1
|
Brown NC, Gordon B, McDonough-Goldstein CE, Misra S, Findlay GD, Clark AG, Wolfner MF. The seminal odorant binding protein Obp56g is required for mating plug formation and male fertility in Drosophila melanogaster. eLife 2023; 12:e86409. [PMID: 38126735 PMCID: PMC10834028 DOI: 10.7554/elife.86409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
In Drosophila melanogaster and other insects, the seminal fluid proteins (SFPs) and male sex pheromones that enter the female with sperm during mating are essential for fertility and induce profound post-mating effects on female physiology. The SFPs in D. melanogaster and other taxa include several members of the large gene family known as odorant binding proteins (Obps). Work in Drosophila has shown that some Obp genes are highly expressed in the antennae and can mediate behavioral responses to odorants, potentially by binding and carrying these molecules to odorant receptors. These observations have led to the hypothesis that the seminal Obps might act as molecular carriers for pheromones or other compounds important for male fertility, though functional evidence in any species is lacking. Here, we used functional genetics to test the role of the seven seminal Obps in D. melanogaster fertility and the post-mating response (PMR). We found that Obp56g is required for male fertility and the induction of the PMR, whereas the other six genes are dispensable. We found males lacking Obp56g fail to form a mating plug in the mated female's reproductive tract, leading to ejaculate loss and reduced sperm storage, likely due to its expression in the male ejaculatory bulb. We also examined the evolutionary history of these seminal Obp genes, as several studies have documented rapid evolution and turnover of SFP genes across taxa. We found extensive lability in gene copy number and evidence of positive selection acting on two genes, Obp22a and Obp51a. Comparative RNAseq data from the male reproductive tract of multiple Drosophila species revealed that Obp56g shows high male reproductive tract expression in a subset of taxa, though conserved head expression across the phylogeny. Together, these functional and expression data suggest that Obp56g may have been co-opted for a reproductive function over evolutionary time.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nora C Brown
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell UniversityIthacaUnited States
| | - Benjamin Gordon
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell UniversityIthacaUnited States
| | | | - Snigdha Misra
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell UniversityIthacaUnited States
| | - Geoffrey D Findlay
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell UniversityIthacaUnited States
- Department of Biology, College of the Holy CrossWorcesterUnited States
| | - Andrew G Clark
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell UniversityIthacaUnited States
| | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Garlovsky MD, Ahmed-Braimah YH. Evolutionary Quantitative Proteomics of Reproductive Protein Divergence in Drosophila. Mol Cell Proteomics 2023; 22:100610. [PMID: 37391044 PMCID: PMC10407754 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcpro.2023.100610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Reproductive traits often evolve rapidly between species. Understanding the causes and consequences of this rapid divergence requires characterization of female and male reproductive proteins and their effect on fertilization success. Species in the Drosophila virilis clade exhibit rampant interspecific reproductive incompatibilities, making them ideal for studies on diversification of reproductive proteins and their role in speciation. Importantly, the role of intraejaculate protein abundance and allocation in interspecific divergence is poorly understood. Here, we identify and quantify the transferred male ejaculate proteome using multiplexed isobaric labeling of the lower female reproductive tract before and immediately after mating using three species of the virilis group. We identified over 200 putative male ejaculate proteins, many of which show differential abundance between species, suggesting that males transfer a species-specific allocation of seminal fluid proteins during copulation. We also identified over 2000 female reproductive proteins, which contain female-specific serine-type endopeptidases that showed differential abundance between species and elevated rates of molecular evolution, similar to that of some male seminal fluid proteins. Our findings suggest that reproductive protein divergence can also manifest in terms of species-specific protein abundance patterns.
Collapse
|
3
|
Brown NC, Gordon B, McDonough-Goldstein CE, Misra S, Findlay GD, Clark AG, Wolfner MF. The seminal odorant binding protein Obp56g is required for mating plug formation and male fertility in Drosophila melanogaster. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.03.526941. [PMID: 36798169 PMCID: PMC9934574 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.03.526941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
In Drosophila melanogaster and other insects, the seminal fluid proteins (SFPs) and male sex pheromones that enter the female with sperm during mating are essential for fertility and induce profound post-mating effects on female physiology and behavior. The SFPs in D. melanogaster and other taxa include several members of the large gene family known as odorant binding proteins (Obps). Previous work in Drosophila has shown that some Obp genes are highly expressed in the antennae and can mediate behavioral responses to odorants, potentially by binding and carrying these molecules to odorant receptors. These observations have led to the hypothesis that the seminal Obps might act as molecular carriers for pheromones or other compounds important for male fertility in the ejaculate, though functional evidence in any species is lacking. Here, we used RNAi and CRISPR/Cas9 generated mutants to test the role of the seven seminal Obps in D. melanogaster fertility and the post-mating response (PMR). We found that Obp56g is required for male fertility and the induction of the PMR, whereas the other six genes had no effect on fertility when mutated individually. Obp56g is expressed in the male's ejaculatory bulb, an important tissue in the reproductive tract that synthesizes components of the mating plug. We found males lacking Obp56g fail to form a mating plug in the mated female's reproductive tract, leading to ejaculate loss and reduced sperm storage. We also examined the evolutionary history of these seminal Obp genes, as several studies have documented rapid evolution and turnover of SFP genes across taxa. We found extensive lability in gene copy number and evidence of positive selection acting on two genes, Obp22a and Obp51a. Comparative RNAseq data from the male reproductive tract of multiple Drosophila species revealed that Obp56g shows high male reproductive tract expression only in species of the melanogaster and obscura groups, though conserved head expression in all species tested. Together, these functional and expression data suggest that Obp56g may have been co-opted for a reproductive function over evolutionary time.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nora C. Brown
