1
|
Erickson RP. The T-locus - inspiration and distraction? Bioessays 2024:e2400021. [PMID: 38528317 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202400021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
The T/t locus was a major focus of study by mouse geneticists during the 20th century. In the 70s, as the study of cell surface antigens controlling transplantation antigens was taking off, several laboratories hypothesized that alleles of this locus would control cell surface antigens important for embryonic development. One such antigen, the embryonal carcinoma F9 antigen was said to be an example. Other antigens were described on sperm and embryos that were said to be controlled by alleles at the T/t complex. These findings were later found to be false. The history of the findings and their refutation is described.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Robert P Erickson
- Departments of Pediatrics and Surgery, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Bypassing Mendel's First Law: Transmission Ratio Distortion in Mammals. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24021600. [PMID: 36675116 PMCID: PMC9863905 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021600] [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: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Mendel's law of segregation states that the two alleles at a diploid locus should be transmitted equally to the progeny. A genetic segregation distortion, also referred to as transmission ratio distortion (TRD), is a statistically significant deviation from this rule. TRD has been observed in several mammal species and may be due to different biological mechanisms occurring at diverse time points ranging from gamete formation to lethality at post-natal stages. In this review, we describe examples of TRD and their possible mechanisms in mammals based on current knowledge. We first focus on the differences between TRD in male and female gametogenesis in the house mouse, in which some of the most well studied TRD systems have been characterized. We then describe known TRD in other mammals, with a special focus on the farmed species and in the peculiar common shrew species. Finally, we discuss TRD in human diseases. Thus far, to our knowledge, this is the first time that such description is proposed. This review will help better comprehend the processes involved in TRD. A better understanding of these molecular mechanisms will imply a better comprehension of their impact on fertility and on genome evolution. In turn, this should allow for better genetic counseling and lead to better care for human families.
Collapse
|
3
|
Gerhold AR, Labbé JC, Singh R. Uncoupling cell division and cytokinesis during germline development in metazoans. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:1001689. [PMID: 36407108 PMCID: PMC9669650 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1001689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The canonical eukaryotic cell cycle ends with cytokinesis, which physically divides the mother cell in two and allows the cycle to resume in the newly individualized daughter cells. However, during germline development in nearly all metazoans, dividing germ cells undergo incomplete cytokinesis and germ cells stay connected by intercellular bridges which allow the exchange of cytoplasm and organelles between cells. The near ubiquity of incomplete cytokinesis in animal germ lines suggests that this is an ancient feature that is fundamental for the development and function of this tissue. While cytokinesis has been studied for several decades, the mechanisms that enable regulated incomplete cytokinesis in germ cells are only beginning to emerge. Here we review the current knowledge on the regulation of germ cell intercellular bridge formation, focusing on findings made using mouse, Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans as experimental systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abigail R. Gerhold
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- *Correspondence: Abigail R. Gerhold, ; Jean-Claude Labbé,
| | - Jean-Claude Labbé
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Université de Montréal, Succ. Centre-ville, Montréal, QC, Canada
- *Correspondence: Abigail R. Gerhold, ; Jean-Claude Labbé,
| | - Ramya Singh
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), Montréal, QC, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
What is the importance of sperm subpopulations? Anim Reprod Sci 2022; 246:106844. [PMID: 34538510 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2021.106844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The study of sperm subpopulations spans three decades. The origin, meaning, and practical significance, however, are less clear. Current technology for assessing sperm morphology (CASA-Morph) and motility (CASA-Mot) has enabled the accurate evaluation of these features, and there are many options for data classification. Subpopulations could occur as a result of the stage of development of each spermatozoon in the subpopulation. Spermatogenesis might contribute to the production of these subpopulations. Insights from evolutionary biology and recent molecular research are indicative of the diversity among male gametes that could occur from unequal sharing of transcripts and other elements through cytoplasmic bridges between spermatids. Sperm cohorts exiting the gonads would contain different RNA and protein contents, affecting the spermatozoon physiology and associations with the surrounding environmental milieu. Subsequently, these differences could affect how spermatozoa interact with the environmental milieu (maturation, mixing with seminal plasma, and interacting with the environmental milieu, or female genital tract and female gamete). The emergence of sperm subpopulations as an outcome of evolution, related to the reproductive strategies of the species, genital tract structures, and copulatory and fertilization processes. This kind of approach in determining the importance of sperm subpopulations in fertilization capacity should have a practical impact for conducting reproductive technologies, inspiring and enabling new ways for the more efficient use of spermatozoa in the medical, animal breeding, and conservation fields. This manuscript is a contribution to the Special Issue in memory of Dr. Duane Garner.
Collapse
|
5
|
Genetically-biased fertilization in APOBEC1 complementation factor (A1cf) mutant mice. Sci Rep 2022; 12:13599. [PMID: 35948620 PMCID: PMC9365768 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-17948-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Meiosis, recombination, and gametogenesis normally ensure that gametes combine randomly. But in exceptional cases, fertilization depends on the genetics of gametes from both females and males. A key question is whether their non-random union results from factors intrinsic to oocytes and sperm, or from their interactions with conditions in the reproductive tracts. To address this question, we used in vitro fertilization (IVF) with a mutant and wild-type allele of the A1cf (APOBEC1 complementation factor) gene in mice that are otherwise genetically identical. We observed strong distortion in favor of mutant heterozygotes showing that bias depends on the genetics of oocyte and sperm, and that any environmental input is modest. To search for the potential mechanism of the 'biased fertilization', we analyzed the existing transcriptome data and demonstrated that localization of A1cf transcripts and its candidate mRNA targets is restricted to the spermatids in which they originate, and that these transcripts are enriched for functions related to meiosis, fertilization, RNA stability, translation, and mitochondria. We propose that failure to sequester mRNA targets in A1cf mutant heterozygotes leads to functional differences among spermatids, thereby providing an opportunity for selection among haploid gametes. The study adds to the understanding of the gamete interaction at fertilization. Discovery that bias is evident with IVF provides a new venue for future explorations of preference among genetically distinct gametes at fertilization for A1cf and other genes that display significant departure of Mendelian inheritance.
