1
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Sorensen PW, Lim H. Extreme olfactory sensitivity of silver and bighead carp to overlapping suites of 21-carbon steroids suggests that these species, and likely all other Cyprinoidei, employ them as pheromones. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2024; 350:114471. [PMID: 38373463 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2024.114471] [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: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
Although well established that several fishes including goldfish in the suborder Cypinoidei within the family Cypriniformes use the maturation-inducing steroid 17,20β-dihydroxy-pregn-4-ene-3-one (17,20βP) and its metabolites as a priming pheromone which they detect with sensitivity and specificity, it is unclear whether and how other Cypriniformes might have evolved to do so. This study examined this question in the family Xenocyprididae. Using electro-olfactogram recording we tested the olfactory sensitivity of silver (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and bighead carp (H. nobilis) to a range of 213 steroids in 21 mixtures at 10-9M. While silver carp detected 6 of 21 mixtures, bighead carp detected 5 (p< 0.05). Silver carp were sensitive to 13 21-carbon steroids in these mixtures including 17,20βP while bighead carp detected 9, including 8 detected by silver carp. This assortment of steroids overlapped that detected by goldfish (family Cyprinidae) but no non-Cyprinoid, suggesting common evolutionary origin and function with differences characteristic of species-specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter W Sorensen
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108 USA
| | - Hangkyo Lim
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108 USA
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2
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Bowers JM, Li CY, Parker CG, Westbrook ME, Juntti SA. Pheromone Perception in Fish: Mechanisms and Modulation by Internal Status. Integr Comp Biol 2023; 63:407-427. [PMID: 37263784 PMCID: PMC10445421 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icad049] [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: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Pheromones are chemical signals that facilitate communication between animals, and most animals use pheromones for reproduction and other forms of social behavior. The identification of key ligands and olfactory receptors used for pheromonal communication provides insight into the sensory processing of these important cues. An individual's responses to pheromones can be plastic, as physiological status modulates behavioral outputs. In this review, we outline the mechanisms for pheromone sensation and highlight physiological mechanisms that modify pheromone-guided behavior. We focus on hormones, which regulate pheromonal communication across vertebrates including fish, amphibians, and rodents. This regulation may occur in peripheral olfactory organs and the brain, but the mechanisms remain unclear. While this review centers on research in fish, we will discuss other systems to provide insight into how hormonal mechanisms function across taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica M Bowers
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, 2128 Bioscience Research Bldg, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Cheng-Yu Li
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, 2128 Bioscience Research Bldg, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Coltan G Parker
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, 2128 Bioscience Research Bldg, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Molly E Westbrook
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, 2128 Bioscience Research Bldg, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Scott A Juntti
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, 2128 Bioscience Research Bldg, College Park, MD 20742, USA
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3
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Aguilar P, Bourgeois T, Maria A, Couzi P, Demondion E, Bozzolan F, Gassias E, Force E, Debernard S. Methoprene-tolerant and Krüppel homolog 1 are actors of juvenile hormone-signaling controlling the development of male sexual behavior in the moth Agrotis ipsilon. Horm Behav 2023; 150:105330. [PMID: 36791650 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105330] [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: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
In insects, juvenile hormone (JH) is critical for the orchestration of male reproductive maturation. For instance, in the male moth, Agrotis ipsilon, the behavioral response and the neuronal sensitivity within the primary olfactory centers, the antennal lobes (ALs), to the female-emitted sex pheromone increase with fertility during adulthood and the coordination between these events is governed by JH. However, the molecular basis of JH action in the development of sexual behavior remains largely unknown. Here, we show that the expression of the paralogous JH receptors, Methoprene-tolerant 1 and 2 (Met1, Met2) and of the JH-inducible transcription factor, Krüppel homolog 1 (Kr-h1) within ALs raised from the third day of adult life and this dynamic is correlated with increased behavioral responsiveness to sex pheromone. Met1-, Met2- and Kr-h1-depleted sexually mature males exhibited altered sex pheromone-guided orientation flight. Moreover, injection of JH-II into young males enhanced the behavioral response to sex pheromone with increased AL Met1, Met2 and Kr-h1 mRNA levels. By contrast, JH deficiency suppressed the behavioral response to sex pheromone coupled with reduced AL Met1, Met2 and Kr-h1 mRNA levels in allatectomized old males and these inhibitions were compensated by an injection of JH-II in operated males. Our results demonstrated that JH acts through Met-Kr-h1 signaling pathway operating in ALs, to promote the pheromone information processing and consequently the display of sexual behavior in synchronization with fertility to optimize male reproductive fitness. Thus, this study provides insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the hormonal regulation of reproductive behavior in insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paleo Aguilar
- Institute of Biology, University of Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcon, 28223 Madrid, Spain
| | - Thomas Bourgeois
- Sorbonne Université, INRA, CNRS, UPEC, IRD, Univ. P7, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris, 78026 Versailles, France
| | - Annick Maria
- Sorbonne Université, INRA, CNRS, UPEC, IRD, Univ. P7, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Philippe Couzi
- Sorbonne Université, INRA, CNRS, UPEC, IRD, Univ. P7, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris, 78026 Versailles, France
| | - Elodie Demondion
- Sorbonne Université, INRA, CNRS, UPEC, IRD, Univ. P7, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris, 78026 Versailles, France
| | - Françoise Bozzolan
- Sorbonne Université, INRA, CNRS, UPEC, IRD, Univ. P7, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Edmundo Gassias
- Institute of Biology, University of Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcon, 28223 Madrid, Spain
| | - Evan Force
- Sorbonne Université, INRA, CNRS, UPEC, IRD, Univ. P7, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Stéphane Debernard
- Sorbonne Université, INRA, CNRS, UPEC, IRD, Univ. P7, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris, 75005 Paris, France.
