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Nemesházi E, Bókony V. HerpSexDet: the herpetological database of sex determination and sex reversal. Sci Data 2023; 10:377. [PMID: 37311775 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-023-02268-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Wildlife exhibits various sex-determination systems where sex chromosomes and environmental temperatures may both contribute to individual sexual development. The causes and consequences of this variability are important questions for evolutionary ecology, especially in light of ongoing environmental change. Amphibians and reptiles are emerging as a key group for studying these questions, with new data accumulating acceleratingly. We collected empirical data from earlier databases, reviews and primary literature to create the most up-to-date database on herpetological sex determination. We named our database HerpSexDet, which currently features data on genetic and temperature-dependent sex determination as well as reports on sex reversal for a total of 192 amphibian and 697 reptile species. This dataset, which we will regularly update in the future, facilitates interspecific comparative studies on the evolution of sex determination and its consequences for species-specific traits such as life history and conservation status, and may also help guiding future research by identifying species or higher taxa that are potentially most enlightening for the study of environmentally driven sex reversal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edina Nemesházi
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Savoyenstr. 1a, A-1160, Vienna, Austria.
- Veterinary Medical Research Institute, Hungária Krt. 21, H-1143, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Veronika Bókony
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Herman Ottó u. 15, H-1022, Budapest, Hungary.
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2
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Hansson A, Wapstra E, While GM, Lindsay WR, Olsson M. Context-dependent thermolability of sex determination in a lacertid lizard with heteromorphic sex chromosomes. Biol Open 2023; 12:310405. [PMID: 37191107 DOI: 10.1242/bio.059967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Developmental conditions can profoundly impact key life history traits of the individual. In cases where offspring sex is driven by developmental reaction norms, permanent changes to the phenotype can fundamentally alter life history trajectories. Sex determination mechanisms in reptiles are remarkably diverse, including well-characterised genetic and temperature-dependent sex determination. In rarer, but increasingly more commonly documented cases, sex can also be determined by a combination of the two, with temperature overriding the genetically determined sex. Thus, sex-by-temperature interactions is a mechanism that can be contextually labile, where reaction norms of sex against developmental environment might only be observable under certain conditions. We examine the effects of incubation temperature on hatchling sex in an oviparous lizard with clearly defined heteromorphic sex chromosomes presumed to determine sex solely on a genetic basis. We also test the repeatability of our results by replicating incubation experiments across 3 years. We show that warmer temperatures may override chromosomal sex and cause an overproduction of daughters. However, this effect was inconsistent among years, with high temperature only resulting in a daughter-significant bias in one year. Warm-incubated daughters were more efficient at converting yolk into tissue, which would allow for greater resource allocation to other fitness-related processes, such as growth. This suggests that thermolabile sex determination could be a trait under selection. More energy-efficient embryos also produced faster-growing offspring, suggesting that energy utilization patterns of the embryo were maintained into the juvenile stage, which could have important implications for the ontogenetic development and evolution of life histories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Hansson
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Box 463, 405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, TAS, 7001Australia
| | - Erik Wapstra
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, TAS, 7001Australia
| | - Geoffrey M While
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, TAS, 7001Australia
| | - Willow R Lindsay
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Box 463, 405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Mats Olsson
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Box 463, 405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden
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3
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Nemesházi E, Bókony V. Asymmetrical sex reversal: Does the type of heterogamety predict propensity for sex reversal? Bioessays 2022; 44:e2200039. [PMID: 35543235 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202200039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Sex reversal, a mismatch between phenotypic and genetic sex, can be induced by chemical and thermal insults in ectotherms. Therefore, climate change and environmental pollution may increase sex-reversal frequency in wild populations, with wide-ranging implications for sex ratios, population dynamics, and the evolution of sex determination. We propose that reconsidering the half-century old theory "Witschi's rule" should facilitate understanding the differences between species in sex-reversal propensity and thereby predicting their vulnerability to anthropogenic environmental change. The idea is that sex reversal should be asymmetrical: more likely to occur in the homogametic sex, assuming that sex-reversed heterogametic individuals would produce new genotypes with reduced fitness. A review of the existing evidence shows that while sex reversal can be induced in both homogametic and heterogametic individuals, the latter seem to require stronger stimuli in several cases. We provide guidelines for future studies on sex reversal to facilitate data comparability and reliability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edina Nemesházi
- Conservation Genetics Research Group, Department of Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Veronika Bókony
- Conservation Genetics Research Group, Department of Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, Budapest, Hungary.,Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Budapest, Hungary
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4