Collapse
|
6
|
A meiotic driver alters sperm form and function in house mice: a possible example of spite. Chromosome Res 2022; 30:151-164. [PMID: 35648282 PMCID: PMC9508062 DOI: 10.1007/s10577-022-09695-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
The ability to subvert independent assortment of chromosomes is found in many meiotic drivers, such as the t haplotype in house mice Mus musculus, in which the t-bearing chromosomal homolog is preferentially transmitted to offspring. This is explained by a poison-antidote system, in which developing + and t sperm in testes of + /t males are exposed to 'poison' coded by t loci, from which t sperm are protected, allowing t sperm an overwhelming fertilisation advantage in monogamous matings. This system is thought to result in poorly and normally motile sperm subpopulations within + /t sperm, leaving t sperm unharmed. Conversely, we found that the fastest quartile of sperm from + /t males swam more slowly, both forwards and along their travel path, and had reduced straightness and linearity, compared to the fastest quartile of + / + sperm. Moreover, sperm from + /t males had shorter tails and narrower heads than + / + sperm, and these morphological differences covaried with motility differences. Finally, + /t traits did not show evidence of bimodal distributions. We conclude that the t haplotype drive results in lasting damage to the motility of both + and t developing sperm, although previous studies indicate that + must be more harmed than t sperm. This damage to all sperm may explain the low success of + /t males in sperm competition with + / + males, seen in earlier studies. We propose that the harm the t causes to itself could be termed 'spiteful', which may also be common to other gamete-harming meiotic drive systems.
Collapse
|
7
|
Teves ME, Roldan ERS. Sperm bauplan and function and underlying processes of sperm formation and selection. Physiol Rev 2022; 102:7-60. [PMID: 33880962 PMCID: PMC8812575 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00009.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The spermatozoon is a highly differentiated and polarized cell, with two main structures: the head, containing a haploid nucleus and the acrosomal exocytotic granule, and the flagellum, which generates energy and propels the cell; both structures are connected by the neck. The sperm's main aim is to participate in fertilization, thus activating development. Despite this common bauplan and function, there is an enormous diversity in structure and performance of sperm cells. For example, mammalian spermatozoa may exhibit several head patterns and overall sperm lengths ranging from ∼30 to 350 µm. Mechanisms of transport in the female tract, preparation for fertilization, and recognition of and interaction with the oocyte also show considerable variation. There has been much interest in understanding the origin of this diversity, both in evolutionary terms and in relation to mechanisms underlying sperm differentiation in the testis. Here, relationships between sperm bauplan and function are examined at two levels: first, by analyzing the selective forces that drive changes in sperm structure and physiology to understand the adaptive values of this variation and impact on male reproductive success and second, by examining cellular and molecular mechanisms of sperm formation in the testis that may explain how differentiation can give rise to such a wide array of sperm forms and functions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Eugenia Teves
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
| | - Eduardo R S Roldan
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Abstract
More than a century ago, August Weissman defined a distinction between the germline (responsible for propagating heritable information from generation to generation) and the perishable soma. A central motivation for this distinction was to argue against the inheritance of acquired characters, as the germline was partly defined by its protection from external conditions. However, recent decades have seen an explosion of studies documenting the intergenerational and transgenerational effects of environmental conditions, forcing a re-evaluation of how external signals are sensed by, or communicated to, the germline epigenome. Here, motivated by the centrality of small RNAs in paradigms of epigenetic inheritance, we review across species the myriad examples of intercellular RNA trafficking from nurse cells or somatic tissues to developing gametes.
Collapse
|
9
|
Bergero R, Ellis P, Haerty W, Larcombe L, Macaulay I, Mehta T, Mogensen M, Murray D, Nash W, Neale MJ, O'Connor R, Ottolini C, Peel N, Ramsey L, Skinner B, Suh A, Summers M, Sun Y, Tidy A, Rahbari R, Rathje C, Immler S. Meiosis and beyond - understanding the mechanistic and evolutionary processes shaping the germline genome. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 96:822-841. [PMID: 33615674 PMCID: PMC8246768 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The separation of germ cell populations from the soma is part of the evolutionary transition to multicellularity. Only genetic information present in the germ cells will be inherited by future generations, and any molecular processes affecting the germline genome are therefore likely to be passed on. Despite its prevalence across taxonomic kingdoms, we are only starting to understand details of the underlying micro-evolutionary processes occurring at the germline genome level. These include segregation, recombination, mutation and selection and can occur at any stage during germline differentiation and mitotic germline proliferation to meiosis and post-meiotic gamete maturation. Selection acting on germ cells at any stage from the diploid germ cell to the haploid gametes may cause significant deviations from Mendelian inheritance and may be more widespread than previously assumed. The mechanisms that affect and potentially alter the genomic sequence and allele frequencies in the germline are pivotal to our understanding of heritability. With the rise of new sequencing technologies, we are now able to address some of these unanswered questions. In this review, we comment on the most recent developments in this field and identify current gaps in our knowledge.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Bergero
- Institute of Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghEH9 3JTU.K.
| | - Peter Ellis
- School of BiosciencesUniversity of KentCanterburyCT2 7NJU.K.
| | | | - Lee Larcombe
- Applied Exomics LtdStevenage Bioscience CatalystStevenageSG1 2FXU.K.
| | - Iain Macaulay
- Earlham InstituteNorwich Research ParkNorwichNR4 7UZU.K.
| | - Tarang Mehta
- Earlham InstituteNorwich Research ParkNorwichNR4 7UZU.K.
| | - Mette Mogensen
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of East AngliaNorwich Research ParkNorwichNR4 7TJU.K.
| | - David Murray
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of East AngliaNorwich Research ParkNorwichNR4 7TJU.K.
| | - Will Nash
- Earlham InstituteNorwich Research ParkNorwichNR4 7UZU.K.
| | - Matthew J. Neale
- Genome Damage and Stability Centre, School of Life SciencesUniversity of SussexBrightonBN1 9RHU.K.
| | | | | | - Ned Peel
- Earlham InstituteNorwich Research ParkNorwichNR4 7UZU.K.
| | - Luke Ramsey
- The James Hutton InstituteInvergowrieDundeeDD2 5DAU.K.
| | - Ben Skinner
- School of Life SciencesUniversity of EssexColchesterCO4 3SQU.K.
| | - Alexander Suh
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of East AngliaNorwich Research ParkNorwichNR4 7TJU.K.
- Department of Organismal BiologyUppsala UniversityNorbyvägen 18DUppsala752 36Sweden
| | - Michael Summers
- School of BiosciencesUniversity of KentCanterburyCT2 7NJU.K.