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4
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Sorensen PW, Levesque HM. Hormonal Prostaglandin F2α Mediates Behavioral Responsiveness to a Species-Specific Multi-component Male Hormonal Sex Pheromone in a Female Fish. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 61:193-204. [PMID: 33956973 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although hormonally-derived female sex pheromones have been well described in approximately a dozen species of teleost fish, only a few male sex pheromones have been characterized and the neuroendocrine underpinnings of behavioral responsiveness to them is not understood. Herein, we describe a study that addresses this question using the goldfish, Carassius auratus, an important model species of how hormones drive behavior in egg-laying teleost fishes. Our study had four components. First, we examined behavioral responsiveness of female goldfish and found that when injected with prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α), a treatment that drives female sexual receptivity, and found that they became strongly and uniquely attracted to the odor of conspecific mature males, while non-PGF2α-treated goldfish did not discern males from females. Next, we characterized the complexity and specificity of the male pheromone by examining the responsiveness of PGF2α-treated females to the odor of either mature male conspecifics or male common carp odor, as well as their nonpolar and polar fractions. We found that the odor of male goldfish was more attractive than that of male common carp, and that its activity was attributable to both its nonpolar and polar fractions with the later conveying information on species-identity. Third, we hypothesized that androstenedione (AD), a 19-carbon sex steroid produced by all male fish might be the nonpolar fraction and tested whether PGF2α-treated goldfish were attracted to either AD alone or as part of a mixture in conspecific water. We found that while AD was inactive on its own, it became highly attractive when added to previously unattractive female conspecific water. Lastly, in a test of whether nonhormonal conspecific odor might determine species-specificity, we added AD to water of three species of fish and found that while AD made goldfish water strongly attractive, its effects on other species holding water were small. We conclude that circulating PGF2α produced at the time of ovulation induces behavioral sensitivity to a male sex pheromone in female goldfish and that this male pheromone is comprised of AD and a mixture of body metabolites. Because PGF2α commonly mediates ovulation and female sexual behavior in egg-laying fishes, and AD is universally produced by male fishes as a precursor to testosterone, we suggest that these two hormones may have similar roles mediating male-female behavior and communication in many species of fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter W Sorensen
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Haude M Levesque
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
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5
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Nishiike Y, Miyazoe D, Togawa R, Yokoyama K, Nakasone K, Miyata M, Kikuchi Y, Kamei Y, Todo T, Ishikawa-Fujiwara T, Ohno K, Usami T, Nagahama Y, Okubo K. Estrogen receptor 2b is the major determinant of sex-typical mating behavior and sexual preference in medaka. Curr Biol 2021; 31:1699-1710.e6. [PMID: 33639108 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.01.089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Male and female animals typically display innate sex-specific mating behaviors, which, in vertebrates, are highly dependent on sex steroid signaling. While estradiol-17β (E2) signaling through estrogen receptor 2 (ESR2) serves to defeminize male mating behavior in rodents, the available evidence suggests that E2 signaling is not required in teleosts for either male or female mating behavior. Here, we report that female medaka deficient for Esr2b, a teleost ortholog of ESR2, are not receptive to males but rather court females, despite retaining normal ovarian function with an unaltered sex steroid milieu. Thus, contrary to both prevailing views in rodents and teleosts, E2/Esr2b signaling in the brain plays a decisive role in feminization and demasculinization of female mating behavior and sexual preference in medaka. Further behavioral testing showed that mutual antagonism between E2/Esr2b signaling and androgen receptor-mediated androgen signaling in adulthood induces and actively maintains sex-typical mating behaviors and preference. Our results also revealed that the female-biased sexual dimorphism in esr2b expression in the telencephalic and preoptic nuclei implicated in mating behavior can be reversed between males and females by altering the sex steroid milieu in adulthood, likely via mechanisms involving direct E2-induced transcriptional activation. In addition, Npba, a neuropeptide mediating female sexual receptivity, was found to act downstream of E2/Esr2b signaling in these brain nuclei. Collectively, these functional and regulatory mechanisms of E2/Esr2b signaling presumably underpin the neural mechanism for induction, maintenance, and reversal of sex-typical mating behaviors and sexual preference in teleosts, at least in medaka.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuji Nishiike
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Daichi Miyazoe
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Rie Togawa
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Keiko Yokoyama
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Kiyoshi Nakasone
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Masayoshi Miyata
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Yukiko Kikuchi
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Kamei
- Spectrography and Bioimaging Facility, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan
| | - Takeshi Todo
- Department of Genome Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Tomoko Ishikawa-Fujiwara
- Department of Genome Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Kaoru Ohno
- Division of Reproductive Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan
| | - Takeshi Usami
- Division of Reproductive Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan
| | - Yoshitaka Nagahama
- Division of Reproductive Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan
| | - Kataaki Okubo
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan.
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6
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Bertram MG, Tomkins P, Saaristo M, Martin JM, Michelangeli M, Tomkins RB, Wong BBM. Disruption of male mating strategies in a chemically compromised environment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 703:134991. [PMID: 31757546 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Revised: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
A leading source of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in the environment is run-off of veterinary pharmaceuticals used in agriculture, including hormonal growth promotants (HGPs). Despite being banned in various countries, HGP use is still common in beef production around the world. The androgenic steroid 17β-trenbolone (17β-TB) is a HGP that commonly enters surface waters via livestock effluent run-off. Here, we used a flow-through system to expose wild-caught adult male guppies (Poecilia reticulata) to an environmentally realistic level of 17β-TB (average measured concentration = 2 ng/L) for 21 days. We then compared the response of exposed and unexposed males to sequentially presented large and small stimulus (unexposed) females. Due to a positive size-fecundity relationship, larger females are generally expected to be preferred by males. While we found no evidence that the size of a previously encountered female affected the amount of courtship or coercive 'sneak' mating behaviour performed by males during the second presentation, males from both exposure treatments conducted more frequent courting events towards larger females during both presentations, suggesting an absolute preference for greater female size. Further, across both presentations, 17β-TB exposure caused a shift in male mating strategy towards increased coercive sneaking behaviour, although male sequential investment into mating effort was not impacted at the tested dosage. In combination, our findings demonstrate that exposure to a field-realistic level of a widespread agricultural pollutant alters male mating strategies in fish, and contribute to a growing understanding of sub-lethal impacts of chemical contaminants on complex behaviours in wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G Bertram
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia; Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden.
