1
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Bókony V, Kalina C, Ujhegyi N, Mikó Z, Lefler KK, Vili N, Gál Z, Gabor CR, Hoffmann OI. Does stress make males? An experiment on the role of glucocorticoids in anuran sex reversal. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART A, ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 341:172-181. [PMID: 38155497 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
Environmentally sensitive sex determination may help organisms adapt to environmental change but also makes them vulnerable to anthropogenic stressors, with diverse consequences for population dynamics and evolution. The mechanisms translating environmental stimuli to sex are controversial: although several fish experiments supported the mediator role of glucocorticoid hormones, results on some reptiles challenged it. We tested this hypothesis in amphibians by investigating the effect of corticosterone on sex determination in agile frogs (Rana dalmatina). This species is liable to environmental sex reversal whereby genetic females develop into phenotypic males. After exposing tadpoles during sex determination to waterborne corticosterone, the proportion of genetic females with testes or ovotestes increased from 11% to up to 32% at 3 out of 4 concentrations. These differences were not statistically significant except for the group treated with 10 nM corticosterone, and there was no monotonous dose-effect relationship. These findings suggest that corticosterone is unlikely to mediate sex reversal in frogs. Unexpectedly, animals originating from urban habitats had higher sex-reversal and corticosterone-release rates, reduced body mass and development speed, and lower survival compared to individuals collected from woodland habitats. Thus, anthropogenic environments may affect both sex and fitness, and the underlying mechanisms may vary across ectothermic vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Bókony
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Plant Protection Institute, HUN-REN Centre for Agricultural Research, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Csenge Kalina
- Department of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Nikolett Ujhegyi
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Plant Protection Institute, HUN-REN Centre for Agricultural Research, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zsanett Mikó
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Plant Protection Institute, HUN-REN Centre for Agricultural Research, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Kinga Katalin Lefler
- Department of Aquaculture, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Safety, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Science, Gödöllő, Hungary
| | - Nóra Vili
- Department of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Gál
- Department of Animal Biotechnology, Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Science, Gödöllő, Hungary
| | - Caitlin R Gabor
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas, USA
| | - Orsolya Ivett Hoffmann
- Department of Animal Biotechnology, Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Science, Gödöllő, Hungary
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2
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Pierron F, Daramy F, Heroin D, Daffe G, Barré A, Bouchez O, Nikolski M. Sex-specific DNA methylation and transcription of zbtb38 and effects of gene-environment interactions on its natural antisense transcript in zebrafish. Epigenetics 2023; 18:2260963. [PMID: 37782752 PMCID: PMC10547075 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2023.2260963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
There is increasing evidence for the involvement of epigenetics in sex determination, maintenance, and plasticity, from plants to humans. In our previous work, we reported a transgenerational feminization of a zebrafish population for which the first generation was exposed to cadmium, a metal with endocrine disrupting effects. In this study, starting from the previously performed whole methylome analysis, we focused on the zbtb38 gene and hypothesized that it could be involved in sex differentiation and Cd-induced offspring feminization. We observed sex-specific patterns of both DNA methylation and RNA transcription levels of zbtb38. We also discovered that the non-coding exon 3 of zbtb38 encodes for a natural antisense transcript (NAT). The activity of this NAT was found to be influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Furthermore, increasing transcription levels of this NAT in parental gametes was highly correlated with offspring sex ratios. Since zbtb38 itself encodes for a transcription factor that binds methylated DNA, our results support a non-negligible role of zbtb38 not only in orchestrating the sex-specific transcriptome (i.e., sex differentiation) but also, via its NAT, offspring sex ratios.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Flore Daramy
- Univ Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, Pessac, France
| | | | | | - Aurélien Barré
- Univ Bordeaux, Bordeaux Bioinformatics Center, Bordeaux, France
| | - Olivier Bouchez
- INRAE, US 1426, GeT-PlaGe, Genotoul, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Macha Nikolski
- Univ Bordeaux, Bordeaux Bioinformatics Center, Bordeaux, France
- Univ Bordeaux, CNRS, IBGC, Bordeaux, France
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3
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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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4
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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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5
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Maneja RH, Miller JD, Flint JB, Alcaria JFA, Basali AU, Flandez AVB, Gopalan J, Duraisamy T, Abrogueña JBR, Bawazier AA, Das PB, Manokaran S, Asiri YY, Qasem A, Asfahani K, Qurban MAB. Extreme conditions reduce hatching success of green turtles (Chelonia mydas L.) at Karan Island, the major nesting site in the Arabian Gulf. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 190:114801. [PMID: 36965265 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Survival in the early life stages is a major factor determining the growth and stability of wildlife populations. For sea turtles, nest location must provide favorable conditions to support embryonic development. Hatching success and incubation environment of green turtle eggs were examined in July 2019 at Karan Island, a major nesting site for the species in the Arabian Gulf. Mean hatching success averaged at 38.8 % (range = 2.5-75.0 %, n = 14). Eggs that suffered early embryonic death (EED) and late embryonic death (LED) represented 19.8 % (range: 3.3-64.2 %) and 41.4 % (range: 4.8-92.6 %) of the clutch on average, respectively. Nest sand was either coarse (0.5-1 mm: mean 44.8 %, range = 30.4-56.9 % by dry weight, n = 14) or medium (0.25-0.5 mm: mean 33.6 %, range = 12.0-45.5 % by dry weight, n = 14). Mean sand moisture (4.0 %, range = 3.2-4.9 %, n = 14) was at the lower margin for successful development. Hatching success was significantly higher in clutches with sand salinity <1500 EC.uS/cm (n = 5) than those above 2500 EC.uS/cm (n = 5). Mean clutch temperatures at 1200 h increased by an average of 5.4 °C during the 50-d post-oviposition from 31.2 °C to 36.6 °C. Embryos experienced lethally high temperatures in addition to impacts of other environmental factors (salinity, moisture, sand grain size), which was related to reduced hatching success. Conservation initiatives must consider the synergistic influence of the above parameters in formulating strategies to improve the overall resilience of the green turtle population in the Arabian Gulf to anthropogenic and climate change-related stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- R H Maneja
- Center for Environment and Marine Studies, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia.