- The Bridge Centre1 St Thomas Street, London BridgeLondonSE1 9RYU.K.
| | - Yu Sun
- Norwich Medical SchoolUniversity of East AngliaNorwich Research Park, Colney LnNorwichNR4 7UGU.K.
| | - Alison Tidy
- School of BiosciencesUniversity of Nottingham, Plant Science, Sutton Bonington CampusSutton BoningtonLE12 5RDU.K.
| | | | - Claudia Rathje
- School of BiosciencesUniversity of KentCanterburyCT2 7NJU.K.
| | - Simone Immler
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of East AngliaNorwich Research ParkNorwichNR4 7TJU.K.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Moretti C, Blanco M, Ialy-Radio C, Serrentino ME, Gobé C, Friedman R, Battail C, Leduc M, Ward MA, Vaiman D, Tores F, Cocquet J. Battle of the Sex Chromosomes: Competition between X and Y Chromosome-Encoded Proteins for Partner Interaction and Chromatin Occupancy Drives Multicopy Gene Expression and Evolution in Muroid Rodents. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 37:3453-3468. [PMID: 32658962 PMCID: PMC7743899 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msaa175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Transmission distorters (TDs) are genetic elements that favor their own transmission to the detriments of others. Slx/Slxl1 (Sycp3-like-X-linked and Slx-like1) and Sly (Sycp3-like-Y-linked) are TDs, which have been coamplified on the X and Y chromosomes of Mus species. They are involved in an intragenomic conflict in which each favors its own transmission, resulting in sex ratio distortion of the progeny when Slx/Slxl1 versus Sly copy number is unbalanced. They are specifically expressed in male postmeiotic gametes (spermatids) and have opposite effects on gene expression: Sly knockdown leads to the upregulation of hundreds of spermatid-expressed genes, whereas Slx/Slxl1-deficiency downregulates them. When both Slx/Slxl1 and Sly are knocked down, sex ratio distortion and gene deregulation are corrected. Slx/Slxl1 and Sly are, therefore, in competition but the molecular mechanism remains unknown. By comparing their chromatin-binding profiles and protein partners, we show that SLX/SLXL1 and SLY proteins compete for interaction with H3K4me3-reader SSTY1 (Spermiogenesis-specific-transcript-on-the-Y1) at the promoter of thousands of genes to drive their expression, and that the opposite effect they have on gene expression is mediated by different abilities to recruit SMRT/N-Cor transcriptional complex. Their target genes are predominantly spermatid-specific multicopy genes encoded by the sex chromosomes and the autosomal Speer/Takusan. Many of them have coamplified with not only Slx/Slxl1/Sly but also Ssty during muroid rodent evolution. Overall, we identify Ssty as a key element of the X versus Y intragenomic conflict, which may have influenced gene content and hybrid sterility beyond Mus lineage since Ssty amplification on the Y predated that of Slx/Slxl1/Sly.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Moretti
- Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016, CNRS UMR8104, Université de Paris, Paris, France.,Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, Université de Lyon, CNRS UMR 5242, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - Mélina Blanco
- Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016, CNRS UMR8104, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Côme Ialy-Radio
- Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016, CNRS UMR8104, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | | | - Clara Gobé
- Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016, CNRS UMR8104, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | | | - Christophe Battail
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CEA, INSERM, IRIG, Biology of Cancer and Infection UMR_S 1036, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Marjorie Leduc
- Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016, CNRS UMR8104, Université de Paris, Paris, France.,Plateforme Protéomique 3P5, Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016, CNRS UMR8104, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Monika A Ward
- Institute for Biogenesis Research, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - Daniel Vaiman
- Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016, CNRS UMR8104, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Frederic Tores
- Plateforme de Bio-informatique, Institut Imagine, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Julie Cocquet
- Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016, CNRS UMR8104, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
RAC1 controls progressive movement and competitiveness of mammalian spermatozoa. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009308. [PMID: 33539343 PMCID: PMC7861394 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammalian spermatozoa employ calcium (Ca2+) and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling in generating flagellar beat. However, how sperm direct their movement towards the egg cells has remained elusive. Here we show that the Rho small G protein RAC1 plays an important role in controlling progressive motility, in particular average path velocity and linearity. Upon RAC1 inhibition of wild type sperm with the drug NSC23766, progressive movement is impaired. Moreover, sperm from mice homozygous for the genetically variant t-haplotype region (tw5/tw32), which are sterile, show strongly enhanced RAC1 activity in comparison to wild type (+/+) controls, and quickly become immotile in vitro. Sperm from heterozygous (t/+) males, on the other hand, display intermediate RAC1 activity, impaired progressive motility and transmission ratio distortion (TRD) in favor of t-sperm. We show that t/+-derived sperm consist of two subpopulations, highly progressive and less progressive. The majority of highly progressive sperm carry the t-haplotype, while most less progressive sperm contain the wild type (+) chromosome. Dosage-controlled RAC1 inhibition in t/+ sperm by NSC23766 rescues progressive movement of (+)-sperm in vitro, directly demonstrating that impairment of progressive motility in the latter is caused by enhanced RAC1 activity. The combined data show that RAC1 plays a pivotal role in controlling progressive motility in sperm, and that inappropriate, enhanced or reduced RAC1 activity interferes with sperm progressive movement. Differential RAC1 activity within a sperm population impairs the competitiveness of sperm cells expressing suboptimal RAC1 activity and thus their fertilization success, as demonstrated by t/+-derived sperm. In conjunction with t-haplotype triggered TRD, we propose that Rho GTPase signaling is essential for directing sperm towards the egg cells.
Collapse
|
12
|
Mechanisms of meiotic drive in symmetric and asymmetric meiosis. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:3205-3218. [PMID: 33449147 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-020-03735-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Meiotic drive, the non-Mendelian transmission of chromosomes to the next generation, functions in asymmetric or symmetric meiosis across unicellular and multicellular organisms. In asymmetric meiosis, meiotic drivers act to alter a chromosome's spatial position in a single egg. In symmetric meiosis, meiotic drivers cause phenotypic differences between gametes with and without the driver. Here we discuss existing models of meiotic drive, highlighting the underlying mechanisms and regulation governing systems for which the most is known. We focus on outstanding questions surrounding these examples and speculate on how new meiotic drive systems evolve and how to detect them.
