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Keeble S, Firman RC, Sarver BAJ, Clark NL, Simmons LW, Dean MD. Evolutionary, proteomic, and experimental investigations suggest the extracellular matrix of cumulus cells mediates fertilization outcomes. Biol Reprod 2021; 105:1043-1055. [PMID: 34007991 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioab082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies of fertilization biology often focus on sperm and egg interactions. However, before gametes interact, mammalian sperm must pass through the cumulus layer; in mice, this consists of several thousand cells tightly glued together with hyaluronic acid and other proteins. To better understand the role of cumulus cells and their surrounding matrix, we perform proteomic experiments on cumulus oophorus complexes (COCs) in house mice (Mus musculus), producing over 24,000 mass spectra to identify 711 proteins. Seven proteins known to stabilize hyaluronic acid and the extracellular matrix were especially abundant (using spectral counts as an indirect proxy for abundance). Through comparative evolutionary analyses, we show that three of these evolve rapidly, a classic signature of genes that influence fertilization rate. Some of the selected sites overlap regions of the protein known to impact function. In a follow-up experiment, we compared COCs from females raised in two different social environments. Female mice raised in the presence of multiple males produced COCs that were smaller and more resistant to sperm-derived hyaluronidase compared to females raised in the presence of a single male, consistent with a previous study that demonstrated such females produced COCs that were more resistant to fertilization. Although cumulus cells are often thought of as enhancers of fertilization, our evolutionary, proteomic, and experimental investigations implicate their extracellular matrix as a potential mediator of fertilization outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Keeble
- Molecular and Computational Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Renée C Firman
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences (M092), University of Western Australia, Australia
| | - Brice A J Sarver
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana
| | - Nathan L Clark
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Leigh W Simmons
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences (M092), University of Western Australia, Australia
| | - Matthew D Dean
- Molecular and Computational Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
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2
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Iritani R, Noriyuki S. Reproductive interference hampers species coexistence despite conspecific sperm precedence. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:1957-1969. [PMID: 33717434 PMCID: PMC7920778 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Negative interspecific mating interactions, known as reproductive interference, can hamper species coexistence in a local patch and promote niche partitioning or geographical segregation of closely related species. Conspecific sperm precedence (CSP), which occurs when females that have mated with both conspecific and heterospecific males preferentially use conspecific sperm for fertilization, might contribute to species coexistence by mitigating the costs of interspecific mating and hybridization. We discussed whether two species exhibiting CSP can coexist in a local environment in the presence of reproductive interference. First, using a behaviorally explicit mathematical model, we demonstrated that two species characterized by negative mating interactions are unlikely to coexist because the costs of reproductive interference, such as loss of mating opportunity with conspecific partners, are inevitably incurred when individuals of both species are present. Second, we experimentally examined differences in mating activity and preference in two Harmonia ladybird species known to exhibit CSP. These behavioral differences may lead to local extinction of H. yedoensis because of reproductive interference by H. axyridis. This prediction is consistent with field observations that H. axyridis uses various food sources and habitats whereas H. yedoensis is confined to a less preferred prey item and a pine tree habitat. Finally, by a comparative approach, we observed that niche partitioning or parapatric distribution, but not sympatric coexistence in the same habitat, is maintained between species with CSP belonging to a wide range of taxa, including vertebrates and invertebrates living in aquatic or terrestrial environments. Taken together, it is possible that reproductive interference may destabilize local coexistence even in closely related species that exhibit CSP.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Suzuki Noriyuki
- Faculty of Agriculture and Marine ScienceKochi UniversityKochiJapan
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3
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Izquierdo-Rico MJ, Moros-Nicolás C, Pérez-Crespo M, Laguna-Barraza R, Gutiérrez-Adán A, Veyrunes F, Ballesta J, Laudet V, Chevret P, Avilés M. ZP4 Is Present in Murine Zona Pellucida and Is Not Responsible for the Specific Gamete Interaction. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 8:626679. [PMID: 33537315 PMCID: PMC7848090 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.626679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammalian eggs are surrounded by an extracellular matrix called the zona pellucida (ZP). This envelope participates in processes such as acrosome reaction induction, sperm binding, protection of the oviductal embryo, and may be involved in speciation. In eutherian mammals, this coat is formed of three or four glycoproteins (ZP1-ZP4). While Mus musculus has been used as a model to study the ZP for more than 35 years, surprisingly, it is the only eutherian species in which the ZP is formed of three glycoproteins Zp1, Zp2, and Zp3, Zp4 being a pseudogene. Zp4 was lost in the Mus lineage after it diverged from Rattus, although it is not known when precisely this loss occurred. In this work, the status of Zp4 in several murine rodents was tested by phylogenetic, molecular, and proteomic analyses. Additionally, assays of cross in vitro fertilization between three and four ZP rodents were performed to test the effect of the presence of Zp4 in murine ZP and its possible involvement in reproductive isolation. Our results showed that Zp4 pseudogenization is restricted to the subgenus Mus, which diverged around 6 MYA. Heterologous in vitro fertilization assays demonstrate that a ZP formed of four glycoproteins is not a barrier for the spermatozoa of species with a ZP formed of three glycoproteins. This study identifies the existence of several mouse species with four ZPs that can be considered suitable for use as an experimental animal model to understand the structural and functional roles of the four ZP proteins in other species, including human.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mª José Izquierdo-Rico
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
- Institute for Biomedical Research of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain
- International Excellence Campus for Higher Education and Research “Campus Mare Nostrum”, Murcia, Spain
| | - Carla Moros-Nicolás
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
- Institute for Biomedical Research of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain
- International Excellence Campus for Higher Education and Research “Campus Mare Nostrum”, Murcia, Spain
| | - Míriam Pérez-Crespo
- Department of Animal Reproduction, Instituto Nacional de Investigacion y Tecnologia Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ricardo Laguna-Barraza
