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Abdollahi A, Akhlaghi A, Zamiri MJ, Kargar S, Ansari Pirsaraei Z, Nasrollahi B, Kamali Y. Calcitriol combined with fish oil in the diet of Chukar partridge can ameliorate laying performance by improving oviduct histomorphometry and functions. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl) 2023; 107:1206-1215. [PMID: 37057866 DOI: 10.1111/jpn.13817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
The effects of calcitriol (CT) and/or fish oil (FO) on performance, oviposition time, sex ratio and morphology of the reproductive system of laying Chukar partridges were studied. Female (n = 48) and male (n = 16) partridges were used in a completely randomised design using a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement and were randomly allocated to either of four experimental treatments with four cage replicates of three females and one male each. Female birds received no FO (CON - FO) or were orally administered with 0.2 mL (0.24 g)/500 g body weight FO (CON + FO) or 0.2 mL solution containing 10 µg CT (CT - FO), or their combination (CT + FO) for 42 successive days. The eggs were collected every two hours between 07:00 and 23:00 h. Administering FO along with CT had considerably increasing effect on the male-biased sex ratio. FO and CT administration interacted to increase serum calcium concentration. Experimental treatments increased the number of leucocytes and erythrocytes. Serum cholesterol was decreased in CON + FO partridges compared with those of the CT - FO and CON - FO birds. There was an interaction between FO and CT on the weight of eggs and hatchlings, number of medium white follicles, diameter and the number of small yellow follicles, the weight and diameter of the fifth follicles (F5), and thickness of secondary mucosal folds in both uterus and vagina. Administering CT alone or with FO increased the feed intake, egg production, oviductal weight, diameter and number of large yellow follicles, the weight and diameter of the second (F2) and first (F1) follicles compared with those of the CON - FO females. Further studies are required to elucidate the mechanisms by which such changes in the sex ratio skew, ovary and oviduct are mediated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arman Abdollahi
- Department of Animal Science, School of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Amir Akhlaghi
- Department of Animal Science, School of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Javad Zamiri
- Department of Animal Science, School of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Shahryar Kargar
- Department of Animal Science, School of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Zarbakht Ansari Pirsaraei
- Department of Animal Science, Sari Agricultural Science and Natural Resources University, Sari, Iran
| | - Banafsheh Nasrollahi
- Department of Animal Science, School of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Younes Kamali
- Department of Basic Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
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Li J, Si SJ, Wu X, Zhang ZH, Li C, Tao YQ, Yang PK, Li DH, Li ZJ, Li GX, Liu XJ, Tian YD, Kang XT. CircEML1 facilitates the steroid synthesis in follicular granulosa cells of chicken through sponging gga-miR-449a to release IGF2BP3 expression. Genomics 2023; 115:110540. [PMID: 36563917 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2022.110540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) induced competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNA) play crucial roles in various biological process by regulating target gene expression. However, the studies of ceRNA networks in the regulation of ovarian ovulation processing of chicken remains deficient compared to that in mammals. Our present study revealed that circEML1 was differential expressed in hen's ovarian tissues at different ages (15 W/20 W/30 W/68 W) and identified as a loop structure from EML1 pre-mRNA, which promoted the expressions of CYP19A1/StAR and E2/P4 secretion in follicular granulosa cells (GCs). Furthermore, circEML1 could serve as a sponge of gga-miR-449a and also found that IGF2BP3 was targeted by gga-miR-449a to co-participate in the steroidogenesis, which possibly act the regulatory role via mTOR/p38MAPK pathways. Meanwhile, in the rescue experiment, gga-miR-449a could reverse the promoting role of circEML1 to IGF2BP3 and steroidogenesis. Eventually, this study suggested that circEML1/gga-miR-449a/IGF2BP3 axis exerted an important role in the steroidogenesis in GCs of chicken.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China; Henan Key laboratory for innovation and utilization of chicken germplasm resources, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Su-Jin Si
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China; Henan Key laboratory for innovation and utilization of chicken germplasm resources, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Xing Wu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China; Henan Key laboratory for innovation and utilization of chicken germplasm resources, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Zi-Hao Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China; Henan Key laboratory for innovation and utilization of chicken germplasm resources, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Chong Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China; Henan Key laboratory for innovation and utilization of chicken germplasm resources, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Yi-Qing Tao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China; Henan Key laboratory for innovation and utilization of chicken germplasm resources, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Peng-Kun Yang
- Henan University of Animal Husbandry and Economy, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Dong-Hua Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China; Henan Key laboratory for innovation and utilization of chicken germplasm resources, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Zhuan-Jian Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China; Henan Key laboratory for innovation and utilization of chicken germplasm resources, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Guo-Xi Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China; Henan Key laboratory for innovation and utilization of chicken germplasm resources, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Xiao-Jun Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China; Henan Key laboratory for innovation and utilization of chicken germplasm resources, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Ya-Dong Tian
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China; Henan Key laboratory for innovation and utilization of chicken germplasm resources, Zhengzhou 450046, China.