Collapse
|
13
|
Bhutani K, Stansifer K, Ticau S, Bojic L, Villani AC, Slisz J, Cremers CM, Roy C, Donovan J, Fiske B, Friedman RC. Widespread haploid-biased gene expression enables sperm-level natural selection. Science 2021; 371:science.abb1723. [PMID: 33446482 DOI: 10.1126/science.abb1723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Sperm are haploid but must be functionally equivalent to distribute alleles equally among progeny. Accordingly, gene products are shared through spermatid cytoplasmic bridges that erase phenotypic differences between individual haploid sperm. Here, we show that a large class of mammalian genes are not completely shared across these bridges. We call these genes "genoinformative markers" (GIMs) and show that a subset can act as selfish genetic elements that spread alleles unevenly through murine, bovine, and human populations. We identify evolutionary pressure to avoid conflict between sperm and somatic function as GIMs are enriched for testis-specific gene expression, paralogs, and isoforms. Therefore, GIMs and sperm-level natural selection may help to explain why testis gene expression patterns are an outlier relative to all other tissues.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Alexandra-Chloé Villani
- Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Center for Cancer Research, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
Abstract
Sperm competition was defined by Geoff Parker 50 years ago as the competition between sperm from two or more males over the fertilization of a set of eggs. Since the publication of his seminal paper, sperm competition has developed into a large field of research, and many aspects are still being discovered. One of the relatively poorly understood aspects is the importance of selection and competition among sperm within the ejaculate of a male. The sheer number of sperm present in a male's ejaculate suggests that the competition among sibling sperm produced by the same male may be intense. In this review, we summarize Parker's theoretical models generating predictions about the evolution of sperm traits under the control of the haploid gamete as opposed to the diploid male. We review the existing evidence of within-ejaculate competition from a wide range of fields and taxa. We also discuss the conceptual and practical hurdles we have been facing to study within-ejaculate sperm competition, and how novel technologies may help in addressing some of the currently open questions. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Fifty years of sperm competition’.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Sutter
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Simone Immler
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Navarro-Costa PA, Molaro A, Misra CS, Meiklejohn CD, Ellis PJ. Sex and suicide: The curious case of Toll-like receptors. PLoS Biol 2020; 18:e3000663. [PMID: 32203540 PMCID: PMC7117759 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
During in vitro fertilisation (IVF), pharmacological activation of the murine X chromosome-encoded receptor proteins Toll-like receptor (TLR) 7 and TLR8 reportedly results in male-biased litters by selectively disrupting the motility of X-bearing sperm cells. Thus-in the context of agonist treatment during IVF-these receptors act as 'suicidal' segregation distorters that impair their own transmission to the next generation. Such behaviour would, from an evolutionary perspective, be strongly selected against if present during natural fertilisation. Consequently, TLR7/8 biology in vivo must differ significantly from this in vitro situation to allow these genes to persist in the genome. Here, we use our current understanding of male germ cell biology and TLR function as a starting point to explore the mechanistic and evolutionary aspects of this apparent paradox.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paulo A. Navarro-Costa
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Saúde Ambiental, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Antoine Molaro
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Chandra S. Misra
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Colin D. Meiklejohn
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Peter J. Ellis
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Lindholm A, Sutter A, Künzel S, Tautz D, Rehrauer H. Effects of a male meiotic driver on male and female transcriptomes in the house mouse. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20191927. [PMID: 31718496 PMCID: PMC6892043 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.1927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Not all genetic loci follow Mendel's rules, and the evolutionary consequences of this are not yet fully known. Genomic conflict involving multiple loci is a likely outcome, as restoration of Mendelian inheritance patterns will be selected for, and sexual conflict may also arise when sexes are differentially affected. Here, we investigate effects of the t haplotype, an autosomal male meiotic driver in house mice, on genome-wide gene expression patterns in males and females. We analysed gonads, liver and brain in adult same-sex sibling pairs differing in genotype, allowing us to identify t-associated differences in gene regulation. In testes, only 40% of differentially expressed genes mapped to the approximately 708 annotated genes comprising the t haplotype. Thus, much of the activity of the t haplotype occurs in trans, and as upregulation. Sperm maturation functions were enriched among both cis and trans acting t haplotype genes. Within the t haplotype, we observed more downregulation and differential exon usage. In ovaries, liver and brain, the majority of expression differences mapped to the t haplotype, and were largely independent of the differences seen in the testis. Overall, we found widespread transcriptional effects of this male meiotic driver in the house mouse genome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Lindholm
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Sutter
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- School of Biological Sciences, Norwich Research Park, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Sven Künzel
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, August-Thienemann-Strasse 2, 24306 Plön, Germany
| | - Diethard Tautz
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, August-Thienemann-Strasse 2, 24306 Plön, Germany
| | - Hubert Rehrauer
- Functional Genomics Center Zurich, ETH Zurich/University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Rathje CC, Johnson EEP, Drage D, Patinioti C, Silvestri G, Affara NA, Ialy-Radio C, Cocquet J, Skinner BM, Ellis PJI. Differential Sperm Motility Mediates the Sex Ratio Drive Shaping Mouse Sex Chromosome Evolution. Curr Biol 2019; 29:3692-3698.e4. [PMID: 31630954 PMCID: PMC6839398 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.09.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2019] [Revised: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
The mouse sex chromosomes exhibit an extraordinary level of copy number amplification of postmeiotically expressed genes [1, 2], driven by an “arms race” (genomic conflict) between the X and Y chromosomes over the control of offspring sex ratio. The sex-linked ampliconic transcriptional regulators Slx and Sly [3, 4, 5, 6, 7] have opposing effects on global transcription levels of the sex chromosomes in haploid spermatids via regulation of postmeiotic sex chromatin (PMSC) [8, 9, 10, 11] and opposing effects on offspring sex ratio. Partial deletions of the Y chromosome (Yq) that reduce Sly copy number lead to global overexpression of sex-linked genes in spermatids and either a distorted sex ratio in favor of females (smaller deletions) or sterility (larger deletions) [12, 13, 14, 15, 16]. Despite a large body of work studying the role of the sex chromosomes in regulating spermatogenesis (recent reviews [17, 18, 19, 20]), most studies do not address differential fertility effects on X- and Y-bearing cells. Hence, in this study, we concentrate on identifying physiological differences between X- and Y-bearing sperm from Yq-deleted males that affect their relative fertilizing ability and consequently lead to sex ratio skewing. We show that X- and Y-bearing sperm in these males have differential motility and morphology but are equally able to penetrate the cumulus and fertilize the egg once at the site of fertilization. The altered motility is thus deduced to be the proximate cause of the skew. This represents the first demonstration of a specific difference in sperm function associated with sex ratio skewing. The sex ratio skew in the offspring of Yq-deleted male mice is abolished by IVF In Yqdel males, Y sperm are more severely morphologically distorted than X sperm Similarly, Y sperm in these males have relatively impaired motility This motility difference explains the sex ratio skew in offspring of these males