| | - J D Miller
- Center for Environment and Marine Studies, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - J B Flint
- One Welfare and Sustainability Center, Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus 43210, OH, USA
| | - J F A Alcaria
- Center for Environment and Marine Studies, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - A U Basali
- Center for Environment and Marine Studies, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - A V B Flandez
- Center for Environment and Marine Studies, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - J Gopalan
- Center for Environment and Marine Studies, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - T Duraisamy
- Center for Environment and Marine Studies, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - J B R Abrogueña
- Environmental Protection and Control Department, Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, Jazan City for Primary and Downstream Industries, Saudi Arabia
| | - A A Bawazier
- Center for Environment and Marine Studies, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - P B Das
- Center for Environment and Marine Studies, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - S Manokaran
- Center for Environment and Marine Studies, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - Y Y Asiri
- Center for Environment and Marine Studies, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - A Qasem
- Environmental Protection Department, Saudi Aramco, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
| | - K Asfahani
- Environmental Protection Department, Saudi Aramco, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
| | - M A B Qurban
- National Center for Wildlife, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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6
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Balogh RE, Csorbai B, Guti C, Keszte S, Urbányi B, Orbán L, Kovács B. Validation of a male-specific DNA marker confirms XX/XY-type sex determination in several Hungarian strains of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus). Theriogenology 2023; 205:106-113. [PMID: 37116410 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2023.04.017] [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: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) is a promising food fish species with significant potential and growing mass of production in freshwater aquaculture. Male African catfish possess improved production characteristics over females, therefore the use of monosex populations could be advantageous for aquaculture production. However, our knowledge about the sex determination mechanism of this species is still limited and controversial. A previously isolated male-specific DNA marker (CgaY1) was validated using offspring groups from targeted crosses (n = 630) and it was found to predict the sex of 608 individuals correctly (96.43% accuracy). Using the proportion of recombinants, we estimated the average genetic distance between the potential sex determination locus and the sex-specific marker to be 3.57 cM. As an earlier study suggested that both XX/XY and ZZ/ZW systems coexist in this species, we tested the applicability of their putative 'moderately sex-linked loci' and found that no sex-specific amplification could be detected for any of them. In addition, temperature-induced masculinization suggested by others was also tested, but no such effect was detected in our stocks when the published parameters were used for heat treatment. Altogether, our results support an exclusive XX/XY sex determination system in our African catfish stock and indicate a good potential for the future use of this male-specific DNA marker in research and commercial production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Réka Enikő Balogh
- Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety, Szent István Campus, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Gödöllő, Hungary
| | - Balázs Csorbai
- Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety, Szent István Campus, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Gödöllő, Hungary
| | - Csaba Guti
- The Hungarian National Fishing Association, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Szilvia Keszte
- Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety, Szent István Campus, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Gödöllő, Hungary
| | - Béla Urbányi
- Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety, Szent István Campus, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Gödöllő, Hungary
| | - László Orbán
- Frontline Fish Genomics Research Group, Department of Applied Fish Biology, Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety, Georgikon Campus, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Keszthely, Hungary.
| | - Balázs Kovács
- Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety, Szent István Campus, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Gödöllő, Hungary.
