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Chen L, Li X, Wu Y, Wang J, Pi J. Differential analysis of ovarian tissue between high and low-yielded laying hens in the late laying stage and the effect of LECT2 gene on follicular granulosa cells proliferation. Mol Biol Rep 2024; 51:240. [PMID: 38300380 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-024-09260-8] [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: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
The ovaries of high-yield laying hens exhibited signs of aging beyond 400 days of age, subsequently resulting in a decline in both egg production and egg quality. Oxidative stress, characterized by an increase in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), stands as one of the principal processes contributing to ovarian aging. Elevated ROS levels are implicated in the induction of apoptosis in granulosa cells (GCs), provoking mitochondrial impairment, and diminishing the capacity of the antioxidant defense system. This investigation stratified laying hens into two distinct groups, predicated upon their egg production levels: high-yield hens (HH) and low-yield hens (LL). The study focused on evaluating oxidative stress markers and identifying differentially expressed genes between these two groups. The findings revealed that the LL group exhibited follicular atresia, mitochondrial disruptions, and apoptotic occurrences in ovarian GCs. Notably, ROS levels, Malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations, and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) concentrations in ovarian tissue and follicular GCs were substantially higher in the HH group. Furthermore, the RNA-sequencing results unveiled differential expression of the LECT2 gene between the HH and LL groups. Consequently, an overexpression vector for the LECT2 gene was successfully constructed and introduced into GCs. The quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR) analysis exhibited significant downregulation (p < 0.01) of key apoptotic genes such as Caspase-3 and C-myc and significant upregulation (p < 0.01) of BCL2 following the overexpression of the LECT2 gene in GCs. In conclusion, oxidative stress emerges as a pivotal factor influencing the laying traits of both high and low-yield laying hens. The accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) within the ovaries precipitates apoptosis in GCs, subsequently leading to follicular atresia and a reduction in egg production. Furthermore, we employed RNA sequencing technology to examine the ovarian matrix tissue in high and low laying hens during the late phase of egg laying. Our analysis revealed a substantial upregulation of the LECT2 gene in the ovarian matrix tissue of high laying hens. This observation implies that the LECT2 gene exerts a pivotal influence on driving the proliferation and differentiation of follicular GCs, thereby exerting a crucial regulatory role in follicular development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Chen
- Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Research Institute, Hubei Key Laboratory of Animal Embryo and Molecular Breeding, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, 430000, China
- College of Animal Science, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, 434000, China
| | - Xianqiang Li
- Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Research Institute, Hubei Key Laboratory of Animal Embryo and Molecular Breeding, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, 430000, China
- College of Animal Science, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, 434000, China
| | - Yan Wu
- Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Research Institute, Hubei Key Laboratory of Animal Embryo and Molecular Breeding, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, 430000, China.
| | - Jiaxiang Wang
- College of Animal Science, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, 434000, China
| | - Jinsong Pi
- Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Research Institute, Hubei Key Laboratory of Animal Embryo and Molecular Breeding, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, 430000, China
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Meniri M, Evans E, Thompson FJ, Marshall HH, Nichols HJ, Lewis G, Holt L, Davey E, Mitchell C, Johnstone RA, Cant MA, Blount JD. Untangling the oxidative cost of reproduction: An analysis in wild banded mongooses. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8644. [PMID: 35342583 PMCID: PMC8928901 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The cost of reproduction plays a central role in evolutionary theory, but the identity of the underlying mechanisms remains a puzzle. Oxidative stress has been hypothesized to be a proximate mechanism that may explain the cost of reproduction. We examine three pathways by which oxidative stress could shape reproduction. The “oxidative cost” hypothesis proposes that reproductive effort generates oxidative stress, while the “oxidative constraint” and “oxidative shielding” hypotheses suggest that mothers mitigate such costs through reducing reproductive effort or by pre‐emptively decreasing damage levels, respectively. We tested these three mechanisms using data from a long‐term food provisioning experiment on wild female banded mongooses (Mungos mungo). Our results show that maternal supplementation did not influence oxidative stress levels, or the production and survival of offspring. However, we found that two of the oxidative mechanisms co‐occur during reproduction. There was evidence of an oxidative challenge associated with reproduction that mothers attempted to mitigate by reducing damage levels during breeding. This mitigation is likely to be of crucial importance, as long‐term offspring survival was negatively impacted by maternal oxidative stress. This study demonstrates the value of longitudinal studies of wild animals in order to highlight the interconnected oxidative mechanisms that shape the cost of reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magali Meniri
- College of Life & Environmental Sciences Centre for Ecology & Conservation University of Exeter Penryn UK
| | - Elsa Evans
- College of Life & Environmental Sciences Centre for Ecology & Conservation University of Exeter Penryn UK
| | - Faye J. Thompson
- College of Life & Environmental Sciences Centre for Ecology & Conservation University of Exeter Penryn UK
| | - Harry H. Marshall
- College of Life & Environmental Sciences Centre for Ecology & Conservation University of Exeter Penryn UK
- Whitelands College Centre for Research in Ecology, Evolution & Behaviour University of Roehampton London UK
| | | | - Gina Lewis
- Department of Biosciences Swansea University Swansea UK
| | - Lauren Holt
- College of Life & Environmental Sciences Centre for Ecology & Conservation University of Exeter Penryn UK
| | - Emma Davey
- College of Life & Environmental Sciences Centre for Ecology & Conservation University of Exeter Penryn UK
| | - Christopher Mitchell
- College of Life & Environmental Sciences Centre for Ecology & Conservation University of Exeter Penryn UK
| | | | - Michael A. Cant
- College of Life & Environmental Sciences Centre for Ecology & Conservation University of Exeter Penryn UK
| | - Jonathan D. Blount
- College of Life & Environmental Sciences Centre for Ecology & Conservation University of Exeter Penryn UK
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Linscott JA, Navedo JG, Clements SJ, Loghry JP, Ruiz J, Ballard BM, Weegman MD, Senner NR. Compensation for wind drift prevails for a shorebird on a long-distance, transoceanic flight. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2022; 10:11. [PMID: 35255994 PMCID: PMC8900403 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-022-00310-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Conditions encountered en route can dramatically impact the energy that migratory species spend on movement. Migratory birds often manage energetic costs by adjusting their behavior in relation to wind conditions as they fly. Wind-influenced behaviors can offer insight into the relative importance of risk and resistance during migration, but to date, they have only been studied in a limited subset of avian species and flight types. We add to this understanding by examining in-flight behaviors over a days-long, barrier-crossing flight in a migratory shorebird. METHODS Using satellite tracking devices, we followed 25 Hudsonian godwits (Limosa haemastica) from 2019-2021 as they migrated northward across a largely transoceanic landscape extending > 7000 km from Chiloé Island, Chile to the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico. We identified in-flight behaviors during this crossing by comparing directions of critical movement vectors and used mixed models to test whether the resulting patterns supported three classical predictions about wind and migration. RESULTS Contrary to our predictions, compensation did not increase linearly with distance traveled, was not constrained during flight over open ocean, and did not influence where an individual ultimately crossed over the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico at the end of this flight. Instead, we found a strong preference for full compensation throughout godwit flight paths. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that compensation is crucial to godwits, emphasizing the role of risk in shaping migratory behavior and raising questions about the consequences of changing wind regimes for other barrier-crossing aerial migrants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A Linscott
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, 715 Sumter Street, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA.
