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Harvey-Carroll J, Stevenson TJ, Spencer KA. Maternal developmental history alters transfer of circadian clock genes to offspring in Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica). J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2024; 210:399-413. [PMID: 37589732 PMCID: PMC11106187 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-023-01666-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Maternal signals shape embryonic development, and in turn post-natal phenotypes. RNA deposition is one such method of maternal signalling and circadian rhythms are one trait thought to be maternally inherited, through this mechanism. These maternal circadian gene transcripts aid development of a functioning circadian system. There is increasing evidence that maternal signals can be modified, depending on prevailing environmental conditions to optimise offspring fitness. However, currently, it is unknown if maternal circadian gene transcripts, and consequently early embryonic gene transcription, are altered by maternal developmental conditions. Here, using avian mothers who experienced either pre-natal corticosterone exposure, and/or post-natal stress as juveniles we were able to determine the effects of the timing of stress on downstream circadian RNA deposition in offspring. We demonstrated that maternal developmental history does indeed affect transfer of offspring circadian genes, but the timing of stress was important. Avian mothers who experienced stress during the first 2 weeks of post-natal life increased maternally deposited transcript levels of two core circadian clock genes, BMAL1 and PER2. These differences in transcript levels were transient and disappeared at the point of embryonic genome transcription. Pre-natal maternal stress alone was found to elicit delayed changes in circadian gene expression. After activation of the embryonic genome, both BMAL1 and PER2 expression were significantly decreased. If both pre-natal and post-natal stress occurred, then initial maternal transcript levels of BMAL1 were significantly increased. Taken together, these results suggest that developmental stress differentially produces persistent transgenerational effects on offspring circadian genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Harvey-Carroll
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, South Street, St Andrews, KY16 9JP, UK.
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Medicinaregatan 18A, 413 90, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Tyler J Stevenson
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G36 1QH, UK
| | - Karen A Spencer
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, South Street, St Andrews, KY16 9JP, UK
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2
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Reyes-Contreras M, de Vries B, van der Molen JC, Groothuis TGG, Taborsky B. Egg-mediated maternal effects in a cooperatively breeding cichlid fish. Sci Rep 2023; 13:9759. [PMID: 37328515 PMCID: PMC10276030 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35550-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Mothers can influence offspring phenotype through egg-mediated maternal effects, which can be influenced by cues mothers obtain from their environment during offspring production. Developing embryos use these components but have mechanisms to alter maternal signals. Here we aimed to understand the role of mothers and embryos in how maternal effects might shape offspring social phenotype. In the cooperatively breeding fish Neolamprologus pulcher different social phenotypes develop in large and small social groups differing in predation risk and social complexity. We manipulated the maternal social environment of N. pulcher females during egg laying by allocating them either to a small or a large social group. We compared egg mass and clutch size and the concentration of corticosteroid metabolites between social environments, and between fertilized and unfertilized eggs to investigate how embryos deal with maternal signalling. Mothers in small groups produced larger clutches but neither laid smaller eggs nor bestowed eggs differently with corticosteroids. Fertilized eggs scored lower on a principal component representing three corticosteroid metabolites, namely 11-deoxycortisol, cortisone, and 11-deoxycorticosterone. We did not detect egg-mediated maternal effects induced by the maternal social environment. We discuss that divergent social phenotypes induced by different group sizes may be triggered by own offspring experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Reyes-Contreras
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Wohlenstrasse 50A, 3032, Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
| | - Bonnie de Vries
- The Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Science, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - J C van der Molen
- Laboratorium Bijzondere Chemie, Cluster Endocrinologie and Metabole Ziekten, University Medical Center Groningen, 9700 RB, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - T G G Groothuis
- The Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Science, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Barbara Taborsky
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Wohlenstrasse 50A, 3032, Hinterkappelen, Switzerland.
