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Fallahshahroudi A, Sorato E, Altimiras J, Jensen P. The Domestic BCO2 Allele Buffers Low-Carotenoid Diets in Chickens: Possible Fitness Increase Through Species Hybridization. Genetics 2019; 212:1445-1452. [PMID: 31160321 PMCID: PMC6707467 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.119.302258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Accepted: 05/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Domestic animals are adapted to conditions vastly different from those of their wild ancestors, and this is particularly true for their diets. The most numerous of all domestic species, the chicken, originated from the Red Junglefowl (RJF), a native of subtropical forests in Southeast Asia. Surprisingly however, in domestic chicken breeds, a common haplotype of the β-carotene oxygenase 2 (BCO2) gene, which is involved in carotenoid metabolism, is introgressed from a related species, the Gray Junglefowl, and has been under strong selective pressure during domestication. This suggests that a hybridization event may have conferred a fitness advantage on chickens carrying the derived allele. To investigate the possible biological function of the introgressed BCO2 allele in chicken, we introgressed the ancestral BCO2 allele into domestic White Leghorn chickens. We measured gene expression as well as carotenoid accumulation in skin and eggs of chickens carrying either the ancestral or the derived BCO2 allele. The derived haplotype was associated with down-regulation of BCO2 in skin, muscle, and adipose tissue, but not in liver or duodenum, indicating that carotenoid accumulation occurred in the tissues with reduced gene expression. Most importantly, we found that hens with the derived BCO2 genotype were capable of allocating stored carotenoids to their eggs, suggesting a functional benefit through buffering any shortage in the diet during egg production. Nevertheless, it is of interest that loss of function mutations in BCO2 gene are prevalent in other domesticates including cows, rabbits, and sheep, and, given the importance of carotenoids in development, reproduction, and immunity, it is possible that derived BCO2 alleles may provide a general mechanism in multiple domestic species to deal with higher demand for carotenoids in an environment with carotenoid shortage in the diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Fallahshahroudi
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Biomedicine Centrum (BMC), Uppsala University, 752 37, Sweden
| | - Enrico Sorato
- Reneco International Wildlife Consultants, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Jordi Altimiras
- AVIAN Behavioural Genomics and Physiology Group, IFM Biology, Linköping University, 58183, Sweden
| | - Per Jensen
- AVIAN Behavioural Genomics and Physiology Group, IFM Biology, Linköping University, 58183, Sweden
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Giraudeau M, Ziegler AK, Mcgraw KJ, Okuliarová M, Zeman M, Tschirren B. In ovo yolk carotenoid and testosterone levels interactively influence female transfer of yolk antioxidants to her eggs. Biol Lett 2018; 14:rsbl.2018.0103. [PMID: 29875206 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2018.0103] [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: 02/14/2018] [Accepted: 05/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Mothers can influence prenatal conditions by varying the amount of nutrients, hormones or antioxidants they provide to their developing young. Some of these substances even affect the transfer of these compounds in the next generation, but it is less clear how different maternally transmitted compounds interact with each other to shape reproductive resource allocation in their offspring. Here, we found that female Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica) that were exposed to high carotenoid levels during embryonic development transferred lower concentrations of yolk antioxidants to their own eggs later in life. This effect disappeared when both testosterone and carotenoid concentrations were manipulated simultaneously, showing long-term and interactive effects of these maternally derived egg components on a female's own egg composition. Given that exposure to high levels of testosterone during embryo development stimulates the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and impairs antioxidant defenses, we propose that carotenoids act as in ovo antioxidants in an oxidatively stressful environment (i.e. when levels of testosterone are high) but might have prooxidant properties in an environment where they are not used to counteract an increased production of ROS. In line with this hypothesis, we previously showed that prenatal exposure to increased concentrations of yolk carotenoids leads to a rise of oxidative damage at adulthood, but only when yolk testosterone concentrations were not experimentally increased as well. As a consequence, antioxidants in the body may be used to limit oxidative damage in females exposed to high levels of carotenoids during development (but not in females exposed to increased levels of both carotenoids and testosterone), resulting in lower amounts of antioxidants being available for deposition into eggs. Since prenatal antioxidant exposure is known to influence fitness-related traits, the effect detected in this study might have transgenerational consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Giraudeau
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-4501, USA .,Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK.,Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Switzerland
| | - Ann-Kathrin Ziegler
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Switzerland.,Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, Lund, Sweden
| | - Kevin J Mcgraw
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-4501, USA
| | - Monika Okuliarová
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ethology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovičova 6, 842 15, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Michal Zeman
- Department of Animal Physiology and Ethology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovičova 6, 842 15, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Barbara Tschirren