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Deborah Drage
- University Biomedical Services, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 2SP, UK
| | | | | | - Nabeel Ahmed Affara
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK
| | - Côme Ialy-Radio
- Department of Development, Reproduction and Cancer, INSERM, U1016, Institut Cochin, Paris, France; CNRS, UMR8104, Paris, France; Sorbonne Paris Cité, Faculté de Médecine, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France
| | - Julie Cocquet
- Department of Development, Reproduction and Cancer, INSERM, U1016, Institut Cochin, Paris, France; CNRS, UMR8104, Paris, France; Sorbonne Paris Cité, Faculté de Médecine, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France
| | - Benjamin Matthew Skinner
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK; School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
| | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Jung M, Wells D, Rusch J, Ahmad S, Marchini J, Myers SR, Conrad DF. Unified single-cell analysis of testis gene regulation and pathology in five mouse strains. eLife 2019; 8:e43966. [PMID: 31237565 PMCID: PMC6615865 DOI: 10.7554/elife.43966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
To fully exploit the potential of single-cell functional genomics in the study of development and disease, robust methods are needed to simplify the analysis of data across samples, time-points and individuals. Here we introduce a model-based factor analysis method, SDA, to analyze a novel 57,600 cell dataset from the testes of wild-type mice and mice with gonadal defects due to disruption of the genes Mlh3, Hormad1, Cul4a or Cnp. By jointly analyzing mutant and wild-type cells we decomposed our data into 46 components that identify novel meiotic gene-regulatory programs, mutant-specific pathological processes, and technical effects, and provide a framework for imputation. We identify, de novo, DNA sequence motifs associated with individual components that define temporally varying modes of gene expression control. Analysis of SDA components also led us to identify a rare population of macrophages within the seminiferous tubules of Mlh3-/- and Hormad1-/- mice, an area typically associated with immune privilege.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Min Jung
- Department of GeneticsWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisUnited States
| | - Daniel Wells
- The Wellcome Centre for Human GeneticsUniversity of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
- Department of StatisticsUniversity of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Jannette Rusch
- Department of GeneticsWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisUnited States
| | - Suhaira Ahmad
- Department of GeneticsWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisUnited States
| | - Jonathan Marchini
- The Wellcome Centre for Human GeneticsUniversity of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
- Department of StatisticsUniversity of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Simon R Myers
- The Wellcome Centre for Human GeneticsUniversity of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
- Department of StatisticsUniversity of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Donald F Conrad
- Department of GeneticsWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisUnited States
- Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research CenterOregon Health & Science UniversityPortlandUnited States
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Charron Y, Willert J, Lipkowitz B, Kusecek B, Herrmann BG, Bauer H. Two isoforms of the RAC-specific guanine nucleotide exchange factor TIAM2 act oppositely on transmission ratio distortion by the mouse t-haplotype. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1007964. [PMID: 30817801 PMCID: PMC6394906 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Transmission ratio distortion (TRD) by the mouse t-haplotype, a variant region on chromosome 17, is a well-studied model of non-Mendelian inheritance. It is characterized by the high transmission ratio (up to 99%) of the t-haplotype from t/+ males to their offspring. TRD is achieved by the exquisite ability of the responder (Tcr) to trigger non-Mendelian inheritance of homologous chromosomes. Several distorters (Tcd1-Tcd4), which act cumulatively, together promote the high transmission ratio of Tcr and the t-haplotype. Molecularly, TRD is brought about by deregulation of Rho signaling pathways via the distorter products, which impair sperm motility, and the t-sperm specific rescue of sperm motility by the responder. The t-sperm thus can reach the egg cells faster than +-sperm and fertilize them. Previously we have shown that the responder function is accomplished by a dominant negative form of sperm motility kinase (SMOKTCR), while the distorter functions are accomplished by the Rho G protein regulators TAGAP, FGD2 and NME3 proposed to function in two oppositely acting pathways. Here we identify the RAC1-specific guanine nucleotide exchange factor TIAM2 as modifier of t-haplotype TRD. Tiam2 is expressed in two isoforms, the full-length (Tiam2l) and a short transcript (Tiam2s). Tiam2s expression from the t-allele is strongly increased compared to the wild-type allele. By transgenic approaches we show that Tiam2s enhances t-haplotype transmission, while Tiam2l has the opposite effect. Our data show that a single modifier locus can encode different gene products exerting opposite effects on a trait. They also suggest that the expression ratio of the isoforms determines if the outcome is an enhancing or a suppressive effect on the trait.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yves Charron
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany
- Institute for medical Genetics, Campus Benjamin-Franklin, Charité –University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jürgen Willert
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany
| | - Bettina Lipkowitz
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany
| | - Barica Kusecek
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany
| | - Bernhard G. Herrmann
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany
- Institute for medical Genetics, Campus Benjamin-Franklin, Charité –University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- * E-mail: (BGH); (HB)
| | - Hermann Bauer
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany
- * E-mail: (BGH); (HB)
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Do Gametes Woo? Evidence for Their Nonrandom Union at Fertilization. Genetics 2018; 207:369-387. [PMID: 28978771 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.117.300109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A fundamental tenet of inheritance in sexually reproducing organisms such as humans and laboratory mice is that gametes combine randomly at fertilization, thereby ensuring a balanced and statistically predictable representation of inherited variants in each generation. This principle is encapsulated in Mendel's First Law. But exceptions are known. With transmission ratio distortion, particular alleles are preferentially transmitted to offspring. Preferential transmission usually occurs in one sex but not both, and is not known to require interactions between gametes at fertilization. A reanalysis of our published work in mice and of data in other published reports revealed instances where any of 12 mutant genes biases fertilization, with either too many or too few heterozygotes and homozygotes, depending on the mutant gene and on dietary conditions. Although such deviations are usually attributed to embryonic lethality of the underrepresented genotypes, the evidence is more consistent with genetically-determined preferences for specific combinations of egg and sperm at fertilization that result in genotype bias without embryo loss. This unexpected discovery of genetically-biased fertilization could yield insights about the molecular and cellular interactions between sperm and egg at fertilization, with implications for our understanding of inheritance, reproduction, population genetics, and medical genetics.