| | - Xiang-Tao Kang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China; Henan Key laboratory for innovation and utilization of chicken germplasm resources, Zhengzhou 450046, China.
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Kilgour DAV, Linkous CR, Pierson TW, Guindre-Parker S. Sex ratios and the city: Secondary offspring sex ratios, parental corticosterone, and parental body condition in an urban-adapted bird. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.894583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Trivers–Willard hypothesis states that mothers should adjust their offspring sex ratio according to their own condition and the environment they face during breeding. Past tests of this hypothesis have focused on how natural variation in weather, food availability, or predation pressure shapes sex allocation trade-offs. However, anthropogenic activities, such as urbanization, can alter all of the above characteristics presenting animals with novel challenges in optimizing their brood sex ratio. Previous research has examined how urban living influences individual body condition in several bird taxa, but few have explored subsequent impacts on secondary offspring sex ratio. One likely mediator of the link between environmental conditions, parental condition, and sex ratios is corticosterone (CORT), the primary glucocorticoid in birds. Research on CORT’s influence on sex ratios has focused solely on maternal CORT. However, for species with biparental care, paternal CORT or the similarity of maternal and paternal phenotypes may also help ensure that offspring demand matches parental care quality. To test these hypotheses, we explore offspring secondary sex ratios in European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). We did not find an effect of site or parental body condition on the production of the more costly sex (males). Instead, we found preliminary evidence suggesting that the similarity of maternal and paternal CORT levels within a breeding pair may increase the likelihood of successfully fledging sons. Maternal and paternal CORT were not significant predictors of secondary sex ratio, suggesting that parental similarity, rather than parental CORT alone, could play a role in shaping secondary offspring sex ratios, but additional work is needed to support this pattern. Starlings are considered an urban-adapted species, making them a compelling model for future studies of the relationship between urbanization, parental body condition, and sex ratios.
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Lu L, Zhang L, Zeng T, Du X, Tao Z, Li G, Zhong S, Wen J, Zhou C, Xu X. Transcriptome analyses of potential regulators of pre- and post-ovulatory follicles in the pigeon ( Columba livia). Reprod Fertil Dev 2022; 34:689-697. [PMID: 35366957 DOI: 10.1071/rd21239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
To identify the dominant genes controlling follicular maturation, ovulation and regression for pigeon, we used RNA-seq to explore the gene expression profiles of pre- and post-ovulatory follicles of pigeon. We obtained total of 4.73million (96% of the raw data) high-quality clean reads, which could be aligned with 20282 genes. Gene expression profile analysis identified 1461 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the pre- (P4) and post-ovulatory follicles (P5). Of these, 843 genes were upregulated, and 618 genes were down-regulated. Furthermore, many DEGs were significantly enriched in some pathways closely related to follicle maturation, ovulation and regression, such as ECM-receptor interaction, vascular smooth muscle contraction, progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation, phagosome. Importantly, the DGEs in ECM-receptor interaction pathway included COL1A1 , COL1A2 , COL4A1 , COL4A2 , ITGA11 , ITGB3 and SDC3 , in the progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation pathway involved CDK1 , CDC25A , CCNB3 , CDC20 and Plk1 , and in the vascular smooth muscle contraction covered CALD1 , KCNMA1 , KCNMB1 , CACNA1 , ACTA2 , MYH10 , MYL3 , MYL6 , MYL9 , closely related to promoting follicular maturation and ovulation in pre-ovulatory follicles. Moreover, it seems that the lysosomal cathepsin family has a decisive role in the regression of early stage of post-ovulatory follicle. Taken together, these data enrich the research of molecular mechanisms of pigeon follicular activities at the transcriptional level and provide novel insight of breeding-related physiology for birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizhi Lu
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Science, 310021 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Long Zhang
- Institute of Ecology, Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, 637009 Nanchong, Sichuan, China
| | - Tao Zeng
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Science, 310021 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xue Du
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Science, 310021 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhengrong Tao
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Science, 310021 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Guoqin Li