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Wild KH, Roe JH, Schwanz L, Georges A, Sarre SD. Evolutionary stability inferred for a free ranging lizard with sex-reversal. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:2281-2292. [PMID: 35178809 PMCID: PMC9303591 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The sex of vertebrates is typically determined genetically, but reptile sex can also be determined by developmental temperature. In some reptiles, temperature interacts with genotype to reverse sex, potentially leading to transitions from a chromosomal to a temperature‐dependent sex determining system. Transitions between such systems in nature are accelerated depending on the frequency and fitness of sex‐reversed individuals. The Central Bearded Dragon, Pogona vitticeps, exhibits female heterogamety (ZZ/ZW) but can have its sex reversed from ZZ male to ZZ female by high incubation temperatures. The species exhibits sex‐reversal in the wild and it has been suggested that climate change and fitness of sex‐reversed individuals could be increasing the frequency of reversal within the species range. Transitions to temperature‐dependent sex determination require low levels of dispersal and high (>50%) rates of sex‐reversal. Here, we combine genotype‐by‐sequencing, identification of phenotypic and chromosomal sex, exhaustive field surveys, and radio telemetry to examine levels of genetic structure, rates of sex‐reversal, movement, space use, and survival of P. vitticeps in a location previously identified as a hot spot for sex‐reversal. We find that the species exhibits low levels of population structure (FST ~0.001) and a modest (~17%) rate of sex‐reversal, and that sex‐reversed and nonsex‐reversed females have similar survival and behavioural characteristics to each other. Overall, our data indicate this system is evolutionary stable, although we do not rule out the prospect of a more gradual transition in sex‐determining mechanisms in the future in a more fragmented landscape and as global temperatures increase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristoffer H Wild
- Centre for Conservation Ecology and Genomics, Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - John H Roe
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina Pembroke, Pembroke, North Carolina, USA
| | - Lisa Schwanz
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Arthur Georges
- Centre for Conservation Ecology and Genomics, Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Stephen D Sarre
- Centre for Conservation Ecology and Genomics, Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, Australia
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5
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Schwanz LE, Georges A. Sexual Development and the Environment: Conclusions from 40 Years of Theory. Sex Dev 2021; 15:7-22. [PMID: 34130303 DOI: 10.1159/000515221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In this review, we consider the insight that has been gained through theoretical examination of environmental sex determination (ESD) and thermolability - how theory has progressed our understanding of the ecological and evolutionary dynamics associated with ESD, the transitional pathways between different modes of sex determination, and the underlying mechanisms. Following decades of theory on the adaptive benefits of ESD, several hypotheses seem promising. These hypotheses focus on the importance of differential fitness (sex-specific effects of temperature on fitness) in generating selection for ESD, but highlight alternative ways differential fitness arises: seasonal impacts on growth, sex-specific ages of maturation, and sex-biased dispersal. ESD has the potential to generate biased sex ratios quite easily, leading to complex feedbacks between the ecology and evolution of ESD. Frequency-dependent selection on sex acts on ESD-related traits, driving local adaptation or plasticity to restore equilibrium sex ratio. However, migration and overlapping generations ("mixing") diminish local adaptation and leave each cohort/population with the potential for biased sex ratios. Incorporating mechanism into ecology and evolution models reveals similarities between different sex-determining systems. Dosage and gene regulatory network models of sexual development are beginning to shed light on how temperature sensitivity and thresholds may arise. The unavoidable temperature sensitivity in sex-determining systems inherent to these models suggests that evolutionary transitions between genotypic sex determination (GSD) and temperature-dependent sex determination, and between different forms of GSD, are simple and elegant. Theoretical models are often best-served by considering a single piece of a puzzle; however, there is much to gain from reflecting on all of the pieces together in one integrative picture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa E Schwanz
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Arthur Georges
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
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6
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Evolutionary and demographic consequences of temperature-induced masculinization under climate warming: the effects of mate choice. BMC Ecol Evol 2021; 21:16. [PMID: 33541263 PMCID: PMC7860201 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-021-01747-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background One of the dangers of global climate change to wildlife is distorting sex ratios by temperature-induced sex reversals in populations where sex determination is not exclusively genetic, potentially leading to population collapse and/or sex-determination system transformation. Here we introduce a new concept on how these outcomes may be altered by mate choice if sex-chromosome-linked phenotypic traits allow females to choose between normal and sex-reversed (genetically female) males. Results We developed a theoretical model to investigate if an already existing autosomal allele encoding preference for sex-reversed males would spread and affect demographic and evolutionary processes under climate warming. We found that preference for sex-reversed males (1) more likely spread in ZW/ZZ than in XX/XY sex-determination systems, (2) in populations starting with ZW/ZZ system, it significantly hastened the transitions between different sex-determination systems and maintained more balanced adult sex ratio for longer compared to populations where all females preferred normal males; and (3) in ZW/ZZ systems with low but non-zero viability of WW individuals, a widespread preference for sex-reversed males saved the populations from early extinction. Conclusions Our results suggest that climate change may affect the evolution of mate choice, which in turn may influence the evolution of sex-determination systems, sex ratios, and thereby adaptive potential and population persistence. These findings show that preferences for sex-linked traits have special implications in species with sex reversal, highlighting the need for empirical research on the role of sex reversal in mate choice.
