Science Institute, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.,2 JST, ERATO, OKANOYA Emotional Information Project, Japan.,4 Department of Life Sciences Graduate School of Art & Science, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
| | - Toshikazu Hasegawa
- 4 Department of Life Sciences Graduate School of Art & Science, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
| | - Hans-Joachim Bischof
- 5 Verhaltensforschung, Fakultät Biologie, Universität Bielefeld, Morgenbreede 45, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
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16
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Krause ET, Krüger O, Schielzeth H. Long-term effects of early nutrition and environmental matching on developmental and personality traits in zebra finches. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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17
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Parolini M, Romano A, Possenti CD, Caprioli M, Rubolini D, Saino N. Contrasting effects of increased yolk testosterone content on development and oxidative status in gull embryos. J Exp Biol 2017; 220:625-633. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.145235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2016] [Accepted: 11/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Hormone-mediated maternal effects generate variation in offspring phenotype. In birds, maternal egg testosterone (T) exerts differential effects on offspring traits after hatching, suggesting that mothers experience a trade-off between contrasting T effects. However, there is very little information on T pre-natal effects. In the yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis), we increased yolk T concentration within physiological limits and measured the effects on development and oxidative status of late-stage embryos. T-treated embryos had a larger body size but a smaller brain than controls. Males had a larger brain than females, controlling for overall size. T treatment differentially affected brain mass and total amount of pro-oxidants in the brain depending on laying order. T-treatment effects were not sex dependent. For the first time in the wild, we show contrasting T pre-natal effects on body mass and brain size. Hence, T may enforce trade-offs between different embryonic traits, but also within the same trait during different developmental periods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Parolini
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, via Celoria 26, Milan I-20133, Italy
| | - Andrea Romano
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, via Celoria 26, Milan I-20133, Italy
| | | | - Manuela Caprioli
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, via Celoria 26, Milan I-20133, Italy
| | - Diego Rubolini
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, via Celoria 26, Milan I-20133, Italy
| | - Nicola Saino
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, via Celoria 26, Milan I-20133, Italy
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18
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Griffith SC, Crino OL, Andrew SC, Nomano FY, Adkins-Regan E, Alonso-Alvarez C, Bailey IE, Bittner SS, Bolton PE, Boner W, Boogert N, Boucaud ICA, Briga M, Buchanan KL, Caspers BA, Cichoń M, Clayton DF, Derégnaucourt S, Forstmeier W, Guillette LM, Hartley IR, Healy SD, Hill DL, Holveck MJ, Hurley LL, Ihle M, Tobias Krause E, Mainwaring MC, Marasco V, Mariette MM, Martin-Wintle MS, McCowan LSC, McMahon M, Monaghan P, Nager RG, Naguib M, Nord A, Potvin DA, Prior NH, Riebel K, Romero-Haro AA, Royle NJ, Rutkowska J, Schuett W, Swaddle JP, Tobler M, Trompf L, Varian-Ramos CW, Vignal C, Villain AS, Williams TD. Variation in Reproductive Success Across Captive Populations: Methodological Differences, Potential Biases and Opportunities. Ethology 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Simon C. Griffith
- Department of Biological Sciences; Macquarie University; Sydney NSW Australia
| | - Ondi L. Crino
- Department of Biological Sciences; Macquarie University; Sydney NSW Australia
| | - Samuel C. Andrew
- Department of Biological Sciences; Macquarie University; Sydney NSW Australia
| | - Fumiaki Y. Nomano
- Department of Biological Sciences; Macquarie University; Sydney NSW Australia
| | - Elizabeth Adkins-Regan
- Department of Psychology and Department of Neurobiology and Behavior; Cornell University; Ithaca NY USA
| | - Carlos Alonso-Alvarez
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC) - CSIC-UCLM-JCCM; Ciudad Real Spain
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva; Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales - CSIC; Madrid Spain
| | - Ida E. Bailey
- School of Biology; University of St Andrews; St Andrews, Fife UK
| | | | - Peri E. Bolton
- Department of Biological Sciences; Macquarie University; Sydney NSW Australia
| | - Winnie Boner
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine; College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences; University of Glasgow; Glasgow UK
| | - Neeltje Boogert
- School of Psychology; University of St Andrews; St Andrews, Fife UK
| | - Ingrid C. A. Boucaud
- CNRS UMR 9197 NeuroPSI/ENES; Université de Lyon/Saint-Etienne; Saint-Etienne France
| | - Michael Briga