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Science, 310021 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Shengliang Zhong
- PingYang XingLiang Pigeon Farming Co. Ltd., 325000 Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jihui Wen
- PingYang AoFeng Pigeon Farming Co. Ltd., 325000 Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Caiquan Zhou
- Institute of Ecology, Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, 637009 Nanchong, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaoqin Xu
- Institute of Ecology, Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, 637009 Nanchong, Sichuan, China
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Weber C, Capel B. Sex determination without sex chromosomes. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200109. [PMID: 34247500 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
With or without sex chromosomes, sex determination is a synthesis of many molecular events that drives a community of cells towards a coordinated tissue fate. In this review, we will consider how a sex determination pathway can be engaged and stabilized without an inherited genetic determinant. In many reptilian species, no sex chromosomes have been identified, yet a conserved network of gene expression is initiated. Recent studies propose that epigenetic regulation mediates the effects of temperature on these genes through dynamic post-transcriptional, post-translational and metabolic pathways. It is likely that there is no singular regulator of sex determination, but rather an accumulation of molecular events that shift the scales towards one fate over another until a threshold is reached sufficient to maintain and stabilize one pathway and repress the alternative pathway. Investigations into the mechanism underlying sex determination without sex chromosomes should focus on cellular processes that are frequently activated by multiple stimuli or can synthesize multiple inputs and drive a coordinated response. This article is part of the theme issue 'Challenging the paradigm in sex chromosome evolution: empirical and theoretical insights with a focus on vertebrates (Part I)'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ceri Weber
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, 456 Nanaline Duke, 307 Research Drive, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Blanche Capel
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, 456 Nanaline Duke, 307 Research Drive, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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Wrobel ER, Bentz AB, Lorenz WW, Gardner ST, Mendonça MT, Navara KJ. Corticosterone and testosterone treatment influence expression of gene pathways linked to meiotic segregation in preovulatory follicles of the domestic hen. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0232120. [PMID: 32407351 PMCID: PMC7224459 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Decades of work indicate that female birds can control their offspring sex ratios in response to environmental and social cues. In laying hens, hormones administered immediately prior to sex chromosome segregation can exert sex ratio skews, indicating that these hormones may act directly on the germinal disc to influence which sex chromosome is retained in the oocyte and which is discarded into an unfertilizable polar body. We aimed to uncover the gene pathways involved in this process by testing whether treatments with testosterone or corticosterone that were previously shown to influence sex ratios elicit changes in the expression of genes and/or gene pathways involved in the process of meiotic segregation. We injected laying hens with testosterone, corticosterone, or control oil 5h prior to ovulation and collected germinal discs from the F1 preovulatory follicle in each hen 1.5h after injection. We used RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) followed by DESeq2 and gene set enrichment analyses to identify genes and gene pathways that were differentially expressed between germinal discs of control and hormone-treated hens. Corticosterone treatment triggered downregulation of 13 individual genes, as well as enrichment of gene sets related to meiotic spindle organization and chromosome segregation, and additional gene sets that function in ion transport. Testosterone treatment triggered upregulation of one gene, and enrichment of one gene set that functions in nuclear chromosome segregation. This work indicates that corticosterone can be a potent regulator of meiotic processes and provides potential gene targets on which corticosterone and/or testosterone may act to influence offspring sex ratios in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth R. Wrobel
- Department of Poultry Science, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States of America
| | - Alexandra B. Bentz
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States of America
| | - W. Walter Lorenz
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Georgia Genomics and Bioinformatics Core, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States of America
| | - Stephen T. Gardner
