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Sivaprakasham Murugesan S, Beukeboom LW, Verhulst EC, Leung K. Creating insect neopolyploid lines to study animal polyploid evolution. Evol Appl 2024; 17:e13706. [PMID: 39253544 PMCID: PMC11381576 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13706] [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: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 09/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Whole-genome duplication (polyploidy) poses many complications but is an important driver for eukaryotic evolution. To experimentally study how many challenges from the cellular (including gene expression) to the life history levels are overcome in polyploid evolution, a system in which polyploidy can be reliably induced and sustained over generations is crucial. Until now, this has not been possible with animals, as polyploidy notoriously causes first-generation lethality. The parasitoid wasp Nasonia vitripennis emerges as a stunningly well-suited model. Polyploidy can be induced in this haplodiploid system through (1) silencing genes in the sex determination cascade and (2) by colchicine injection to induce meiotic segregation failure. Nasonia polyploids produce many generations in a short time, making them a powerful tool for experimental evolution studies. The strong variation observed in Nasonia polyploid phenotypes aids the identification of polyploid mechanisms that are the difference between evolutionary dead ends and successes. Polyploid evolution research benefits from decades of Nasonia research that produced extensive reference-omics data sets, facilitating the advanced studies of polyploid effects on the genome and transcriptome. It is also possible to create both inbred lines (to control for genetic background effects) and outbred lines (to conduct polyploid selection regimes). The option of interspecific crossing further allows to directly contrast autopolyploidy (intraspecific polyploidy) to allopolyploidy (hybrid polyploidy). Nasonia can also be used to investigate the nascent field of using polyploidy in biological control to improve field performance and lower ecological risk. In short, Nasonia polyploids are an exceptional tool for researching various biological paradigms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Leo W Beukeboom
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Eveline C Verhulst
- Laboratory of Entomology Wageningen University & Research Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Kelley Leung
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
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2
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Wang Q, Zhang J, Liu C, Ru C, Qian Q, Yang M, Yan S, Liu W, Wang G. Identification of antennal alternative splicing by combining genome and full-length transcriptome analysis in Bactrocera dorsalis. Front Physiol 2024; 15:1384426. [PMID: 38952867 PMCID: PMC11215311 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1384426] [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: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Alternative splicing is an essential post-transcriptional regulatory mechanism that diversifies gene function by generating multiple protein isoforms from a single gene and act as a crucial role in insect environmental adaptation. Olfaction, a key sense for insect adaptation, relies heavily on the antennae, which are the primary olfactory organs expressing most of the olfactory genes. Despite the extensive annotation of olfactory genes within insect antennal tissues facilitated by high-throughput sequencing technology advancements, systematic analyses of alternative splicing are still relatively less. In this study, we focused on the oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis), a significant pest of fruit crops. We performed a detailed analysis of alternative splicing in its antennae by utilizing the full-length transcriptome of its antennal tissue and the insect's genome. The results revealed 8600 non-redundant full-length transcripts identified in the oriental fruit fly antennal full-length transcriptome, spanning 4,145 gene loci. Over 40% of these loci exhibited multiple isoforms. Among these, 161 genes showed sex-biased isoform switching, involving seven different types of alternative splicing. Notably, events involving alternative transcription start sites (ATSS) and alternative transcription termination sites (ATTS) were the most common. Of all the genes undergoing ATSS and ATTS alternative splicing between male and female, 32 genes were alternatively spliced in protein coding regions, potentially affecting protein function. These genes were categorized based on the length of the sex-biased isoforms, with the highest difference in isoform fraction (dIF) associated with the ATSS type, including genes such as BdorABCA13, BdorCAT2, and BdorTSN3. Additionally, transcription factor binding sites for doublesex were identified upstream of both BdorABCA13 and BdorCAT2. Besides being expressed in the antennal tissues, BdorABCA13 and BdorCAT2 are also expressed in the mouthparts, legs, and genitalia of both female and male adults, suggesting their functional diversity. This study reveals alternative splicing events in the antennae of Bactrophora dorsalis from two aspects: odorant receptor genes and other types of genes expressed in the antennae. This study not only provides a research foundation for understanding the regulation of gene function by alternative splicing in the oriental fruit fly but also offers new insights for utilizing olfaction-based behavioral manipulation techniques to manage this pest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Chenhao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Chuanjian Ru
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Qian Qian
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Minghuan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Shanchun Yan
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Guirong Wang
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
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3