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK.,Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Switzerland
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Possenti CD, Secomandi S, Schiavon A, Caprioli M, Rubolini D, Romano A, Saino N, Parolini M. Independent and combined effects of egg pro- and anti-oxidants on gull chick phenotype. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 221:jeb.174300. [PMID: 29615528 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.174300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2017] [Accepted: 03/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Oviparous mothers transfer to their eggs components that have both independent and combined effects on offspring phenotype. The functional interaction between egg components, such as antioxidants and hormones, suggests that a change in the concentration of one component will have effects on offspring traits that depend on the concentration of other interacting components. However, the combined effects of variation in different egg components are virtually unknown. Bird eggs contain vitamin E, a major antioxidant, and also maternal corticosterone. The independent consequences of variation in the egg concentrations of these compounds for offspring phenotype are largely unknown and no study has investigated their combined effects. We manipulated the concentration of vitamin E and corticosterone in the eggs of the yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis) by administering a physiological (2 s.d.) dose both independently and in combination. We tested for an effect on chick post-natal growth, plasma antioxidant capacity (TAC) and oxidative compounds (TOS). Separate administration of vitamin E or corticosterone caused a reduction in body mass relative to controls, whereas the combined administration of the two compounds reversed their negative effects. These results suggest that maternal egg components, such as antioxidants and steroid hormones, interact and mothers must balance their concentrations in order to achieve optimal offspring phenotype. The functional relationship between vitamin E and corticosterone is corroborated by the observation of positive covariation between these compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Daniela Possenti
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, via Celoria 26, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Simona Secomandi
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, via Celoria 26, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Alfredo Schiavon
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, via Celoria 26, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Manuela Caprioli
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, via Celoria 26, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Diego Rubolini
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, via Celoria 26, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Romano
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, via Celoria 26, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Nicola Saino
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, via Celoria 26, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Parolini
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, via Celoria 26, 20133 Milan, Italy
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Giraudeau M, Ducatez S. Co-adjustment of yolk antioxidants and androgens in birds. Biol Lett 2017; 12:rsbl.2016.0676. [PMID: 27852943 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2016.0676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2016] [Accepted: 10/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Mothers can shape the developmental trajectory of their offspring through the transmission of resources such as hormones, antioxidants or immunoglobulins. Over the last two decades, an abundant literature on maternal effects in birds has shown that several of these compounds (i.e. androgens, glucocorticoids and antioxidants) often influence the same offspring phenotypic traits (i.e. growth, immunity or oxidative stress levels), making interaction effects between egg components a likely scenario. However, the potential interactive effects of maternally transmitted compounds on offspring development and potential co-adjustment of these compounds within an egg are still poorly understood. Here, we report the results of an interspecific comparative analysis on birds' egg yolk composition (i.e. androgens and antioxidants) where we found that yolk carotenoid and vitamin E concentrations are positively associated, supporting the hypothesis that these two antioxidants act in synergy. The concentrations of vitamin E also increased with increasing concentrations of testosterone. This last result confirms the emerging idea that androgens and antioxidants are co-adjusted within eggs and that maternally transmitted antioxidants might limit the potential direct and indirect effects of prenatal exposure to high testosterone levels on oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Giraudeau
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-4501, USA .,Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, UK
| | - Simon Ducatez
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montréal, Canada.,CREAF, Barcelona, Spain
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Larcombe SD, Herborn KA, Alexander L, Arnold KE. Dietary antioxidants in life-history trade-offs: differential effects of a-tocopherol supplementation on blue tit Cyanistes caeruleus mothers and offspring during reproduction. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blx072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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Giraudeau M, Ziegler AK, Pick JL, Ducatez S, Canale CI, Tschirren B. Interactive effects of yolk testosterone and carotenoid on prenatal growth and offspring physiology in a precocial bird. Behav Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arw127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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