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States of America
| | - Mary T. Mendonça
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States of America
| | - Kristen J. Navara
- Department of Poultry Science, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Wrobel ER, Molina E, Khan NY, Akingbemi BT, Mendonca MT, Navara KJ. Androgen and mineralocorticoid receptors are present on the germinal disc region in laying hens: Potential mediators of sex ratio adjustment in birds? Gen Comp Endocrinol 2020; 287:113353. [PMID: 31809721 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2019.113353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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: 07/19/2019] [Revised: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Female birds skew offspring sex ratios based on environmental and social stimuli; however, the mechanism mediating this phenomenon remains unknown. Growing evidence suggests that testosterone and corticosterone may influence meiosis, as they skew sex ratios when given immediately before chromosomal segregation. It is unclear if these hormones act on the germinal disc (GD) or through a downstream mediator. It is also unknown whether the GD contains receptors for these hormones. If testosterone and/or corticosterone act on the GD to skew sex ratios, then the GD should have receptors for them and that receptor levels should be higher in the GD regions compared to other follicular regions. Furthermore, fluctuations of receptor levels should occur near meiotic segregation. We collected ovarian follicles at 5 h pre-ovulation (just before meiotic segregation) and 20 h pre-ovulation (when sex chromosomes are arrested), and measured androgen receptor (AR) and mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) protein levels via Western blot. ARs and MRs were on the follicle in the GD and non-GD regions, and at 5 h and 20 h pre-ovulation. Both AR and MR protein levels were higher in the GD region than the non-GD region at both time points, but did not differ between time points. These results suggest that hen ovarian follicles have receptors for testosterone and corticosterone, and that the ability for testosterone to respond may be specifically higher in the GD-region, providing further support for the role of testosterone in the alteration of meiotic segregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth R Wrobel
- Poultry Science Department, University of Georgia, 203 Poultry Science Bldg., Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Erica Molina
- Biological Sciences Department, Auburn University, 331 Funchess Hall, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Nicola Y Khan
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St. Andrews, South Street, St. Andrews KY16 9JP, Scotland, UK
| | - Benson T Akingbemi
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, Auburn University, 109 Greene Hall, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Mary T Mendonca
- Biological Sciences Department, Auburn University, 331 Funchess Hall, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Kristen J Navara
- Poultry Science Department, University of Georgia, 203 Poultry Science Bldg., Athens, GA 30602, USA
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Parental Effects and Climate Change: Will Avian Incubation Behavior Shield Embryos from Increasing Environmental Temperatures? Integr Comp Biol 2019; 59:1068-1080. [DOI: 10.1093/icb/icz083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
A major driver of wildlife responses to climate change will include non-genomic effects, like those mediated through parental behavior and physiology (i.e., parental effects). Parental effects can influence lifetime reproductive success and survival, and thus population-level processes. However, the extent to which parental effects will contribute to population persistence or declines in response to climate change is not well understood. These effects may be substantial for species that exhibit extensive parental care behaviors, like birds. Environmental temperature is important in shaping avian incubation behavior, and these factors interact to determine the thermal conditions embryos are exposed to during development, and subsequently avian phenotypes and secondary sex ratios. In this article, we argue that incubation behavior may be an important mediator of avian responses to climate change, we compare incubation strategies of two species adapted to different thermal environments nesting in extreme heat, and we present a simple model that estimates changes in egg temperature based on these incubation patterns and predicted increases in maximum daily air temperature. We demonstrate that the predicted increase in air temperature by 2100 in the central USA will increase temperatures that eggs experience during afternoon off-bouts and the proportion of nests exposed to lethal temperatures. To better understand how species and local adaptations and behavioral-plasticity of incubation behavior will contribute to population responses to climate change comparisons are needed across more avian populations, species, and thermal landscapes.