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Owen RE. Half-chromatid mutation as a possible cause of mosaic males and females in Hymenoptera and rare fertile male tortoiseshell cats. Genome 2023; 66:295-304. [PMID: 37307601 DOI: 10.1139/gen-2023-0006] [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] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Half-chromatid mutations occur when a single base change in a gamete is transmitted to the zygote, which, after DNA replication and cleavage, will result in a mosaic individual. These mutations will be passed on through the germ plasm and also may be expressed somatically. Half-chromatid mutation has been suggested to account for the observed lower frequency of males than expected for lethal X-linked recessive disorders in humans, such as Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, incontinentia pigmenti, and Duchene muscular dystrophy. Although attention has been paid to half-chromatid mutation in humans, it otherwise has been ignored. Here I show that half-chromatid mutation in haplodiploid organisms, such as Hymenoptera, has some interesting and important consequences: (i) since all genes follow the X-linked pattern of inheritance, half-chromatid mutations should be relatively easier to detect; (ii) recessive mutations of all viabilities may be expected; (iii) mosaics of both sexes are expected in haplodiploids with half-chromatid mutation; (iv) gynandromorphs could result from half-chromatid mutation at the sex-determination locus, in species with single-locus complementary sex-determination. Finally, half-chromatid mutation can account for the rare fertile male tortoiseshell phenotype observed in the domestic cat, Felis catus, and which still has not been fully accounted for by other mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin E Owen
- Department of Biology, Mount Royal University, Calgary, AB T3E 6K6, Canada
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4
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Wang Y, Sun W, Fleischmann S, Millar JG, Ruther J, Verhulst EC. Silencing Doublesex expression triggers three-level pheromonal feminization in Nasonia vitripennis males. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20212002. [PMID: 35078369 PMCID: PMC8790373 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.2002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Doublesex (Dsx) has a conserved function in controlling sexual morphological differences in insects, but our knowledge of its role in regulating sexual behaviour is primarily limited to Drosophila. Here, we show with the parasitoid wasp Nasonia vitripennis that males whose Dsx gene had been silenced (NvDsx-i) underwent a three-level pheromonal feminization: (i) NvDsx-i males were no longer able to attract females from a distance, owing to drastically reduced titres of the long-range sex pheromone; (ii) NvDsx-i males were courted by wild-type males as though they were females, which correlated with a lower abundance of alkenes in their cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profiles. Supplementation with realistic amounts of synthetic (Z)-9-hentriacontene (Z9C31), the most significantly reduced alkene in NvDsx-i males, to NvDsx-i males interrupted courtship by wild-type conspecific males. Supplementation of female CHC profiles with Z9C31 reduced courtship and mating attempts by wild-type males. These results prove that Z9C31 is crucial for sex discrimination in N. vitripennis; and (iii) Nvdsx-i males were hampered in eliciting female receptivity and thus experienced severely reduced mating success, suggesting that they are unable to produce the to-date unidentified oral aphrodisiac pheromone reported in N. vitripennis males. We conclude that Dsx is a multi-level key regulator of pheromone-mediated sexual communication in N. vitripennis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yidong Wang
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, Building 107, 6708 PB Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Weizhao Sun
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, Building 107, 6708 PB Wageningen, Netherlands
| | | | - Jocelyn G. Millar
- Department of Entomology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Joachim Ruther
- Institute of Zoology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Eveline C. Verhulst
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, Building 107, 6708 PB Wageningen, Netherlands
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5
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Zou Y, Geuverink E, Beukeboom LW, Verhulst EC, van de Zande L. A chimeric gene paternally instructs female sex determination in the haplodiploid wasp Nasonia. Science 2021; 370:1115-1118. [PMID: 33243892 DOI: 10.1126/science.abb8949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Various primary signals direct insect sex determination. In hymenopteran insects, the presence of a paternal genome is needed to initiate female development. When absent, uniparental haploid males develop. We molecularly and functionally identified the instructor sex-determination gene, wasp overruler of masculinization (wom), of the haplodiploid wasp Nasonia vitripennis This gene contains a P53-like domain coding region and arose by gene duplication and genomic rearrangements. Maternal silencing of wom results in male development of haploid embryos. Upon fertilization, early zygotic transcription from the paternal wom allele is initiated, followed by a timely zygotic expression of transformer (tra), leading to female development. Wom is an instructor gene with a parent-of-origin effect in sex determination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Zou
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Post Office Box 11103, 9700 CC Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Elzemiek Geuverink
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Post Office Box 11103, 9700 CC Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Leo W Beukeboom
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Post Office Box 11103, 9700 CC Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Eveline C Verhulst
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Post Office Box 11103, 9700 CC Groningen, Netherlands.,Laboratory of Genetics, Plant Sciences Group, Wageningen University, Netherlands.,Laboratory of Entomology, Plant Sciences Group, Wageningen University, Netherlands
| | - Louis van de Zande
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Post Office Box 11103, 9700 CC Groningen, Netherlands.