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Benjamin Gordon
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
- Present address: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
| | | | - Snigdha Misra
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
- Present address: University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun, UK, India
| | - Geoffrey D. Findlay
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
- Department of Biology, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Andrew G. Clark
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Mariana F. Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Diaz F, Allan CW, Chen X, Coleman JM, Bono JM, Matzkin LM. Divergent evolutionary trajectories shape the postmating transcriptional profiles of conspecifically and heterospecifically mated cactophilic Drosophila females. Commun Biol 2022; 5:842. [PMID: 35986208 PMCID: PMC9391497 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03758-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Postmating-prezygotic (PMPZ) reproductive isolation is hypothesized to result from divergent coevolutionary trajectories of sexual selection and/or sexual conflict in isolated populations. However, the genetic basis of PMPZ incompatibilities between species is poorly understood. Here, we use a comparative framework to compare global gene expression in con- and heterospecifically mated Drosophila mojavensis and D. arizonae female reproductive tracts. We find striking divergence between the species in the female postmating transcriptional response to conspecific mating, including differences in differential expression (DE), alternative splicing (AS), and intron retention (IR). As predicted, heterospecific matings produce disrupted transcriptional profiles, but the overall patterns of misregulation are different between the reciprocal crosses. Moreover, we find a positive correlation between postmating transcriptional divergence between species and levels of transcriptional disruption in heterospecific crosses. This result indicates that mating responsive genes that have diverged more in expression also have more disrupted transcriptional profiles in heterospecifically mated females. Overall, our results provide insights into the evolution of PMPZ isolation and lay the foundation for future studies aimed at identifying specific genes involved in PMPZ incompatibilities and the evolutionary forces that have contributed to their divergence in closely related species. Comparison of global gene expression patterns in con- and heterospecifically mated Drosophila mojavensis and Drosophila arizonae suggest that mating-responsive genes with divergent expression also exhibit more disrupted transcriptional profiles in heterospecifically mated females, providing further insight into the evolution of postmating-prezygotic reproductive isolation.
Collapse
|
5
|
McDonough-Goldstein CE, Pitnick S, Dorus S. Drosophila female reproductive glands contribute to mating plug composition and the timing of sperm ejection. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20212213. [PMID: 35105240 PMCID: PMC8808094 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.2213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Reproductive traits that influence female remating and competitive fertilization rapidly evolve in response to sexual selection and sexual conflict. One such trait, observed across diverse animal taxa, is the formation of a structural plug inside the female reproductive tract (FRT), either during or shortly after mating. In Drosophila melanogaster, male seminal fluid forms a mating plug inside the female bursa, which has been demonstrated to influence sperm entry into storage and latency of female remating. Processing of the plug, including its eventual ejection from the female's reproductive tract, influences the competitive fertilization success of her mates and is mediated by female × male genotypic interactions. However, female contributions to plug formation and processing have received limited attention. Using developmental mutants that lack glandular FRT tissues, we reveal that these tissues are essential for mating plug ejection. We further use proteomics to demonstrate that female glandular proteins, and especially proteolytic enzymes, contribute to mating plug composition and have a widespread impact on plug formation and composition. Together, these phenotypic and molecular data identify female contributions to intersexual interactions that are a potential mechanism of post-copulatory sexual selection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Scott Pitnick
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Biology Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | - Steve Dorus
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Biology Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
McDonough-Goldstein CE, Whittington E, McCullough EL, Buel SM, Erdman S, Pitnick S, Dorus S. Pronounced Postmating Response in the Drosophila Female Reproductive Tract Fluid Proteome. Mol Cell Proteomics 2021; 20:100156. [PMID: 34597791 PMCID: PMC9357439 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcpro.2021.100156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Fertility depends on the progression of complex and coordinated postmating processes within the extracellular environment of the female reproductive tract (FRT). Molecular interactions between ejaculate and FRT proteins regulate many of these processes, including sperm motility, migration, storage, and modification, along with concurrent changes in the female. Although extensive progress has been made in the proteomic characterization of the male-derived components of sperm and seminal fluid, investigations into the FRT have remained more limited. To achieve a comparable level of knowledge regarding female-derived proteins that comprise the reproductive environment, we utilized semiquantitative MS-based proteomics to study the composition of the FRT tissue and, separately, the luminal fluid, before and after mating in Drosophila melanogaster. Our approach leveraged whole-fly isotopic labeling to delineate female proteins from transferred male ejaculate proteins. Our results revealed several characteristics that distinguish the FRT fluid proteome from the FRT tissue proteome: (1) the fluid proteome is encoded by genes with higher overall levels of FRT gene expression and tissue specificity, including many genes with enriched expression in the fat body, (2) fluid-biased proteins are enriched for metabolic functions, and (3) the fluid exhibits pronounced postmating compositional changes. The dynamic mating-induced proteomic changes in the FRT fluid inform our understanding of secretory mechanisms of the FRT, serve as a foundation for establishing female contributions to the ejaculate-female interactions that regulate fertility, and highlight the importance of applying proteomic approaches to characterize the composition and dynamics of the FRT environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Emma Whittington
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Erin L McCullough
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Sharleen M Buel
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Scott Erdman