| | - Patrick Tomkins
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
| | - Minna Saaristo
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia; Department of Biosciences, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Jake M Martin
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
| | - Marcus Michelangeli
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia; Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, USA
| | - Raymond B Tomkins
- Centre for AgriBioscience, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP), Victoria, Australia
| | - Bob B M Wong
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
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7
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Lee SLJ, Horsfield JA, Black MA, Rutherford K, Gemmell NJ. Identification of sex differences in zebrafish (Danio rerio) brains during early sexual differentiation and masculinization using 17α-methyltestoterone. Biol Reprod 2019; 99:446-460. [PMID: 29272338 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/iox175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2017] [Accepted: 12/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual behavior in teleost fish is highly plastic. It can be attributed to the relatively few sex differences found in adult brain transcriptomes. Environmental and hormonal factors can influence sex-specific behavior. Androgen treatment stimulates behavioral masculinization. Sex dimorphic gene expression in developing teleost brains and the molecular basis for androgen-induced behavioral masculinization are poorly understood. In this study, juvenile zebrafish (Danio rerio) were treated with 100 ng/L of 17 alpha-methyltestosterone (MT) during sexual development from 20 days post fertilization to 40 days and 60 days post fertilization. We compared brain gene expression patterns in MT-treated zebrafish with control males and females using RNA-Seq to shed light on the dynamic changes in brain gene expression during sexual development and how androgens affect brain gene expression leading to behavior masculinization. We found modest differences in gene expression between juvenile male and female zebrafish brains. Brain aromatase (cyp19a1b), prostaglandin 3a synthase (ptges3a), and prostaglandin reductase 1 (ptgr1) were among the genes with sexually dimorphic expression patterns. MT treatment significantly altered gene expression relative to both male and female brains. Fewer differences were found among MT-treated brains and male brains compared to female brains, particularly at 60 dpf. MT treatment upregulated the expression of hydroxysteroid 11-beta dehydrogenase 2 (hsd11b2), deiodinase, iodothyronine, type II (dio2), and gonadotrophin releasing hormones (GnRH) 2 and 3 (gnrh2 and gnrh3) suggesting local synthesis of 11-ketotestosterone, triiodothyronine, and GnRHs in zebrafish brains which are influenced by androgens. Androgen, estrogen, prostaglandin, thyroid hormone, and GnRH signaling pathways likely interact to modulate teleost sexual behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie L J Lee
- Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand
| | - Julia A Horsfield
- Department of Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand
| | - Michael A Black
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand
| | - Kim Rutherford
- Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand
| | - Neil J Gemmell
- Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand
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8
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A Blend of F Prostaglandins Functions as an Attractive Sex Pheromone in Silver Carp. FISHES 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/fishes4020027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
A series of laboratory experiments tested the hypothesis that the Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix), an invasive river carp from China, employs a prostaglandin F2α-derived sex pheromone that is attractive and species-specific. Using electro-olfactogram recording (EOG), we found that the olfactory system of this species is acutely sensitive to three F-series prostaglandins (PGFs) at picomolar concentrations and that this sensitivity is enhanced when juveniles are masculinized using androgens, consistent with expectations of a sex pheromone. Individual PGFs had behavioral activity but it was low, suggesting a mixture might be important. To pursue this possibility, we implanted carps with osmotic pumps containing prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α), a treatment previously shown to elicit release of a PGF-based spawning pheromone in the Common Carp. We found that PGF2α-implanted Silver Carp released a species-specific odor that contained a blend of PGF2α and two of its metabolites, which masculinized individuals detected and were attracted to with high sensitivity. Finally, we found that a mixture of these PGFs was attractive to masculinized Silver Carp, while a different mixture released by Bighead Carp was not. We conclude that Silver Carp likely use a species-specific PGF2α-derived sex pheromone that is probably released at spawning and might be useful in its control. Confirmatory studies that explore pheromone function in naturally mature Silver Carp using natural odors in the field should now be conducted to further confirm our proof-of-concept study.
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9
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Bertram MG, Saaristo M, Ecker TE, Baumgartner JB, Wong BBM. An androgenic endocrine disruptor alters male mating behavior in the guppy (Poecilia reticulata). Behav Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ary121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Michael G Bertram
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Minna Saaristo
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Biosciences, Åbo Akademi University, Tykistökatu, Turku, Finland
| | - Tiarne E Ecker
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Bob B M Wong
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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10
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Sorensen PW, Appelt C, Stacey NE, Goetz FW, Brash AR. High levels of circulating prostaglandin F 2α associated with ovulation stimulate female sexual receptivity and spawning behavior in the goldfish (Carassius auratus). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2018; 267:128-136. [PMID: 29940184 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2018.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2018] [Revised: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
This study tested the hypothesis that blood-borne prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) produced at the time of ovulation by female goldfish, a typical scramble-spawning, egg-laying cyprinid fish, functions as a hormone which stimulates female sexual receptivity, behavior, and pheromone release, thereby synchronizing female mating behavior with egg availability. We conducted 5 experiments. First, we tested whether PGF2α is found in the blood of female fish and if it increases at the time of ovulation. Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, we found that circulating PGF2α was approximately 1 ng/ml prior to ovulation, increased over 50-fold within 3 h of ovulation and returned to preovulatory values after spawning and egg release. Ovulated fish also released over 2 ng/h of PGF2α and 800 ng/h of 15-keto-PGF2α, a metabolite of PGF2α - both compounds with known pheromonal function. Second, we tested how closely levels of circulating PGF2α tracked the timing of ovulation by sampling fish at the time of ovulation and discovered that PGF2α increased within 15 min of ovulation, peaked after 9 h, and fell to basal levels as fish spawned and released their eggs. Third, we tested whether an interaction between eggs and the reproductive tract serves as a source of circulating PGF2α and its relationship with female sexual receptivity by injecting ovulated eggs (or an egg-substitute) into the reproductive tract of females stripped of ovulated eggs. We found both of these treatments elicited measurable increases in plasma PGF2α as well as female sexual behavior. A fourth experiment showed that indothemacin, a PG synthase inhibitor, blocked both PGF2α increase and female sexual behavior in egg-substitute-injected fish. Finally, we tested the relationship between the expression of female behavior and PGF2α in PGF2α-injected fish and found that circulating PGF2α levels closely paralleled behavior, rising within 15 min and peaking at 45 min. Together, these experiments establish that PGF2α functions as a behavioral blood-borne hormone in the goldfish, suggesting it likely has similar activity in other related, externally-fertilizing fishes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter W Sorensen
- Department of Fisheries Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA.
| | - Christopher Appelt
- Department of Fisheries Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA.
| | - Norman E Stacey
- University of Alberta, Department of Biological Sciences, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada.
| | - Fredrick Wm Goetz
- Department of Biology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA.
| | - Alan R Brash
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
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11
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Thompson RR, Mangiamele LA. Rapid sex steroid effects on reproductive responses in male goldfish: Sensory and motor mechanisms. Horm Behav 2018; 104:52-62. [PMID: 29777656 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2018.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Revised: 05/06/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Contribution to Special Issue on Fast effects of steroids. Although we have learned a great deal about the molecular mechanisms through which sex steroids rapidly affect cellular physiology, we still know little about the links between those mechanisms and behavioral output, nor about their functional consequences in natural contexts. In this review, we first briefly discuss the contexts associated with rapid effects of sex steroids on reproductive behaviors and their likely functional outcomes, as well the sensory, motor, and motivational mechanisms associated with those effects. We then discuss our recent studies on the rapid effects of testosterone in goldfish. Those studies indicate that testosterone, through its aromatization and the subsequent activation of estrogen receptors, rapidly stimulates physiological processes related to the release of milt/sperm through likely influences on motor pathways, as well as behavioral responses to female visual stimuli that may reflect, in part, influences on early stages of sensory processing. Such motor and sensory mechanism are likely important for sperm competition and mate detection / tracking, respectively, in competitive mating contexts. We also present preliminary data on rapid effects of testosterone on responses to pheromones that may not involve estrogen receptors, suggesting a dissociation in the receptor mechanisms that mediate behavioral responses in different sensory modalities. Lastly, we briefly discuss the implications of our work on unresolved questions about rapid sex steroid neuromodulation in fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richmond R Thompson
- Department of Psychology, Program in Neuroscience, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME 04011, United States.