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Vanthournout B, Busck MM, Bechsgaard J, Hendrickx F, Schramm A, Bilde T. Male spiders control offspring sex ratio through greater production of female-determining sperm. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 285:rspb.2017.2887. [PMID: 29563266 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.2887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2017] [Accepted: 02/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex allocation theory predicts that when sons and daughters have different reproductive values, parents should adjust offspring sex ratio towards the sex with the higher fitness return. Haplo-diploid species directly control offspring sex ratio, but species with chromosomal sex determination (CSD) were presumed to be constrained by Mendelian segregation. There is now increasing evidence that CSD species can adjust sex ratio strategically, but the underlying mechanism is not well understood. One hypothesis states that adaptive control is more likely to evolve in the heterogametic sex through a bias in gamete production. We investigated this hypothesis in males as the heterogametic sex in two social spider species that consistently show adaptive female-biased sex ratio and in one subsocial species that is characterized by equal sex ratio. We quantified the production of male (0) and female (X) determining sperm cells using flow cytometry, and show that males of social species produce significantly more X-carrying sperm than 0-sperm, on average 70%. This is consistent with the production of more daughters. Males of the subsocial species produced a significantly lower bias of 54% X-carrying sperm. We also investigated whether inter-genomic conflict between hosts and their endosymbionts may explain female bias. Next generation sequencing showed that five common genera of bacterial endosymbionts known to affect sex ratio are largely absent, ruling out that endosymbiont bacteria bias sex ratio in social spiders. Our study provides evidence for paternal control over sex allocation through biased gamete production as a mechanism by which the heterogametic sex in CSD species adaptively adjust offspring sex ratio.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bram Vanthournout
- Department of Bioscience, Section for Genetics, Ecology and Evolution, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114, Building 1540, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.,Biology Department, Evolution and Optics of Nanostructures Group, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000 Gent, Belgium
| | - Mette Marie Busck
- Department of Bioscience, Section for Microbiology, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114, Building 1540, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Jesper Bechsgaard
- Department of Bioscience, Section for Genetics, Ecology and Evolution, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114, Building 1540, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Frederik Hendrickx
- Biology Department, Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000 Gent, Belgium.,Entomology Department, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Vautierstraat 29, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Andreas Schramm
- Department of Bioscience, Section for Microbiology, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114, Building 1540, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Trine Bilde
- Department of Bioscience, Section for Genetics, Ecology and Evolution, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114, Building 1540, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
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Merkling T, Hatch SA, Leclaire S, Danchin E, Blanchard P. Offspring sex-ratio and environmental conditions in a seabird with sex-specific rearing costs: a long-term experimental approach. Evol Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-019-09983-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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11
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Langen EMA, von Engelhardt N, Goerlich-Jansson VC. No evidence for sex-specific effects of the maternal social environment on offspring development in Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2018; 263:12-20. [PMID: 29684400 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2018.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2017] [Revised: 02/26/2018] [Accepted: 04/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The social environment of reproducing females can cause physiological changes, with consequences for reproductive investment and offspring development. These prenatal maternal effects are often found to be sex-specific and may have evolved as adaptations, maximizing fitness of male and female offspring for their future environment. Female hormone levels during reproduction are considered a potential mechanism regulating sex allocation in vertebrates: high maternal androgens have repeatedly been linked to increased investment in sons, whereas high glucocorticoid levels are usually related to increased investment in daughters. However, results are not consistent across studies and therefore still inconclusive. In Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica), we previously found that pair-housed females had higher plasma androgen levels and tended to have higher plasma corticosterone levels than group-housed females. In the current study we investigate whether these differences in maternal social environment and physiology affect offspring sex allocation and physiology. Counter to our expectations, we find no effects of the maternal social environment on offspring sex ratio, sex-specific mortality, growth, circulating androgen or corticosterone levels. Also, maternal corticosterone or androgen levels do not correlate with offspring sex ratio or mortality. The social environment during reproduction therefore does not necessarily modify sex allocation and offspring physiology, even if it causes differences in maternal physiology. We propose that maternal effects of the social environment strongly depend upon the type of social stimuli and the timing of changes in the social environment and hormones with respect to the reproductive cycle and meiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther M A Langen
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Morgenbreede 45, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany; Department of Animals in Science and Society, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Nikolaus von Engelhardt
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Morgenbreede 45, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany.