- Department of Animal Reproduction, Instituto Nacional de Investigacion y Tecnologia Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA), Madrid, Spain
| | - Alfonso Gutiérrez-Adán
- Department of Animal Reproduction, Instituto Nacional de Investigacion y Tecnologia Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA), Madrid, Spain
| | - Frédéric Veyrunes
- Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution, UMR5554 CNRS/Université Montpellier/IRD/EPHE, Montpellier, France
| | - José Ballesta
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
- Institute for Biomedical Research of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain
- International Excellence Campus for Higher Education and Research “Campus Mare Nostrum”, Murcia, Spain
| | - Vincent Laudet
- Marine Eco-Evo-Devo Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Pascale Chevret
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, UMR5558, CNRS, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Manuel Avilés
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
- Institute for Biomedical Research of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain
- International Excellence Campus for Higher Education and Research “Campus Mare Nostrum”, Murcia, Spain
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4
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Albrecht T, Opletalová K, Reif J, Janoušek V, Piálek L, Cramer ERA, Johnsen A, Reifová R. Sperm divergence in a passerine contact zone: Indication of reinforcement at the gametic level. Evolution 2019; 73:202-213. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.13677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2018] [Accepted: 12/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tomáš Albrecht
- Faculty of Science, Department of ZoologyCharles University in Prague Praha 2 , CZ‐12844 Czech Republic
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, v.v.i.The Czech Academy of Sciences Brno CZ‐60365 Czech Republic
| | - Kamila Opletalová
- Faculty of Science, Department of ZoologyCharles University in Prague Praha 2 , CZ‐12844 Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Reif
- Faculty of Science, Institute for Environmental StudiesCharles University in Prague Praha 2 CZ‐12100 Czech Republic
| | - Václav Janoušek
- Faculty of Science, Department of ZoologyCharles University in Prague Praha 2 , CZ‐12844 Czech Republic
| | - Lubomír Piálek
- Faculty of Science, Department of ZoologyUniversity of South Bohemia České Budějovice CZ‐370 05 Czech Republic
| | | | - Arild Johnsen
- Natural History MuseumUniversity of Oslo 0318 Oslo Norway
| | - Radka Reifová
- Faculty of Science, Department of ZoologyCharles University in Prague Praha 2 , CZ‐12844 Czech Republic
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5
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Hurley LL, Rowe M, Griffith SC. Differential sperm-egg interactions in experimental pairings between two subspecies and their hybrids in a passerine bird. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:11725-11732. [PMID: 30598770 PMCID: PMC6303703 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2018] [Accepted: 09/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Speciation research has largely overlooked reproductive barriers acting between copulation and the formation of the zygote (i.e., postmating, prezygotic [PMPZ] barriers), especially in internally fertilizing vertebrates. Nonetheless, it is becoming clear that PMPZ reproductive barriers can play a role in the formation and maintenance of species boundaries. We investigated sperm-egg interactions in the recently diverged subspecies pairs of the long-tailed finch, Poephila acuticauda acuticauda and P. a. hecki, to explore potential PMPZ barriers. Specifically, we compared the number of sperm reaching the perivitelline layer (PVL) of the ova, and hence the site of fertilization, in both intra- and inter-subspecies pairings and pairings of F1 hybrid adults with one parental subspecies. Although we found no difference in PVL sperm number among intra- and inter-subspecific pairs, a significantly lower number of sperm reached the site of fertilization in a backcross pairing. As low numbers of PVL sperm appear to be associated with low fertilization success in birds, our findings offer insight into the potential role of postcopulatory processes in limiting gene flow between the subspecies and may help explain the relatively narrow hybrid zone that exists in the wild in this species. Though further work is needed to gain a comprehensive understanding of the morphological, physiological, and molecular mechanisms underlying our results, our study supports the role of PMPZ reproductive barriers in avian speciation, even in recently diverged taxa, that may not yet be fully genetically incompatible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura L. Hurley
- Department of Biological SciencesMacquarie UniversitySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Melissah Rowe
- Natural History Museum, University of OsloOsloNorway
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of BiosciencesUniversity of OsloOsloNorway
| | - Simon C. Griffith
- Department of Biological SciencesMacquarie UniversitySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
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6
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Garlovsky MD, Snook RR. Persistent postmating, prezygotic reproductive isolation between populations. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:9062-9073. [PMID: 30271566 PMCID: PMC6157668 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2018] [Revised: 06/23/2018] [Accepted: 07/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Studying reproductive barriers between populations of the same species is critical to understand how speciation may proceed. Growing evidence suggests postmating, prezygotic (PMPZ) reproductive barriers play an important role in the evolution of early taxonomic divergence. However, the contribution of PMPZ isolation to speciation is typically studied between species in which barriers that maintain isolation may not be those that contributed to reduced gene flow between populations. Moreover, in internally fertilizing animals, PMPZ isolation is related to male ejaculate-female reproductive tract incompatibilities but few studies have examined how mating history of the sexes can affect the strength of PMPZ isolation and the extent to which PMPZ isolation is repeatable or restricted to particular interacting genotypes. We addressed these outstanding questions using multiple populations of Drosophila montana. We show a recurrent pattern of PMPZ isolation, with flies from one population exhibiting reproductive incompatibility in crosses with all three other populations, while those three populations were fully fertile with each other. Reproductive incompatibility is due to lack of fertilization and is asymmetrical, affecting female fitness more than males. There was no effect of male or female mating history on reproductive incompatibility, indicating that PMPZ isolation persists between populations. We found no evidence of variability in fertilization outcomes attributable to different female × male genotype interactions, and in combination with our other results, suggests that PMPZ isolation is not driven by idiosyncratic genotype × genotype interactions. Our results show PMPZ isolation as a strong, consistent barrier to gene flow early during speciation and suggest several targets of selection known to affect ejaculate-female reproductive tract interactions within species that may cause this PMPZ isolation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rhonda R. Snook
- Department of Animal and Plant SciencesUniversity of SheffieldSheffieldUK
- Department of ZoologyStockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