| | - Lisa A Mangiamele
- Department of Biological Sciences, Smith College, North Hampton, MA 01063, United States
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12
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Li J, Hubbard PC, Canário AV. Male zebrafish ( Danio rerio ) odorants attract females and induce spawning. AQUACULTURE AND FISHERIES 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.aaf.2018.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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13
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Tomkins P, Saaristo M, Bertram MG, Tomkins RB, Allinson M, Wong BBM. The agricultural contaminant 17β-trenbolone disrupts male-male competition in the guppy (Poecilia reticulata). CHEMOSPHERE 2017; 187:286-293. [PMID: 28854383 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.08.125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2017] [Revised: 08/18/2017] [Accepted: 08/23/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Despite a growing literature highlighting the potential impact of human-induced environmental change on mechanisms of sexual selection, relatively little is known about the effects of chemical pollutants on male-male competition. One class of environmental pollutant likely to impact male competitive interactions is the endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), a large and heterogeneous group of chemical contaminants with the potential to influence morphology, physiology and behaviour at minute concentrations. One EDC of increasing concern is the synthetic, androgenic steroid 17β-trenbolone, which is used globally to promote growth in beef cattle. Although 17β-trenbolone has been found to cause severe morphological and behavioural abnormalities in fish, its potential impact on male-male competition has yet to be investigated. To address this, we exposed wild male guppies (Poecilia reticulata) to an environmentally realistic concentration of 17β-trenbolone (average measured concentration: 8 ng/L) for 21 days using a flow-through system. We found that, in the presence of a competitor, 17β-trenbolone-exposed males carried out more frequent aggressive behaviours towards rival males than did unexposed males, as well as performing less courting behaviour and more sneak (i.e., coercive) mating attempts towards females. Considering that, by influencing mating outcomes, male-male competition has important consequences for population dynamics and broader evolutionary processes, this study highlights the need for greater understanding of the potential impact of EDCs on the mechanisms of sexual selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Tomkins
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Minna Saaristo
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia; Department of Biosciences, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Michael G Bertram
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
| | - Raymond B Tomkins
- Centre for AgriBioscience, Department of Environment and Primary Industries (DEPI), Victoria, Australia
| | - Mayumi Allinson
- Centre for Aquatic Pollution Identification and Management (CAPIM), School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bob B M Wong
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
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14
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Acute effects of sex steroids on visual processing in male goldfish. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2017; 204:17-29. [PMID: 29080952 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-017-1220-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2017] [Revised: 10/04/2017] [Accepted: 10/06/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Elevations of sex steroids induced by social cues can rapidly modulate social behavior, but we know little about where they act within the nervous system to produce such effects. In male goldfish, testosterone (T) rapidly increases approach responses to the visual cues of females through its conversion to estradiol. Because aromatase is expressed in the retina, we tested if T can acutely influence retina responses to visual stimuli, and investigated the receptor mechanisms that may mediate such effects. Specifically, we measured FOS protein immunoreactivity to determine if T affects cellular responses to visual stimuli that include females, and used electrophysiology to investigate whether T can generally affect light sensitivity. We found that T acutely increased FOS responses to the simultaneous onset of light and the presence of female visual stimuli, both of which would normally be associated with early morning spawning, and increased electrophysiological responses to low intensity light pulses. Both effects were blocked by an estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) antagonist, indicating that T is likely being converted to estradiol (E2) and acting through an ERβ mediated mechanism to acutely modulate visual processing. Changes in sensory processing could subsequently influence approach behavior to increase reproductive success in competitive mating environments.
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15
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Nikonov AA, Butler JM, Field KE, Caprio J, Maruska KP. Reproductive and metabolic state differences in olfactory responses to amino acids in a mouth brooding African cichlid fish. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 220:2980-2992. [PMID: 28596215 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.157925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2017] [Accepted: 06/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Olfaction mediates many crucial life-history behaviors such as prey detection, predator avoidance, migration and reproduction. Olfactory function can also be modulated by an animal's internal physiological and metabolic states. While this is relatively well studied in mammals, little is known about how internal state impacts olfaction in fishes, the largest and most diverse group of vertebrates. Here we apply electro-olfactograms (EOGs) in the African cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni to test the hypothesis that olfactory responses to food-related cues (i.e. l-amino acids; alanine and arginine) vary with metabolic, social and reproductive state. Dominant males (reproductively active, reduced feeding) had greater EOG magnitudes in response to amino acids at the same tested concentration than subordinate males (reproductively suppressed, greater feeding and growth rates). Mouth brooding females, which are in a period of starvation while they brood fry in their mouths, had greater EOG magnitudes in response to amino acids at the same tested concentration than both recovering and gravid females that are feeding. Discriminant function analysis on EOG magnitudes also grouped the male (subordinate) and female (recovering, gravid) phenotypes with higher food intake together and distinguished them from brooding females and dominant males. The slope of the initial negative phase of the EOG also showed intra-sexual differences in both sexes. Our results demonstrate that the relationship between olfaction and metabolic state observed in other taxa is conserved to fishes. For the first time, we provide evidence for intra-sexual plasticity in the olfactory response to amino acids that is influenced by fish reproductive, social and metabolic state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre A Nikonov
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, 202 Life Sciences Building, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Julie M Butler
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, 202 Life Sciences Building, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Karen E Field
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, 202 Life Sciences Building, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - John Caprio
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, 202 Life Sciences Building, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Karen P Maruska
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, 202 Life Sciences Building, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
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16