| | - Vivian C Goerlich-Jansson
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Morgenbreede 45, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany; Department of Animals in Science and Society, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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12
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Podmokła E, Drobniak SM, Rutkowska J. Chicken or egg? Outcomes of experimental manipulations of maternally transmitted hormones depend on administration method - a meta-analysis. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2018; 93:1499-1517. [PMID: 29573376 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2017] [Revised: 01/28/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Steroid hormones are important mediators of prenatal maternal effects in animals. Despite a growing number of studies involving experimental manipulation of these hormones, little is known about the impact of methodological differences among experiments on the final results expressed as offspring traits. Using a meta-analytical approach and a representative sample of experimental studies performed on birds, we tested the effect of two types of direct hormonal manipulations: manipulation of females (either by implantation of hormone pellets or injection of hormonal solutions) and manipulation of eggs by injection. In both types of manipulation we looked at the effects of two groups of hormones: corticosterone and androgens in the form of testosterone and androstenedione. We found that the average effect on offspring traits differed between the manipulation types, with a well-supported positive effect of egg manipulation and lack of a significant effect of maternal manipulation. The observed average positive effect for egg manipulation was driven mainly by androgen manipulations, while corticosterone manipulations exerted no overall effect, regardless of manipulation type. Detailed analyses revealed effects of varying size and direction depending on the specific offspring traits; e.g., egg manipulation positively affected physiology and behaviour (androgens), and negatively affected future reproduction (corticosterone). Effect size was negatively related to the dose of androgen injected into the eggs, but unrelated to timing of manipulation, offspring developmental stage at the time of measuring their traits, solvent type, the site of egg injection and maternal hormone delivery method. Despite the generally acknowledged importance of maternal hormones for offspring development in birds, the overall effect of their experimental elevation is rather weak, significantly heterogeneous and dependent on the hormone and type of manipulation. We conclude by providing general recommendations as to how hormonal manipulations should be performed in order to standardize their impact and the results achieved. We also emphasize the need for research on free-living birds with a focus on fitness-related and other long-term effects of maternal hormones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edyta Podmokła
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387, Kraków, Poland
| | - Szymon M Drobniak
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387, Kraków, Poland
| | - Joanna Rutkowska
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387, Kraków, Poland
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13
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Kato T, Matsui S, Terai Y, Tanabe H, Hashima S, Kasahara S, Morimoto G, Mikami OK, Ueda K, Kutsukake N. Male-specific mortality biases secondary sex ratio in Eurasian tree sparrows Passer montanus. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:10675-10682. [PMID: 29299247 PMCID: PMC5743541 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 10/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex allocation theory predicts that parents bias the offspring sex ratio strategically. In avian species, the offspring sex ratio can be biased at multiple growth stages, although the mechanisms are not well known. It is crucial to reveal a cause and timing of biased offspring sex ratio. We investigated (i) offspring sex ratio at multiple growth stages, from laying to fledging; and (ii) the stage at which offspring sex ratio became biased; and (iii) the cause of biased offspring sex ratio in Eurasian tree sparrows Passer montanus. Sex determination of 218 offspring, including hatchlings and unhatched eggs from 41 clutches, suggested that the offspring sex ratio was not biased at the egg‐laying stage but was significantly female‐biased after the laying stage due to higher mortality of male embryos. Half of the unhatched eggs showed no sign of embryo development (37/74, 50.00%), and most undeveloped eggs were male (36/37, 97.30%). Additional experiments using an incubator suggested that the cause of embryo developmental failure was a lack of developmental ability within the egg, rather than a failure of incubation. This study highlights the importance of clarifying offspring sex ratio at multiple stages and suggests that offspring sex ratio is adjusted after fertilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takahiro Kato
- Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems School of Advanced Sciences SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies) Hayama Japan
| | - Shin Matsui
- Department of Biology School of Biological Sciences Tokai Univerrsity Sapporo Japan
| | - Yohey Terai
- Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems School of Advanced Sciences SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies) Hayama Japan
| | - Hideyuki Tanabe
- Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems School of Advanced Sciences SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies) Hayama Japan
| | - Sayaka Hashima
- Department of Life Science Graduate School of Engineering Science Akita University Akita Japan
| | - Satoe Kasahara
- Faculty of Agriculture and Life Science Hirosaki University Hirosaki Japan
| | - Gen Morimoto
- Division of Avian Conservation Yamashina Institute for Ornithology Abiko City Japan.,Wildlife Conservation Center Department of Life Sciences Toho University Chiba Japan