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7
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Firman RC. Postmating sexual conflict and female control over fertilization during gamete interaction. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/nyas.13635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Renée C. Firman
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology University of Western Australia Western Australia Australia
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8
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Schneider MR, Mangels R, Dean MD. The molecular basis and reproductive function(s) of copulatory plugs. Mol Reprod Dev 2016; 83:755-767. [PMID: 27518218 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.22689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2016] [Accepted: 08/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In many animals, male ejaculates coagulate to form what has been termed a copulatory plug, a structure that varies in size and shape but often fills and seals the female's reproductive tract. The first published observation of a copulatory plug in a mammal was made more than 160 years ago, and questions about its formation and role in reproduction continue to endear evolutionary and population geneticists, behavioral ecologists, and molecular, reproductive, and developmental biologists alike. Here, we review the current knowledge of copulatory plugs, focusing on rodents and asking two main questions: how is it formed and what does it do? An evolutionary biology perspective helps us understand the latter, potentially leading to insights into the selective regimes that have shaped the diversity of this structure. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 83: 755-767, 2016 © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rachel Mangels
- Molecular and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Matthew D Dean
- Molecular and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
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9
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Mangels R, Tsung K, Kwan K, Dean MD. Copulatory plugs inhibit the reproductive success of rival males. J Evol Biol 2016; 29:2289-2296. [PMID: 27488082 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2016] [Revised: 07/19/2016] [Accepted: 07/31/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Ejaculated proteins play important roles in reproductive fitness. In many species, seminal fluid coagulates and forms what has been referred to as a copulatory plug in the female's reproductive tract. In mice, previous work demonstrated that knockout males missing a key seminal fluid protein were unable to form a plug and less successful at siring litters in noncompetitive matings (one female, one male), probably the result of reduced sperm transport or insufficient stimulation of the female. Here, we extend these previous studies to competitive matings (one female, two males) and make two key insights. First, when first males were unable to form a plug, they lost almost all paternity to second males to mate. Thus, the copulatory plugs of second males could not rescue the reduced fertility of first males. Second, we showed that the copulatory plug of first males effectively blocked fertilization by second males, even if first males were vasectomized. Taken together, our experiments demonstrated that first males lost almost all paternity if they never formed a plug. We discuss our results in the context of natural populations, where in spite of the strong effects seen here, pregnant female mice regularly carry litters fertilized by more than one male.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Mangels
- Molecular and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, 1050 Childs Way, Los Angeles, CA 90089
| | - Kathleen Tsung
- Molecular and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, 1050 Childs Way, Los Angeles, CA 90089
| | - Kelly Kwan
- Molecular and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, 1050 Childs Way, Los Angeles, CA 90089
| | - Matthew D Dean
- Molecular and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, 1050 Childs Way, Los Angeles, CA 90089
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11
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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.
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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
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12
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Beysard M, Krebs-Wheaton R, Heckel G. Tracing reinforcement through asymmetrical partner preference in the European common vole Microtus arvalis. BMC Evol Biol 2015; 15:170. [PMID: 26303785 PMCID: PMC4548911 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-015-0455-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2015] [Accepted: 08/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The mechanistic basis of speciation and in particular the contribution of behaviour to the completion of the speciation process is often contentious. Contact zones between related taxa provide a situation where selection against hybridization might reinforce separation by behavioural mechanisms, which could ultimately fully isolate the taxa. One of the most abundant European mammals, the common vole Microtus arvalis, forms multiple natural hybrid zones where rapidly diverging evolutionary lineages meet in secondary contact. Very narrow zones of hybridization spanning only a few kilometres and sex-specific gene flow patterns indicate reduced fitness of natural hybrids and incipient speciation between some of the evolutionary lineages. In this study, we examined the contribution of behavioural mechanisms to the speciation process in these rodents by fine-mapping allopatric and parapatric populations in the hybrid zone between the Western and Central lineages and experimental testing of the partner preferences of wild, pure-bred and hybrid female common voles. Results Genetic analysis based on microsatellite markers revealed the presence of multiple parapatric and largely non-admixed populations at distances of about 10 km at the edge of the area of natural hybridization between the Western and Central lineages. Wild females from Western parapatric populations and lab-born F1 hybrids preferred males from the Western lineage whereas wild females of Central parapatric origin showed no measurable preference. Furthermore, wild and lab-born females from allopatric populations of the Western or Central lineages showed no detectable preference for males from either lineage. Conclusions The detected partner preferences are consistent with asymmetrical reinforcement of pre-mating reproductive isolation mechanisms in the European common vole and with earlier results suggesting that hybridization is more detrimental to the Western lineage. As a consequence, these differences in behaviour might contribute to a further geographical stabilization of this moving hybrid zone. Such behavioural processes could also provide a mechanistic perspective for frequently-detected asymmetrical introgression patterns in the largely allopatrically diversifying Microtus genus and other rapidly speciating rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathias Beysard
- Computational and Molecular Population Genetics (CMPG), Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, CH 3012, Bern, Switzerland. .,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Genopode, CH 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Rebecca Krebs-Wheaton
- Computational and Molecular Population Genetics (CMPG), Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, CH 3012, Bern, Switzerland. .,Present Address: Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, August-Thienemannstrasse 2, 24306, Ploen, Germany.