- Behavioural Biology; University of Groningen; Groningen The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Mariusz Cichoń
- Institute of Environmental Sciences; Jagiellonian University; Cracow Poland
| | - David F. Clayton
- Department of Biological and Experimental Psychology; Queen Mary University of London; London UK
| | | | - Wolfgang Forstmeier
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics; Max Planck Institute for Ornithology; Seewiesen Germany
| | | | - Ian R. Hartley
- Lancaster Environment Centre; Lancaster University; Lancaster UK
| | - Susan D. Healy
- School of Biology; University of St Andrews; St Andrews, Fife UK
| | - Davina L. Hill
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine; College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences; University of Glasgow; Glasgow UK
| | - Marie-Jeanne Holveck
- Institute of Biology; University of Leiden; Leiden The Netherlands
- Biodiversity Research Centre; Earth and Life Institute; Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL); Louvain-la-Neuve Belgium
| | - Laura L. Hurley
- Department of Biological Sciences; Macquarie University; Sydney NSW Australia
| | - Malika Ihle
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics; Max Planck Institute for Ornithology; Seewiesen Germany
| | - E. Tobias Krause
- Department of Animal Behaviour; Bielefeld University; Bielefeld Germany
- Institute of Animal Welfare and Animal Husbandry; Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut; Celle Germany
| | - Mark C. Mainwaring
- Department of Biological Sciences; Macquarie University; Sydney NSW Australia
- Lancaster Environment Centre; Lancaster University; Lancaster UK
| | - Valeria Marasco
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine; College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences; University of Glasgow; Glasgow UK
| | - Mylene M. Mariette
- CNRS UMR 9197 NeuroPSI/ENES; Université de Lyon/Saint-Etienne; Saint-Etienne France
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences; Deakin University; Geelong VIC Australia
| | - Meghan S. Martin-Wintle
- Conservation and Research Department; PDXWildlife; Portland OR USA
- Applied Animal Ecology; Institute for Conservation Research; San Diego Zoo Global; Escondido CA USA
| | - Luke S. C. McCowan
- Department of Biological Sciences; Macquarie University; Sydney NSW Australia
| | - Maeve McMahon
- Department of Biological and Experimental Psychology; Queen Mary University of London; London UK
| | - Pat Monaghan
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine; College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences; University of Glasgow; Glasgow UK
| | - Ruedi G. Nager
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine; College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences; University of Glasgow; Glasgow UK
| | - Marc Naguib
- Behavioural Ecology Group; Department of Animal Sciences; Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Andreas Nord
- Department of Biology; Lund University; Lund Sweden
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology; University of Tromsø; Tromsø Norway
| | - Dominique A. Potvin
- Advanced Facility for Avian Research; University of Western Ontario; London ON Canada
| | - Nora H. Prior
- Zoology Department; University of British Columbia; Vancouver BC Canada
| | - Katharina Riebel
- Lancaster Environment Centre; Lancaster University; Lancaster UK
| | - Ana A. Romero-Haro
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC) - CSIC-UCLM-JCCM; Ciudad Real Spain
| | - Nick J. Royle
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation; University of Exeter; Penryn UK
| | - Joanna Rutkowska
- Institute of Environmental Sciences; Jagiellonian University; Cracow Poland
| | - Wiebke Schuett
- Zoological Institute; University of Hamburg; Hamburg Germany
| | - John P. Swaddle
- Biology Department; Institute for Integrative Bird Behaviour Studies; The College of William and Mary; Williamsburg VA USA
| | | | - Larissa Trompf
- Department of Biological Sciences; Macquarie University; Sydney NSW Australia
| | - Claire W. Varian-Ramos
- Biology Department; Institute for Integrative Bird Behaviour Studies; The College of William and Mary; Williamsburg VA USA
| | - Clémentine Vignal
- CNRS UMR 9197 NeuroPSI/ENES; Université de Lyon/Saint-Etienne; Saint-Etienne France
| | - Avelyne S. Villain
- CNRS UMR 9197 NeuroPSI/ENES; Université de Lyon/Saint-Etienne; Saint-Etienne France
| | - Tony D. Williams
- Department of Biological Sciences; Simon Fraser University; Burnaby BC Canada
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19