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7
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Gessler TB, Wu Z, Valenzuela N. Transcriptomic thermal plasticity underlying gonadal development in a turtle with ZZ/ZW sex chromosomes despite canalized genotypic sex determination. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e9854. [PMID: 36844670 PMCID: PMC9951354 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding genome-wide responses to environmental conditions during embryogenesis is essential for discerning the evolution of developmental plasticity and canalization, two processes generating phenotypic variation targeted by natural selection. Here, we present the first comparative trajectory analysis of matched transcriptomic developmental time series from two reptiles incubated under identical conditions, a turtle with a ZZ/ZW system of genotypic sex determination (GSD), Apalone spinifera, and a turtle with temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), Chrysemys picta. Results from our genome-wide, hypervariate gene expression analysis of sexed embryos across five developmental stages revealed that substantial transcriptional plasticity in the developing gonads can persist for >145 Myr, long after the canalization of sex determination via the evolution of sex chromosomes, while some gene-specific thermal sensitivity drifts or evolves anew. Such standing thermosensitivity represents an underappreciated evolutionary potential harbored by GSD species that may be co-opted during future adaptive shifts in developmental programing, such as a GSD to TSD reversal, if favored by ecological conditions. Additionally, we identified novel candidate regulators of vertebrate sexual development in GSD reptiles, including sex-determining candidate genes in a ZZ/ZW turtle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thea B. Gessler
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal BiologyIowa State UniversityAmesIowaUSA,Genetics and Genomics ProgramIowa State UniversityAmesIowaUSA
| | - Zhiqiang Wu
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal BiologyIowa State UniversityAmesIowaUSA,Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at ShenzhenChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesShenzhenChina
| | - Nicole Valenzuela
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal BiologyIowa State UniversityAmesIowaUSA
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8
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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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9
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Raynal RS, Noble DWA, Riley JL, Senior AM, Warner DA, While GM, Schwanz LE. Impact of fluctuating developmental temperatures on phenotypic traits in reptiles: a meta-analysis. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:274260. [PMID: 35258602 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243369] [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: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
During the vulnerable stages of early life, most ectothermic animals experience hourly and diel fluctuations in temperature as air temperatures change. While we know a great deal about how different constant temperatures impact the phenotypes of developing ectotherms, we know remarkably little about the impacts of temperature fluctuations on the development of ectotherms. In this study, we used a meta-analytic approach to compare the mean and variance of phenotypic outcomes from constant and fluctuating incubation temperatures across reptile species. We found that fluctuating temperatures provided a small benefit (higher hatching success and shorter incubation durations) at cool mean temperatures compared with constant temperatures, but had a negative effect at warm mean temperatures. In addition, more extreme temperature fluctuations led to greater reductions in embryonic survival compared with moderate temperature fluctuations. Within the limited data available from species with temperature-dependent sex determination, embryos had a higher chance of developing as female when developing in fluctuating temperatures compared with those developing in constant temperatures. With our meta-analytic approach, we identified average mean nest temperatures across all taxa where reptiles switch from receiving benefits to incurring costs when incubation temperatures fluctuate. More broadly, our study indicates that the impact of fluctuating developmental temperature on some phenotypes in ectothermic taxa are likely to be predictable via integration of developmental temperature profiles with thermal performance curves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca S Raynal
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Daniel W A Noble
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| | - Julia L Riley
- Department of Biology, Mount Allison University, Sackville, NB, Canada, E4L 1E2
| | - Alistair M Senior
- Charles Perkins Centre, Faculty of Science, School of Life and Environmental Sciences and School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Daniel A Warner
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Sciences and Mathematics, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Geoffrey M While
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Sandy Bay, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia
| | - Lisa E Schwanz
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
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10
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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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11
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Nemesházi E, Sramkó G, Laczkó L, Balogh E, Szatmári L, Vili N, Ujhegyi N, Üveges B, Bókony V. Novel genetic sex markers reveal unexpected lack of, and similar susceptibility to, sex reversal in free-living common toads in both natural and anthropogenic habitats. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:2032-2043. [PMID: 35146823 PMCID: PMC9544883 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Anthropogenic environmental changes are affecting biodiversity and microevolution worldwide. Ectothermic vertebrates are especially vulnerable, since environmental changes can disrupt their sexual development and cause sex reversal, a mismatch between genetic and phenotypic sex. This can potentially lead to sex-ratio distortion and population decline. Despite these implications, we have scarce empirical knowledge on the incidence of sex reversal in nature. Populations in anthropogenic environments may be exposed to sex-reversing stimuli more frequently, which may lead to higher sex-reversal rate, or alternatively, these populations may adapt to resist sex reversal. We developed PCR-based genetic sex markers for the common toad (Bufo bufo) to assess the prevalence of sex reversal in wild populations living in natural, agricultural and urban habitats, and the susceptibility of the same populations to two ubiquitous estrogenic pollutants in a common-garden experiment. We found negligible sex-reversal frequency in free-living adults despite the presence of various endocrine-disrupting pollutants in their breeding ponds. Individuals from different habitat types showed similar susceptibility to sex reversal in the laboratory: all genetic males developed female phenotype when exposed to 1 µg/L 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) during larval development, whereas no sex reversal occurred in response to 1 ng/L EE2 and a glyphosate-based herbicide with 3 µg/L or 3 mg/L glyphosate. The latter results do not support that populations in anthropogenic habitats would have either increased propensity for or higher tolerance to chemically induced sex reversal. Thus, the extremely low sex-reversal frequency in wild toads compared to other ectothermic vertebrates studied before might indicate idiosyncratic, potentially species-specific resistance to sex reversal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edina Nemesházi