Collapse
|
21
|
Holt WV, Fazeli A. Do sperm possess a molecular passport? Mechanistic insights into sperm selection in the female reproductive tract. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 21:491-501. [DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gav012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2014] [Accepted: 03/04/2015] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
|
22
|
de Boer P, de Vries M, Ramos L. A mutation study of sperm head shape and motility in the mouse: lessons for the clinic. Andrology 2014; 3:174-202. [PMID: 25511638 DOI: 10.1111/andr.300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2014] [Revised: 09/19/2014] [Accepted: 09/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Mouse mutants that show effects on sperm head shape, the sperm tail (flagellum), and motility were analysed in a systematic way. This was achieved by grouping mutations in the following classes: manchette, acrosome, Sertoli cell contact, chromatin remodelling, and mutations involved in complex regulations such as protein (de)phosphorylation and RNA stability, and flagellum/motility mutations. For all mutant phenotypes, flagellum function (motility) was affected. Head shape, including the nucleus, was also affected in spermatozoa of most mouse models, though with considerable variation. For the mutants that were categorized in the flagellum/motility group, generally normal head shapes were found, even when the flagellum did not develop or only poorly so. Most mutants are sterile, an occasional one semi-sterile. For completeness, the influence of the sex chromosomes on sperm phenotype is included. Functionally, the genes involved can be categorized as regulators of spermiogenesis. When extrapolating these data to human sperm samples, in vivo selection for motility would be the tool for weeding out the products of suboptimal spermiogenesis and epididymal sperm maturation. The striking dependency of motility on proper sperm head development is not easy to understand, but likely is of evolutionary benefit. Also, sperm competition after mating can never act against the long-term multi-generation interest of genetic integrity. Hence, it is plausible to suggest that short-term haplophase fitness i.e., motility, is developmentally integrated with proper nucleus maturation, including genetic integrity to protect multi-generation fitness. We hypothesize that, when the prime defect is in flagellum formation, apparently a feedback loop was not necessary as head morphogenesis in these mutants is mostly normal. Extrapolating to human-assisted reproductive techniques practice, this analysis would supply the arguments for the development of tools to select for motility as a continuous (non-discrete) parameter.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- P de Boer
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
23
|
Zhang H, Du B, Yang Y, Higginson DM, Carrière Y, Wu Y. Cadherin mutation linked to resistance to Cry1Ac affects male paternity and sperm competition in Helicoverpa armigera. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2014; 70:67-72. [PMID: 25220924 PMCID: PMC4334375 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2014.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2014] [Revised: 07/20/2014] [Accepted: 08/19/2014] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Several lepidopteran pests of cotton have cadherin-based resistance to the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxin Cry1Ac. Cadherins are transmembrane proteins that mediate cell-cell adhesion and tissue morphogenesis, suggesting that fitness costs associated with cadherin mutations may be present in many aspects of life history. To evaluate whether cadherin-based resistance is associated with fitness costs reducing male paternity in Helicoverpa armigera, we examined the effects of a major cadherin resistance allele on sperm competition within and between male ejaculates. When homozygous resistant and susceptible males competed for fertilization of a homozygous resistant or susceptible female, fertilization success was high in males with a different cadherin genotype than females, and low in males with the same cadherin genotype as females. Single matings between heterozygous males and susceptible females produced offspring within typical Mendelian ratios. Heterozygous males mated to resistant females, however, resulted in a disproportionate number of heterozygous offspring. While these results show that cadherin-based resistance to Cry1Ac has significant impacts on paternity in H. armigera, there was no evidence that costs associated with resistance consistently reduced male paternity. Rather, effects of cadherin-based resistance on paternity depended on interactions between male and female genotypes and differed when males or sperm competed for fertilization of females, which complicates assessment of impacts of cadherin resistance alleles on resistance evolution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Haonan Zhang
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Bing Du
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yihua Yang
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Dawn M Higginson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA; Center for Insect Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA
| | - Yves Carrière
- Center for Insect Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA; Department of Entomology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Yidong Wu
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Tentative identification of sex-specific antibodies and their application for screening bovine sperm proteins for sex-specificity. Mol Biol Rep 2013; 41:217-23. [DOI: 10.1007/s11033-013-2854-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2012] [Accepted: 10/30/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
|
25
|
Lindholm AK, Musolf K, Weidt A, König B. Mate choice for genetic compatibility in the house mouse. Ecol Evol 2013; 3:1231-47. [PMID: 23762510 PMCID: PMC3678478 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2012] [Revised: 02/14/2013] [Accepted: 02/20/2013] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
In house mice, genetic compatibility is influenced by the t haplotype, a driving selfish genetic element with a recessive lethal allele, imposing fundamental costs on mate choice decisions. Here, we evaluate the cost of genetic incompatibility and its implication for mate choice in a wild house mice population. In laboratory reared mice, we detected no fertility (number of embryos) or fecundity (ability to conceive) costs of the t, and yet we found a high cost of genetic incompatibility: heterozygote crosses produced 40% smaller birth litter sizes because of prenatal mortality. Surprisingly, transmission of t in crosses using +/t males was influenced by female genotype, consistent with postcopulatory female choice for + sperm in +/t females. Analysis of paternity patterns in a wild population of house mice showed that +/t females were more likely than +/+ females to have offspring sired by +/+ males, and unlike +/+ females, paternity of their offspring was not influenced by +/t male frequency, further supporting mate choice for genetic compatibility. As the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is physically linked to the t, we investigated whether females could potentially use variation at the MHC to identify male genotype at the sperm or individual level. A unique MHC haplotype is linked to the t haplotype. This MHC haplotype could allow the recognition of t and enable pre- and postcopulatory mate choice for genetic compatibility. Alternatively, the MHC itself could be the target of mate choice for genetic compatibility. We predict that mate choice for genetic compatibility will be difficult to find in many systems, as only weak fertilization biases were found despite an exceptionally high cost of genetic incompatibility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna K Lindholm
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology und Environmental Studies, University of Zurich Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
26
|
Gulevich R, Oskina I, Ilyina O, Herbeck Y, Plyusnina I, Trut L. The non- agoutimutation in Norway rats ( Rattus norvegicus) selected for behavior. CAN J ZOOL 2013. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2012-0008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The frequency of aa homozygous descendants was studied in crosses of Aa heterozygous Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus (Berkenhout, 1769)) parents selected for tame and aggressive behavior. First, Aa heterozygotes were obtained in crosses between tame homozygotes for the wild-type allele (AA) and aggressive homozygotes for the non-agouti allele (aa). The most tame and the most aggressive descendants were selected from the progeny of the Aa genotype by using the glove test. Then Aa rats were crossed among tame and among aggressive descendants, and the AA and Aa genotypes of grey descendants were identified by polymerase chain reactions (PCR). The segregation of descendants into the AA, Aa, and aa genotypes was cumulatively analyzed in five generations of selection with regard to the phenotypic manifestation of tame and aggressive behavior in their parents. The frequency of aa descendants in the progeny of mothers with low aggressive behavior scores was less than expected and less than in the progeny of mothers with high aggressive behavior scores.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- R. Gulevich
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, pr. Lavrentyeva 10, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - I. Oskina
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, pr. Lavrentyeva 10, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - O. Ilyina
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, pr. Lavrentyeva 10, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Yu. Herbeck
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, pr. Lavrentyeva 10, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - I. Plyusnina
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, pr. Lavrentyeva 10, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - L. Trut
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, pr. Lavrentyeva 10, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Transmission ratio distortion: review of concept and implications for genetic association studies. Hum Genet 2012; 132:245-63. [PMID: 23242375 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-012-1257-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2012] [Accepted: 12/04/2012] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Transmission ratio distortion (TRD) occurs when one of the two alleles from either parent is preferentially transmitted to the offspring. This leads to a statistical departure from the Mendelian law of inheritance, which states that each of the two parental alleles is transmitted to offspring with a probability of 0.5. A number of mechanisms are thought to induce TRD such as meiotic drive, gametic competition, and embryo lethality. TRD has been extensively studied in animals, but the prevalence of TRD in humans remains largely unknown. Nevertheless, understanding the TRD phenomenon and taking it into consideration in many aspects of human genetics has potential benefits that have not been sufficiently emphasized in the current literature. In this review, we discuss the importance of TRD in three distinct but related fields of genetics: developmental genetics which studies the genetic abnormalities in zygotic and embryonic development, statistical genetics/genetic epidemiology which utilizes population study designs and statistical models to interpret the role of genes in human health, and population genetics which is concerned with genetic diversity in populations in an evolutionary context. From the perspective of developmental genetics, studying TRD leads to the identification of the processes and mechanisms for differential survival observed in embryos. As a result, it is a genetic force which affects allele frequency at the population, as well as, at the organismal level. Therefore, it has implications on genetic diversity of the population over time. From the perspective of genetic epidemiology, the TRD influence on a marker locus is a confounding factor which has to be adequately dealt with to correctly interpret linkage or association study results. These aspects are developed in this review. In addition to these theoretical notions, a brief summary of the empirical evidence of the TRD phenomenon in human and mouse studies is provided. The objective of our paper is to show the potentially important role of TRD in many areas of genetics, and to create an incentive for future research.