| | - Gerald Heckel
- Computational and Molecular Population Genetics (CMPG), Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, CH 3012, Bern, Switzerland. .,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Genopode, CH 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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13
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Jennings JH, Snook RR, Hoikkala A. Reproductive isolation among allopatric Drosophila montana populations. Evolution 2015; 68:3095-108. [PMID: 25302639 DOI: 10.1111/evo.12535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2014] [Accepted: 09/01/2014] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
An outstanding goal in speciation research is to trace the mode and tempo of the evolution of barriers to gene flow. Such research benefits from studying incipient speciation, in which speciation between populations has not yet occurred, but where multiple potential mechanisms of reproductive isolation (RI: i.e., premating, postmating-prezygotic (PMPZ), and postzygotic barriers) may act. We used such a system to investigate these barriers among allopatric populations of Drosophila montana. In all heteropopulation crosses we found premating (sexual) isolation, which was either symmetric or asymmetric depending on the population pair compared. Postmating isolation was particularly strong in crosses involving males from one of the study populations, and while sperm were successfully transferred, stored, and motile, we experimentally demonstrated that the majority of eggs produced were unfertilized. Thus, we identified the nature of a PMPZ incompatibility. There was no evidence of intrinsic postzygotic effects. Measures of absolute and relative strengths of pre- and postmating barriers showed that populations differed in the mode and magnitude of RI barriers. Our results indicate that incipient RI among populations can be driven by different contributions of both premating and PMPZ barriers occurring between different population pairs and without the evolution of postzygotic barriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jackson H Jennings
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35, FI-40014, Jyväskylä, Finland; Current Address: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, 72701
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Rowe M, Albrecht T, Cramer ERA, Johnsen A, Laskemoen T, Weir JT, Lifjeld JT. Postcopulatory sexual selection is associated with accelerated evolution of sperm morphology. Evolution 2015; 69:1044-52. [PMID: 25655075 DOI: 10.1111/evo.12620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2014] [Accepted: 01/16/2015] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Rapid diversification of sexual traits is frequently attributed to sexual selection, though explicit tests of this hypothesis remain limited. Spermatozoa exhibit remarkable variability in size and shape, and studies report a correlation between sperm morphology (sperm length and shape) and sperm competition risk or female reproductive tract morphology. However, whether postcopulatory processes (e.g., sperm competition and cryptic female choice) influence the speed of evolutionary diversification in sperm form is unknown. Using passerine birds, we quantified evolutionary rates of sperm length divergence among lineages (i.e., species pairs) and determined whether these rates varied with the level of sperm competition (estimated as relative testes mass). We found that relative testes mass was significantly and positively associated with more rapid phenotypic divergence in sperm midpiece and flagellum lengths, as well as total sperm length. In contrast, there was no association between relative testes mass and rates of evolutionary divergence in sperm head size, and models suggested that head length is evolutionarily constrained. Our results are the first to show an association between the strength of sperm competition and the speed of sperm evolution, and suggest that postcopulatory sexual selection promotes rapid evolutionary diversification of sperm morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissah Rowe
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, PO Box 1172, Blindern, 0318, Oslo, Norway; Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, PO Box 1066, Blindern, 0316, Oslo, Norway.
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15
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Albrechtová J, Albrecht T, Ďureje L, Pallazola VA, Piálek J. Sperm morphology in two house mouse subspecies: do wild-derived strains and wild mice tell the same story? PLoS One 2014; 9:e115669. [PMID: 25541964 PMCID: PMC4277342 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0115669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2014] [Accepted: 11/28/2014] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Being subject to intense post-copulatory selection, sperm size is a principal determining component of male fitness. Although previous studies have presented comparative sperm size data at higher taxonomic levels, information on the evolution of sperm size within species is generally lacking. Here, we studied two house mouse subspecies, Mus musculus musculus and Mus musculus domesticus, which undergo incipient speciation. We measured four sperm dimensions from cauda epididymis smears of 28 wild-caught mice of both subspecies. As inbred mouse strains are frequently used as proxies for exploring evolutionary processes, we further studied four wild-derived inbred strains from each subspecies. The subspecies differed significantly in terms of sperm head length and midpiece length, and these differences were consistent for wild mice and wild-derived strains pooled over genomes. When the inbred strains were analyzed individually, however, their strain-specific values were in some cases significantly shifted from subspecies-specific values derived from wild mice. We conclude that: (1) the size of sperm components differ in the two house mouse subspecies studied, and that (2) wild-derived strains reflect this natural polymorphism, serving as a potential tool to identify the genetic variation driving these evolutionary processes. Nevertheless, we suggest that more strains should be used in future experiments to account for natural variation and to avoid confounding results due to reduced variability and/or founder effect in the individual strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Albrechtová
- Research Facility Studenec, Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
- * E-mail:
| | - Tomáš Albrecht
- Research Facility Studenec, Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ludovít Ďureje
- Research Facility Studenec, Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Vincent A. Pallazola
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
| | - Jaroslav Piálek
- Research Facility Studenec, Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno, Czech Republic
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16
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Kosman ET, Levitan DR. Sperm competition and the evolution of gametic compatibility in externally fertilizing taxa. Mol Hum Reprod 2014; 20:1190-7. [PMID: 25323969 DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gau069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteins expressed on the surface of sperm and egg mediate gametic compatibility and these proteins can be subject to intense positive selection. In this review, we discuss what is known about the patterns of adaptive evolution of gamete recognition proteins (GRPs). We focus on species that broadcast eggs and sperm into the environment for external fertilization, as the ease of observing and manipulating gamete interactions has allowed for greater advances in the understanding of GRP evolution, uncomplicated by confounding behavioral and physiological components that offer alternative evolutionary targets in internal fertilizers. We discuss whether interspecific mechanisms, such as selection to avoid fertilization between species (reinforcement selection), or intraspecific mechanisms, such as selection to increase (or decrease) the affinity between eggs and sperm based on the intensity of sperm competition, may be responsible for the pattern of GRP evolution observed. Variation in these proteins appears to influence gametic compatibility; GRP divergence among species is a better predictor of hybrid fertilization than neutral genetic markers and GRP variation within species predicts reproductive success among individuals within a population. Evidence suggests that sperm competition may play a large role in the evolution of gametic compatibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- E T Kosman