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7
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Tao W, Conte MA, Wang D, Kocher TD. Network architecture and sex chromosome turnovers: Do epistatic interactions shape patterns of sex chromosome replacement? Bioessays 2020; 43:e2000161. [PMID: 33283342 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202000161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies have revealed an astonishing diversity of sex chromosomes in many vertebrate lineages, prompting questions about the mechanisms of sex chromosome turnover. While there is considerable population genetic theory about the evolutionary forces promoting sex chromosome replacement, this theory has not yet been integrated with our understanding of the molecular and developmental genetics of sex determination. Here, we review recent data to examine four questions about how the structure of gene networks influences the evolution of sex determination. We argue that patterns of epistasis, arising from the structure of genetic networks, may play an important role in regulating the rates and patterns of sex chromosome replacement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjing Tao
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development (Ministry of Education), Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science of Chongqing, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Matthew A Conte
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Deshou Wang
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development (Ministry of Education), Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science of Chongqing, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Thomas D Kocher
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
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8
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Schwanz LE, Georges A, Holleley CE, Sarre SD. Climate change, sex reversal and lability of sex‐determining systems. J Evol Biol 2020; 33:270-281. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Revised: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 12/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa E. Schwanz
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences UNSW Sydney Sydney NSW Australia
| | - Arthur Georges
- Institute for Applied Ecology University of Canberra Canberra ACT Australia
| | - Clare E. Holleley
- Australian National Wildlife Collection CSIRO National Research Collections Australia Canberra ACT Australia
| | - Stephen D. Sarre
- Institute for Applied Ecology University of Canberra Canberra ACT Australia
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9
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Lambert MR, Tran T, Kilian A, Ezaz T, Skelly DK. Molecular evidence for sex reversal in wild populations of green frogs ( Rana clamitans). PeerJ 2019; 7:e6449. [PMID: 30775188 PMCID: PMC6369831 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In vertebrates, sex determination occurs along a continuum from strictly genotypic (GSD), where sex is entirely guided by genes, to strictly environmental (ESD), where rearing conditions, like temperature, determine phenotypic sex. Along this continuum are taxa which have combined genetic and environmental contributions to sex determination (GSD + EE), where some individuals experience environmental effects which cause them to sex reverse and develop their phenotypic sex opposite their genotypic sex. Amphibians are often assumed to be strictly GSD with sex reversal typically considered abnormal. Despite calls to understand the relative natural and anthropogenic causes of amphibian sex reversal, sex reversal has not been closely studied across populations of any wild amphibian, particularly in contrasting environmental conditions. Here, we use sex-linked molecular markers to discover sex reversal in wild populations of green frogs (Rana clamitans) inhabiting ponds in either undeveloped, forested landscapes or in suburban neighborhoods. Our work here begins to suggest that sex reversal may be common within and across green frog populations, occurring in 12 of 16 populations and with frequencies of 2–16% of individuals sampled within populations. Additionally, our results also suggest that intersex phenotypic males and sex reversal are not correlated with each other and are also not correlated with suburban land use. While sex reversal and intersex are often considered aberrant responses to human activities and associated pollution, we found no such associations here. Our data perhaps begin to suggest that, relative to what is often suggested, sex reversal may be a relatively natural process in amphibians. Future research should focus on assessing interactions between genes and the environment to understand the molecular and exogenous basis of sex determination in green frogs and in other amphibians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max R Lambert
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Tien Tran