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3
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Hagadorn MA, Hunter FK, DeLory T, Johnson MM, Pitts-Singer TL, Kapheim KM. Maternal body condition and season influence RNA deposition in the oocytes of alfalfa leafcutting bees ( Megachile rotundata). Front Genet 2023; 13:1064332. [PMID: 36685934 PMCID: PMC9845908 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1064332] [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: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Maternal effects are an important source of phenotypic variance, whereby females influence offspring developmental trajectory beyond direct genetic contributions, often in response to changing environmental conditions. However, relatively little is known about the mechanisms by which maternal experience is translated into molecular signals that shape offspring development. One such signal may be maternal RNA transcripts (mRNAs and miRNAs) deposited into maturing oocytes. These regulate the earliest stages of development of all animals, but are understudied in most insects. Here we investigated the effects of female internal (body condition) and external (time of season) environmental conditions on maternal RNA in the maturing oocytes and 24-h-old eggs (24-h eggs) of alfalfa leafcutting bees. Using gene expression and WGCNA analysis, we found that females adjust the quantity of mRNAs related to protein phosphorylation, transcriptional regulation, and nuclease activity deposited into maturing oocytes in response to both poor body condition and shorter day lengths that accompany the late season. However, the magnitude of these changes was higher for time of season. Females also adjusted miRNA deposition in response to seasonal changes, but not body condition. We did not observe significant changes in maternal RNAs in response to either body condition or time of season in 24-h eggs, which were past the maternal-to-zygotic transition. Our results suggest that females adjust the RNA transcripts they provide for offspring to regulate development in response to both internal and external environmental cues. Variation in maternal RNAs may, therefore, be important for regulating offspring phenotype in response to environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mallory A. Hagadorn
- Department of Biology, Department of Biology, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
| | - Frances K. Hunter
- Department of Biology, Department of Biology, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
| | - Tim DeLory
- Department of Biology, Department of Biology, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
| | - Makenna M. Johnson
- Department of Biology, Department of Biology, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States,United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Pollinating Insects Research Unit, Logan, UT, United States
| | - Theresa L. Pitts-Singer
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Pollinating Insects Research Unit, Logan, UT, United States
| | - Karen M. Kapheim
- Department of Biology, Department of Biology, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States,*Correspondence: Karen M. Kapheim ,
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Neurodevelopment vs. the immune system: Complementary contributions of maternally-inherited gene transcripts and proteins to successful embryonic development in fish. Genomics 2021; 113:3811-3826. [PMID: 34508856 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2021.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the respective contribution of maternally-inherited mRNAs and proteins to egg molecular cargo and to its developmental competence in fish using pikeperch as a model. Our study provides novel insights into the understanding of type-specific roles of maternally-inherited molecules in fish. Here we show, for the first time, that transcripts and proteins have distinct, yet complementary, functions in the egg of teleost fish. Maternally-inherited mRNAs would shape embryo neurodevelopment, while maternally-inherited proteins would rather be responsible for protecting the embryo against pathogens. Additionally, we observed that processes directly preceding ovulation may considerably affect the reproductive success by modifying expression level of genes crucial for proper embryonic development, being novel fish egg quality markers (e.g., smarca4 or h3f3a). These results are of major importance for understanding the influence of external factors on reproductive fitness in both captive and wild-type fish species.
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Ruuskanen S, Hsu BY, Nord A. Endocrinology of thermoregulation in birds in a changing climate. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2021; 519:111088. [PMID: 33227349 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2020.111088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2019] [Revised: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The ability to maintain a (relatively) stable body temperature in a wide range of thermal environments by use of endogenous heat production is a unique feature of endotherms such as birds. Endothermy is acquired and regulated via various endocrine and molecular pathways, and ultimately allows wide aerial, aquatic, and terrestrial distribution in variable environments. However, due to our changing climate, birds are faced with potential new challenges for thermoregulation, such as more frequent extreme weather events, lower predictability of climate, and increasing mean temperature. We provide an overview on thermoregulation in birds and its endocrine and molecular mechanisms, pinpointing gaps in current knowledge and recent