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | - D R Levitan
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
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17
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Firman RC, Simmons LW. No evidence of conpopulation sperm precedence between allopatric populations of house mice. PLoS One 2014; 9:e107472. [PMID: 25295521 PMCID: PMC4189782 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0107472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2014] [Accepted: 08/16/2014] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Investigations into the evolution of reproductive barriers have traditionally focused on closely related species, and the prevalence of conspecific sperm precedence. The effectiveness of conspecific sperm precedence at limiting gene exchange between species suggests that gametic isolation is an important component of reproductive isolation. However, there is a paucity of tests for evidence of sperm precedence during the earlier stages of divergence, for example among isolated populations. Here, we sourced individuals from two allopatric populations of house mice (Mus domesticus) and performed competitive in vitro fertilisation assays to test for conpopulation sperm precedence specifically at the gametic level. We found that ova population origin did not influence the outcome of the sperm competitions, and thus provide no evidence of conpopulation or heteropopulation sperm precedence. Instead, we found that males from a population that had evolved under a high level of postcopulatory sexual selection consistently outcompeted males from a population that had evolved under a relatively lower level of postcopulatory sexual selection. We standardised the number of motile sperm of each competitor across the replicate assays. Our data therefore show that competitive fertilizing success was directly attributable to differences in sperm fertilizing competence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renée C. Firman
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Leigh W. Simmons
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
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18
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Finseth FR, Bondra E, Harrison RG. Selective Constraint Dominates the Evolution of Genes Expressed in a Novel Reproductive Gland. Mol Biol Evol 2014; 31:3266-81. [DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msu259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
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19
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Firman RC, Gomendio M, Roldan ERS, Simmons LW. The Coevolution of Ova Defensiveness with Sperm Competitiveness in House Mice. Am Nat 2014; 183:565-72. [DOI: 10.1086/675395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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20
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Bakker TCM, Hollmann M, Mehlis M, Zbinden M. Functional variation of sperm morphology in sticklebacks. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-013-1676-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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21
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Latour Y, Perriat-Sanguinet M, Caminade P, Boursot P, Smadja CM, Ganem G. Sexual selection against natural hybrids may contribute to reinforcement in a house mouse hybrid zone. Proc Biol Sci 2013; 281:20132733. [PMID: 24352947 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2013.2733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual selection may hinder gene flow across contact zones when hybrid recognition signals are discriminated against. We tested this hypothesis in a unimodal hybrid zone between Mus musculus musculus and Mus musculus domesticus where a pattern of reinforcement was described and lower hybrid fitness documented. We presented mice from the border of the hybrid zone with a choice between opposite sex urine from the same subspecies versus hybrids sampled in different locations across the zone. While no preference was evidenced in domesticus mice, musculus males discriminated in favour of musculus signals and against hybrid signals. Remarkably, the pattern of hybrid unattractiveness did not vary across the hybrid zone. Moreover, allopatric populations tested in the same conditions did not discriminate against hybrid signals, indicating character displacement for signal perception or preference. Finally, habituation-discrimination tests assessing similarities between signals pointed out that hybrid signals differed from the parental ones. Overall, our results suggest that perception of hybrids as unattractive has evolved in border populations of musculus after the secondary contact with domesticus. We discuss the mechanisms involved in hybrid unattractiveness, and the potential impact of asymmetric sexual selection on the hybrid zone dynamics and gene flow between the two subspecies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmin Latour
- CNRS, Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution de Montpellier, UMR5554, , Université Montpellier 2, Montpellier, France
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22
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Yeates SE, Diamond SE, Einum S, Emerson BC, Holt WV, Gage MJG. Cryptic choice of conspecific sperm controlled by the impact of ovarian fluid on sperm swimming behavior. Evolution 2013; 67:3523-36. [PMID: 24299405 PMCID: PMC3912916 DOI: 10.1111/evo.12208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2013] [Accepted: 06/29/2013] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Despite evidence that variation in male-female reproductive compatibility exists in many fertilization systems, identifying mechanisms of cryptic female choice at the gamete level has been a challenge. Here, under risks of genetic incompatibility through hybridization, we show how salmon and trout eggs promote fertilization by conspecific sperm. Using in vitro fertilization experiments that replicate the gametic microenvironment, we find complete interfertility between both species. However, if either species' ova were presented with equivalent numbers of both sperm types, conspecific sperm gained fertilization precedence. Surprisingly, the species' identity of the eggs did not explain this cryptic female choice, which instead was primarily controlled by conspecific ovarian fluid, a semiviscous, protein-rich solution that bathes the eggs and is released at spawning. Video analyses revealed that ovarian fluid doubled sperm motile life span and straightened swimming trajectory, behaviors allowing chemoattraction up a concentration gradient. To confirm chemoattraction, cell migration tests through membranes containing pores that approximated to the egg micropyle showed that conspecific ovarian fluid attracted many more spermatozoa through the membrane, compared with heterospecific fluid or water. These combined findings together identify how cryptic female choice can evolve at the gamete level and promote reproductive isolation, mediated by a specific chemoattractive influence of ovarian fluid on sperm swimming behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Yeates
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East AngliaNorwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Sian E Diamond
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East AngliaNorwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Sigurd Einum
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491Trondheim, Norway
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, NO-7485Trondheim, Norway
| | - Brent C Emerson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East AngliaNorwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
- Island Ecology and Evolution Research Group (IPNA-CSIC), C/Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez 338206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - William V Holt
- Academic Department of Reproductive and Developmental Medicine, University of SheffieldLevel 4, Jessop Wing, Tree Root Walk, Sheffield, S10 2SF, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew J G Gage