- School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Tariq Ezaz
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT, Australia
| | - David K Skelly
- School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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10
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Booth DT. Incubation temperature induced phenotypic plasticity in oviparous reptiles: Where to next? JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2018; 329:343-350. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.2195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2018] [Revised: 05/17/2018] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- David T. Booth
- School of Biological Sciences; The University of Queensland; Queensland Australia
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11
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While GM, Noble DW, Uller T, Warner DA, Riley JL, Du W, Schwanz LE. Patterns of developmental plasticity in response to incubation temperature in reptiles. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2018; 329:162-176. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.2181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2018] [Revised: 04/16/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey M. While
- School of Biological Sciences University of Tasmania Hobart Australia
| | - Daniel W.A. Noble
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre School of Biological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences University of New South Wales Sydney Australia
| | - Tobias Uller
- Department of Biology Lund University Lund Sweden
| | - Daniel A. Warner
- Department of Biological Sciences Auburn University Auburn Alabama
| | - Julia L. Riley
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre School of Biological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences University of New South Wales Sydney Australia
- Department of Biological Sciences Macquarie University Sydney Australia
| | - Wei‐Guo Du
- Institute of Zoology Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Lisa E. Schwanz
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre School of Biological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences University of New South Wales Sydney Australia
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12
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Bókony V, Kövér S, Nemesházi E, Liker A, Székely T. Climate-driven shifts in adult sex ratios via sex reversals: the type of sex determination matters. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 372:rstb.2016.0325. [PMID: 28760766 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2016.0325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex reversals whereby individuals of one genetic sex develop the phenotype of the opposite sex occur in ectothermic vertebrates with genetic sex-determination systems that are sensitive to extreme temperatures during sexual differentiation. Recent rises in global temperatures have led researchers to predict that sex reversals will become more common, resulting in the distortion of many populations' sex ratios. However, it is unclear whether susceptibility to climate-driven sex-ratio shifts depends on the type of sex determination that varies across species. First, we show here using individual-based theoretical models that XX/XY (male-heterogametic) and ZZ/ZW (female-heterogametic) sex-determination systems can respond differentially to temperature-induced sex reversals. Interestingly, the impacts of climate warming on adult sex ratio (ASR) depend on the effects of both genotypic and phenotypic sex on survival and reproduction. Second, we analyse the temporal changes of ASR in natural amphibian populations using data from the literature, and find that ASR shifted towards males in ZZ/ZW species over the past 60 years, but did not change significantly in XX/XY species. Our results highlight the fact that we need a better understanding of the interactions between genetic and environmental sex-determining mechanisms to predict the responses of ectotherms to climate change and the associated extinction risks.This article is part of the themed issue 'Adult sex ratios and reproductive decisions: a critical re-examination of sex differences in human and animal societies'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Bókony
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Herman Ottó út 15, 1022 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Szilvia Kövér
- Department of Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Rottenbiller u. 50, 1077 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Edina Nemesházi
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Herman Ottó út 15, 1022 Budapest, Hungary.,Department of Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Rottenbiller u. 50, 1077 Budapest, Hungary
| | - András Liker
- Department of Limnology, University of Pannonia, Pf. 158, 8201 Veszprém, Hungary.,MTA-PE Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, University of Pannonia, Pf. 158, 8201 Veszprém, Hungary