| | - Juan G Navedo
- Estacion Experimental Quempillén, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Ancud, Chiloé, Chile
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Sarah J Clements
- School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, 103 Anheuser-Busch Natural Resources Building, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA
| | - Jason P Loghry
- Texas A&M University, Kingsville, 700 University Blvd., MSC 218, Kingsville, TX, 78363, USA
| | - Jorge Ruiz
- Estacion Experimental Quempillén, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Ancud, Chiloé, Chile
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Bart M Ballard
- Texas A&M University, Kingsville, 700 University Blvd., MSC 218, Kingsville, TX, 78363, USA
| | - Mitch D Weegman
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E2, Canada
| | - Nathan R Senner
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, 715 Sumter Street, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
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Handby T, Slezacek J, Lupi S, Colhoun K, Harrison XA, Bearhop S. Changes in Behaviour and Proxies of Physiology Suggest Individual Variation in the Building of Migratory Phenotypes in Preparation for Long-Distance Flights. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.749534] [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
Long-distance migration in birds is a complex syndrome that involves high energy costs and, in some species, substantial physiological re-organisation. Such flexible migratory phenotypes are commonly associated with bird species flying non-stop across vast ecological barriers, where there are few opportunities to stop and refuel en route. Prior to making migratory flights, some species have been found to atrophy organs that are not required (e.g., digestive organs) and grow those associated with powering flight (pectora muscles and heart), presumably to optimise costs. However, most studies of this flexibility have required sacrificing study animals and this has limited our capacity to measure individual variation and its potential consequences. Here we investigate the behavioural and, indirectly, physiological adaptation of an arctic breeding long-distance migrant the light-bellied brent goose Branta bernicla hrota, during spring staging in southwest Iceland. We use a sequential sampling approach to record behavioural observations and conduct stable isotope analysis of faecal samples from uniquely marked individuals to assess protein catabolism. Individuals showed a three-phase fuel deposition process, with initial slow intake rates followed by hyperphagia and then a period of inactivity immediately prior to migratory departure (despite multiple days with favourable wind conditions). The C:N ratio and δ15N values in faeces were significantly linked to fat deposition during the latter stages and suggests catabolism (reorganisation of proteins) occurring prior to departure. Our results suggest a strategic delay in migratory departure to enable reorganisation into a flying phenotype and that the extent of this varies among individuals.
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Butler MW, Stierhoff EN, Carpenetti JM, Bertone MA, Addesso AM, Knutie SA. Oxidative damage increases with degree of simulated bacterial infection, but not ectoparasitism, in tree swallow nestlings. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:272162. [PMID: 34427672 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243116] [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: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of mounting an immune response is to destroy pathogens, but this response comes at a physiological cost, including the generation of oxidative damage. However, many studies on the effects of immune challenges employ a single high dose of a simulated infection, meaning that the consequences of more mild immune challenges are poorly understood. We tested whether the degree of immunological challenge in tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) affects oxidative physiology and body mass, and whether these metrics correlate with parasitic nest mite load. We injected 14 day old nestlings with 0, 0.01, 0.1 or 1 mg lipopolysaccharide (LPS) per kg body mass, then collected a blood sample 24 h later to quantify multiple physiological metrics, including oxidative damage (i.e. d-ROMs), circulating amounts of triglyceride and glycerol, and levels of the acute phase protein haptoglobin. After birds had fledged, we identified and counted parasitic nest mites (Dermanyssus spp. and Ornithonyssus spp.). We found that only nestlings injected with 1 mg LPS kg-1 body mass, which is a common dosage in ecoimmunological studies, lost more body mass than individuals from other treatment groups. However, every dose of LPS resulted in a commensurate increase in oxidative damage. Parasitic mite abundance had no effect on oxidative damage across treatments. The amount of oxidative damage correlated with haptoglobin levels, suggesting compensatory mechanisms to limit self-damage during an immune response. We conclude that while only the highest-intensity immune challenges resulted in costs related to body mass, even low-intensity immune challenges result in detectable increases in oxidative damage.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Matthew A Bertone
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Alyssa M Addesso
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Sarah A Knutie
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.,Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
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