Collapse
|
28
|
Cocquet J, Ellis PJI, Mahadevaiah SK, Affara NA, Vaiman D, Burgoyne PS. A genetic basis for a postmeiotic X versus Y chromosome intragenomic conflict in the mouse. PLoS Genet 2012; 8:e1002900. [PMID: 23028340 PMCID: PMC3441658 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1002900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 136] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2012] [Accepted: 07/01/2012] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Intragenomic conflicts arise when a genetic element favours its own transmission to the detriment of others. Conflicts over sex chromosome transmission are expected to have influenced genome structure, gene regulation, and speciation. In the mouse, the existence of an intragenomic conflict between X- and Y-linked multicopy genes has long been suggested but never demonstrated. The Y-encoded multicopy gene Sly has been shown to have a predominant role in the epigenetic repression of post meiotic sex chromatin (PMSC) and, as such, represses X and Y genes, among which are its X-linked homologs Slx and Slxl1. Here, we produced mice that are deficient for both Sly and Slx/Slxl1 and observed that Slx/Slxl1 has an opposite role to that of Sly, in that it stimulates XY gene expression in spermatids. Slx/Slxl1 deficiency rescues the sperm differentiation defects and near sterility caused by Sly deficiency and vice versa. Slx/Slxl1 deficiency also causes a sex ratio distortion towards the production of male offspring that is corrected by Sly deficiency. All in all, our data show that Slx/Slxl1 and Sly have antagonistic effects during sperm differentiation and are involved in a postmeiotic intragenomic conflict that causes segregation distortion and male sterility. This is undoubtedly what drove the massive gene amplification on the mouse X and Y chromosomes. It may also be at the basis of cases of F1 male hybrid sterility where the balance between Slx/Slxl1 and Sly copy number, and therefore expression, is disrupted. To the best of our knowledge, our work is the first demonstration of a competition occurring between X and Y related genes in mammals. It also provides a biological basis for the concept that intragenomic conflict is an important evolutionary force which impacts on gene expression, genome structure, and speciation. Both copies of a gene have normally an equal chance of being inherited; however, some genes can act “selfishly” to be transmitted to >50% of offspring: a phenomenon known as transmission distortion. Distorting genes on the X or Y chromosome leads to an excess of female/male offspring respectively. This then sets up a “genomic conflict” (arms race) between the sex chromosomes that can radically affect their gene content. Male mice that have lost part of their Y produce >50% female offspring and show over-activation of multiple genes on the X, providing strong circumstantial evidence for distortion. Here, we demonstrate the existence of a genomic conflict regulated by the genes Slx/Slxl1 and Sly, present in ∼50 to 100 copies on the X and Y chromosomes respectively. SLX/SLXL1 and SLY proteins have antagonistic effects on sex chromosome expression in developing sperm and skew the offspring sex-ratio in favor of females/males. Interestingly, while deficiency of either gene alone leads to severe fertility problems, fertility is improved when both genes are deficient. We believe that the conflict in which Slx/Slxl1 and Sly are involved led to the amplification of X and Y genes and may have played an important role in mouse speciation.
Collapse
|
29
|
Transgenerational epigenetic effects of the Apobec1 cytidine deaminase deficiency on testicular germ cell tumor susceptibility and embryonic viability. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2012; 109:E2766-73. [PMID: 22923694 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1207169109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental agents and genetic variants can induce heritable epigenetic changes that affect phenotypic variation and disease risk in many species. These transgenerational effects challenge conventional understanding about the modes and mechanisms of inheritance, but their molecular basis is poorly understood. The Deadend1 (Dnd1) gene enhances susceptibility to testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) in mice, in part by interacting epigenetically with other TGCT modifier genes in previous generations. Sequence homology to A1cf, the RNA-binding subunit of the ApoB editing complex, raises the possibility that the function of Dnd1 is related to Apobec1 activity as a cytidine deaminase. We conducted a series of experiments with a genetically engineered deficiency of Apobec1 on the TGCT-susceptible 129/Sv inbred background to determine whether dosage of Apobec1 modifies susceptibility, either alone or in combination with Dnd1, and either in a conventional or a transgenerational manner. In the paternal germ-lineage, Apobec1 deficiency significantly increased susceptibility among heterozygous but not wild-type male offspring, without subsequent transgenerational effects, showing that increased TGCT risk resulting from partial loss of Apobec1 function is inherited in a conventional manner. By contrast, partial deficiency in the maternal germ-lineage led to suppression of TGCTs in both partially and fully deficient males and significantly reduced TGCT risk in a transgenerational manner among wild-type offspring. These heritable epigenetic changes persisted for multiple generations and were fully reversed after consecutive crosses through the alternative germ-lineage. These results suggest that Apobec1 plays a central role in controlling TGCT susceptibility in both a conventional and a transgenerational manner.