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6
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Chaverra-Rodriguez D, Dalla Benetta E, Heu CC, Rasgon JL, Ferree PM, Akbari OS. Germline mutagenesis of Nasonia vitripennis through ovarian delivery of CRISPR-Cas9 ribonucleoprotein. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 29:569-577. [PMID: 32715554 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing is a powerful technology to study the genetics of rising model organisms, such as the jewel wasp Nasonia vitripennis. However, current methods involving embryonic microinjection of CRISPR reagents are challenging. Delivery of Cas9 ribonucleoprotein into female ovaries is an alternative that has only been explored in a small handful of insects, such as mosquitoes, whiteflies and beetles. Here, we developed a simple protocol for germline gene editing by injecting Cas9 ribonucleoprotein in adult N. vitripennis females using either ReMOT control (Receptor-Mediated Ovary Transduction of Cargo) or BAPC (Branched Amphiphilic Peptide Capsules) as ovary delivery methods. For ReMOT Control we used the Drosophila melanogaster-derived peptide 'P2C' fused to EGFP to visualize the ovary delivery, and fused to Cas9 protein for gene editing of the cinnabar gene using saponin as an endosomal escape reagent. For BAPC we optimized the concentrations of protein, sgRNA and the transfection reagent. We demonstrate delivery of protein cargo such as EGFP and Cas9 into developing oocytes via P2C peptide and BAPC. Additionally, somatic and germline gene editing were demonstrated. This approach will greatly facilitate CRISPR-applied genetic manipulation in this and other rising model organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Chaverra-Rodriguez
- Division of Biological Sciences, Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - E Dalla Benetta
- Division of Biological Sciences, Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
- W. M. Keck Science Department, Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, CA, USA
| | - C C Heu
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - J L Rasgon
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - P M Ferree
- W. M. Keck Science Department, Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, CA, USA
| | - O S Akbari
- Division of Biological Sciences, Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
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7
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Jones ARC, Mallon EB. Evidence of capacitation in the parasitoid wasp, Nasonia vitripennis, and its potential role in sex allocation. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:7212-7220. [PMID: 32760522 PMCID: PMC7391552 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Revised: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The allocation of resources to the production of one sex or another has been observed in a large variety of animals. Its theoretical basis allows accurate predictions of offspring sex ratios in many species, but the mechanisms by which sex allocation is controlled are poorly understood. Using previously published data, we investigated whether alternative splicing, combined with differential gene expression, was involved with sex allocation in the parasitoid wasp, Nasonia vitripennis. We found that sex allocation is not controlled by alternative splicing but changes in gene and transcript-specific expression, which were identified to be involved with oviposition, were shown to be similar to those involved in sperm motility and capacitation. Genes involved in cholesterol efflux, a key component of capacitation, along with calcium transport, neurotransmission, trypsin, and MAPKinase activity were regulated in ovipositing wasps. The results show evidence for regulation of sperm motility and of capacitation in an insect which, in the context of the physiology of the N. vitripennis spermatheca, could be important for sex allocation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alun R. C. Jones
- Department of Genetics and Genome BiologyUniversity of LeicesterLeicesterUK
| | - Eamonn B. Mallon
- Department of Genetics and Genome BiologyUniversity of LeicesterLeicesterUK
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Dalla Benetta E, Antoshechkin I, Yang T, Nguyen HQM, Ferree PM, Akbari OS. Genome elimination mediated by gene expression from a selfish chromosome. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaaz9808. [PMID: 32284986 PMCID: PMC7124933 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aaz9808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Numerous plants and animals harbor selfish B chromosomes that "drive" or transmit themselves at super-Mendelian frequencies, despite long-term fitness costs to the organism. Currently, it is unknown how B chromosome drive is mediated, and whether B-gene expression plays a role. We used modern sequencing technologies to analyze the fine-scale sequence composition and expression of paternal sex ratio (PSR), a B chromosome in the jewel wasp Nasonia vitripennis. PSR causes female-to-male conversion by destroying the sperm's hereditary material in young embryos to drive. Using RNA interference, we demonstrate that testis-specific expression of a PSR-linked gene, named haploidizer, facilitates this genome elimination-and-sex conversion effect. haploidizer encodes a putative protein with a DNA binding domain, suggesting a functional link with the sperm-derived chromatin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Dalla Benetta
- W. M. Keck Science Department, Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, CA 91711, USA
- Division of Biological Sciences, Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Igor Antoshechkin
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering (BBE), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Ting Yang
- Division of Biological Sciences, Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Hoa Quang My Nguyen
- Division of Biological Sciences, Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Patrick M. Ferree
- W. M. Keck Science Department, Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, CA 91711, USA
| | - Omar S. Akbari
- Division of Biological Sciences, Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Tata Institute for Genetics and Society–UCSD, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
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9
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Rago A, Werren JH, Colbourne JK. Sex biased expression and co-expression networks in development, using the hymenopteran Nasonia vitripennis. PLoS Genet 2020; 16:e1008518. [PMID: 31986136 PMCID: PMC7004391 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual dimorphism requires regulation of gene expression in developing organisms. These developmental differences are caused by differential expression of genes and isoforms. The effect of expressing a gene is also influenced by which other genes are simultaneously expressed (functional interactions). However, few studies have described how these processes change across development. We compare the dynamics of differential expression, isoform switching and functional interactions in the sexual development of the model parasitoid wasp Nasonia vitripennis, a system that permits genome wide analysis of sex bias from early embryos to adults. We find relatively little sex-bias in embryos and larvae at the gene level, but several sub-networks show sex-biased functional interactions in early developmental stages. These networks provide new candidates for hymenopteran sex determination, including histone modification. In contrast, sex-bias in pupae and adults is driven by the differential expression of genes. We observe sex-biased isoform switching consistently across development, but mostly in genes that are already differentially expressed. Finally, we discover that sex-biased networks are enriched by genes specific to the Nasonia clade, and that those genes possess the topological properties of key regulators. These findings suggest that regulators in sex-biased networks evolve more rapidly than regulators of other developmental networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfredo Rago