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Scott Pitnick
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Steve Dorus
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Ulrychová L, Ostašov P, Chanová M, Mareš M, Horn M, Dvořák J. Spatial expression pattern of serine proteases in the blood fluke Schistosoma mansoni determined by fluorescence RNA in situ hybridization. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:274. [PMID: 34022917 PMCID: PMC8140508 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04773-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The blood flukes of genus Schistosoma are the causative agent of schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease that infects more than 200 million people worldwide. Proteases of schistosomes are involved in critical steps of host–parasite interactions and are promising therapeutic targets. We recently identified and characterized a group of S1 family Schistosoma mansoni serine proteases, including SmSP1 to SmSP5. Expression levels of some SmSPs in S. mansoni are low, and by standard genome sequencing technologies they are marginally detectable at the method threshold levels. Here, we report their spatial gene expression patterns in adult S. mansoni by the high-sensitivity localization assay. Methodology Highly sensitive fluorescence in situ RNA hybridization (FISH) was modified and used for the localization of mRNAs encoding individual SmSP proteases (including low-expressed SmSPs) in tissues of adult worms. High sensitivity was obtained due to specifically prepared tissue and probes in combination with the employment of a signal amplification approach. The assay method was validated by detecting the expression patterns of a set of relevant reference genes including SmCB1, SmPOP, SmTSP-2, and Sm29 with localization formerly determined by other techniques. Results FISH analysis revealed interesting expression patterns of SmSPs distributed in multiple tissues of S. mansoni adults. The expression patterns of individual SmSPs were distinct but in part overlapping and were consistent with existing transcriptome sequencing data. The exception were genes with significantly low expression, which were also localized in tissues where they had not previously been detected by RNA sequencing methods. In general, SmSPs were found in various tissues including reproductive organs, parenchymal cells, esophagus, and the tegumental surface. Conclusions The FISH-based assay provided spatial information about the expression of five SmSPs in adult S. mansoni females and males. This highly sensitive method allowed visualization of low-abundantly expressed genes that are below the detection limits of standard in situ hybridization or by RNA sequencing. Thus, this technical approach turned out to be suitable for sensitive localization studies and may also be applicable for other trematodes. The results suggest that SmSPs may play roles in diverse processes of the parasite. Certain SmSPs expressed at the surface may be involved in host–parasite interactions. Graphic abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-021-04773-8.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lenka Ulrychová
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo n. 2, 16610, Prague, Czech Republic.,Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 12844, Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Ostašov
- Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Alej Svobody 1655/76, 32300, Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Marta Chanová
- Institute of Immunology and Microbiology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Studničkova 2028/7, 12800, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Michael Mareš
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo n. 2, 16610, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Horn
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo n. 2, 16610, Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Jan Dvořák
- Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Centre of Infectious Animal Diseases, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Kamýcká 129, 16500, Prague 6, Czech Republic.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
McDonough-Goldstein CE, Borziak K, Pitnick S, Dorus S. Drosophila female reproductive tract gene expression reveals coordinated mating responses and rapidly evolving tissue-specific genes. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2021; 11:jkab020. [PMID: 33890615 PMCID: PMC8063083 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkab020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Sexual reproduction in internally fertilizing species requires complex coordination between female and male reproductive systems and among the diverse tissues of the female reproductive tract (FRT). Here, we report a comprehensive, tissue-specific investigation of Drosophila melanogaster FRT gene expression before and after mating. We identified expression profiles that distinguished each tissue, including major differences between tissues with glandular or primarily nonglandular epithelium. All tissues were enriched for distinct sets of genes possessing secretion signals that exhibited accelerated evolution, as might be expected for genes participating in molecular interactions between the sexes within the FRT extracellular environment. Despite robust transcriptional differences between tissues, postmating responses were dominated by coordinated transient changes indicative of an integrated systems-level functional response. This comprehensive characterization of gene expression throughout the FRT identifies putative female contributions to postcopulatory events critical to reproduction and potentially reproductive isolation, as well as the putative targets of sexual selection and conflict.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Kirill Borziak
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Biology Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Scott Pitnick
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Biology Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Steve Dorus
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Biology Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Ahmed-Braimah YH, Wolfner MF, Clark AG. Differences in Postmating Transcriptional Responses between Conspecific and Heterospecific Matings in Drosophila. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 38:986-999. [PMID: 33035303 PMCID: PMC7947788 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msaa264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In many animal species, females undergo physiological and behavioral changes after mating. Some of these changes are driven by male-derived seminal fluid proteins and are critical for fertilization success. Unfortunately, our understanding of the molecular interplay between female and male reproductive proteins remains inadequate. Here, we analyze the postmating response in a Drosophila species that has evolved strong gametic incompatibility with its sister species; Drosophila novamexicana females produce only ∼1% fertilized eggs in crosses with Drosophila americana males, compared to ∼98% produced in within-species crosses. This incompatibility is likely caused by mismatched male and female reproductive molecules. In this study, we use short-read RNA sequencing to examine the evolutionary dynamics of female reproductive genes and the postmating transcriptome response in crosses within and between species. First, we found that most female reproductive tract genes are slow-evolving compared to the genome average. Second, postmating responses in con- and heterospecific matings are largely congruent, but heterospecific matings induce expression of additional stress-response genes. Some of those are immunity genes that are activated by the Imd pathway. We also identify several genes in the JAK/STAT signaling pathway that are induced in heterospecific, but not conspecific mating. While this immune response was most pronounced in the female reproductive tract, we also detect it in the female head and ovaries. These results show that the female's postmating transcriptome-level response is determined in part by the genotype of the male, and that divergence in male reproductive genes and/or traits can have immunogenic effects on females.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yasir H Ahmed-Braimah