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Fatsini E, Carazo I, Chauvigné F, Manchado M, Cerdà J, Hubbard PC, Duncan NJ. Olfactory sensitivity of the marine flatfish Solea senegalensis to conspecific body fluids. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 220:2057-2065. [PMID: 28348043 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.150318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2016] [Accepted: 03/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Chemical communication is better understood in freshwater fish than marine fish. The Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) is a marine flatfish wherein one of the problems in aquaculture is the poor reproductive performance of hatchery-bred males. Is chemical communication involved in the reproduction of this species? Urine, intestinal fluid and mucus samples were taken from adult fish (wild-caught and hatchery-bred) over the spawning season (March-May), and assessed for olfactory potency using the electro-olfactogram (EOG). The effect of stimulation of the olfactory system with adult female urine on circulating luteinizing hormone (LH) levels was also tested in males. Intestinal fluid and urine were potent olfactory stimuli for both juvenile and adult conspecifics, evoking large-amplitude, concentration-dependent EOG responses, with thresholds of detection at approximately 1:106 However, the amplitude of the response to urine depended on the sex and state of maturity of both the donor and the receiver. Most olfactory activity could be extracted by C18 solid-phase cartridges. Urine from mature females evoked a slight, but significant, increase in circulating LH levels in mature males 30 min after exposure. Furthermore, the olfactory potency of urine differed between wild-caught and hatchery-bred fish; however, contrary to expectations, urine from wild-caught females was less potent than that from hatchery-bred females. Taken together, these results strongly suggest that faeces- and urine-released odorants are involved in reproduction in the Senegalese sole, and establish a basis for further investigation into pheromonal communication in marine teleosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elvira Fatsini
- IRTA Sant Carles de la Ràpita Crta, De Poble Nou km. 5.5 (43540) Sant Carles de la Ràpita, Tarragona, Spain
| | - Ignacio Carazo
- IRTA Sant Carles de la Ràpita Crta, De Poble Nou km. 5.5 (43540) Sant Carles de la Ràpita, Tarragona, Spain
| | - François Chauvigné
- IRTA-Institut de Ciències del Mar, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Manuel Manchado
- IFAPA Centro El Toruño, Junta de Andalucía, Camino Tiro Pichón s/n, 11500 El Puerto Santa María, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Joan Cerdà
- IRTA-Institut de Ciències del Mar, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Peter C Hubbard
- Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
| | - Neil J Duncan
- IRTA Sant Carles de la Ràpita Crta, De Poble Nou km. 5.5 (43540) Sant Carles de la Ràpita, Tarragona, Spain
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17
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Wang C, Liu D, Chen W, Ge W, Hong W, Zhu Y, Chen SX. Progestin increases the expression of gonadotropins in pituitaries of male zebrafish. J Endocrinol 2016; 230:143-56. [PMID: 27113852 PMCID: PMC4938713 DOI: 10.1530/joe-16-0073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2016] [Accepted: 04/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Our previous study showed that the in vivo positive effects of 17α,20β-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (DHP), the major progestin in zebrafish, on early spermatogenesis was much stronger than the ex vivo ones, which may suggest an effect of DHP on the expression of gonadotropins. In our present study, we first observed that fshb and lhb mRNA levels in the pituitary of male adult zebrafish were greatly inhibited by 3 weeks exposure to 10nM estradiol (E2). However, an additional 24h 100nM DHP exposure not only reversed the E2-induced inhibition, but also significantly increased the expression of fshb and lhb mRNA. These stimulatory effects were also observed in male adult fish without E2 pretreatment, and a time course experiment showed that it took 24h for fshb and 12h for lhb to respond significantly. Because these stimulatory activities were partially antagonized by a nuclear progesterone receptor (Pgr) antagonist mifepristone, we generated a Pgr-knockout (pgr(-/-)) model using the TALEN technique. With and without DHP in vivo treatment, fshb and lhb mRNA levels of pgr(-/-) were significantly lower than those of pgr(+/+) Furthermore, ex vivo treatment of pituitary fragments of pgr(-/-) with DHP stimulated lhb, but not fshb mRNA expression. Results from double-colored fluorescent in situ hybridization showed that pgr mRNA was expressed only in fshb-expressing cells. Taken together, our results indicated that DHP participated in the regulation of neuroendocrine control of reproduction in male zebrafish, and exerted a Pgr-mediated direct stimulatory effect on fshb mRNA at pituitary level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuili Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental ScienceCollege of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China Fujian Collaborative Innovation Center for Exploitation and Utilization of Marine Biological ResourcesXiamen, China
| | - Dongteng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental ScienceCollege of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China Fujian Collaborative Innovation Center for Exploitation and Utilization of Marine Biological ResourcesXiamen, China
| | - Weiting Chen
- Centre of ReproductionDevelopment and Aging (CRDA), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Wei Ge
- Centre of ReproductionDevelopment and Aging (CRDA), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Wanshu Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental ScienceCollege of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China Fujian Collaborative Innovation Center for Exploitation and Utilization of Marine Biological ResourcesXiamen, China
| | - Yong Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental ScienceCollege of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China Department of BiologyEast Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
| | - Shi X Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental ScienceCollege of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China Fujian Collaborative Innovation Center for Exploitation and Utilization of Marine Biological ResourcesXiamen, China State-Province Joint Engineering Laboratory of Marine Bioproducts and TechnologyXiamen University, Xiamen, China
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18
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Ghosal R, Sorensen PW. Male-typical courtship, spawning behavior, and olfactory sensitivity are induced to different extents by androgens in the goldfish suggesting they are controlled by different neuroendocrine mechanisms. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2016; 232:160-73. [PMID: 27131392 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2016.04.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2016] [Revised: 04/24/2016] [Accepted: 04/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Male-typical reproductive behaviors vary greatly between different species of fishes with androgens playing a variety of roles that appear especially important in the gonochorist cypriniform fishes. The goldfish is an important model for the cypriniformes and while it is clear that male goldfish are fully feminized by prostaglandin F2α(PGF2α), it is not clear whether females will exhibit normal levels of male-typical reproductive behaviors as well as olfactory function when treated with androgens. To answer this question, we exposed sexually-regressed adult female goldfish to several types of androgen and monitored their tendencies to court (inspect females) and mate (spawn, or attempt to release gametes) while monitoring their olfactory sensitivity until changes in these attributes were maximized. Untreated adult males (intact) were included to determine the extent of masculinization. Treatments included the natural androgens, 11-ketotestosterone and testosterone (KT and T), administered via capsules (KT+T-implanted fish); the artificial androgen, methyltestosterone (MT), administered via capsules (MT-C); and MT administered in the fishes' water (MT-B). Male-typical olfactory sensitivity to a pheromone (15keto-PGF2α) increased in all androgen-treated groups and by week 6 was fully equivalent to that of males. Male-typical courtship behavior increased in all androgen-treated groups although slowly, and only MT-B females came to exhibit levels equivalent to those of males after 18weeks. In contrast, male-typical mating activity increased only slightly, with MT-B females reaching levels one-third that of males after 30weeks. We conclude that while androgens fully masculinize olfactory sensitivity and courtship behavior in goldfish, mating behavior is controlled by a different neuroendocrine mechanism(s) that has yet to be fully elucidated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ratna Ghosal
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA.