| | - Osamu K Mikami
- Department of International and Regional Studies Faculty of Education Hokkaido University of Education Hakodate Japan
| | | | - Nobuyuki Kutsukake
- Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems School of Advanced Sciences SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies) Hayama Japan
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14
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15
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Deveson IW, Holleley CE, Blackburn J, Marshall Graves JA, Mattick JS, Waters PD, Georges A. Differential intron retention in Jumonji chromatin modifier genes is implicated in reptile temperature-dependent sex determination. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2017; 3:e1700731. [PMID: 28630932 PMCID: PMC5470834 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1700731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
In many vertebrates, sex of offspring is determined by external environmental cues rather than by sex chromosomes. In reptiles, for instance, temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) is common. Despite decades of work, the mechanism by which temperature is converted into a sex-determining signal remains mysterious. This is partly because it is difficult to distinguish the primary molecular events of TSD from the confounding downstream signatures of sexual differentiation. We use the Australian central bearded dragon, in which chromosomal sex determination is overridden at high temperatures to produce sex-reversed female offspring, as a unique model to identify TSD-specific features of the transcriptome. We show that an intron is retained in mature transcripts from each of two Jumonji family genes, JARID2 and JMJD3, in female dragons that have been sex-reversed by temperature but not in normal chromosomal females or males. JARID2 is a component of the master chromatin modifier Polycomb Repressive Complex 2, and the mammalian sex-determining factor SRY is directly regulated by an independent but closely related Jumonji family member. We propose that the perturbation of JARID2/JMJD3 function by intron retention alters the epigenetic landscape to override chromosomal sex-determining cues, triggering sex reversal at extreme temperatures. Sex reversal may then facilitate a transition from genetic sex determination to TSD, with JARID2/JMJD3 intron retention preserved as the decisive regulatory signal. Significantly, we also observe sex-associated differential retention of the equivalent introns in JARID2/JMJD3 transcripts expressed in embryonic gonads from TSD alligators and turtles, indicative of a reptile-wide mechanism controlling TSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ira W. Deveson
- Genomics and Epigenetics Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Clare E. Holleley
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
- Australian National Wildlife Collection, National Research Collections Australia, CSIRO, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - James Blackburn
- Genomics and Epigenetics Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- St. Vincent’s Clinical School, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jennifer A. Marshall Graves
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
- School of Life Sciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - John S. Mattick
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- St. Vincent’s Clinical School, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Neuroscience Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Paul D. Waters
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Arthur Georges
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
- Corresponding author.
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16
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Tuttle EM, Grunst AS, Grunst ML, Korody ML, Betuel AM, Barcelo‐Serra M, Bierly G, Gonser RA. Climatically driven changes in population composition and offspring sex‐morph ratio in a polymorphic species. Ecosphere 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- E. M. Tuttle
- Department of Biology Indiana State University 200 North Seventh Street Terre Haute Indiana 47809 USA
| | - A. S. Grunst
- Department of Biology Indiana State University 200 North Seventh Street Terre Haute Indiana 47809 USA
| | - M. L. Grunst
- Department of Biology Indiana State University 200 North Seventh Street Terre Haute Indiana 47809 USA
| | - M. L. Korody
- Department of Biology Indiana State University 200 North Seventh Street Terre Haute Indiana 47809 USA
| | - A. M. Betuel
- Department of Biology Indiana State University 200 North Seventh Street Terre Haute Indiana 47809 USA
| | - M. Barcelo‐Serra
- Department of Biology Indiana State University 200 North Seventh Street Terre Haute Indiana 47809 USA
| | - G. Bierly
- Department of Earth and Environmental Systems Indiana State University 200 North Seventh Street Terre Haute Indiana 47809 USA
| | - R. A. Gonser
- Department of Biology Indiana State University 200 North Seventh Street Terre Haute Indiana 47809 USA
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17