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 13850
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 13850
| | - Andrew G Clark
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 13850
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Garlovsky MD, Evans C, Rosenow MA, Karr TL, Snook RR. Seminal fluid protein divergence among populations exhibiting postmating prezygotic reproductive isolation. Mol Ecol 2020; 29:4428-4441. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.15636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2020] [Revised: 08/23/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Martin D. Garlovsky
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences The University of Sheffield Sheffield UK
| | - Caroline Evans
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering The University of Sheffield Sheffield UK
| | | | - Timothy L. Karr
- Centre for Mechanisms of Evolution The Biodesign Institute Arizona State University Tempe AZ USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
11
|
McCullough EL, McDonough CE, Pitnick S, Dorus S. Quantitative proteomics reveals rapid divergence in the postmating response of female reproductive tracts among sibling species. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20201030. [PMID: 32576111 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.1030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Fertility depends, in part, on interactions between male and female reproductive proteins inside the female reproductive tract (FRT) that mediate postmating changes in female behaviour, morphology, and physiology. Coevolution between interacting proteins within species may drive reproductive incompatibilities between species, yet the mechanisms underlying postmating-prezygotic (PMPZ) isolating barriers remain poorly resolved. Here, we used quantitative proteomics in sibling Drosophila species to investigate the molecular composition of the FRT environment and its role in mediating species-specific postmating responses. We found that (i) FRT proteomes in D. simulans and D. mauritiana virgin females express unique combinations of secreted proteins and are enriched for distinct functional categories, (ii) mating induces substantial changes to the FRT proteome in D. mauritiana but not in D. simulans, and (iii) the D. simulans FRT proteome exhibits limited postmating changes irrespective of whether females mate with conspecific or heterospecific males, suggesting an active female role in mediating reproductive interactions. Comparisons with similar data in the closely related outgroup species D. melanogaster suggest that divergence is concentrated on the D. simulans lineage. Our study suggests that divergence in the FRT extracellular environment and postmating response contribute to previously described patterns of PMPZ isolation and the maintenance of species boundaries.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erin L McCullough
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | - Caitlin E McDonough
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | - Scott Pitnick
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | - Steve Dorus
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Plakke MS, Walker JL, Lombardo JB, Goetz BJ, Pacella GN, Durrant JD, Clark NL, Morehouse NI. Characterization of Female Reproductive Proteases in a Butterfly from Functional and Evolutionary Perspectives. Physiol Biochem Zool 2019; 92:579-590. [DOI: 10.1086/705722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
|
13
|
Allan CW, Matzkin LM. Genomic analysis of the four ecologically distinct cactus host populations of Drosophila mojavensis. BMC Genomics 2019; 20:732. [PMID: 31606030 PMCID: PMC6790045 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-6097-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Relationships between an organism and its environment can be fundamental in the understanding how populations change over time and species arise. Local ecological conditions can shape variation at multiple levels, among these are the evolutionary history and trajectories of coding genes. This study examines the rate of molecular evolution at protein-coding genes throughout the genome in response to host adaptation in the cactophilic Drosophila mojavensis. These insects are intimately associated with cactus necroses, developing as larvae and feeding as adults in these necrotic tissues. Drosophila mojavensis is composed of four isolated populations across the deserts of western North America and each population has adapted to utilize different cacti that are chemically, nutritionally, and structurally distinct. RESULTS High coverage Illumina sequencing was performed on three previously unsequenced populations of D. mojavensis. Genomes were assembled using the previously sequenced genome of D. mojavensis from Santa Catalina Island (USA) as a template. Protein coding genes were aligned across all four populations and rates of protein evolution were determined for all loci using a several approaches. CONCLUSIONS Loci that exhibited elevated rates of molecular evolution tend to be shorter, have fewer exons, low expression, be transcriptionally responsive to cactus host use and have fixed expression differences across the four cactus host populations. Fast evolving genes were involved with metabolism, detoxification, chemosensory reception, reproduction and behavior. Results of this study give insight into the process and the genomic consequences of local ecological adaptation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carson W Allan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama in Huntsville, 301 Sparkman Drive, Huntsville, AL, 35899, USA
- Department of Entomology, University of Arizona, 1140 E. South Campus Drive, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Luciano M Matzkin
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama in Huntsville, 301 Sparkman Drive, Huntsville, AL, 35899, USA.
- Department of Entomology, University of Arizona, 1140 E. South Campus Drive, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA.
- BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, 1657 East Helen Street, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA.