- School of Biosciences, The University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - John H. Werren
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States of America
| | - John K. Colbourne
- School of Biosciences, The University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
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Leung K, van de Zande L, Beukeboom LW. Life-history traits of the Whiting polyploid line of the parasitoid Nasonia vitripennis. ENTOMOLOGIA EXPERIMENTALIS ET APPLICATA 2019; 167:655-669. [PMID: 31598002 PMCID: PMC6774307 DOI: 10.1111/eea.12808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/11/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In hymenopterans, males are normally haploid (1n) and females diploid (2n), but individuals with divergent ploidy levels are frequently found. In species with 'complementary sex determination' (CSD), increasing numbers of diploid males that are often infertile or unviable arise from inbreeding, presenting a major impediment to biocontrol breeding. Non-CSD species, which are common in some parasitoid wasp taxa, do not produce polyploids through inbreeding. Nevertheless, polyploidy also occurs in non-CSD Hymenoptera. As a first survey on the impacts of inbreeding and polyploidy of non-CSD species, we investigate life-history traits of a long-term laboratory line of the parasitoid Nasonia vitripennis (Walker) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) ('Whiting polyploid line') in which polyploids of both sexes (diploid males, triploid females) are viable and fertile. Diploid males produce diploid sperm and virgin triploid females produce haploid and diploid eggs. We found that diploid males did not differ from haploid males with respect to body size, progeny size, mate competition, or lifespan. When diploid males were mated to many females (without accounting for mating order), the females produced a relatively high proportion of male offspring, possibly indicating that these males produce less sperm and/or have reduced sperm functionality. In triploid females, parasitization rate and fecundity were reduced and body size was slightly increased, but there was no effect on lifespan. After one generation of outbreeding, lifespan as well as parasitization rate were increased, and a body size difference was no longer apparent. This suggests that outbreeding has an effect on traits observed in an inbred polyploidy background. Overall, these results indicate some phenotypic detriments of non-CSD polyploids that must be taken into account in breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelley Leung
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesUniversity of GroningenPO Box 111039700 CCGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Louis van de Zande
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesUniversity of GroningenPO Box 111039700 CCGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Leo W. Beukeboom
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesUniversity of GroningenPO Box 111039700 CCGroningenThe Netherlands
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11
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Geuverink E, Kraaijeveld K, van Leussen M, Chen F, Pijpe J, Linskens MHK, Beukeboom LW, van de Zande L. Evidence for involvement of a transformer paralogue in sex determination of the wasp Leptopilina clavipes. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2018; 27:780-795. [PMID: 30039559 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Transformer (tra) is the central gear in many insect sex determination pathways and transduces a wide range of primary signals. Mediated by transformer-2 (tra2) it directs sexual development into the female or male mode. Duplications of tra have been detected in numerous Hymenoptera, but a function in sex determination has been confirmed only in Apis mellifera. We identified a tra2 orthologue (Lc-tra2), a tra orthologue (Lc-tra) and a tra paralogue (Lc-traB) in the genome of Leptopilina clavipes (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae). We compared the sequence and structural conservation of these genes between sexual (arrhenotokous) and asexual all-female producing (thelytokous) individuals. Lc-tra is sex-specifically spliced in adults consistent with its orthologous function. The male-specific regions of Lc-tra are conserved in both reproductive modes. The paralogue Lc-traB lacks the genomic region coding for male-specific exons and can only be translated into a full-length TRA-like peptide sequence. Furthermore, unlike LC-TRA, the LC-TRAB interstrain sequence variation is not differentiated into a sexual and an asexual haplotype. The LC-TRAB protein interacts with LC-TRA as well as LC-TRA2. This suggests that Lc-traB functions as a conserved element in sex determination of sexual and asexual individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Geuverink
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - K Kraaijeveld
- Department of Ecological Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Leiden Genome Technology Center, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - M van Leussen
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - F Chen
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - J Pijpe
- University of Applied Sciences Leiden, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - M H K Linskens
- Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - L W Beukeboom
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - L van de Zande
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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12
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Geuverink E, Verhulst EC, van Leussen M, van de Zande L, Beukeboom LW. Maternal provision of non-sex-specific transformer messenger RNA in sex determination of the wasp Asobara tabida. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2018; 27:99-109. [PMID: 29030993 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
In many insect species maternal provision of sex-specifically spliced messenger RNA (mRNA) of sex determination genes is an essential component of the sex determination mechanism. In haplodiploid Hymenoptera, maternal provision in combination with genomic imprinting has been shown for the parasitoid Nasonia vitripennis, known as maternal effect genomic imprinting sex determination (MEGISD). Here, we characterize the sex determination cascade of Asobara tabida, another hymenopteran parasitoid. We show the presence of the conserved sex determination genes doublesex (dsx), transformer (tra) and transformer-2 (tra2) orthologues in As. tabida. Of these, At-dsx and At-tra are sex-specifically spliced, indicating a conserved function in sex determination. At-tra and At-tra2 mRNA is maternally provided to embryos but, in contrast to most studied insects, As. tabida females transmit a non-sex-specific splice form of At-tra mRNA to the eggs. In this respect, As. tabida sex determination differs from the MEGISD mechanism. How the paternal genome can induce female development in the absence of maternal provision of sex-specifically spliced mRNA remains an open question. Our study reports a hitherto unknown variant of maternal effect sex determination and accentuates the diversity of insect sex determination mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Geuverink
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - E C Verhulst
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - M van Leussen
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - L van de Zande
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - L W Beukeboom
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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13