- Conservation Genetics Research Group, Department of Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, István u. 2, 1078, Budapest, Hungary.,Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Herman Ottó u. 15, 1022, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gábor Sramkó
- MTA-DE Lendület Evolutionary Phylogenomics Research Group, Egyetem tér 1, 4032, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Levente Laczkó
- MTA-DE Lendület Evolutionary Phylogenomics Research Group, Egyetem tér 1, 4032, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Emese Balogh
- Conservation Genetics Research Group, Department of Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, István u. 2, 1078, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Lajos Szatmári
- MTA-DE Lendület Evolutionary Phylogenomics Research Group, Egyetem tér 1, 4032, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Nóra Vili
- Conservation Genetics Research Group, Department of Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, István u. 2, 1078, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Nikolett Ujhegyi
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Herman Ottó u. 15, 1022, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Bálint Üveges
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Herman Ottó u. 15, 1022, Budapest, Hungary.,Molecular Ecology and Evolution at Bangor, School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor LL57 2UW, Wales, United Kingdom
| | - Veronika Bókony
- Conservation Genetics Research Group, Department of Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, István u. 2, 1078, Budapest, Hungary.,Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Herman Ottó u. 15, 1022, Budapest, Hungary
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Gatto CR, Reina RD. A review of the effects of incubation conditions on hatchling phenotypes in non-squamate reptiles. J Comp Physiol B 2022; 192:207-233. [PMID: 35142902 PMCID: PMC8894305 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-021-01415-4] [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: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Developing embryos of oviparous reptiles show substantial plasticity in their responses to environmental conditions during incubation, which can include altered sex ratios, morphology, locomotor performance and hatching success. While recent research and reviews have focused on temperature during incubation, emerging evidence suggests other environmental variables are also important in determining hatchling phenotypes. Understanding how the external environment influences development is important for species management and requires identifying how environmental variables exert their effects individually, and how they interact to affect developing embryos. To address this knowledge gap, we review the literature on phenotypic responses in oviparous non-squamate (i.e., turtles, crocodilians and tuataras) reptile hatchlings to temperature, moisture, oxygen concentration and salinity. We examine how these variables influence one another and consider how changes in each variable alters incubation conditions and thus, hatchling phenotypes. We explore how incubation conditions drive variation in hatchling phenotypes and influence adult populations. Finally, we highlight knowledge gaps and suggest future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher R Gatto
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, 25 Rainforest Walk, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia.
| | - Richard D Reina
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, 25 Rainforest Walk, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
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Topping NE, Valenzuela N. Turtle Nest-Site Choice, Anthropogenic Challenges, and Evolutionary Potential for Adaptation. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.808621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Oviparous animals, such as turtles, lay eggs whose success or demise depends on environmental conditions that influence offspring phenotype (morphology, physiology, and in many reptiles, also sex determination), growth, and survival, while in the nest and post-hatching. Consequently, because turtles display little parental care, maternal provisioning of the eggs and female nesting behavior are under strong selection. But the consequences of when and where nests are laid are affected by anthropogenic habitat disturbances that alter suitable nesting areas, expose eggs to contaminants in the wild, and modify the thermal and hydric environment experienced by developing embryos, thus impacting hatchling survival and the sexual fate of taxa with temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) and genotypic sex determination (GSD). Indeed, global and local environmental change influences air, water, and soil temperature and moisture, which impact basking behavior, egg development, and conditions within the nest, potentially rendering current nesting strategies maladaptive as offspring mortality increases and TSD sex ratios become drastically skewed. Endocrine disruptors can sex reverse TSD and GSD embryos alike. Adapting to these challenges depends on genetic variation, and little to no heritability has been detected for nest-site behavior. However, modest heritability in threshold temperature (above and below which females or males develop in TSD taxa, respectively) exists in the wild, as well as interpopulation differences in the reaction norm of sex ratio to temperature, and potentially also in the expression of gene regulators of sexual development. If this variation reflects additive genetic components, some adaptation might be expected, provided that the pace of environmental change does not exceed the rate of evolution. Research remains urgently needed to fill current gaps in our understanding of the ecology and evolution of nest-site choice and its adaptive potential, integrating across multiple levels of organization.
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