Collapse
|
30
|
Bauer H, Schindler S, Charron Y, Willert J, Kusecek B, Herrmann BG. The nucleoside diphosphate kinase gene Nme3 acts as quantitative trait locus promoting non-Mendelian inheritance. PLoS Genet 2012; 8:e1002567. [PMID: 22438820 PMCID: PMC3305403 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1002567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2011] [Accepted: 01/16/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The t-haplotype, a variant form of the t-complex region on mouse chromosome 17, acts as selfish genetic element and is transmitted at high frequencies (> 95%) from heterozygous (t/+) males to their offspring. This phenotype is termed transmission ratio distortion (TRD) and is caused by the interaction of the t-complex responder (Tcr) with several quantitative trait loci (QTL), the t-complex distorters (Tcd1 to Tcd4), all located within the t-haplotype region. Current data suggest that the distorters collectively impair motility of all sperm derived from t/+ males; t-sperm is rescued by the responder, whereas (+)-sperm remains partially dysfunctional. Recently we have identified two distorters as regulators of RHO small G proteins. Here we show that the nucleoside diphosphate kinase gene Nme3 acts as a QTL on TRD. Reduction of the Nme3 dosage by gene targeting of the wild-type allele enhanced the transmission rate of the t-haplotype and phenocopied distorter function. Genetic and biochemical analysis showed that the t-allele of Nme3 harbors a mutation (P89S) that compromises enzymatic activity of the protein and genetically acts as a hypomorph. Transgenic overexpression of the Nme3 t-allele reduced t-haplotype transmission, proving it to be a distorter. We propose that the NME3 protein interacts with RHO signaling cascades to impair sperm motility through hyperactivation of SMOK, the wild-type form of the responder. This deleterious effect of the distorters is counter-balanced by the responder, SMOK(Tcr), a dominant-negative protein kinase exclusively expressed in t-sperm, thus permitting selfish behaviour and preferential transmission of the t-haplotype. In addition, the previously reported association of NME family members with RHO signaling in somatic cell motility and metastasis, in conjunction with our data involving RHO signaling in sperm motility, suggests a functional conservation between mechanisms for motility control in somatic cells and spermatozoa.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hermann Bauer
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
31
|
Abstract
Children of a heterozygous parent are expected to carry either allele with equal probability. Exceptions can occur, however, due to meiotic drive, competition among gametes, or viability selection, which we collectively term “transmission distortion” (TD). Although there are several well-characterized examples of these phenomena, their existence in humans remains unknown. We therefore performed a genome-wide scan for TD by applying the transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) genome-wide to three large sets of human pedigrees of European descent: the Framingham Heart Study (FHS), a founder population of European origin (HUTT), and a subset of the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange (AGRE). Genotyping error is an important confounder in this type of analysis. In FHS and HUTT, despite extensive quality control, we did not find sufficient evidence to exclude genotyping error in the strongest signals. In AGRE, however, many signals extended across multiple SNPs, a pattern highly unlikely to arise from genotyping error. We identified several candidate regions in this data set, notably a locus in 10q26.13 displaying a genome-wide significant TDT in combined female and male transmissions and a signature of recent positive selection, as well as a paternal TD signal in 6p21.1, the same region in which a significant TD signal was previously observed in 30 European males. Neither region replicated in FHS, however, and the paternal signal was not visible in sperm competition assays or as allelic imbalance in sperm. In maternal transmissions, we detected no strong signals near centromeres or telomeres, the regions predicted to be most susceptible to female-specific meiotic drive, but we found a significant enrichment of top signals among genes involved in cell junctions. These results illustrate both the potential benefits and the challenges of using the TDT to study transmission distortion and provide candidates for investigation in future studies.
Collapse
|
32
|
Ellis PJI, Yu Y, Zhang S. Transcriptional dynamics of the sex chromosomes and the search for offspring sex-specific antigens in sperm. Reproduction 2011; 142:609-19. [DOI: 10.1530/rep-11-0228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The ability to pre-select offspring sex via separation of X- and Y-bearing sperm would have profound ramifications for the animal husbandry industry. No fully satisfactory method is as yet available for any species, although flow sorting is commercially viable for cattle. The discovery of antigens that distinguish X- and Y-bearing sperm, i.e. offspring sex-specific antigens (OSSAs), would allow for batched immunological separation of sperm and thus enable a safer, more widely applicable and high-throughput means of sperm sorting. This review addresses the basic processes of spermatogenesis that have complicated the search for OSSAs, in particular the syncytial development of male germ cells, and the transcriptional dynamics of the sex chromosomes during and after meiosis. We survey the various approaches taken to discover OSSA and propose that a whole-genome transcriptional approach to the problem is the most promising avenue for future research in the field.
Collapse
|
33
|
Holt WV, Fazeli A. The oviduct as a complex mediator of mammalian sperm function and selection. Mol Reprod Dev 2010; 77:934-43. [DOI: 10.1002/mrd.21234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2010] [Accepted: 07/22/2010] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
|
34
|
Higginson DM, Pitnick S. Evolution of intra-ejaculate sperm interactions: do sperm cooperate? Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2010; 86:249-70. [PMID: 20608927 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-185x.2010.00147.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dawn M Higginson
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, New York 13244, USA.
| | | |
Collapse
|
35
|
Ziegler A, Santos PSC, Kellermann T, Uchanska-Ziegler B. Self/nonself perception, reproduction and the extended MHC. SELF NONSELF 2010; 1:176-191. [PMID: 21487476 DOI: 10.4161/self.1.3.12736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2010] [Accepted: 06/21/2010] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Self/nonself perception governs mate selection in most eukaryotic species. It relies on a number of natural barriers that act before, during and after copulation. These hurdles prevent a costly investment into an embryo with potentially suboptimal genetic and immunological properties and aim at discouraging fertilization when male and female gametes exhibit extensive sharing of alleles. Due to the fact that several genes belonging to the extended major histocompatibility complex (xMHC) carry out crucial immune functions and are the most polymorphic within vertebrate genomes, it is likely that securing heterozygosity and the selection of rare alleles within this gene complex contributes to endowing the offspring with an advantage in fighting infections. Apart from MHC class I and II antigens, the products of several other genes within the xMHC are candidates for participating in mate choice, especially since the respective loci are subject to long-range linkage disequilibrium which may aid to preserve functionally connected alleles within a given haplotype. Among these loci are polymorphic odorant receptor genes that are expressed not only in the olfactory epithelium, but also within male reproductive tissues. They may thus not only be of importance in olfaction-influenced mate choice, by recognizing MHC-dependent individual-specific olfactory signals, but could also guide spermatozoa along chemical gradients to their target, the oocyte. By focusing on the human HLA complex and genes within its vicinity, we show here that the products of several xMHC-specified molecules might be involved in self/nonself perception during reproduction. Although the molecular details are often unknown, the existence of highly diverse, yet intertwined pre- and post-copulatory barriers suggests that xMHC-encoded proteins may be important for various stages of mate choice, germ cell development, as well as embryonic and foetal life in mammals and other vertebrates. Many of these genes should thus be regarded as crucial not only within the immune system, but also in reproduction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Ziegler
- Institut für Immungenetik; Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin; Campus Benjamin Franklin; Freie Universität Berlin; Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|