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Branum SR, Tazawa H, Burggren WW. Phenotypic developmental plasticity induced by preincubation egg storage in chicken embryos (Gallus gallus domesticus). Physiol Rep 2016; 4:4/4/e12712. [PMID: 26908714 PMCID: PMC4816897 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.12712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The developing chicken blastoderm can be temporarily maintained in dormancy below physiological zero temperature. However, prolonged preincubation egg storage impairs normal morphological and physiological development of embryos in a potential example of fetal programming (in this case, “embryonic programming”). We investigated how preincubation egg storage conditions (temperature, duration, hypoxia, and hypercapnia) affects viability, body mass, and physiological variables and functions in day 15 chicken embryos. Embryo viability was impaired in eggs stored for 2 and 3 weeks, with the effects greater at 22°C compared to 15°C. However, embryo size was reduced in eggs stored at 15°C compared with 22°C. Phenotypic change resulting from embryonic programming was evident in the fact that preincubation storage at 15°C diminished hematocrit (Hct), red blood cell concentration ([RBC]), and hemoglobin concentration ([Hb]). Storage duration at 15°C more severely affected the time course (2, 6, and 24 h) responses of Hct, [RBC], and [Hb] to progressive hypoxia and hypercapnia induced by submersion compared with storage duration at 22°C. The time‐specific regulation of acid–base balance was changed progressively with storage duration at both 22 and 15°C preincubation storages. Consequently, preincubation egg storage at 22°C resulted in poor viability compared with eggs stored at 15°C, but size and physiological functions of embryos in eggs stored for 1–2 weeks were worse in eggs stored in the cooler than stored under room conditions. Avian eggs thus prove to be useful for examining developmental consequences to physiology of altered preincubation thermal environment in very early stages of development (embryonic programming).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvia R Branum
- Developmental Integrative Biology Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas
| | - Hiroshi Tazawa
- Developmental Integrative Biology Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas
| | - Warren W Burggren
- Developmental Integrative Biology Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas
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20
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Triantaphyllopoulos KA, Ikonomopoulos I, Bannister AJ. Epigenetics and inheritance of phenotype variation in livestock. Epigenetics Chromatin 2016. [PMID: 27446239 DOI: 10.1186/s13072‐016‐0081‐5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic inheritance plays a crucial role in many biological processes, such as gene expression in early embryo development, imprinting and the silencing of transposons. It has recently been established that epigenetic effects can be inherited from one generation to the next. Here, we review examples of epigenetic mechanisms governing animal phenotype and behaviour, and we discuss the importance of these findings in respect to animal studies, and livestock in general. Epigenetic parameters orchestrating transgenerational effects, as well as heritable disorders, and the often-overlooked areas of livestock immunity and stress, are also discussed. We highlight the importance of nutrition and how it is linked to epigenetic alteration. Finally, we describe how our understanding of epigenetics is underpinning the latest cancer research and how this can be translated into directed efforts to improve animal health and welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kostas A Triantaphyllopoulos
- Department of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Faculty of Animal Science and Aquaculture, School of Agricultural Production, Infrastructure and Environment, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos St., 11855 Athens, Greece
| | - Ioannis Ikonomopoulos
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology of Farm Animals, Faculty of Animal Science and Aquaculture, School of Agricultural Production, Infrastructure and Environment, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos St., 11855 Athens, Greece
| | - Andrew J Bannister
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QN UK
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21
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Triantaphyllopoulos KA, Ikonomopoulos I, Bannister AJ. Epigenetics and inheritance of phenotype variation in livestock. Epigenetics Chromatin 2016; 9:31. [PMID: 27446239 PMCID: PMC4955263 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-016-0081-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2016] [Accepted: 07/06/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic inheritance plays a crucial role in many biological processes, such as gene expression in early embryo development, imprinting and the silencing of transposons. It has recently been established that epigenetic effects can be inherited from one generation to the next. Here, we review examples of epigenetic mechanisms governing animal phenotype and behaviour, and we discuss the importance of these findings in respect to animal studies, and livestock in general. Epigenetic parameters orchestrating transgenerational effects, as well as heritable disorders, and the often-overlooked areas of livestock immunity and stress, are also discussed. We highlight the importance of nutrition and how it is linked to epigenetic alteration. Finally, we describe how our understanding of epigenetics is underpinning the latest cancer research and how this can be translated into directed efforts to improve animal health and welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kostas A. Triantaphyllopoulos
- />Department of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Faculty of Animal Science and Aquaculture, School of Agricultural Production, Infrastructure and Environment, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos St., 11855 Athens, Greece