| | - Tamás Székely
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, Milner Centre for Evolution, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK
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13
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Siqueira LG, Tribulo P, Chen Z, Denicol AC, Ortega MS, Negrón-Pérez VM, Kannampuzha-Francis J, Pohler KG, Rivera RM, Hansen PJ. Colony-stimulating factor 2 acts from days 5 to 7 of development to modify programming of the bovine conceptus at day 86 of gestation†. Biol Reprod 2018; 96:743-757. [PMID: 28379294 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/iox018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2017] [Accepted: 03/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Colony-stimulating factor 2 (CSF2) is an embryokine that improves competence of the embryo to establish pregnancy and which may participate in developmental programming. We tested whether culture of bovine embryos with CSF2 alters fetal development and alleviates abnormalities associated with in vitro production (IVP) of embryos. Pregnancies were established by artificial insemination (AI), transfer of an IVP embryo (IVP), or transfer of an IVP embryo treated with 10 ng/ml CSF2 from day 5 to 7 of development (CSF2). Pregnancies were produced using X-sorted semen. Female singleton conceptuses were collected on day 86 of gestation. There were few morphological differences between groups, although IVP and CSF2 fetuses were heavier than AI fetuses. Bicarbonate concentration in allantoic fluid was lower for IVP than for AI or CSF2. Expression of 92 genes in liver, placenta, and muscle was determined. The general pattern for liver and placenta was for IVP to alter expression and for CSF2 to sometimes reverse this effect. For muscle, CSF2 affected gene expression but did not generally reverse effects of IVP. Levels of methylation for each of the three tissues at 12 loci in the promoter of insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) and five in the promoter of growth factor receptor bound protein 10 were unaffected by treatment except for CSF2 effects on two CpG for IGF2 in placenta and muscle. In conclusion, CSF2 can act as a developmental programming agent but alone is not able to abolish the adverse effects of IVP on fetal characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luiz G Siqueira
- Department of Animal Sciences, D.H. Barron Reproductive and Perinatal Biology Research Program, Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.,Embrapa Gado de Leite, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Paula Tribulo
- Department of Animal Sciences, D.H. Barron Reproductive and Perinatal Biology Research Program, Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Zhiyuan Chen
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Anna C Denicol
- Department of Animal Sciences, D.H. Barron Reproductive and Perinatal Biology Research Program, Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - M Sofia Ortega
- Department of Animal Sciences, D.H. Barron Reproductive and Perinatal Biology Research Program, Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Veronica M Negrón-Pérez
- Department of Animal Sciences, D.H. Barron Reproductive and Perinatal Biology Research Program, Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Jasmine Kannampuzha-Francis
- Department of Animal Sciences, D.H. Barron Reproductive and Perinatal Biology Research Program, Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Ky G Pohler
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Rocio M Rivera
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Peter J Hansen
- Department of Animal Sciences, D.H. Barron Reproductive and Perinatal Biology Research Program, Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
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14
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Sexual antagonism and the instability of environmental sex determination. Nat Ecol Evol 2018; 2:343-351. [PMID: 29335574 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0427-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2016] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The sex of an organism can be determined by its genetics or its early environment. Across the animal kingdom, genetic sex determination (GSD) is far more common than environmental sex determination (ESD). Here, we propose an explanation for this pattern: the coupling of genes that bias offspring sex ratios towards one sex with genes that are beneficial in that sex but costly in the other. Gradual strengthening of the sex-specific tendency of this association eventuates in a neo-sex chromosome; that is, GSD. Our model predicts to which system of heterogamety ESD will evolve when nesting behaviour is an important determinant of brood sex ratios. It explains the puzzling observation in some GSD species of sex reversal induced by extreme environments. The model also suggests an approach to discovering sex-determining genes in ESD species.