developments, focusing especially on non-model species to understand the generality of, and variation in, mechanisms. We highlight plasticity of thermoregulation and underlying endocrine regulation, because thorough understanding of plasticity is key to predicting responses to changing environmental conditions. To this end, we discuss how changing climate is likely to affect avian thermoregulation and associated endocrine traits, and how the interplay between these physiological processes may play a role in facilitating or constraining adaptation to a changing climate. We conclude that while the general patterns of endocrine regulation of thermogenesis are quite well understood, at least in poultry, the molecular and endocrine mechanisms that regulate, e.g. mitochondrial function and plasticity of thermoregulation over different time scales (from transgenerational to daily variation), need to be unveiled. Plasticity may ameliorate climate change effects on thermoregulation to some extent, but the increased frequency of extreme weather events, and associated changes in resource availability, may be beyond the scope and/or speed for plastic responses. This could lead to selection for more tolerant phenotypes, if the underlying physiological traits harbour genetic and individual variation for selection to act on - a key question for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bin-Yan Hsu
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Andreas Nord
- Lund University, Department of Biology, Section for Evolutionary Ecology, Ecology Building, Sölvegatan 37, SE-22362, Lund, Sweden
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Suvi R, Giovanna M, Katja A. Experimental copper exposure, but not heat stress, leads to elevated intraovarian thyroid hormone levels in three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus). ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2020; 29:1431-1440. [PMID: 32975733 PMCID: PMC7581574 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-020-02278-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Climate change and pollution are some of the greatest anthropogenic threats to wild animals. Transgenerational plasticity-when parental exposure to environmental stress leads to changes in offspring phenotype-has been highlighted as a potential mechanism to respond to various environmental and anthropogenic changes across taxa. Transgenerational effects may be mediated via multiple mechanisms, such as transfer of maternal hormones to eggs/foetus. However, sources of variation in hormone transfer are poorly understood in fish, and thus the first step is to characterise whether environmental challenges alter transfer of maternal hormones to eggs. To this end, we explored the population variation and environmental variation (in response to temperature and endocrine disrupting copper) in maternal thyroid hormone (TH), transfer to offspring in a common fish model species, the three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) using multiple approaches: (i) We compared ovarian TH levels among six populations across a wide geographical range in the Baltic Sea, including two populations at high water temperature areas (discharge water areas of nuclear power plants) and we experimentally exposed fish to (ii) environmentally relevant heat stress and (iii) copper for 7 days. We found that populations did not differ in intraovarian TH levels, and short-term heat stress did not influence intraovarian TH levels. However, copper exposure increased both T4 and T3 levels in ovaries. The next step would be to evaluate if such alterations would lead to changes in offspring phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruuskanen Suvi
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
| | | | - Anttila Katja
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
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7
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Żarski D, Le Cam A, Nynca J, Klopp C, Ciesielski S, Sarosiek B, Montfort J, Król J, Fontaine P, Ciereszko A, Bobe J. Domestication modulates the expression of genes involved in neurogenesis in high-quality eggs of Sander lucioperca. Mol Reprod Dev 2020; 87:934-951. [PMID: 32864792 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Pikeperch, Sander lucioperca, is a species of high interest to the aquaculture. The expansion of its production can only be achieved by furthering domestication level. However, the mechanisms driving the domestication process in finfishes are poorly understood. Transcriptome profiling of eggs was found to be a useful tool allowing understanding of the domestication process in teleosts. In this study, using next-generation sequencing, the first pikeperch transcriptome has been generated as well as pikeperch-specific microarray comprising 35,343 unique probes. Next, we performed transcriptome profiling of eggs obtained from wild and domesticated populations. We found 710 differentially expressed genes that were linked mostly to nervous system development. These results provide new insights into processes that are directly involved in the domestication of finfishes. It can be suggested that all the identified processes were predetermined by the maternally derived set of genes contained in the unfertilized eggs. This allows us to suggest that fish behavior, along with many other processes, can be predetermined at the cellular level and may have significant implications on the adaptation of cultured fish to the natural environment. This also allows to suggest that fish behavior should be considered as a very important pikeperch aquaculture selection trait.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Żarski
- Department of Gamete and Embryo Biology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Aurelie Le Cam