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East AngliaNorwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
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23
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Firman RC, Simmons LW. Sperm competition risk generates phenotypic plasticity in ovum fertilizability. Proc Biol Sci 2013; 280:20132097. [PMID: 24132308 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2013.2097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Theory predicts that sperm competition will generate sexual conflict that favours increased ovum defences against polyspermy. A recent study on house mice has shown that ovum resistance to fertilization coevolves in response to increased sperm fertilizing capacity. However, the capacity for the female gamete to adjust its fertilizability as a strategic response to sperm competition risk has never, to our knowledge, been studied. We sourced house mice (Mus domesticus) from natural populations that differ in the level of sperm competition and sperm fertilizing capacity, and manipulated the social experience of females during their sexual development to simulate conditions of either a future 'risk' or 'no risk' of sperm competition. Consistent with coevolutionary predictions, we found lower fertilization rates in ova produced by females from a high sperm competition population compared with ova from a low sperm competition population, indicating that these populations are divergent in the fertilizability of their ova. More importantly, females exposed to a 'risk' of sperm competition produced ova that had greater resistance to fertilization than ova produced by females reared in an environment with 'no risk'. Consequently, we show that variation in sperm competition risk during development generates phenotypic plasticity in ova fertilizability, which allows females to prepare for prevailing conditions during their reproductive life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renée C Firman
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Animal Biology (M092), University of Western Australia, , Nedlands 6009, Australia
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24
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Zinck L, Lima SQ. Mate choice in Mus musculus is relative and dependent on the estrous state. PLoS One 2013; 8:e66064. [PMID: 23762466 PMCID: PMC3677927 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0066064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2013] [Accepted: 05/03/2013] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Mate choice is a critical behavioral decision process with profound impact on evolution. However, the mechanistic basis of mate choice is poorly understood. In this study we focused on assortative mate choice, which is known to contribute to the reproductive isolation of the two European subspecies of house mouse, Mus musculus musculus and Mus musculus domesticus. To understand the decision process, we developed both full mating and limited-contact paradigms and tested musculus females' preference for musculus versus domesticus males, mimicking the natural musculus/domesticus contact zone. As hypothesized, when allowed to mate we found that sexually receptive musculus females exhibited a robust preference to mate with musculus males. In contrast, when non-receptive, females did not exhibit a preference and rather alternated between males in response to male mount attempts. Moreover in a no-choice condition, females mated readily with males from both subspecies. Finally, when no physical contact was allowed, and therefore male's behavior could not influence female's behavior, female's preference for its own subspecies was maintained independently of the estrous state. Together, our results suggest that the assortative preference is relative and based on a comparison of the options available rather than on an absolute preference. The results of the limited-contact experiments highlight the interplay between female's internal state and the nature of the interaction with prospective mates in the full mating conditions. With these experiments we believe we established an assortative mate preference assay that is appropriate for the investigation of its underlying substrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léa Zinck
- Champalimaud Neuroscience Program, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Susana Q. Lima
- Champalimaud Neuroscience Program, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
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25
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Manier MK, Belote JM, Berben KS, Lüpold S, Ala-Honkola O, Collins WF, Pitnick S. Rapid diversification of sperm precedence traits and processes among three sibling Drosophila species. Evolution 2013; 67:2348-62. [PMID: 23888856 DOI: 10.1111/evo.12117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2012] [Accepted: 03/12/2013] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Postcopulatory sexual selection is credited with driving rapid evolutionary diversification of reproductive traits and the formation of reproductive isolating barriers between species. This judgment, however, has largely been inferred rather than demonstrated due to general lack of knowledge about processes and traits underlying variation in competitive fertilization success. Here, we resolved processes determining sperm fate in twice-mated females, using transgenic Drosophila simulans and Drosophila mauritiana populations with fluorescently labeled sperm heads. Comparisons among these two species and Drosophila melanogaster revealed a shared motif in the mechanisms of sperm precedence, with postcopulatory sexual selection potentially occurring during any of the three discrete stages: (1) insemination; (2) sperm storage; and (3) sperm use for fertilization, and involving four distinct phenomena: (1) sperm transfer; (2) sperm displacement; (3) sperm ejection; and (4) sperm selection for fertilizations. Yet, underlying the qualitative similarities were significant quantitative differences in nearly every relevant character and process. We evaluate these species differences in light of concurrent investigations of within-population variation in competitive fertilization success and postmating/prezygotic reproductive isolation in hybrid matings between species to forge an understanding of the relationship between microevolutionary processes and macroevolutionary patterns as pertains to postcopulatory sexual selection in this group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mollie K Manier
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244, USA
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26
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Genetic disruption of the copulatory plug in mice leads to severely reduced fertility. PLoS Genet 2013; 9:e1003185. [PMID: 23341775 PMCID: PMC3547826 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1003185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2012] [Accepted: 11/06/2012] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Seminal fluid proteins affect fertility at multiple stages in reproduction. In many species, a male's ejaculate coagulates to form a copulatory plug. Although taxonomically widespread, the molecular details of plug formation remain poorly understood, limiting our ability to manipulate the structure and understand its role in reproduction. Here I show that male mice knockouts for transglutaminase IV (Tgm4) fail to form a copulatory plug, demonstrating that this gene is necessary for plug formation and lending a powerful new genetic tool to begin characterizing plug function. Tgm4 knockout males show normal sperm count, sperm motility, and reproductive morphology. However, very little of their ejaculate migrates into the female's reproductive tract, suggesting the plug prevents ejaculate leakage. Poor ejaculate migration leads to a reduction in the proportion of oocytes fertilized. However, Tgm4 knockout males fertilized between 3-11 oocytes, which should be adequate for a normal litter. Nevertheless, females mated to Tgm4 knockout males for approximately 14 days were significantly less likely to give birth to a litter compared to females mated to wild-type males. Therefore, it appears that the plug also affects post-fertilization events such as implantation and/or gestation. This study shows that a gene influencing the viscosity of seminal fluid has a major influence on male fertility.