| | - Peter W Sorensen
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
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19
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Zhang YT, Liu DT, Zhu Y, Chen SX, Hong WS. Cloning and olfactory expression of progestin receptors in the Chinese black sleeper Bostrichthys sinensis. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2016; 230-231:87-102. [PMID: 27018395 PMCID: PMC5421406 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2016.03.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2015] [Revised: 02/03/2016] [Accepted: 03/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Our previous studies suggested that 17α,20β-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (DHP), an oocyte maturation inducing progestin, also acts as a sex pheromone in Chinese black sleeper Bostrichthys sinensis, a fish species that inhabits intertidal zones and mates and spawns inside a muddy burrow. The electro-olfactogram response to DHP increased during the breeding season. In the present study, we cloned the cDNAs of the nine progestin receptors (pgr, paqr5, 6, 7(a, b), 8, 9, pgrmc1, 2) from B. sinensis, analyzed their tissue distribution, and determined the expression in the olfactory rosette during the reproductive cycle in female and male fish. The deduced amino acid sequences of the nine progestin receptors share high sequence identities with those of other fish species and relatively lower homology with their mammalian counterparts, and phylogenetic analyses classified the nine B. sinensis progestin receptors into their respective progestin receptor groups. Tissue distribution of B. sinensis progestin receptors showed differential expression patterns, but all these nine genes were expressed in the olfactory rosette. Interestingly, paqr5 mRNA was found in the intermediate and basal parts of the olfactory epithelium but not in the central core using in situ hybridization, and its expression level was the highest in the olfactory rosette among the tissues examined. These results suggested Paqr5 may have an important role for transmitting progestin signaling in the olfactory system. The expression levels of paqr7a and paqr7b, pgr and pgrmc2 mRNA peaked around the mid meiotic stage, and that of paqr8 peaked at late meiotic stage in the olfactory rosette in males, while the olfactory expression of paqr5 decreased gradually as spermatogenesis progressed. In contrast, the expression of the progestin receptors did not change significantly during the development of the ovary in the olfactory rosette in females, except that of pgr. Interestingly, the changes of paqr8 expression in the olfactory rosette in males mirrored the changes of plasma DHP levels in females during the reproductive cycle, suggesting the Paqr8 may also be important for deciphering progestin signaling released by female. To our knowledge, this is the first time to demonstrate the presence of all known progestin receptors in a teleost olfactory rosette, and to show different expressions between the males and females during the reproductive cycle. This study provides the first evidence on changes of all purported progestin receptors during a reproductive cycle in teleost olfactory rosette, and suggests that distinct olfactory sensitivities to DHP may be due to the changes and compositions of each progestin receptor in B. sinensis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Ting Zhang
- College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Fujian 361005, PR China
| | - Dong Teng Liu
- College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Fujian 361005, PR China
| | - Yong Zhu
- College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Fujian 361005, PR China; Department of Biology, Howell Science Complex, East Carolina University, 1000 E, 5th Street, Greenville, NC 27858-4553, USA
| | - Shi Xi Chen
- College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Fujian 361005, PR China.
| | - Wan Shu Hong
- College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Fujian 361005, PR China.
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20
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Tomkins P, Saaristo M, Allinson M, Wong BBM. Exposure to an agricultural contaminant, 17β-trenbolone, impairs female mate choice in a freshwater fish. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2016; 170:365-370. [PMID: 26466515 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2015.09.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2015] [Revised: 09/15/2015] [Accepted: 09/29/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Despite the pivotal role sexual selection plays in population dynamics and broader evolutionary processes, the impact of chemical pollution on female mate choice is poorly understood. One group of chemical contaminants with the potential to disrupt the mechanisms of female mate choice is endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs); a broad class of environmental pollutants that can interfere with the endocrinology of organisms at extremely low concentrations. Recent research has revealed that estrogenic EDCs can affect female mate choice in fish, but the impact of androgenic EDC exposure is yet to be studied. To address this, we investigated the effects of an environmentally relevant concentration of trenbolone - an androgenic steroid used as a growth promoter in the cattle industry - on female mate choice in wild-caught guppies (Poecilia reticulata). We exposed male and female guppies to 17β-trenbolone for 21 days (measured concentration 4ng/L) via a flow-through system, and found that trenbolone-exposed female guppies spent less time associating with males, and were less choosy, compared to unexposed females. In contrast, trenbolone had no impact on male reproductive behavior or morphology. This is the first study to show that androgenic EDC exposure can disrupt female mate choice, highlighting the need for studies to investigate the behavioral impacts of environmental contaminants on both sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Tomkins
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Minna Saaristo
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia; Department of Biosciences, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Mayumi Allinson
- Centre for Aquatic Pollution Identification and Management (CAPIM), School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bob B M Wong
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
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21
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Tokarz J, Möller G, Hrabě de Angelis M, Adamski J. Steroids in teleost fishes: A functional point of view. Steroids 2015; 103:123-44. [PMID: 26102270 DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2015.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2015] [Revised: 06/11/2015] [Accepted: 06/15/2015] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Steroid hormones are involved in the regulation of a variety of processes like embryonic development, sex differentiation, metabolism, immune responses, circadian rhythms, stress response, and reproduction in vertebrates. Teleost fishes and humans show a remarkable conservation in many developmental and physiological aspects, including the endocrine system in general and the steroid hormone related processes in particular. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge about steroid hormone biosynthesis and the steroid hormone receptors in teleost fishes and compares the findings to the human system. The impact of the duplicated genome in teleost fishes on steroid hormone biosynthesis and perception is addressed. Additionally, important processes in fish physiology regulated by steroid hormones, which are most dissimilar to humans, are described. We also give a short overview on the influence of anthropogenic endocrine disrupting compounds on steroid hormone signaling and the resulting adverse physiological effects for teleost fishes. By this approach, we show that the steroidogenesis, hormone receptors, and function of the steroid hormones are reasonably well understood when summarizing the available data of all teleost species analyzed to date. However, on the level of a single species or a certain fish-specific aspect of physiology, further research is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janina Tokarz
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Experimental Genetics, Genome Analysis Center, Ingolstaedter Landstrasse 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Gabriele Möller
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Experimental Genetics, Genome Analysis Center, Ingolstaedter Landstrasse 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Martin Hrabě de Angelis
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Experimental Genetics, Genome Analysis Center, Ingolstaedter Landstrasse 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; Lehrstuhl für Experimentelle Genetik, Technische Universität München, 85350 Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany; Member of German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Ingolstaedter Landstrasse 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Jerzy Adamski
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Experimental Genetics, Genome Analysis Center, Ingolstaedter Landstrasse 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; Lehrstuhl für Experimentelle Genetik, Technische Universität München, 85350 Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany; Member of German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Ingolstaedter Landstrasse 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany.