| | - Ioannis Ikonomopoulos
- />Department of Anatomy and Physiology of Farm Animals, Faculty of Animal Science and Aquaculture, School of Agricultural Production, Infrastructure and Environment, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos St., 11855 Athens, Greece
| | - Andrew J. Bannister
- />Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QN UK
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22
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Ahmed AA, Musa HH, Sifaldin AZ. Prenatal corticosterone exposure programs growth, behavior, reproductive function and genes in the chicken. ASIAN PACIFIC JOURNAL OF REPRODUCTION 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.apjr.2016.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
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23
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Strange MS, Bowden RM, Thompson CF, Sakaluk SK. Pre- and Postnatal Effects of Corticosterone on Fitness-Related Traits and the Timing of Endogenous Corticosterone Production in a Songbird. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 325:347-59. [PMID: 27279255 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2016] [Revised: 05/16/2016] [Accepted: 05/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Maternally derived corticosterone in the egg and corticosterone produced endogenously by altricial nestling birds play essential roles during development. Although persistently high corticosterone levels can be harmful, moderately elevated levels above baseline can lead to reallocation of resources between growth and maintenance to ensure immediate survival or to enhance the development of fitness-related traits. We tested two hypotheses concerning the fitness consequences of elevated corticosterone during prenatal and postnatal development in altricial house wrens: (1) elevated corticosterone shifts resources away from growth and immune function and (2) elevated corticosterone serves as a signal to allocate resources to fitness-related traits. We also explored the development of the stress response, hypothesizing that early-stage nestlings have little endogenously produced corticosterone, but that their baseline and stress-induced corticosterone levels increase with age. Nestlings hatching from corticosterone-injected eggs were lighter at hatching, but through compensatory growth, ended up heavier than controls near the time of fledging, an important, fitness-related trait. Nestlings that hatched from corticosterone-injected eggs and those given oral doses of corticosterone did not differ from controls in three other fitness-related traits: immunoresponsiveness, size, or haematocrit. Early- and late-stage nestlings had similar baseline corticosterone levels, and all nestlings increased their plasma corticosterone levels in response to a capture-and-restraint protocol, with older nestlings mounting a stronger stress-induced response than younger nestlings. These results suggest that prenatal exposure to corticosterone is important in shaping offspring phenotype and are consistent with the hypothesis that maternally derived corticosterone in the egg can have long-term, fitness-related effects on offspring phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan S Strange
- Behavior, Ecology, Evolution and Systematics Section, School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois
| | - Rachel M Bowden
- Behavior, Ecology, Evolution and Systematics Section, School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois
| | - Charles F Thompson
- Behavior, Ecology, Evolution and Systematics Section, School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois
| | - Scott K Sakaluk
- Behavior, Ecology, Evolution and Systematics Section, School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois
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24
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Matson KD, Riedstra B, Tieleman BI. In ovo testosterone treatment reduces long-term survival of female pigeons: a preliminary analysis after nine years of monitoring. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl) 2016; 100:1031-1036. [PMID: 26924119 DOI: 10.1111/jpn.12469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2015] [Accepted: 12/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Early exposure to steroid hormones, as in the case of an avian embryo exposed yolk testosterone, can impact the biology of an individual in different ways over the course of its life. While many early-life effects of yolk testosterone have been documented, later-life effects remain poorly studied. We followed a cohort of twenty captive pigeons hatched in 2005. Half of these birds came from eggs with experimentally increased concentrations of testosterone; half came from control eggs. Preliminary results suggest non-random mortality during the birds' first nine years of life. Hitherto, all males have survived, and control females have survived better than testosterone-treated ones. Despite inherent challenges, studies of later-life consequences of early-life exposure in longer-lived species can offer new perspectives that are precluded by studies of immediate outcomes or shorter-lived species.