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27
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Albrechtová J, Albrecht T, Baird SJE, Macholán M, Rudolfsen G, Munclinger P, Tucker PK, Piálek J. Sperm-related phenotypes implicated in both maintenance and breakdown of a natural species barrier in the house mouse. Proc Biol Sci 2012; 279:4803-10. [PMID: 23055063 PMCID: PMC3497091 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2012.1802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2012] [Accepted: 09/19/2012] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The house mouse hybrid zone (HMHZ) is a species barrier thought to be maintained by a balance between dispersal and natural selection against hybrids. While the HMHZ is characterized by frequency discontinuities for some sex chromosome markers, there is an unexpected large-scale regional introgression of a Y chromosome across the barrier, in defiance of Haldane's rule. Recent work suggests that a major force maintaining the species barrier acts through sperm traits. Here, we test whether the Y chromosome penetration of the species barrier acts through sperm traits by assessing sperm characteristics of wild-caught males directly in a field laboratory set up in a Y introgression region of the HMHZ, later calculating the hybrid index of each male using 1401 diagnostic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). We found that both sperm count (SC) and sperm velocity were significantly reduced across the natural spectrum of hybrids. However, SC was more than rescued in the presence of the invading Y. Our results imply an asymmetric advantage for Y chromosome introgression consistent with the observed large-scale introgression. We suggest that selection on sperm-related traits probably explains a large component of patterns observed in the natural hybrid zone, including the Y chromosome penetration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Albrechtová
- Department of Population Biology, Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno and Studenec, Czech Republic
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Albrecht
- Department of Population Biology, Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno and Studenec, Czech Republic
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Miloš Macholán
- Laboratory of Mammalian Evolutionary Genetics, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, ASCR, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Geir Rudolfsen
- Department for Environmental Radioactivity, Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority, Framcenter, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Pavel Munclinger
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Priscilla K. Tucker
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jaroslav Piálek
- Department of Population Biology, Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno and Studenec, Czech Republic
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28
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White MA, Stubbings M, Dumont BL, Payseur BA. Genetics and evolution of hybrid male sterility in house mice. Genetics 2012; 191:917-34. [PMID: 22554891 PMCID: PMC3389984 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.112.140251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2012] [Accepted: 04/23/2012] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Comparative genetic mapping provides insights into the evolution of the reproductive barriers that separate closely related species. This approach has been used to document the accumulation of reproductive incompatibilities over time, but has only been applied to a few taxa. House mice offer a powerful system to reconstruct the evolution of reproductive isolation between multiple subspecies pairs. However, studies of the primary reproductive barrier in house mice-hybrid male sterility-have been restricted to a single subspecies pair: Mus musculus musculus and Mus musculus domesticus. To provide a more complete characterization of reproductive isolation in house mice, we conducted an F(2) intercross between wild-derived inbred strains from Mus musculus castaneus and M. m. domesticus. We identified autosomal and X-linked QTL associated with a range of hybrid male sterility phenotypes, including testis weight, sperm density, and sperm morphology. The pseudoautosomal region (PAR) was strongly associated with hybrid sterility phenotypes when heterozygous. We compared QTL found in this cross with QTL identified in a previous F(2) intercross between M. m. musculus and M. m. domesticus and found three shared autosomal QTL. Most QTL were not shared, demonstrating that the genetic basis of hybrid male sterility largely differs between these closely related subspecies pairs. These results lay the groundwork for identifying genes responsible for the early stages of speciation in house mice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maria Stubbings
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
| | | | - Bret A. Payseur
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
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29
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Janoušek V, Wang L, Luzynski K, Dufková P, Vyskočilová MM, Nachman MW, Munclinger P, Macholán M, Piálek J, Tucker PK. Genome-wide architecture of reproductive isolation in a naturally occurring hybrid zone between Mus musculus musculus and M. m. domesticus. Mol Ecol 2012; 21:3032-47. [PMID: 22582810 PMCID: PMC3872452 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2012.05583.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Studies of a hybrid zone between two house mouse subspecies (Mus musculus musculus and M. m. domesticus) along with studies using laboratory crosses reveal a large role for the X chromosome and multiple autosomal regions in reproductive isolation as a consequence of disrupted epistasis in hybrids. One limitation of previous work has been that most of the identified genomic regions have been large. The goal here is to detect and characterize precise genomic regions underlying reproductive isolation. We surveyed 1401 markers evenly spaced across the genome in 679 mice collected from two different transects. Comparisons between transects provide a means for identifying common patterns that likely reflect intrinsic incompatibilities. We used a genomic cline approach to identify patterns that correspond to epistasis. From both transects, we identified contiguous regions on the X chromosome in which markers were inferred to be involved in epistatic interactions. We then searched for autosomal regions showing the same patterns and found they constitute about 5% of autosomal markers. We discovered substantial overlap between these candidate regions underlying reproductive isolation and QTL for hybrid sterility identified in laboratory crosses. Analysis of gene content in these regions suggests a key role for several mechanisms, including the regulation of transcription, sexual conflict and sexual selection operating at both the postmating prezygotic and postzygotic stages of reproductive isolation. Taken together, these results indicate that speciation in two recently diverged (c. 0.5 Ma) house mouse subspecies is complex, involving many genes dispersed throughout the genome and associated with distinct functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Václav Janoušek
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Viničná 7, 128 43 Prague 2, Czech Republic
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30
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Affiliation(s)
- Quinn R. Shurtliff