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, 1041 E. Lowell St., Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Sirot LK. On the evolutionary origins of insect seminal fluid proteins. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2019; 278:104-111. [PMID: 30682344 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2019.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [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: 06/27/2018] [Revised: 01/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
In most cases, proteins affect the phenotype of the individual in which they are produced. However, in some cases, proteins have evolved in such a way that they are able to influence the phenotype of another individual of the same or of a different species ("influential proteins"). Examples of interspecific influential proteins include venom proteins and proteins produced by parasites that influence their hosts' physiology or behavior. Examples of intraspecific influential proteins include those produced by both mothers and fetuses that mitigate maternal resource allocation and proteins transferred to females in the seminal fluid during mating that change female physiology and behavior. Although there has been much interest in the functions and evolutionary dynamics of these influential proteins, less is known about the origin of these proteins. Where does the DNA that encodes the proteins that can impact another individual's phenotype come from and how do the proteins acquire their influential abilities? In this mini-review, I use insect seminal fluid proteins as a case study to consider the origin of intraspecific influential proteins. The existing data suggest that influential insect seminal fluid proteins arise both through co-option of existing genes (both single copy genes and gene duplicates) and de novo evolution. Other mechanisms for the origin of new insect seminal fluid proteins (e.g., retrotransoposition and horizontal gene transfer) are plausible but have not yet been demonstrated. Additional gaps in our understanding of the origin of insect seminal fluid proteins include an understanding of the cis-regulatory elements that designate expression in the male reproductive tract and of the evolutionary steps by which individual proteins come to depend on other seminal fluid proteins for their activity within the mated female.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura King Sirot
- Department of Biology, The College of Wooster, Wooster, OH 44691, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
McLeod DV, Day T. Female plasticity tends to reduce sexual conflict. Nat Ecol Evol 2017; 1:54. [DOI: 10.1038/s41559-016-0054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2016] [Accepted: 12/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
|
16
|
Etges WJ, de Oliveira CC, Rajpurohit S, Gibbs AG. Effects of temperature on transcriptome and cuticular hydrocarbon expression in ecologically differentiated populations of desert Drosophila. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:619-637. [PMID: 28116058 PMCID: PMC5243788 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2016] [Accepted: 11/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We assessed the effects of temperature differences on gene expression using whole-transcriptome microarrays and cuticular hydrocarbon variation in populations of cactophilic Drosophila mojavensis. Four populations from Baja California and mainland Mexico and Arizona were each reared on two different host cacti, reared to sexual maturity on laboratory media, and adults were exposed for 12 hr to 15, 25, or 35°C. Temperature differences influenced the expression of 3,294 genes, while population differences and host plants affected >2,400 each in adult flies. Enriched, functionally related groups of genes whose expression changed at high temperatures included heat response genes, as well as genes affecting chromatin structure. Gene expression differences between mainland and peninsular populations included genes involved in metabolism of secondary compounds, mitochondrial activity, and tRNA synthases. Flies reared on the ancestral host plant, pitaya agria cactus, showed upregulation of genes involved in metabolism, while flies reared on organ pipe cactus had higher expression of DNA repair and chromatin remodeling genes. Population × environment (G × E) interactions had widespread effects on the transcriptome where population × temperature interactions affected the expression of >5,000 orthologs, and there were >4,000 orthologs that showed temperature × host plant interactions. Adults exposed to 35°C had lower amounts of most cuticular hydrocarbons than those exposed to 15 or 25°C, including abundant unsaturated alkadienes. For insects adapted to different host plants and climatic regimes, our results suggest that temperature shifts associated with climate change have large and significant effects on transcriptomes of genetically differentiated natural populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William J. Etges
- Program in Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyDepartment of Biological SciencesUniversity of ArkansasFayettevilleAR 72701USA
| | - Cássia C. de Oliveira
- Program in Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyDepartment of Biological SciencesUniversity of ArkansasFayettevilleAR 72701USA
- Present address: Math and Science DivisionLyon CollegeBatesvilleAR72501USA
| | - Subhash Rajpurohit
- School of Life SciencesUniversity of NevadaLas VegasNV 89919USA
- Present address: Department of BiologyUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA19104USA
| | - Allen G. Gibbs
- School of Life SciencesUniversity of NevadaLas VegasNV 89919USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Plakke MS, Deutsch AB, Meslin C, Clark NL, Morehouse NI. Dynamic digestive physiology of a female reproductive organ in a polyandrous butterfly. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 218:1548-55. [PMID: 25994634 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.118323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Reproductive traits experience high levels of selection because of their direct ties to fitness, often resulting in rapid adaptive evolution. Much of the work in this area has focused on male reproductive traits. However, a more comprehensive understanding of female reproductive adaptations and their relationship to male characters is crucial to uncover the relative roles of sexual cooperation and conflict in driving co-evolutionary dynamics between the sexes. We focus on the physiology of a complex female reproductive adaptation in butterflies and moths: a stomach-like organ in the female reproductive tract called the bursa copulatrix that digests the male ejaculate (spermatophore). Little is known about how the bursa digests the spermatophore. We characterized bursa proteolytic capacity in relation to female state in the polyandrous butterfly Pieris rapae. We found that the virgin bursa exhibits extremely high levels of proteolytic activity. Furthermore, in virgin females, bursal proteolytic capacity increases with time since eclosion and ambient temperature, but is not sensitive to the pre-mating social environment. Post copulation, bursal proteolytic activity decreases rapidly before rebounding toward the end of a mating cycle, suggesting active female regulation of proteolysis and/or potential quenching of proteolysis by male ejaculate constituents. Using transcriptomic and proteomic approaches, we report identities for nine proteases actively transcribed by bursal tissue and/or expressed in the bursal lumen that may contribute to observed bursal proteolysis. We discuss how these dynamic physiological characteristics may function as female adaptations resulting from sexual conflict over female remating rate in this polyandrous butterfly.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Melissa S Plakke