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Affiliation(s)
- K D Matson
- Resource Ecology Group, Department of Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - B Riedstra
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - B I Tieleman
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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25
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Hau M, Casagrande S, Ouyang J, Baugh A. Glucocorticoid-Mediated Phenotypes in Vertebrates. ADVANCES IN THE STUDY OF BEHAVIOR 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.asb.2016.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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26
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Carter AW, Paitz RT, McGhee KE, Bowden RM. Turtle hatchlings show behavioral types that are robust to developmental manipulations. Physiol Behav 2015; 155:46-55. [PMID: 26657026 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.11.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2015] [Revised: 11/16/2015] [Accepted: 11/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
There can be substantial variation among individuals within a species in how they behave, even under similar conditions; this pattern is found in many species and across taxa. However, the mechanisms that give rise to this behavioral variation are often unclear. This study investigated the influence of environmental manipulations during development on behavioral variation in hatchlings of the red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta). First, we examined the effects of three manipulations during incubation (estrone sulfate exposure, corticosterone exposure, and thermal fluctuations) on hatchling righting response and exploration. Second, we determined whether hatchlings showed consistent differences (i.e. behavioral types) in their righting response and exploration across days and months, and whether these behaviors were correlated with one another. Finally, we examined whether righting response was predictive of ecologically relevant behaviors such as habitat choice and dispersal. Hatchling behavior was robust to our early manipulations; none of the pre-hatch treatments affected later behavior. There were significant clutch effects, which due to the split-clutch design suggests genetic underpinnings and/or maternal effects. We found evidence for behavioral types in turtles; both righting response and exploration were strongly repeatable and these behaviors were positively correlated. Righting response was not predictive of dispersal ability in the field, necessitating a revision in the general interpretations of righting response as a proxy for dispersal ability in turtles. Thus, turtle hatchlings show consistent behavioral differences that are robust to early developmental manipulations, and while not necessarily predictive of dispersal, these behavioral types can have important consequences throughout ontogeny.
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Affiliation(s)
- A W Carter
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Julian Hall 210, Campus Box 4120, Normal, IL 61790, United States.
| | - R T Paitz
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Julian Hall 210, Campus Box 4120, Normal, IL 61790, United States.
| | - K E McGhee
- School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois, 286 Morrill Hall MC-120 505 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana, IL 61801, United States; Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, United Kingdom.
| | - R M Bowden
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Julian Hall 210, Campus Box 4120, Normal, IL 61790, United States.