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Shirk PD, Furlong RB, Dolan A, Werren JH. Functional characterization of the transcriptional regulatory elements of three highly expressed constitutive genes in the jewel wasp, Nasonia vitripennis. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2017; 26:743-751. [PMID: 28753244 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The jewel wasp, Nasonia vitripennis Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), is an easily reared parasitoid that is providing an ever increasingly malleable model for examining the biology and genetics of Hymenoptera. Utilizing genomic and transcriptome resources, 5' upstream transcriptional regulatory sequences (TREs) from three highly expressed genes were identified and cloned. Criteria for TRE selection included the presence of an adjacent gene 5' of the translation initiation site. One gene was methylated whereas the other two were nonmethylated. Each TRE, heat-shock protein 70 (hsp70), activator of 90 kDa hsp ATPase protein 1 (hsp90A), and lipid storage droplet surface-binding protein 1 (lsdp) was linked with enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) coding sequence and cloned into both pDP9e somatic and piggyBac germline transformation vectors. EGFP expression patterns under control of each TRE were compared with patterns of DsRed fluorescence produced from the transformation vector cassette. Functional activity of each TRE was observed in cultured Spodoptera frugiperda 9 (Sf9) cells and Drosophila melanogaster as well as in N. vitripennis embryos demonstrating that all three sequences had functional transcriptional regulatory activity in three different insect orders. Identification and functional characterization of these three TREs will provide critical and necessary resources for further genetic analyses of N. vitripennis, Hymenoptera and other insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- P D Shirk
- USDA-ARS Center for Medical Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - R B Furlong
- USDA-ARS Center for Medical Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - A Dolan
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - J H Werren
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
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14
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Geuverink E, Rensink AH, Rondeel I, Beukeboom LW, van de Zande L, Verhulst EC. Maternal provision of transformer-2 is required for female development and embryo viability in the wasp Nasonia vitripennis. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2017; 90:23-33. [PMID: 28927841 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2017.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2017] [Revised: 09/08/2017] [Accepted: 09/13/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
In insect sex determination a primary signal starts the genetic sex determination cascade that, in most insect orders, is subsequently transduced down the cascade by a transformer (tra) ortholog. Only a female-specifically spliced tra mRNA yields a functional TRA-protein that forms a complex with TRA2, encoded by a transformer-2 (tra2) ortholog, to act as a sex specific splicing regulator of the downstream transcription factors doublesex (dsx) and fruitless (fru). Here, we identify the tra2 ortholog of the haplodiploid parasitoid wasp N. vitripennis (Nv-tra2) and confirm its function in N. vitripennis sex determination. Knock down of Nv-tra2 by parental RNA interference (pRNAi) results in complete sex reversal of diploid offspring from female to male, indicating the requirement of Nv-tra2 for female sex determination. As Nv-tra2 pRNAi leads to frequent lethality in early developmental stages, maternal provision of Nv-tra2 transcripts is apparently also required for another, non-sex determining function during embryogenesis. In addition, lethality following Nv-tra2 pRNAi appears more pronounced in diploid than in haploid offspring. This diploid lethal effect was also observed following Nv-tra pRNAi, which served as a positive control in our experiments. As diploid embryos from fertilized eggs have a paternal chromosome set in addition to the maternal one, this suggests that either the presence of this paternal chromosome set or the dosage effect resulting from the diploid state is incompatible with the induced male development in N. vitripennis caused by either Nv-tra2 or Nv-tra pRNAi. The role of Nv-tra2 in activating the female sex determination pathway yields more insight into the sex determination mechanism of Nasonia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elzemiek Geuverink
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9700 CC Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Anna H Rensink
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9700 CC Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Inge Rondeel
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9700 CC Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Leo W Beukeboom
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9700 CC Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Louis van de Zande
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9700 CC Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Eveline C Verhulst
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9700 CC Groningen, The Netherlands; Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands.
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15
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Luo Y, Zhao S, Li J, Li P, Yan R. Isolation and Molecular Characterization of the Transformer Gene From Bactrocera cucurbitae (Diptera: Tephritidae). JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2017; 17:3755290. [PMID: 28931159 PMCID: PMC5469387 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/iex031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2017] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
transformer (tra) is a switch gene of sex determination in many insects, particularly in Dipterans. However, the sex determination pathway in Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett), a very destructive pest on earth, remains largely uncharacterized. In this study, we have isolated and characterized one female-specific and two male-specific transcripts of the tra gene (Bcutra) of B. cucurbitae. The genomic structure of Bcutra has been determined and the presence of multiple conserved Transformer (TRA)/TRA-2 binding sites in Bcutra has been found. BcuTRA is highly conservative with its homologues in other tephritid fruit flies. Gene expression analysis of Bcutra at different developmental stages demonstrates that the female transcript of Bcutra appears earlier than the male counterparts, indicating that the maternal TRA is inherited in eggs and might play a role in the regulation of TRA expression. The conservation of protein sequence and sex-specific splicing of Bcutra and its expression patterns during development suggest that Bcutra is probably the master gene of sex determination of B. cucurbitae. Isolation of Bcutra will facilitate the development of a genetic sexing strain for its biological control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya Luo
- Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan Province, China (; ; ; ; )Corresponding author, e-mail: , and
| | - Santao Zhao
- Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan Province, China (; ; ; ; )Corresponding author, e-mail: , and
| | - Jiahui Li
- Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan Province, China (; ; ; ; )Corresponding author, e-mail: , and
| | - Peizheng Li
- Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan Province, China (; ; ; ; )Corresponding author, e-mail: , and
| | - Rihui Yan
- Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan Province, China (; ; ; ; )Corresponding author, e-mail: , and
- Hainan Key Laboratory for Sustainable Utilization of Tropical Bioresources, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan Province, China ()
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16