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Aaron B Deutsch
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Camille Meslin
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Nathan L Clark
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Nathan I Morehouse
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Recurrent specialization on a toxic fruit in an island Drosophila population. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:4771-6. [PMID: 27044093 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1522559113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Recurrent specialization on similar host plants offers a unique opportunity to unravel the evolutionary and genetic mechanisms underlying dietary shifts. Recent studies have focused on ecological races belonging to the same species, but it is hard in many cases to untangle the role of adaptive introgression versus distinct mutations in facilitating recurrent evolution. We discovered on the island of Mayotte a population of the generalist fly Drosophila yakuba that is strictly associated with noni (Morinda citrifolia). This case strongly resembles Drosophila sechellia, a genetically isolated insular relative of D. yakuba whose intensely studied specialization on toxic noni fruits has always been considered a unique event in insect evolution. Experiments revealed that unlike mainland D. yakuba strains, Mayotte flies showed strong olfactory attraction and significant toxin tolerance to noni. Island females strongly discriminated against mainland males, suggesting that dietary adaptation has been accompanied by partial reproductive isolation. Population genomic analysis indicated a recent colonization (∼29 kya), at a time when year-round noni fruits may have presented a predictable resource on the small island, with ongoing migration after colonization. This relatively recent time scale allowed us to search for putatively adaptive loci based on genetic variation. Strong signals of genetic differentiation were found for several detoxification genes, including a major toxin tolerance locus in D. sechellia Our results suggest that recurrent evolution on a toxic resource can involve similar historical events and common genetic bases, and they establish an important genetic system for the study of early stages of ecological specialization and speciation.
Collapse
|
19
|
Proteomics reveals major components of oogenesis in the reproductive tract of sugar-fed Anopheles aquasalis. Parasitol Res 2016; 115:1977-89. [DOI: 10.1007/s00436-016-4940-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2015] [Accepted: 01/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
|
20
|
Mangels R, Young B, Keeble S, Ardekani R, Meslin C, Ferreira Z, Clark NL, Good JM, Dean MD. Genetic and phenotypic influences on copulatory plug survival in mice. Heredity (Edinb) 2015; 115:496-502. [PMID: 26103947 PMCID: PMC4806896 DOI: 10.1038/hdy.2015.50] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2015] [Revised: 04/23/2015] [Accepted: 04/27/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Across a diversity of animals, male seminal fluid coagulates upon ejaculation to form a hardened structure known as a copulatory plug. Previous studies suggest that copulatory plugs evolved as a mechanism for males to impede remating by females, but detailed investigations into the time course over which plugs survive in the female's reproductive tract are lacking. Here, we cross males from eight inbred strains to females from two inbred strains of house mice (Mus musculus domesticus). Plug survival was significantly affected by male genotype. Against intuition, plug survival time was negatively correlated with plug size: long-lasting plugs were small and relatively more susceptible to proteolysis. Plug size was associated with divergence in major protein composition of seminal vesicle fluid, suggesting that changes in gene expression may play an important role in plug dynamics. In contrast, we found no correlation to genetic variation in the protein-coding regions of five genes thought to be important in copulatory plug formation (Tgm4, Svs1, Svs2, Svs4 and Svs5). Our study demonstrates a complex relationship between copulatory plug characteristics and survival. We discuss several models to explain unexpected variation in plug phenotypes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- R Mangels
- Molecular and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - B Young
- Molecular and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - S Keeble
- Molecular and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - R Ardekani
- Translational Imaging Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - C Meslin
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Z Ferreira
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - N L Clark
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - J M Good
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - M D Dean
- Molecular and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Sirot LK, Findlay GD, Sitnik JL, Frasheri D, Avila FW, Wolfner MF. Molecular characterization and evolution of a gene family encoding both female- and male-specific reproductive proteins in Drosophila. Mol Biol Evol 2014; 31:1554-67. [PMID: 24682282 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msu114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene duplication is an important mechanism for the evolution of new reproductive proteins. However, in most cases, each resulting paralog continues to function within the same sex. To investigate the possibility that seminal fluid proteins arise through duplicates of female reproductive genes that become "co-opted" by males, we screened female reproductive genes in Drosophila melanogaster for cases of duplication in which one of the resulting paralogs produces a protein in males that is transferred to females during mating. We identified a set of three tandemly duplicated genes that encode secreted serine-type endopeptidase homologs, two of which are expressed primarily in the female reproductive tract (RT), whereas the third is expressed specifically in the male RT and encodes a seminal fluid protein. Evolutionary and gene expression analyses across Drosophila species suggest that this family arose from a single-copy gene that was female-specific; after duplication, one paralog evolved male-specific expression. Functional tests of knockdowns of each gene in D. melanogaster show that one female-expressed gene is essential for full fecundity, and both female-expressed genes contribute singly or in combination to a female's propensity to remate. In contrast, knockdown of the male-expressed paralog had no significant effect on female fecundity or remating. These data are consistent with a model in which members of this gene family exert effects on females by acting on a common, female-expressed target. After duplication and male co-option of one paralog, the evolution of the interacting proteins could have resulted in differential strengths or effects of each paralog.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura K Sirot