- Fish Physiology and Genomics, UR1037 (LPGP), INRAE, Rennes, France
| | - Joanna Nynca
- Department of Gamete and Embryo Biology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn, Poland
| | | | - Sławomir Ciesielski
- Department of Environmental Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Beata Sarosiek
- Department of Gamete and Embryo Biology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Jerome Montfort
- Fish Physiology and Genomics, UR1037 (LPGP), INRAE, Rennes, France
| | - Jarosław Król
- Department of Ichthyology and Aquaculture, Faculty of Animal Bioengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland
| | | | - Andrzej Ciereszko
- Department of Gamete and Embryo Biology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Julien Bobe
- Fish Physiology and Genomics, UR1037 (LPGP), INRAE, Rennes, France
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8
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Ord J, Holmes KE, Holt WV, Fazeli A, Watt PJ. Premature birth stunts early growth and is a possible driver of stress-induced maternal effects in the guppy Poecilia reticulata. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2020; 96:506-515. [PMID: 31846081 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
We tested the effects of gestational stress, principally in the form of alarm cue extracted from the skin of conspecifics, on reproduction in female guppies (Poecilia reticulata) and the growth and behaviour of their offspring. Offspring from mothers exposed to alarm cue exhibited stunted growth in the first few days post-partum, which appeared to be mediated by shortening of the gestation period, the length of which directly correlated with growth rate within the first 6 days post-partum. Mature offspring did not differ in behaviour or stress responses compared with controls and so the effects of maternal predation stress did not appear to persist into adulthood. A different form of gestational stress, dietary restriction, did not significantly affect offspring growth, though brood size was reduced, suggesting that the effects of predation stress were not mediated by differences in resource demand or consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Ord
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Department of Pathophysiology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Kelle E Holmes
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - William V Holt
- Academic Unit of Reproductive and Developmental Medicine, Department of Oncology and Metabolism, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Alireza Fazeli
- Department of Pathophysiology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
- Academic Unit of Reproductive and Developmental Medicine, Department of Oncology and Metabolism, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Penelope J Watt
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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9
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Adrian-Kalchhauser I, Blomberg A, Larsson T, Musilova Z, Peart CR, Pippel M, Solbakken MH, Suurväli J, Walser JC, Wilson JY, Alm Rosenblad M, Burguera D, Gutnik S, Michiels N, Töpel M, Pankov K, Schloissnig S, Winkler S. The round goby genome provides insights into mechanisms that may facilitate biological invasions. BMC Biol 2020; 18:11. [PMID: 31992286 PMCID: PMC6988351 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-019-0731-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The invasive benthic round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) is the most successful temperate invasive fish and has spread in aquatic ecosystems on both sides of the Atlantic. Invasive species constitute powerful in situ experimental systems to study fast adaptation and directional selection on short ecological timescales and present promising case studies to understand factors involved the impressive ability of some species to colonize novel environments. We seize the unique opportunity presented by the round goby invasion to study genomic substrates potentially involved in colonization success. Results We report a highly contiguous long-read-based genome and analyze gene families that we hypothesize to relate to the ability of these fish to deal with novel environments. The analyses provide novel insights from the large evolutionary scale to the small species-specific scale. We describe expansions in specific cytochrome P450 enzymes, a remarkably diverse innate immune system, an ancient duplication in red light vision accompanied by red skin fluorescence, evolutionary patterns of epigenetic regulators, and the presence of osmoregulatory genes that may have contributed to the round goby’s capacity to invade cold and salty waters. A recurring theme across all analyzed gene families is gene expansions. Conclusions The expanded innate immune system of round goby may potentially contribute to its ability to colonize novel areas. Since other gene families also feature copy number expansions in the round goby, and since other Gobiidae also feature fascinating environmental adaptations and are excellent colonizers, further long-read genome approaches across the goby family may reveal whether gene copy number expansions are more generally related to the ability to conquer new habitats in Gobiidae or in fish. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12915-019-0731-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Adrian-Kalchhauser
- Program Man-Society-Environment, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Vesalgasse 1, 4051, Basel, Switzerland. .,University of Bern, Institute for Fish and Wildlife Health, Länggassstrasse 122, 3012, Bern, Austria.