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Shropshire JD, van Opstal EJ, Bordenstein SR. An optimized approach to germ-free rearing in the jewel wasp Nasonia. PeerJ 2016; 4:e2316. [PMID: 27602283 PMCID: PMC4991892 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.2316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2016] [Accepted: 07/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Development of a Nasonia in vitrogerm-free rearing system in 2012 enabled investigation of Nasonia-microbiota interactions and real-time visualization of parasitoid metamorphosis. However, the use of antibiotics, bleach, and fetal bovine serum introduced artifacts relative to conventional rearing of Nasonia. Here, we optimize the germ-free rearing procedure by using filter sterilization in lieu of antibiotics and by removing residual bleach and fetal bovine serum. Comparison of these methods reveals no influence on larval survival or growth, and a 52% improvement in adult production. Additionally, adult males produced in the new germ-free system are similar in size to conventionally reared males. Experimental implications of these changes are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Dylan Shropshire
- Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | | | - Seth R Bordenstein
- Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States.,Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
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17
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Laohakieat K, Aketarawong N, Isasawin S, Thitamadee S, Thanaphum S. The study of the transformer gene from Bactrocera dorsalis and B. correcta with putative core promoter regions. BMC Genet 2016; 17:34. [PMID: 26833079 PMCID: PMC4736151 DOI: 10.1186/s12863-016-0342-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2015] [Accepted: 01/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The transformer (tra) is a sex determining switch in different orders of insects, including Diptera, as in the family Tephritidae. The lifelong autoregulatory loop of tra female-specific splicing can be reset by the intervention of male-specific primary signals (M factor). In early development, the functional female and truncated male TRA proteins relay the sexual fates to the alternative splicing of a bisexual switch gene, doublesex (dsx) cascading the sexual differentiation processes. Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) and Bactrocera correcta (Bezzi) are among the Bactrocera model worldwide key pests. Area-wide integrated pest management using the male-only Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) relying on genetic sexing systems is effective in control programs. We undertook the molecular characterization and comparative studies of the tra orthologues in the Bactrocera species, including the Salaya1 genetic sexing strain (GSS). Results RT-PCR revealed that B. dorsalis tra (Bdtra) and B. correcta tra (Bctra) transcripts contained conservation of both constitutive exons and male-specific exons as in other Bactrocera. However, new Bdtra male-specific exons were retained, diversifying the pattern of the male-specifically spliced transcripts. The coding sequences of tra were highly conserved in Bactrocera (86–95 %) but less so among related genera (61–65 %) within the same Tephritidae family. A conservation of deduced amino acid sequences (18 residues), called the TEP region, was identified to be distinctive among tephritids. The 5’ regulatory sequence containing many structural characteristics of the putative core promoter was discovered in B. correcta. The expression patterns of Bdtra and Bctra were sex-specifically spliced and the signals relayed to the dsx genes in the adult wild-types. However, the coexistence of male- and female-specifically spliced transcripts (980 and 626 bp, respectively) of the B. dorsalis wild-type strain was found in the Salaya1 GSS adult males. The Bdtra RNA interference masculinized the XX karyotype females into pseudomales, but their testes were mostly not well developed. Conclusions Bdtra and Bctra have sex-specific splicing, similar to Bactroceras, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), and Anastrephas. A newly identified TEP region is proposed in tephritids. A putative core promoter has been discovered in Bctra. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12863-016-0342-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamoltip Laohakieat
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama VI Road, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
| | - Nidchaya Aketarawong
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama VI Road, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
| | - Siriwan Isasawin
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama VI Road, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
| | - Siripong Thitamadee
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama VI Road, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
| | - Sujinda Thanaphum
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama VI Road, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
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18
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Abstract
The parasitoid wasp Nasonia represents a genus of four species that is emerging as a powerful genetic model system that has made and will continue to make important contributions to our understanding of evolutionary biology, development, ecology, and behavior. Particularly powerful are the haplodiploid genetics of the system, which allow some of the advantages of microbial genetics to be applied to a complex multicellular eukaryote. In addition, fertile, viable hybrids can be made among the four species in the genus. This makes Nasonia exceptionally well suited for evolutionary genetics approaches, especially when combined with its haploid genetics and tractability in the laboratory. These features are complemented by an expanding array of genomic, transcriptomic, and functional resources, the application of which has already made Nasonia an important model system in such emerging fields as evolutionary developmental biology and microbiomics. This article describes the genetic and genomic advantages of Nasonia wasps and the resources available for their genetic analysis.
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19
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Genetic and epigenetic architecture of sex-biased expression in the jewel wasps Nasonia vitripennis and giraulti. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:E3545-54. [PMID: 26100871 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1510338112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
There is extraordinary diversity in sexual dimorphism (SD) among animals, but little is known about its epigenetic basis. To study the epigenetic architecture of SD in a haplodiploid system, we performed RNA-seq and whole-genome bisulfite sequencing of adult females and males from two closely related parasitoid wasps, Nasonia vitripennis and Nasonia giraulti. More than 75% of expressed genes displayed significantly sex-biased expression. As a consequence, expression profiles are more similar between species within each sex than between sexes within each species. Furthermore, extremely male- and female-biased genes are enriched for totally different functional categories: male-biased genes for key enzymes in sex-pheromone synthesis and female-biased genes for genes involved in epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Remarkably, just 70 highly expressed, extremely male-biased genes account for 10% of all transcripts in adult males. Unlike expression profiles, DNA methylomes are highly similar between sexes within species, with no consistent sex differences in methylation found. Therefore, methylation changes cannot explain the extensive level of sex-biased gene expression observed. Female-biased genes have smaller sequence divergence between species, higher conservation to other hymenopterans, and a broader expression range across development. Overall, female-biased genes have been recruited from genes with more conserved and broadly expressing "house-keeping" functions, whereas male-biased genes are more recently evolved and are predominately testis specific. In summary, Nasonia accomplish a striking degree of sex-biased expression without sex chromosomes or epigenetic differences in methylation. We propose that methylation provides a general signal for constitutive gene expression, whereas other sex-specific signals cause sex-biased gene expression.