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell UniversityDepartment of Biology, College of Wooster
| | - Geoffrey D Findlay
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell UniversityDepartment of Biology, College of the Holy Cross
| | - Jessica L Sitnik
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University
| | - Dorina Frasheri
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University
| | - Frank W Avila
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University
| | | |
Collapse
|
22
|
Laflamme BA, Wolfner MF. Identification and function of proteolysis regulators in seminal fluid. Mol Reprod Dev 2012; 80:80-101. [PMID: 23109270 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.22130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2012] [Accepted: 10/20/2012] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Proteins in the seminal fluid of animals with internal fertilization effect numerous responses in mated females that impact both male and female fertility. Among these proteins is the highly represented class of proteolysis regulators (proteases and their inhibitors). Though proteolysis regulators have now been identified in the seminal fluid of all animals in which proteomic studies of the seminal fluid have been conducted (as well as several other species in which they have not), a unified understanding of the importance of proteolysis to male fertilization success and other reproductive processes has not yet been achieved. In this review, we provide an overview of the identification of proteolysis regulators in the seminal fluid of humans and Drosophila melanogaster, the two species with the most comprehensively known seminal fluid proteomes. We also highlight reports demonstrating the functional significance of specific proteolysis regulators in reproductive and post-mating processes. Finally, we make broad suggestions for the direction of future research into the roles of both active seminal fluid proteolysis regulators and their inactive homologs, another significant class of seminal fluid proteins. We hope that this review aids researchers in pursuing a coordinated study of the functional significance of proteolysis regulators in semen.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brooke A Laflamme
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853-2703, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
23
|
Abstract
Males and females share most of the same genes, so selection in one sex will typically produce a correlated response in the other sex. Yet, the sexes have evolved to differ in a multitude of behavioral, morphological, and physiological traits. How did this sexual dimorphism evolve despite the presence of a common underlying genome? We investigated the potential role of gene duplication in the evolution of sexual dimorphism. Because duplication events provide extra genetic material, the sexes each might use this redundancy to facilitate sex-specific gene expression, permitting the evolution of dimorphism. We investigated this hypothesis at the genome-wide level in Drosophila melanogaster, using the presence of sex-biased expression as a proxy for the sex-specific specialization of gene function. We expected that if sexually antagonistic selection is a potent force acting upon individual genes, duplication will result in paralog families whose members differ in sex-biased expression. Gene members of the same duplicate family can have different expression patterns in males versus females. In particular, duplicate pairs containing a male-biased gene are found more frequently than expected, in agreement with previous studies. Furthermore, when the singleton ortholog is unbiased, duplication appears to allow one of the paralog copies to acquire male-biased expression. Conversely, female-biased expression is not common among duplicates; fewer duplicate genes are expressed in the female-soma and ovaries than in the male-soma and testes. Expression divergence exists more in older than in younger duplicates pairs, but expression divergence does not correlate with protein sequence divergence. Finally, genomic proximity may have an effect on whether paralogs differ in sex-biased expression. We conclude that the data are consistent with a role of gene duplication in fostering male-biased, but not female-biased, gene expression, thereby aiding the evolution of sexual dimorphism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Minyoung J Wyman
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3B2, Canada.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
24
|
|
25
|
Wong A, Turchin M, Wolfner MF, Aquadro CF. Temporally variable selection on proteolysis-related reproductive tract proteins in Drosophila. Mol Biol Evol 2011; 29:229-38. [PMID: 21940639 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msr197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In order to gain further insight into the processes underlying rapid reproductive protein evolution, we have conducted a population genetic survey of 44 reproductive tract-expressed proteases, protease inhibitors, and targets of proteolysis in Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila simulans. Our findings suggest that positive selection on this group of genes is temporally heterogeneous, with different patterns of selection inferred using tests sensitive at different time scales. Such variation in the strength and targets of selection through time may be expected under models of sexual conflict and/or host-pathogen interaction. Moreover, available functional information concerning the genes that show evidence of selection suggests that both sexual selection and immune processes have been important in the evolutionary history of this group of molecules.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alex Wong
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, USA.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
26
|
Giardina TJ, Beavis A, Clark AG, Fiumera AC. Female influence on pre- and post-copulatory sexual selection and its genetic basis in Drosophila melanogaster. Mol Ecol 2011; 20:4098-108. [PMID: 21902747 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2011.05253.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Genetic variation among females is likely to influence the outcome of both pre- and post-copulatory sexual selection in Drosophila melanogaster. Here we use association testing to survey natural variation in 10 candidate female genes for their effects on female reproduction. Females from 91 chromosome two substitution lines were scored for phenotypes affecting pre- and post-copulatory sexual selection such as mating and remating rate, propensity to use sperm from the second male to mate, and measures of fertility. There were significant genetic contributions to phenotypic variation for all the traits measured. Resequencing of the 10 candidate genes in the 91 lines yielded 68 non-synonymous polymorphisms which were tested for associations with the measured phenotypes. Twelve significant associations (markerwise P<0.01) were identified. Polymorphisms in the putative serine protease homolog CG9897 and the putative odorant binding protein CG11797 associated with female propensity to remate and met an experimentwise significance of P<0.05. Several other associations, including those impacting both fertility and female remating rate suggest that sperm storage might be an important factor mitigating female influence on sexual selection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Giardina