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22
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Bertram MG, Saaristo M, Baumgartner JB, Johnstone CP, Allinson M, Allinson G, Wong BBM. Sex in troubled waters: Widespread agricultural contaminant disrupts reproductive behaviour in fish. Horm Behav 2015; 70:85-91. [PMID: 25797925 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2014] [Revised: 03/11/2015] [Accepted: 03/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Chemical pollution is a pervasive and insidious agent of environmental change. One class of chemical pollutant threatening ecosystems globally is the endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). The capacity of EDCs to disrupt development and reproduction is well established, but their effects on behaviour have received far less attention. Here, we investigate the impact of a widespread androgenic EDC on reproductive behaviour in the guppy, Poecilia reticulata. We found that short-term exposure of male guppies to an environmentally relevant concentration of 17β-trenbolone-a common environmental pollutant associated with livestock production-influenced the amount of male courtship and forced copulatory behaviour (sneaking) performed toward females, as well as the receptivity of females toward exposed males. Exposure to 17β-trenbolone was also associated with greater male mass. However, no effect of female exposure to 17β-trenbolone was detected on female reproductive behaviour, indicating sex-specific vulnerability at this dosage. Our study is the first to show altered male reproductive behaviour following exposure to an environmentally realistic concentration of 17β-trenbolone, demonstrating the possibility of widespread disruption of mating systems of aquatic organisms by common agricultural contaminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G Bertram
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Minna Saaristo
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia; Department of Biosciences, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - John B Baumgartner
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, School of Botany, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Mayumi Allinson
- Centre for Aquatic Pollution Identification and Management (CAPIM), The University of Melbourne, Bio21 Institute, Victoria, Australia
| | - Graeme Allinson
- Centre for Aquatic Pollution Identification and Management (CAPIM), The University of Melbourne, Bio21 Institute, Victoria, Australia; Department of Environment and Primary Industries (DEPI), Victoria, Australia
| | - Bob B M Wong
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
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23
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Vignet C, Le Menach K, Lyphout L, Guionnet T, Frère L, Leguay D, Budzinski H, Cousin X, Bégout ML. Chronic dietary exposure to pyrolytic and petrogenic mixtures of PAHs causes physiological disruption in zebrafish--part II: behavior. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2014; 21:13818-32. [PMID: 24671398 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-014-2762-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2013] [Accepted: 03/10/2014] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
In the last 10 years, behavior assessment has been developed as an indicator of neurotoxicity and an integrated indicator of physiological disruption. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) release into the environment has increased in recent decades resulting in high concentrations of these compounds in the sediment of contaminated areas. We evaluated the behavioral consequences of long-term chronic exposure to PAHs, by exposing zebrafish to diets spiked with three PAH fractions at environmentally relevant concentrations. Fish were exposed to these chemicals from their first meal (5 days postfertilization) until they became reproducing adults (at 6 months old). The fractions used were representative of PAHs of pyrolytic (PY) origin and of two oils differing in composition (a heavy fuel oil (HO) and a light crude oil (LO)). Several tests were carried out to evaluate circadian spontaneous swimming activity, responses to a challenge (photomotor response), exploratory tendencies, and anxiety levels. We found that dietary PAH exposure was associated with greater mobility, lower levels of exploratory activity, and higher levels of anxiety, particularly in fish exposed to the HO fraction and, to a lesser extent, the LO fraction. Finally, our results indicate that PAH mixtures of different compositions, representative of situations encountered in the wild, can induce behavioral disruptions resulting in poorer fish performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Vignet
- Laboratoire d'Ecotoxicologie, Ifremer, Place Gaby Coll, BP7, 17137, L'Houmeau, France
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Tokarz J, Möller G, de Angelis MH, Adamski J. Zebrafish and steroids: what do we know and what do we need to know? J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2013; 137:165-73. [PMID: 23376612 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2013.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2012] [Revised: 12/26/2012] [Accepted: 01/01/2013] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Zebrafish, Danio rerio, has long been used as a model organism in developmental biology. Nowadays, due to their advantages compared to other model animals, the fish gain popularity and are also increasingly used in endocrinology. This review focuses on an important aspect of endocrinology in zebrafish by summarizing the progress in steroid hormone related research. We present the state of the art of research on steroidogenesis, the action of steroid hormones, and steroid catabolism and cover the incremental usage of zebrafish as a test animal in endocrine disruption research. By this approach, we demonstrate that some aspects of steroid hormone research are well characterized (e.g., expression patterns of the genes involved), while other aspects such as functional analyses of enzymes, steroid hormone elimination, or the impact of steroid hormones on embryonic development or sex differentiation have not been extensively studied and are poorly understood. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled 'CSR 2013'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janina Tokarz
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Experimental Genetics, Genome Analysis Center, Ingolstaedter Landstrasse 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
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25
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Properties, projections, and tuning of teleost olfactory receptor neurons. J Chem Ecol 2013; 39:451-64. [PMID: 23468224 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-013-0268-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2012] [Revised: 12/17/2012] [Accepted: 02/01/2013] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
In many fishes, the olfactory sense participates in such vital processes as feeding, reproduction, orientation, and predator avoidance. In teleosts, these tasks are fulfilled by a single type of olfactory organ for odorant and pheromone detection, containing ciliated and microvillus receptor neurons, and olfactory crypt cells. Recently, progress was made in understanding crypt cell function with the discovery of a V1R-like odorant receptor expressed in this neuron, an analysis of crypt cell odorant tuning properties, and the dissection of crypt cell connectivity within the telecephalon. Here, we review recent findings on the molecular properties, functions, and associated neural pathways of the three types of teleost olfactory receptor neurons with special emphasis on the crypt cell, and evaluate their roles in the detection of food, social and sexual odorants.