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20
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de Boer JG, Groenen MAM, Pannebakker BA, Beukeboom LW, Kraus RHS. Population-level consequences of complementary sex determination in a solitary parasitoid. BMC Evol Biol 2015; 15:98. [PMID: 26025754 PMCID: PMC4461988 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-015-0340-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2015] [Accepted: 03/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Sex determination mechanisms are known to be evolutionarily labile but the factors driving transitions in sex determination mechanisms are poorly understood. All insects of the Hymenoptera are haplodiploid, with males normally developing from unfertilized haploid eggs. Under complementary sex determination (CSD), diploid males can be produced from fertilized eggs that are homozygous at the sex locus. Diploid males have near-zero fitness and thus represent a genetic load, which is especially severe under inbreeding. Here, we study mating structure and sex determination in the parasitoid Cotesia vestalis to investigate what may have driven the evolution of two complementary sex determination loci in this species. Results We genotyped Cotesia vestalis females collected from eight fields in four townships in Western Taiwan. 98 SNP markers were developed by aligning Illumina sequence reads of pooled DNA of eight different females against a de novo assembled genome of C. vestalis. This proved to be an efficient method for this non-model species and provides a resource for future use in related species. We found significant genetic differentiation within the sampled population but variation could not be attributed to sampling locations by AMOVA. Non-random mating was detected, with 8.1% of matings between siblings. Diploid males, detected by flow cytometry, were produced at a rate of 1.4% among diploids. Conclusions We think that the low rate of diploid male production is best explained by a CSD system with two independent sex loci, supporting laboratory findings on the same species. Fitness costs of diploid males in C. vestalis are high because diploid males can mate with females and produce infertile triploid offspring. This severe fitness cost of diploid males combined with non-random mating may have resulted in evolution from single locus CSD to CSD with two independent loci. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12862-015-0340-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jetske G de Boer
- Evolutionary Genetics, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen, P.O. Box 11103, 9700 CC, Groningen, The Netherlands. .,Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Martien A M Groenen
- Animal Breeding and Genomics Centre, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Bart A Pannebakker
- Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Leo W Beukeboom
- Evolutionary Genetics, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen, P.O. Box 11103, 9700 CC, Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Robert H S Kraus
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany. .,Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, Am Obstberg 1, 78315, Radolfzell, Germany.
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21
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Ma WJ, Pannebakker BA, van de Zande L, Schwander T, Wertheim B, Beukeboom LW. Diploid males support a two-step mechanism of endosymbiont-induced thelytoky in a parasitoid wasp. BMC Evol Biol 2015; 15:84. [PMID: 25963738 PMCID: PMC4456809 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-015-0370-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2015] [Accepted: 04/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Haplodiploidy, where females develop from diploid, fertilized eggs and males from haploid, unfertilized eggs, is abundant in some insect lineages. Some species in these lineages reproduce by thelytoky that is caused by infection with endosymbionts: infected females lay haploid eggs that undergo diploidization and develop into females, while males are very rare or absent. It is generally assumed that in thelytokous wasps, endosymbionts merely diploidize the unfertilized eggs, which would then trigger female development. Results We found that females in the parasitoid wasp Asobara japonica infected with thelytoky-inducing Wolbachia produce 0.7–1.2 % male offspring. Seven to 39 % of these males are diploid, indicating that diploidization and female development can be uncoupled in A. japonica. Wolbachia titer in adults was correlated with their ploidy and sex: diploids carried much higher Wolbachia titers than haploids, and diploid females carried more Wolbachia than diploid males. Data from introgression lines indicated that the development of diploid individuals into males instead of females is not caused by malfunction-mutations in the host genome but that diploid males are most likely produced when the endosymbiont fails to activate the female sex determination pathway. Our data therefore support a two-step mechanism by which endosymbionts induce thelytoky in A. japonica: diploidization of the unfertilized egg is followed by feminization, whereby each step correlates with a threshold of endosymbiont titer during wasp development. Conclusions Our new model of endosymbiont-induced thelytoky overthrows the view that certain sex determination mechanisms constrain the evolution of endosymbiont-induced thelytoky in hymenopteran insects. Endosymbionts can cause parthenogenesis through feminization, even in groups in which endosymbiont-diploidized eggs would develop into males following the hosts’ sex determination mechanism. In addition, our model broadens our understanding of the mechanisms by which endosymbionts induce thelytoky to enhance their transmission to the next generation. Importantly, it also provides a novel window to study the yet-poorly known haplodiploid sex determination mechanisms in haplodiploid insects. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12862-015-0370-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Juan Ma
- Evolutionary Genetics, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. .,Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Bart A Pannebakker
- Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Louis van de Zande
- Evolutionary Genetics, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Tanja Schwander
- Evolutionary Genetics, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. .,Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Bregje Wertheim
- Evolutionary Genetics, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Leo W Beukeboom
- Evolutionary Genetics, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
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22
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Biewer M, Schlesinger F, Hasselmann M. The evolutionary dynamics of major regulators for sexual development among Hymenoptera species. Front Genet 2015; 6:124. [PMID: 25914717 PMCID: PMC4392698 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2015.00124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2014] [Accepted: 03/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
