1
|
Kotarska K. Moderate concentration of Lactobacillus metabolites does not adversely affect mouse sperm. Syst Biol Reprod Med 2024; 70:124-130. [PMID: 38833571 DOI: 10.1080/19396368.2024.2351112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Many couples in contemporary societies suffer from infertility of unexplained origins (idiopathic). A promising treatment strategy within this context involves the administration to women of preparations containing lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus) and/or their metabolites. Recent investigations underscore the role of lactobacilli in sustaining female fertility and enhancing the effectiveness of assisted reproductive techniques. There have also been reports describing the effect of lactobacilli on sperm functions, but our knowledge in this domain remains uncertain. In this study, the effect of supernatant from Lactobacillus rhamnosus culture on mouse sperm viability and motility was tested. The protective properties of lactobacilli metabolites against hydrogen peroxide-induced DNA damage were also verified. It was shown that the metabolites have no effect on viability, motility, and genome integrity of spermatozoa, but in excessive concentrations they become toxic. The obtained results imply that probiotic and/or postbiotic preparations taken by women should not adversely affect the sperm of their partners, provided the dose is correctly selected.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Kotarska
- Laboratory of Genetics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Department of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Degueldre F, Aron S. Sperm competition increases sperm production and quality in Cataglyphis desert ants. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20230216. [PMID: 36987648 PMCID: PMC10050944 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.0216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Sperm competition is a pervasive evolutionary force that shapes sperm traits to maximize fertilization success. Indeed, it has been shown to increase sperm production in both vertebrates and invertebrates. However, sperm production is energetically costly, which may result in trade-offs among sperm traits. In eusocial hymenopterans, such as ants, mating dynamics impose unique selective pressures on ejaculate. Males are sperm limited: they enter adulthood with a fixed amount of sperm that will not be renewed. We explored whether sperm competition intensity was associated with sperm quantity and quality (i.e. sperm viability and DNA fragmentation) in nine Cataglyphis desert ants. Our results provide phylogenetically robust evidence that sperm competition is positively correlated with sperm production and sperm viability. However, it was unrelated to sperm DNA integrity, indicating the absence of a trade-off involving this trait. These findings underscore that sperm competition may strongly mould sperm traits and drive reproductive performance in eusocial Hymenoptera.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Félicien Degueldre
- Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Brussels B-1050, Belgium
| | - Serge Aron
- Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Brussels B-1050, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Lüth VM, Rempfer C, van Gessel N, Herzog O, Hanser M, Braun M, Decker EL, Reski R. A Physcomitrella PIN protein acts in spermatogenesis and sporophyte retention. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 237:2118-2135. [PMID: 36696950 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The auxin efflux PIN-FORMED (PIN) proteins are conserved in all land plants and important players in plant development. In the moss Physcomitrella (Physcomitrium patens), three canonical PINs (PpPINA-C) are expressed in the leafy shoot (gametophore). PpPINA and PpPINB show functional activity in vegetative growth and sporophyte development. Here, we examined the role of PpPINC in the life cycle of Physcomitrella. We established reporter and knockout lines for PpPINC and analysed vegetative and reproductive tissues using microscopy and transcriptomic sequencing of moss gametangia. PpPINC is expressed in immature leaves, mature gametangia and during sporophyte development. The sperm cells (spermatozoids) of pinC knockout mutants exhibit increased motility and an altered flagella phenotype. Furthermore, the pinC mutants have a higher portion of differentially expressed genes related to spermatogenesis, increased fertility and an increased abortion rate of premeiotic sporophytes. Here, we show that PpPINC is important for spermatogenesis and sporophyte retention. We propose an evolutionary conserved way of polar growth during early moss embryo development and sporophyte attachment to the gametophore while suggesting the mechanical function in sporophyte retention of a ring structure, the Lorch ring.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Volker M Lüth
- Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Christine Rempfer
- Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine (SGBM), University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Nico van Gessel
- Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Oliver Herzog
- Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Melanie Hanser
- Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Marion Braun
- Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Eva L Decker
- Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ralf Reski
- Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine (SGBM), University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- CIBSS - Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence livMatS @ FIT - Freiburg Center for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies, University of Freiburg, 79110, Freiburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Huang K, Zhang T, Zhang W, Gu Y, Yu P, Sun L, Liu Z, Wang T, Xu Y. Multigenerational mistimed feeding drives circadian reprogramming with an impaired unfolded protein response. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1157165. [PMID: 36950678 PMCID: PMC10025471 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1157165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Mistimed food intake in relation to the day/night cycle disrupts the synchrony of circadian rhythms in peripheral tissues and increases the risk of metabolic diseases. However, the health effects over generations have seldom been explored. Here, we established a 10-generation mouse model that was continuously fed with daytime-restricted feeding (DRF). We performed RNA-seq analysis of mouse liver samples obtained every 4 h over a 24 h period from F2, F5 and F10 generations exposed to DRF. Multigenerational DRF programs the diurnal rhythmic transcriptome through a gain or loss of diurnal rhythmicity over generations. Gene ontology (GO) analysis of the differential rhythmic transcriptome revealed that adaptation to persistent DRF is accompanied by impaired endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Consistently, a substantially higher level of folding-deficient proinsulin was observed in F10 liver tissues than in F2 and F5 liver tissues following tail vein injection. Subsequently, tunicamycin induced more hepatocyte death in F10 samples than in F2 and F5 samples. These data demonstrate that mistimed food intake could produce cumulative effects over generations on ER stress sensitivity in mice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kai Huang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and Cambridge-Su Genomic Resource Center, Medical School of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and Cambridge-Su Genomic Resource Center, Medical School of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wenjun Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and Cambridge-Su Genomic Resource Center, Medical School of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yue Gu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and Cambridge-Su Genomic Resource Center, Medical School of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Pan Yu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and Cambridge-Su Genomic Resource Center, Medical School of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lanqing Sun
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhiwei Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and Cambridge-Su Genomic Resource Center, Medical School of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tao Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and Cambridge-Su Genomic Resource Center, Medical School of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
- *Correspondence: Tao Wang, ; Ying Xu,
| | - Ying Xu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and Cambridge-Su Genomic Resource Center, Medical School of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
- *Correspondence: Tao Wang, ; Ying Xu,
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Tourmente M, Sansegundo E, Rial E, Roldan ERS. Bioenergetic changes in response to sperm capacitation and two-way metabolic compensation in a new murine model. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:11. [PMID: 36534181 PMCID: PMC9763147 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04652-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The acquisition of fertilizing ability by mammalian spermatozoa, known as "capacitation," includes processes that depend on particular metabolic pathways. This has led to the hypothesis that ATP demands might differ between capacitated and non-capacitated cells. Mouse sperm can produce ATP via OXPHOS and aerobic glycolysis, an advantageous characteristic considering that these cells have to function in the complex and variable environment of the female reproductive tract. Nonetheless, despite evidence showing that both metabolic pathways play a role in events associated with mouse sperm capacitation, there is contradictory evidence regarding changes promoted by capacitation in this species. In addition, the vast majority of studies regarding murine sperm metabolism use Mus musculus laboratory strains as model, thus neglecting the wide diversity of sperm traits of other species of Mus. Focus on closely related species with distinct evolutionary histories, which may be the result of different selective pressures, could shed light on diversity of metabolic processes. Here, we analyzed variations in sperm bioenergetics associated with capacitation in spermatozoa of the steppe mouse, Mus spicilegus, a species with high sperm performance. Furthermore, we compared sperm metabolic traits of this species with similar traits previously characterized in M. musculus. We found that the metabolism of M. spicilegus sperm responded to capacitation in a manner similar to that of M. musculus sperm. However, M. spicilegus sperm showed distinct metabolic features, including the ability to perform cross-pathway metabolic compensation in response to either respiratory or glycolytic inhibition, thus revealing a delicate fine-tuning of its metabolic capacities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maximiliano Tourmente
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, Madrid, Spain.
- Centro de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales (FCEFyN - UNC), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (IIByT - CONICET, UNC), Córdoba, Argentina.
| | - Ester Sansegundo
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Eduardo Rial
- Department of Structural and Chemical Biology, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Eduardo R S Roldan
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, Madrid, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Sperm morphology and performance in relation to postmating prezygotic isolation in two recently diverged passerine species. Sci Rep 2022; 12:22275. [PMID: 36566302 PMCID: PMC9789955 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-26101-5] [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: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Divergence in sperm phenotype and female reproductive environment may be a common source of postmating prezygotic (PMPZ) isolation between species. However, compared to other reproductive barriers it has received much less attention. In this study, we examined sperm morphology and velocity in two hybridizing passerine species, the common nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos) and thrush nightingale (L. luscinia). In addition, we for the first time characterized a passerine female reproductive tract fluid proteome. We demonstrate that spermatozoa of the common nightingale have significantly longer and wider midpiece (proximal part of the flagellum containing mitochondria) and longer tail compared to spermatozoa of thrush nightingale. On the other hand, they have significantly shorter and narrower acrosome. Importantly, these differences did not have any effect on sperm velocity. Furthermore, the fluid from the reproductive tract of common nightingale females did not differentially affect velocity of conspecific and heterospecific sperm. Our results indicate that the observed changes in the flagellum and acrosome size are unlikely to contribute to PMPZ isolation through differential sperm velocity of conspecific and heterospecific sperm in the female reproductive tract. However, they could affect other postcopulatory processes, which might be involved in PMPZ isolation, such as sperm storage, longevity or sperm-egg interaction.