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15
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Wedekind C. Demographic and genetic consequences of disturbed sex determination. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2017; 372:20160326. [PMID: 28760767 PMCID: PMC5540866 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2016.0326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
During sex determination, genetic and/or environmental factors determine the cascade of processes of gonad development. Many organisms, therefore, have a developmental window in which their sex determination can be sensitive to, for example, unusual temperatures or chemical pollutants. Disturbed environments can distort population sex ratios and may even cause sex reversal in species with genetic sex determination. The resulting genotype-phenotype mismatches can have long-lasting effects on population demography and genetics. I review the theoretical and empirical work in this context and explore in a simple population model the role of the fitness vyy of chromosomally aberrant YY genotypes that are a consequence of environmentally induced feminization. Low vyy is mostly beneficial for population growth. During feminization, low vyy reduces the proportion of genetic males and hence accelerates population growth, especially at low rates of feminization and at high fitness costs of the feminization itself (i.e. when feminization would otherwise not affect population dynamics much). When sex reversal ceases, low vyy mitigates the negative effects of feminization and can even prevent population extinction. Little is known about vyy in natural populations. The available models now need to be parametrized in order to better predict the long-term consequences of disturbed sex determination.This article is part of the themed issue 'Adult sex ratios and reproductive decisions: a critical re-examination of sex differences in human and animal societies'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claus Wedekind
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Biophore, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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Baroiller JF, D'Cotta H. The Reversible Sex of Gonochoristic Fish: Insights and Consequences. Sex Dev 2016; 10:242-266. [PMID: 27907925 DOI: 10.1159/000452362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/29/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Fish sex reversal is a means to understand sex determination and differentiation, but it is also used to control sex in aquaculture. This review discusses sex reversal in gonochoristic fish, with the coexistence of genetic and environmental influences. The different periods of fish sensitivity to sex reversal treatments are presented with the mechanisms implicated. The old players of sex differentiation are revisited with transcriptome data and loss of function studies following hormone- or temperature-induced sex reversal. We also discuss whether cortisol is the universal mediator of sex reversal in fish due to its implication in ovarian meiosis and 11KT increase. The large plasticity in fish for sex reversal is also evident in the brain, with a reversibility existing even in adulthood. Studies on epigenetics are presented, since it links the environment, gene expression, and sex reversal, notably the association of DNA methylation in sex reversal. Manipulations with exogenous factors reverse the primary sex in many fish species under controlled conditions, but several questions arise on whether this can occur under wild conditions and what is the ecological significance. Cases of sex reversal in wild fish populations are shown and their fitness and future perspectives are discussed.
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17
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Holleley CE, Sarre SD, O'Meally D, Georges A. Sex Reversal in Reptiles: Reproductive Oddity or Powerful Driver of Evolutionary Change? Sex Dev 2016; 10:279-287. [DOI: 10.1159/000450972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
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18
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Schwanz LE, Cordero GA, Charnov EL, Janzen FJ. Sex-specific survival to maturity and the evolution of environmental sex determination. Evolution 2016; 70:329-41. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.12856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2015] [Revised: 12/11/2015] [Accepted: 12/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa E. Schwanz
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences; University of New South Wales; Sydney NSW 2052 Australia
- Research School of Biology; Australian National University; Canberra ACT Australia
| | - Gerardo A. Cordero
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology; Iowa State University; Ames Iowa 50011
| | - Eric L. Charnov
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife; Oregon State University; Corvallis Oregon 97331
| | - Fredric J. Janzen
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology; Iowa State University; Ames Iowa 50011
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19
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Hansen PJ, Dobbs KB, Denicol AC, Siqueira LGB. Sex and the preimplantation embryo: implications of sexual dimorphism in the preimplantation period for maternal programming of embryonic development. Cell Tissue Res 2016; 363:237-247. [PMID: 26391275 PMCID: PMC4703572 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-015-2287-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2015] [Accepted: 08/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The developmental program of the embryo displays a plasticity that can result in long-acting effects that extend into postnatal life. In mammals, adult phenotype can be altered by changes in the maternal environment during the preimplantation period. One characteristic of developmental programming during this time is that the change in adult phenotype is often different for female offspring than for male offspring. In this paper, we propose the hypothesis that sexual dimorphism in preimplantation programming is mediated, at least in part, by sex-specific responses of embryos to maternal regulatory molecules whose secretion is dependent on the maternal environment. The strongest evidence for this idea comes from the study of colony-stimulating factor 2 (CSF2). Expression of CSF2 from the oviduct and endometrium is modified by environmental factors of the mother, in particular seminal plasma and obesity. Additionally, CSF2 alters several properties of the preimplantation embryo and has been shown to alleviate negative consequences of culture of mouse embryos on postnatal phenotype in a sex-dependent manner. In cattle, exposure of preimplantation bovine embryos to CSF2 causes sex-specific changes in gene expression, interferon-τ secretion and DNA methylation later in pregnancy (day 15 of gestation). It is likely that several embryokines can alter postnatal phenotype through actions directed towards the preimplantation embryo. Identification of these molecules and elucidation of the mechanisms by which sexually-disparate programming is established will lead to new insights into the control and manipulation of embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J Hansen
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, PO Box 110910, Gainesville, FL, 32611-0910, USA.