All hymenopteran species, such as bees, wasps and ants, are characterized by the common principle of haplodiploid sex determination in which haploid males arise from unfertilized eggs and females from fertilized eggs. The underlying molecular mechanism has been studied in detail in the western honey bee Apis mellifera, in which the gene complementary sex determiner (csd) acts as primary signal of the sex determining pathway, initiating female development by csd-heterozygotes. Csd arose from gene duplication of the feminizer (fem) gene, a transformer (tra) ortholog, and mediates in conjunction with transformer2 (tra2) sex-specific splicing of fem. Comparative molecular analyses identified fem/tra and its downstream target doublesex (dsx) as conserved unit within the sex determining pathway of holometabolous insects. In this study, we aim to examine evolutionary differences among these key regulators. Our main hypothesis is that sex determining key regulators in Hymenoptera species show signs of coevolution within single phylogenetic lineages. We take advantage of several newly sequenced genomes of bee species to test this hypothesis using bioinformatic approaches. We found evidences that duplications of fem are restricted to certain bee lineages and notable amino acid differences of tra2 between Apis and non-Apis species propose structural changes in Tra2 protein affecting co-regulatory function on target genes. These findings may help to gain deeper insights into the ancestral mode of hymenopteran sex determination and support the common view of the remarkable evolutionary flexibility in this regulatory pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Biewer
- Population Genetics of Social Insects, Institute of Genetics, University of Cologne Cologne, Germany ; Livestock Population Genomics Group, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Francisca Schlesinger
- Population Genetics of Social Insects, Institute of Genetics, University of Cologne Cologne, Germany ; Institute of Bee Research Hohen Neuendorf, Germany
| | - Martin Hasselmann
- Population Genetics of Social Insects, Institute of Genetics, University of Cologne Cologne, Germany ; Livestock Population Genomics Group, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim Stuttgart, Germany
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23
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Salvemini M, Arunkumar KP, Nagaraju J, Sanges R, Petrella V, Tomar A, Zhang H, Zheng W, Saccone G. De novo assembly and transcriptome analysis of the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata early embryos. PLoS One 2014; 9:e114191. [PMID: 25474564 PMCID: PMC4256415 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0114191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2014] [Accepted: 11/05/2014] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The agricultural pest Ceratitis capitata, also known as the Mediterranean fruit fly or Medfly, belongs to the Tephritidae family, which includes a large number of other damaging pest species. The Medfly has been the first non-drosophilid fly species which has been genetically transformed paving the way for designing genetic-based pest control strategies. Furthermore, it is an experimentally tractable model, in which transient and transgene-mediated RNAi have been successfully used. We applied Illumina sequencing to total RNA preparations of 8–10 hours old embryos of C. capitata, This developmental window corresponds to the blastoderm cellularization stage. In summary, we assembled 42,614 transcripts which cluster in 26,319 unique transcripts of which 11,045 correspond to protein coding genes; we identified several hundreds of long ncRNAs; we found an enrichment of transcripts encoding RNA binding proteins among the highly expressed transcripts, such as CcTRA-2, known to be necessary to establish and, most likely, to maintain female sex of C. capitata. Our study is the first de novo assembly performed for Ceratitis capitata based on Illumina NGS technology during embryogenesis and it adds novel data to the previously published C. capitata EST databases. We expect that it will be useful for a variety of applications such as gene cloning and phylogenetic analyses, as well as to advance genetic research and biotechnological applications in the Medfly and other related Tephritidae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Salvemini
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | | | | | - Remo Sanges
- Stazione Zoologica "Anton Dohrn", Naples, Italy
| | - Valeria Petrella
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Archana Tomar
- Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Hyderabad, India
| | - Hongyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and Institute of Urban and Horticultural Pests, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Weiwei Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and Institute of Urban and Horticultural Pests, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Giuseppe Saccone
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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van de Zande L, Verhulst E. Genomic Imprinting and Maternal Effect Genes in Haplodiploid Sex Determination. Sex Dev 2014; 8:74-82. [DOI: 10.1159/000357146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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Geuverink E, Beukeboom LW. Phylogenetic distribution and evolutionary dynamics of the sex determination genes doublesex and transformer in insects. Sex Dev 2013; 8:38-49. [PMID: 24401160 DOI: 10.1159/000357056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex determination in insects is characterized by a gene cascade that is conserved at the bottom but contains diverse primary signals at the top. The bottom master switch gene doublesex is found in all insects. Its upstream regulator transformer is present in the orders Hymenoptera, Coleoptera and Diptera, but has thus far not been found in Lepidoptera and in the basal lineages of Diptera. transformer is presumed to be ancestral to the holometabolous insects based on its shared domains and conserved features of autoregulation and sex-specific splicing. We interpret that its absence in basal lineages of Diptera and its order-specific conserved domains indicate multiple independent losses or recruitments into the sex determination cascade. Duplications of transformer are found in derived families within the Hymenoptera, characterized by their complementary sex determination mechanism. As duplications are not found in any other insect order, they appear linked to the haplodiploid reproduction of the Hymenoptera. Further phylogenetic analyses combined with functional studies are needed to understand the evolutionary history of the transformer gene among insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Geuverink
- Evolutionary Genetics, Center for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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