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Söffker M, Tyler CR. Endocrine disrupting chemicals and sexual behaviors in fish – a critical review on effects and possible consequences. Crit Rev Toxicol 2012; 42:653-68. [DOI: 10.3109/10408444.2012.692114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 174] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
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Kasurak A, Zielinski B, Higgs D. Reproductive status influences multisensory integration responses in female round gobies, Neogobius melanostomus. Anim Behav 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2012.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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28
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Duportets L, Bozzolan F, Abrieux A, Maria A, Gadenne C, Debernard S. The transcription factor Krüppel homolog 1 is linked to the juvenile hormone-dependent maturation of sexual behavior in the male moth, Agrotis ipsilon. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2012; 176:158-66. [PMID: 22285394 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2012.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2011] [Revised: 01/04/2012] [Accepted: 01/07/2012] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
In the male moth, Agrotis ipsilon, the behavioral response and neuronal sensitivity in the primary olfactory center, the antennal lobe (AL), to sex pheromone increase with age and juvenile hormone (JH) biosynthesis. Although JH has been shown to control this age-dependent plasticity, the underlying signaling pathway remains obscure. In this context, we cloned a full cDNA encoding the Krüppel homolog 1 transcription factor (AipsKr-h1) of A. ipsilon, which was found to be predominantly expressed in ALs, where its amount increased concomitantly with age and sex pheromone responses. Conversely, the expression of AipsKr-h1 protein in the antenna was age-independent. Moreover, the administration of JH in immature males or fluvastatin, an inhibitor of JH biosynthesis, in mature males induced an increase or a decline of the AipsKr-h1 protein level in ALs, respectively. This effect was suppressed with a combined injection of fluvastatin and JH. Our results showed that Aipskr-h1 is a JH-upregulated gene that might mediate JH action on central pheromone processing, modulating sexual behavior in A. ipsilon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Line Duportets
- UMR 1272, UPMC-INRA, Physiologie de l'Insecte: Signalisation et Communication, Université Paris VI, Bâtiment A, 7 quai Saint Bernard, 75005 Paris, France
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Stacey NE, Van Der Kraak GJ, Olsén KH. Male primer endocrine responses to preovulatory female cyprinids under natural conditions in Sweden. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2012; 80:147-165. [PMID: 22220895 DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2011.03162.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated two related aspects of male-female reproductive interactions in the family Cyprinidae: (1) whether ovulating female rudd Scardinius erythrophthalmus (subfamily Leuciscinae) induce endocrine and gonadal priming responses in conspecific males, a phenomenon which has been described only in species from the subfamily Cyprininae such as goldfish, Carassius auratus, crucian carp Carassius carassius and common carp, Cyprinus carpio and (2) whether the stimuli mediating these responses are species-specific. Field studies of three sympatric European cyprinids, two leuciscins (S. erythrophthalmus and white bream Blicca bjoerkna) and one cyprinin (C. carassius), were conducted on fishes captured in Sweden in the spawning season and held in net pens under natural conditions. As previously reported in C. carassius, male S. erythrophthalmus increased milt (sperm and seminal fluid) volume and plasma concentrations of the sperm maturation hormone 4-pregnen-17,20β-diol-3-one (17,20β-P) when they were held with female S. erythrophthalmus induced to ovulate by injection of Ovaprim (GnRH analogue plus dopamine antagonist). Male S. erythrophthalmus had larger milt volumes than male C. carassius prior to and following exposure to ovulatory conspecifics, but exhibited a smaller proportional milt increase in response to stimulation, suggesting species differences in sperm allocation at spawning. The presence of female S. erythrophthalmus and B. bjoerkna did not affect milt volumes of C. carassius under two experimental conditions: (1) ovulating S. erythrophthalmus and B. bjoerkna did not increase the milt volumes of C. carassius and (2) S. erythrophthalmus and B. bjoerkna did not interfere with the milt volume increase induced in male C. carassius by ovulating conspecifics. These results suggest that, as in C. auratus, C. carassius and C. carpio (subfamily Cyprininae), female S. erythrophthalmus (subfamily Leuciscinae) release a preovulatory pheromone that exerts priming effects on male hormones and sperm allocation. The findings also indicate that C. carassius discriminate between the reproductive odours of conspecifics and heterospecifics.
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Affiliation(s)
- N E Stacey
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E9 Canada.
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Daghfous G, Green WW, Zielinski BS, Dubuc R. Chemosensory-induced motor behaviors in fish. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2011; 22:223-30. [PMID: 22054925 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2011.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2011] [Revised: 10/05/2011] [Accepted: 10/12/2011] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Chemical sensory signals play a crucial role in eliciting motor behaviors. We now review the different motor behaviors induced by chemosensory stimuli in fish as well as their neural substrate. A great deal of research has focused on migratory, reproductive, foraging, and escape behaviors but it is only recently that the molecules mediating these chemotactic responses have become well-characterized. Chemotactic responses are mediated by three sensory systems: olfactory, gustatory, and diffuse chemosensory. The olfactory sensory neuron responses to chemicals are now better understood. In addition, the olfactory projections to the central nervous system were recently shown to display an odotopic organization in the forebrain. Moreover, a specific downward projection underlying motor responses to olfactory inputs was recently described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gheylen Daghfous
- Groupe de Recherche sur le Système Nerveux Central, Département de Physiologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
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Maruska KP, Fernald RD. Reproductive status regulates expression of sex steroid and GnRH receptors in the olfactory bulb. Behav Brain Res 2010; 213:208-17. [PMID: 20466023 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2010.04.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2010] [Revised: 04/29/2010] [Accepted: 04/30/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Neuromodulators including gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and sex steroids help integrate an animal's internal physiological state with incoming external cues, and can have profound effects on the processing of behaviorally relevant information, particularly from the olfactory system. While GnRH and steroid receptors are present in olfactory processing regions across vertebrates, little is known about whether their expression levels change with internal physiological state or external social cues. We used qRT-PCR to measure mRNA levels of two GnRH receptors (GnRH-R1, GnRH-R2), five sex steroid receptors (estrogen receptors: ERalpha, ERbetaa, ERbetab; androgen receptors: ARalpha, ARbeta), and aromatase in the olfactory bulb of the highly social African cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni. We asked whether these receptor levels changed with reproductive condition in females, or with social status, which regulates reproductive capacity in males. Our results reveal that mRNA levels of multiple sex steroid, GnRH receptor subtypes, and aromatase in the olfactory bulb vary with sex, social status in males, and reproductive condition in females, which highlights the potential importance of changing receptor levels in fine-tuning the olfactory system during the reproductive cycle. Further, steroid receptor mRNA levels were positively correlated with circulating steroid levels in males, but negatively correlated in females, suggesting different regulatory control between sexes. These results provide support for the hypothesis that the first-order olfactory relay station is a substrate for both GnRH and sex steroid modulation, and suggest that changes in receptor levels could be an important mechanism for regulating reproductive, social, and seasonal plasticity in olfactory perception observed across vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen P Maruska
- Biology Department, Stanford University, 371 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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