| | - Kyle B Dobbs
- Department of Biology, Mugar 212-213, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Anna C Denicol
- Department of Biology, Mugar 212-213, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Luiz G B Siqueira
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, PO Box 110910, Gainesville, FL, 32611-0910, USA
- Embrapa Gado de Leite, Rua Eugenio do Nascimento, 610, Juiz de Fora, MG 36038-330, Brazil
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20
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Mcnair A, Lokman PM, Closs GP, Nakagawa S. ECOLOGICAL AND EVOLUTIONARY APPLICATIONS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SEX REVERSAL OF FISH. QUARTERLY REVIEW OF BIOLOGY 2015; 90:23-44. [PMID: 26434164 DOI: 10.1086/679762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Environmental sex reversal (ESR), which results in a mismatch between genotypic and phenotypic sex, is well documented in numerous fish species and may be induced by chemical exposure. Historically, research involving piscine ESR has been carried out with a view to improving profitability in aquaculture or to elucidate the processes governing sex determination and sexual differentiation. However, recent studies in evolution and ecology suggest research on ESR now has much wider applications and ramifications. We begin with an overview of ESR in fish and a brief review of the traditional applications thereof. We then discuss ESR and its potential demographic consequences in wild populations. Theory even suggests sex-reversed fish may be purposefully released to manipulate population dynamics. We suggest new research directions that may prove fruitful in understanding how ESR at the individual level translates to population-level processes. In the latter portion of the review we focus on evolutionary applications of ESR. Sex-reversal studies from the aquaculture literature provide insight in to the evolvability of determinants of sexual phenotype. Additionally, induced sex reversal can provide information about the evolution of sex chromosomes and sex-linked traits. Recently, naturally occurring ESR has been implicated as a mechanism contributing to the evolution of sex chromosomes.
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21
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Sex reversal triggers the rapid transition from genetic to temperature-dependent sex. Nature 2015; 523:79-82. [DOI: 10.1038/nature14574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 228] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2015] [Accepted: 05/18/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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22
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23
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Wyneken J, Lolavar A. Loggerhead sea turtle environmental sex determination: Implications of moisture and temperature for climate change based predictions for species survival. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2015; 324:295-314. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.22620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2014] [Accepted: 03/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jeanette Wyneken
- Department of Biological Sciences; Florida Atlantic University; Boca Raton Florida
| | - Alexandra Lolavar
- Department of Biological Sciences; Florida Atlantic University; Boca Raton Florida
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24
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Iungman JL, Somoza GM, Piña CI. Are Stress-Related Hormones Involved in the Temperature-Dependent Sex Determination of the Broad-Snouted Caiman? SOUTH AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HERPETOLOGY 2015. [DOI: 10.2994/sajh-d-14-00027.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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25
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Abstract
Teleost fishes are the most species-rich clade of vertebrates and feature an overwhelming diversity of sex-determining mechanisms, classically grouped into environmental and genetic systems. Here, we review the recent findings in the field of sex determination in fish. In the past few years, several new master regulators of sex determination and other factors involved in sexual development have been discovered in teleosts. These data point toward a greater genetic plasticity in generating the male and female sex than previously appreciated and implicate novel gene pathways in the initial regulation of the sexual fate. Overall, it seems that sex determination in fish does not resort to a single genetic cascade but is rather regulated along a continuum of environmental and heritable factors.
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26
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Shen ZG, Wang HP. Molecular players involved in temperature-dependent sex determination and sex differentiation in Teleost fish. Genet Sel Evol 2014; 46:26. [PMID: 24735220 PMCID: PMC4108122 DOI: 10.1186/1297-9686-46-26] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2013] [Accepted: 03/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The molecular mechanisms that underlie sex determination and differentiation are conserved and diversified. In fish species, temperature-dependent sex determination and differentiation seem to be ubiquitous and molecular players involved in these mechanisms may be conserved. Although how the ambient temperature transduces signals to the undifferentiated gonads remains to be elucidated, the genes downstream in the sex differentiation pathway are shared between sex-determining mechanisms. In this paper, we review recent advances on the molecular players that participate in the sex determination and differentiation in fish species, by putting emphasis on temperature-dependent sex determination and differentiation, which include temperature-dependent sex determination and genetic sex determination plus temperature effects. Application of temperature-dependent sex differentiation in farmed fish and the consequences of temperature-induced sex reversal are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Han-Ping Wang
- Aquaculture Genetics and Breeding Laboratory, The Ohio State University South Centers, Piketon, Ohio 45661, USA.
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