- Department of Biological Sciences; Idaho State University; Idaho; 83209; USA
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31
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Turner LM, Schwahn DJ, Harr B. REDUCED MALE FERTILITY IS COMMON BUT HIGHLY VARIABLE IN FORM AND SEVERITY IN A NATURAL HOUSE MOUSE HYBRID ZONE. Evolution 2011; 66:443-58. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2011.01445.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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32
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Genetic dissection of a key reproductive barrier between nascent species of house mice. Genetics 2011; 189:289-304. [PMID: 21750261 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.111.129171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Reproductive isolation between species is often caused by deleterious interactions among loci in hybrids. Finding the genes involved in these incompatibilities provides insight into the mechanisms of speciation. With recently diverged subspecies, house mice provide a powerful system for understanding the genetics of reproductive isolation early in the speciation process. Although previous studies have yielded important clues about the genetics of hybrid male sterility in house mice, they have been restricted to F1 sterility or incompatibilities involving the X chromosome. To provide a more complete characterization of this key reproductive barrier, we conducted an F2 intercross between wild-derived inbred strains from two subspecies of house mice, Mus musculus musculus and Mus musculus domesticus. We identified a suite of autosomal and X-linked QTL that underlie measures of hybrid male sterility, including testis weight, sperm density, and sperm morphology. In many cases, the autosomal loci were unique to a specific sterility trait and exhibited an effect only when homozygous, underscoring the importance of examining reproductive barriers beyond the F1 generation. We also found novel two-locus incompatibilities between the M. m. musculus X chromosome and M. m. domesticus autosomal alleles. Our results reveal a complex genetic architecture for hybrid male sterility and suggest a prominent role for reproductive barriers in advanced generations in maintaining subspecies integrity in house mice.
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33
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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.
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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
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Marshall JL, Huestis DL, Garcia C, Hiromasa Y, Wheeler S, Noh S, Tomich JM, Howard DJ. Comparative Proteomics Uncovers the Signature of Natural Selection Acting on the Ejaculate Proteomes of Two Cricket Species Isolated by Postmating, Prezygotic Phenotypes. Mol Biol Evol 2010; 28:423-35. [DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msq230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Montgomery BR, Soper DM, Delph LF. Asymmetrical conspecific seed-siring advantage between Silene latifolia and S. dioica. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2010; 105:595-605. [PMID: 20147372 PMCID: PMC2850797 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcq013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2009] [Revised: 12/04/2009] [Accepted: 12/22/2009] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Silene dioica and S. latifolia experience only limited introgression despite overlapping flowering phenologies, geographical distributions, and some pollinator sharing. Conspecific pollen precedence and other reproductive barriers operating between pollination and seed germination may limit hybridization. This study investigates whether barriers at this stage contribute to reproductive isolation between these species and, if so, which mechanisms are responsible. METHODS Pollen-tube lengths for pollen of both species in styles of both species were compared. Additionally, both species were pollinated with majority S. latifolia and majority S. dioica pollen mixes; then seed set, seed germination rates and hybridity of the resulting seedlings were determined using species-specific molecular markers. KEY RESULTS The longest pollen tubes were significantly longer for conspecific than heterospecific pollen in both species, indicating conspecific pollen precedence. Seed set but not seed germination was lower for flowers pollinated with pure heterospecific versus pure conspecific pollen. Mixed-species pollinations resulted in disproportionately high representation of nonhybrid offspring for pollinations of S. latifolia but not S. dioica flowers. CONCLUSIONS The finding of conspecific pollen precedence for pollen-tube growth but not seed siring in S. dioica flowers may be explained by variation in pollen-tube growth rates, either at different locations in the style or between leading and trailing pollen tubes. Additionally, this study finds a barrier to hybridization operating between pollination and seed germination against S. dioica but not S. latifolia pollen. The results are consistent with the underlying cause of this barrier being attrition of S. dioica pollen tubes or reduced success of heterospecifically fertilized ovules, rather than time-variant mechanisms. Post-pollination, pre-germination barriers to hybridization thus play a partial role in limiting introgression between these species.
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Dean MD, Clark NL, Findlay GD, Karn RC, Yi X, Swanson WJ, MacCoss MJ, Nachman MW. Proteomics and comparative genomic investigations reveal heterogeneity in evolutionary rate of male reproductive proteins in mice (Mus domesticus). Mol Biol Evol 2009; 26:1733-43. [PMID: 19420050 PMCID: PMC2734151 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msp094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/11/2009] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Male reproductive fitness is strongly affected by seminal fluid. In addition to interacting with the female environment, seminal fluid mediates important physiological characteristics of sperm, including capacitation and motility. In mammals, the male reproductive tract shows a striking degree of compartmentalization, with at least six distinct tissue types contributing material that is combined with sperm in an ejaculate. Although studies of whole ejaculates have been undertaken in some species, we lack a comprehensive picture of the specific proteins produced by different accessory tissues. Here, we perform proteomic investigations of six regions of the male reproductive tract in mice -- seminal vesicles, anterior prostate, dorsolateral prostate, ventral prostate, bulbourethral gland, and bulbourethral diverticulum. We identify 766 proteins that could be mapped to 506 unique genes and compare them with a high-quality human seminal fluid data set. We find that Gene Ontology functions of seminal proteins are largely conserved between mice and humans. By placing these data in an evolutionary framework, we show that seminal vesicle proteins have experienced a significantly higher rate of nonsynonymous substitution compared with the genome, which could be the result of adaptive evolution. In contrast, proteins from the other five tissues showed significantly lower nonsynonymous substitution, revealing a previously unappreciated level of evolutionary constraint acting on the majority of male reproductive proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew D Dean
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, AZ, USA.
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