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Tschirren B, Ziegler AK, Pick JL, Okuliarová M, Zeman M, Giraudeau M. Matrilineal inheritance of a key mediator of prenatal maternal effects. Proc Biol Sci 2016; 283:20161676. [PMID: 27629040 PMCID: PMC5031669 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.1676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2016] [Accepted: 08/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex-linkage is predicted to evolve in response to sex-specific or sexually antagonistic selection. In line with this prediction, most sex-linked genes are associated with reproduction in the respective sex. In addition to traits directly involved in fertility and fecundity, mediators of maternal effects may be predisposed to evolve sex-linkage, because they indirectly affect female fitness through their effect on offspring phenotype. Here, we test for sex-linked inheritance of a key mediator of prenatal maternal effects in oviparous species, the transfer of maternally derived testosterone to the eggs. Consistent with maternal inheritance, we found that in Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) granddaughters resemble their maternal (but not their paternal) grandmother in yolk testosterone deposition. This pattern of resemblance was not due to non-genetic priming effects of testosterone exposure during prenatal development, as an experimental manipulation of yolk testosterone levels did not affect the females' testosterone transfer to their own eggs later in life. Instead, W chromosome and/or mitochondrial variation may underlie the observed matrilineal inheritance pattern. Ultimately, the inheritance of mediators of maternal effects along the maternal line will allow for a fast and direct response to female-specific selection, thereby affecting the dynamics of evolutionary processes mediated by maternal effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Tschirren
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ann-Kathrin Ziegler
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Joel L Pick
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Monika Okuliarová
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ethology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Michal Zeman
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ethology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Mathieu Giraudeau
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
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18
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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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19
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DuRant SE, Hopkins WA, Carter AW, Kirkpatrick LT, Navara KJ, Hawley DM. Incubation temperature causes skewed sex ratios in a precocial bird. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 219:1961-4. [PMID: 27143750 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.138263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2016] [Accepted: 04/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Many animals with genetic sex determination are nonetheless capable of manipulating sex ratios via behavioral and physiological means, which can sometimes result in fitness benefits to the parent. Sex ratio manipulation in birds is not widely documented, and revealing the mechanisms for altered sex ratios in vertebrates remains a compelling area of research. Incubation temperature is a key component of the developmental environment for birds, but despite its well-documented effects on offspring phenotype it has rarely been considered as a factor in avian sex ratios. Using ecologically relevant manipulations of incubation temperature within the range 35.0-37.0°C, we found greater mortality of female embryos during incubation than males regardless of incubation temperature, and evidence that more female than male embryos die at the lowest incubation temperature (35.0°C). Our findings in conjunction with previous work in brush turkeys suggest incubation temperature is an important determinant of avian secondary sex ratios that requires additional study, and should be considered when estimating the impact of climate change on avian populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E DuRant
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74075, USA
| | - William A Hopkins
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Amanda W Carter
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | | | | | - Dana M Hawley
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
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20
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Bonderud E, Flood N, Van Hamme J, Boyda C, Reudink M. Female mountain bluebirds (Sialia currucoides) paired to more colourful males produce male-biased broods. BEHAVIOUR 2016. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-00003350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Sex allocation theory predicts that females should bias the sex ratio of their offspring in response to differences in the reproductive value of sons versus daughters. Consistent with this prediction, females of many species appear to bias offspring sex ratios in response to mate attractiveness and condition. Male mountain bluebirds (Sialia currucoides) display full body UV-blue structural plumage colouration, which is associated with attractiveness, condition, and reproductive success. Over four breeding seasons, we found females paired with more colourful males produced increasingly male-biased broods and provisioned offspring at a higher rate. Surprisingly, however, we also found females with duller plumage and those mated to first-year males produced more male-biased broods. These results provide support for sex allocation in mountain bluebirds and suggest female reproductive decisions may be influenced by the attractiveness of her mate. However, this system is clearly complex and more work is needed to understand the roles of male age and female colouration in the signalling systems of mountain bluebirds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica S. Bonderud
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC, Canada
| | - Nancy J. Flood
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC, Canada
| | | | - Cameron A. W. Boyda
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC, Canada
| | - Matthew W. Reudink
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC, Canada
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21
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Pinson SE, Wilson JL, Navara KJ. Timing matters: corticosterone injections 4 h before ovulation bias sex ratios towards females in chickens. J Comp Physiol B 2015; 185:539-46. [DOI: 10.1007/s00360-015-0897-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2014] [Revised: 02/10/2015] [Accepted: 03/01/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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