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27
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Chokchaloemwong D, Rozenboim I, El Halawani ME, Chaiseha Y. Dopamine and prolactin involvement in the maternal care of chicks in the native Thai hen (Gallus domesticus). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2015; 212:131-44. [PMID: 24746677 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2014.03.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2013] [Revised: 02/13/2014] [Accepted: 03/26/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The dopaminergic (DAergic) system plays a pivotal role in incubation behavior via the regulation of prolactin (PRL) secretion in birds, however the role of the DA/PRL system in rearing behavior is poorly understood. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between the DA/PRL system and rearing behavior in a gallinaceous bird, the native Thai chicken. Incubating native Thai hens were divided into two groups. In the first group, hens were allowed to care for their chicks (rearing hens; R). In the second group, hens were deprived of their chicks immediately after hatching (non-rearing hens; NR). In both groups, blood samples and brain sections were collected at different time points after the chicks hatched (days 4, 7, 10, 14, 17, 21, 24, and 28; 6 hens/time point/group). In this study, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) was used as a marker for DAergic neurons. The numbers of TH-immunoreactive (-ir) neurons in the nucleus intramedialis (nI) and in the nucleus mamillaris lateralis (ML), which regulate the vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)/PRL system, were determined in R and NR hens utilizing immunohistochemical techniques. Plasma PRL levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The results revealed that both the number of TH-ir neurons in the nI and the plasma PRL levels were significantly higher in the R hens compared with the NR hens during the first 14 days of chick rearing (P<0.05). However, there was no significant change in the DAergic activity in the ML in either the R or NR groups throughout the 28-day rearing periods. These results suggest that the DA/PRL system is involved in early rearing behavior. The additional decline in DAergic activity and plasma PRL levels during the disruption of rearing behavior further supports their involvement in rearing behavior in this equatorial precocial species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duangsuda Chokchaloemwong
- School of Biology, Institute of Science, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
| | - Israel Rozenboim
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | | | - Yupaporn Chaiseha
- School of Biology, Institute of Science, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
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28
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Fodor A, Zelena D. The effect of maternal stress activation on the offspring during lactation in light of vasopressin. ScientificWorldJournal 2014; 2014:265394. [PMID: 24550698 PMCID: PMC3914454 DOI: 10.1155/2014/265394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2013] [Accepted: 10/28/2013] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Although it is obvious that preconceptional effects as well as stressors during pregnancy profoundly influence the progeny, the lactation period seems to be at least as important. Here we summarize how maternal stressors during the lactation period affect the offspring. As vasopressin is one of the crucial components both for stress adaptation and social behavior, special emphasis was given to this neuropeptide. We can conclude that stressing the mother does not have the same acute effect on the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical axis (as the main target of stress adaptation) of the pups as stressing the pups, but later endocrine and behavioral consequences can be similar. Vasopressin plays a role in acute and later consequences of perinatal stressor applied either to the mother or to the offspring, thereby contributing to transmitting the mothers' stress to the progeny. This mother-infant interaction does not necessarily mean a direct transmission of molecules, but rather is the result of programming the brain development through changes in maternal behavior. Thus, there is a time lag between maternal stress and stress-related changes in the offspring. The interactions are bidirectional as not only stress in the dam but also stress in the progeny has an effect on nursing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Fodor
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szigony utca 43, 1083 Budapest, Hungary
- János Szentágothai School of Neurosciences, Semmelweis University, Üllői utca 26, 1085 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Dóra Zelena
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szigony utca 43, 1083 Budapest, Hungary
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29
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Le Bot O, Lumineau S, de Margerie E, Pittet F, Trabalon M, Houdelier C. Long-life partners or sex friends? Impact of parental pair bond on offspring personality. J Exp Biol 2014; 217:4184-92. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.108738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Previous investigations reported that some traits of parental relationships, including pair-bond duration or mate behavioural compatibility, influence subsequent offspring fitness by acting on their behaviour, growth and thus their early survival. We hypothesized that the development of a pair-bond between sexual partners would have a prenatal influence. This study investigated the impact of two pairing managements on the egg characteristics and development of offspring of Japanese quail (Coturnix c. japonica). Thirty males and 30 females were paired either continuously (C) (mates together all the time) or non-continuously (NC) (pairs met only three times a week for five minutes). Separation-reunion tests evaluated parental pair bond. Egg yolk testosterone and androstenedione levels were evaluated, and the somatic and behavioural development of C and NC chicks was assessed. Our results revealed that members of C pairs were attached to their mates and, although no significant differences in androgen levels could be evidenced between egg sets, a higher proportion of C pairs' eggs were fertilized and their chicks appeared less emotive and more social. Our results revealed that parental relationship can modulate the behavioural development of their offspring, probably via non-genetic effects, and this could play a major role in the emergence of inter-individual variability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Océane Le Bot
- University of Rennes, Laboratory of Animal and Human Ethology, France
| | - Sophie Lumineau
- University of Rennes, Laboratory of Animal and Human Ethology, France
| | | | - Florent Pittet
- University of Rennes, Laboratory of Animal and Human Ethology, France
| | - Marie Trabalon
- University of Rennes, Laboratory of Animal and Human Ethology, France
| | - Cécilia Houdelier
- University of Rennes, Laboratory of Animal and Human Ethology, France
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