- Department of Biological Sciences, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY 13902, USA
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
27
|
Dean MD, Findlay GD, Hoopmann MR, Wu CC, MacCoss MJ, Swanson WJ, Nachman MW. Identification of ejaculated proteins in the house mouse (Mus domesticus) via isotopic labeling. BMC Genomics 2011; 12:306. [PMID: 21663664 PMCID: PMC3144466 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-12-306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2011] [Accepted: 06/10/2011] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Seminal fluid plays an important role in successful fertilization, but knowledge of the full suite of proteins transferred from males to females during copulation is incomplete. The list of ejaculated proteins remains particularly scant in one of the best-studied mammalian systems, the house mouse (Mus domesticus), where artificial ejaculation techniques have proven inadequate. Here we investigate an alternative method for identifying ejaculated proteins, by isotopically labeling females with 15N and then mating them to unlabeled, vasectomized males. Proteins were then isolated from mated females and identified using mass spectrometry. In addition to gaining insights into possible functions and fates of ejaculated proteins, our study serves as proof of concept that isotopic labeling is a powerful means to study reproductive proteins. RESULTS We identified 69 male-derived proteins from the female reproductive tract following copulation. More than a third of all spectra detected mapped to just seven genes known to be structurally important in the formation of the copulatory plug, a hard coagulum that forms shortly after mating. Seminal fluid is significantly enriched for proteins that function in protection from oxidative stress and endopeptidase inhibition. Females, on the other hand, produce endopeptidases in response to mating. The 69 ejaculated proteins evolve significantly more rapidly than other proteins that we previously identified directly from dissection of the male reproductive tract. CONCLUSION Our study attempts to comprehensively identify the proteins transferred from males to females during mating, expanding the application of isotopic labeling to mammalian reproductive genomics. This technique opens the way to the targeted monitoring of the fate of ejaculated proteins as they incubate in the female reproductive tract.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew D Dean
- Molecular and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, 1050 Childs Way, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Geoffrey D Findlay
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Michael R Hoopmann
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Christine C Wu
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Michael J MacCoss
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Willie J Swanson
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Michael W Nachman
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Dorus S, Wilkin EC, Karr TL. Expansion and functional diversification of a leucyl aminopeptidase family that encodes the major protein constituents of Drosophila sperm. BMC Genomics 2011; 12:177. [PMID: 21466698 PMCID: PMC3078892 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-12-177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2010] [Accepted: 04/05/2011] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The evolutionary diversification of gene families through gene creation (and loss) is a dynamic process believed to be critical to the evolution of functional novelty. Previous identification of a closely related family of eight annotated metalloprotease genes of the M17 Merops family in the Drosophila sperm proteome (termed, Sperm-LeucylAminoPeptidases, S-LAPs 1-8) led us to hypothesize that this gene family may have experienced such a diversification during insect evolution. Results To assess putative functional activities of S-LAPs, we (i) demonstrated that all S-LAPs are specifically expressed in the testis, (ii) confirmed their presence in sperm by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry, (iii) determined that they represent a major portion of the total protein in sperm and (iv) identified aminopeptidase enzymatic activity in sperm extracts using LAP-specific substrates. Functionally significant divergence at the canonical M17 active site indicates that the largest phylogenetic group of S-LAPs lost catalytic activity and likely acquired novel, as yet undetermined, functions in sperm prior to the expansion of the gene family. Conclusions Comparative genomic and phylogenetic analyses revealed the dramatic expansion of the S-LAP gene family during Drosophila evolution and copy number heterogeneity in the genomes of related insects. This finding, in conjunction with the loss of catalytic activity and potential neofunctionalization amongst some family members, extends empirical support for pervasive "revolving door" turnover in the evolution of reproductive gene family composition and function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Steve Dorus
- Centers for Evolutionary Medicine and Informatics and Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5001, USA.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
29
|
Diversity-enhancing selection acts on a female reproductive protease family in four subspecies of Drosophila mojavensis. Genetics 2011; 187:865-76. [PMID: 21212232 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.110.124743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein components of the Drosophila male ejaculate are critical modulators of reproductive success, several of which are known to evolve rapidly. Recent evidence of adaptive evolution in female reproductive tract proteins suggests this pattern may reflect sexual selection at the molecular level. Here we explore the evolutionary dynamics of a five-paralog gene family of female reproductive proteases within geographically isolated subspecies of Drosophila mojavensis. Remarkably, four of five paralogs show exceptionally low differentiation between subspecies and unusually structured haplotypes that suggest the retention of old polymorphisms. These gene genealogies are accompanied by deviations from neutrality consistent with diversifying selection. While diversifying selection has been observed among the reproductive molecules of mammals and marine invertebrates, our study provides the first evidence of this selective regime in any Drosophila reproductive protein, male or female.
Collapse
|