| | - Anders Blomberg
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, Medicinaregatan 9C, 41390, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Tomas Larsson
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Medicinaregatan 9C, 41390, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Zuzana Musilova
- Department of Zoology, Charles University, Vinicna 7, 12844, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Claire R Peart
- Division of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Grosshaderner Strasse 2, 82152 Planegg-, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Martin Pippel
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstrasse 108, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Monica Hongroe Solbakken
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, University of Oslo, Blindernveien 31, 0371, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jaanus Suurväli
- Institute for Genetics, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Strasse 47a, 50674, Köln, Germany
| | - Jean-Claude Walser
- Genetic Diversity Centre, ETH, Universitätsstrasse 16, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Joanna Yvonne Wilson
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Magnus Alm Rosenblad
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, Medicinaregatan 9C, 41390, Gothenburg, Sweden.,NBIS Bioinformatics Infrastructure for Life Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Medicinaregatan 9C, 41390, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Demian Burguera
- Department of Zoology, Charles University, Vinicna 7, 12844, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Silvia Gutnik
- Biocenter, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50/70, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nico Michiels
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, University of Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Mats Töpel
- University of Bern, Institute for Fish and Wildlife Health, Länggassstrasse 122, 3012, Bern, Austria
| | - Kirill Pankov
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Siegfried Schloissnig
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sylke Winkler
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstrasse 108, 01307, Dresden, Germany
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10
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Bock MJ, Jarvis GC, Corey EL, Stone EE, Gribble KE. Maternal age alters offspring lifespan, fitness, and lifespan extension under caloric restriction. Sci Rep 2019; 9:3138. [PMID: 30816287 PMCID: PMC6395700 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-40011-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2018] [Accepted: 02/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal age has a negative effect on offspring lifespan in a range of taxa and is hypothesized to influence the evolution of aging. However, the mechanisms of maternal age effects are unknown, and it remains unclear if maternal age alters offspring response to therapeutic interventions to aging. Here, we evaluate maternal age effects on offspring lifespan, reproduction, and the response to caloric restriction, and investigate maternal investment as a source of maternal age effects using the rotifer, Brachionus manjavacas, an aquatic invertebrate. We found that offspring lifespan and fecundity decline with increasing maternal age. Caloric restriction increases lifespan in all offspring, but the magnitude of lifespan extension is greater in the offspring from older mothers. The trade-off between reproduction and lifespan extension under low food conditions expected by life history theory is observed in young-mother offspring, but not in old-mother offspring. Age-related changes in maternal resource allocation to reproduction do not drive changes in offspring fitness or plasticity under caloric restriction in B. manjavacas. Our results suggest that the declines in reproduction in old-mother offspring negate the evolutionary fitness benefits of lifespan extension under caloric restriction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha J Bock
- Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA
- Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - George C Jarvis
- Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA
- California State University, Northridge, Northridge, CA, 91330, USA
| | - Emily L Corey
- Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA
| | - Emily E Stone
- Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA
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11
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Ahi EP, Singh P, Lecaudey LA, Gessl W, Sturmbauer C. Maternal mRNA input of growth and stress-response-related genes in cichlids in relation to egg size and trophic specialization. EvoDevo 2018; 9:23. [PMID: 30519389 PMCID: PMC6271631 DOI: 10.1186/s13227-018-0112-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2018] [Accepted: 11/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Egg size represents an important form of maternal effect determined by a complex interplay of long-term adaptation and short-term plasticity balancing egg size with brood size. Haplochromine cichlids are maternal mouthbrooders showing differential parental investment in different species, manifested in great variation in egg size, brood size and duration of maternal care. Little is known about maternally determined molecular characters of eggs in fishes and their relation to egg size and trophic specialization. Here we investigate maternal mRNA inputs of selected growth- and stress-related genes in eggs of mouthbrooding cichlid fishes adapted to different trophic niches from Lake Tanganyika, Lake Malawi, Lake Victoria and compare them to their riverine allies. RESULTS We first identified two reference genes, atf7ip and mid1ip1, to be suitable for cross-species quantification of mRNA abundance via qRT-PCR in the cichlid eggs. Using these reference genes, we found substantial variation in maternal mRNA input for a set of candidate genes related to growth and stress response across species and lakes. We observed negative correlation of mRNA abundance between two of growth hormone receptor paralogs (ghr1 and ghr2) across all haplochromine cichlid species which also differentiate the species in the two younger lakes, Malawi and Lake Victoria, from those in Lake Tanganyika and ancestral riverine species. Furthermore, we found correlations between egg size and maternal mRNA abundance of two growth-related genes igf2 and ghr2 across the haplochromine cichlids as well as distinct clustering of the species based on their trophic specialization using maternal mRNA abundance of five genes (ghr1, ghr2, igf2, gr and sgk1). CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that variations in egg size in closely related cichlid species can be linked to differences in maternal RNA deposition of key growth-related genes. In addition, the cichlid species with contrasting trophic specialization deposit different levels of maternal mRNAs in their eggs for particular growth-related genes; however, it is unclear whether such differences contribute to differential morphogenesis at later stages of development. Our results provide first insights into this aspect of gene activation, as a basis for future studies targeting their role during ecomorphological specialization and adaptive radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ehsan Pashay Ahi
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010 Graz, Austria
- Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18A, 75236 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Pooja Singh
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | | | - Wolfgang Gessl
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Christian Sturmbauer
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010 Graz, Austria
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