Collapse
|
7
|
Sanchez-Rodriguez A, Sansegundo E, Tourmente M, Roldan ERS. Effect of High Viscosity on Energy Metabolism and Kinematics of Spermatozoa from Three Mouse Species Incubated under Capacitating Conditions. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232315247. [PMID: 36499575 PMCID: PMC9737050 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232315247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/07/2022] Open
Abstract
In order to sustain motility and prepare for fertilization, sperm require energy. The characterization of sperm ATP production and usage in mouse species revealed substantial differences in metabolic pathways that can be differentially affected by capacitation. Moreover, spermatozoa encounter different environments with varying viscoelastic properties in the female reproductive tract. Here, we examine whether viscosity affects sperm ATP levels and kinematics during capacitation in vitro. Sperm from three mouse species (Mus musculus, M. spretus, M. spicilegus) were incubated under capacitating conditions in a modified Tyrode's medium containing bicarbonate, glucose, pyruvate, lactate, and bovine serum albumin (mT-BH) or in a bicarbonate-free medium as a non-capacitating control. Viscosity was increased with the inclusion of polyvinylpyrrolidone. ATP was measured with a bioluminescence kit, and kinematics were examined with a computer-aided sperm analysis system. In M. musculus sperm, ATP declined during capacitation, but no differences were found between non-capacitating and capacitating sperm. In contrast, in M. spretus and M. spicilegus, ATP levels decreased in capacitating sperm. Increasing viscosity in the medium did not modify the timing or proportion of cells undergoing capacitation but did result in additional time- and concentration-dependent decreases in ATP in M. spretus and M. spicilegus under capacitating conditions. Additionally, increased viscosity altered both velocity and trajectory descriptors. The limited impact of capacitation and higher viscosity on M. musculus sperm ATP and kinematics could be related to the low intensity of postcopulatory sexual selection in this species. Responses seen in the other two species could be linked to the ability of their sperm to perform better under enhanced selective pressures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana Sanchez-Rodriguez
- Departmento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ester Sansegundo
- Departmento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Maximiliano Tourmente
- Departmento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), 28006 Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (FCEFyN—UNC), Córdoba X5016GCA, Argentina
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (IIByT—CONICET, UNC), Córdoba X5016GCA, Argentina
| | - Eduardo R. S. Roldan
- Departmento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), 28006 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Fuentes-Morales MR, Fernández-Guasti A, Juárez M, Lucio RA. Copulatory behaviour and seminal parameters of rapid ejaculator rats during competition and female pacing. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2022.2059785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- María R. Fuentes-Morales
- Doctorado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México C.P. 04510, México
| | | | - Margarita Juárez
- Centro Tlaxcala de Biología de la Conducta, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Carretera Tlaxcala-Puebla km 1.5 s/n, Loma Xicoténcatl C.P. 90062, Tlaxcala, México
| | - Rosa A. Lucio
- Centro Tlaxcala de Biología de la Conducta, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Carretera Tlaxcala-Puebla km 1.5 s/n, Loma Xicoténcatl C.P. 90062, Tlaxcala, México
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Tourmente M, Sanchez-Rodriguez A, Roldan ERS. Effect of Motility Factors D-Penicillamine, Hypotaurine and Epinephrine on the Performance of Spermatozoa from Five Hamster Species. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11040526. [PMID: 35453725 PMCID: PMC9032960 DOI: 10.3390/biology11040526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Analysis of sperm performance under in vitro conditions provides a good indication of fertilizing potential. Parameters such as motility, swimming kinetics, acrosome integrity, or ATP content are thus examined in efforts to characterize such potential. Hamster species are a good model to study sperm parameters that are key determinants of fertilizing capacity because these species are at the higher end of the diversity of mammalian sperm morphology and performance. In vitro functional studies demand that sperm remain viable during a long period of time under conditions that resemble those in the female tract. Sperm from certain species require supplementation of the incubation medium with factors that stimulate viability and swimming, or that promote acquisition of fertilizing capacity. Molecules important for sperm performance in hamsters have been identified, namely D-penicillamine, hypotaurine and epinephrine (PHE). In the present study, we investigated the effect of PHE on spermatozoa from five hamster species incubated for up to 4 h. Our results revealed that PHE maintains sperm performance in the golden hamster, whereas it improves sperm quality in the Chinese hamster. In contrast, it does not seem to have any effect on sperm from the Siberian (Djungarian), Roborovski and Campbell’s dwarf hamsters. These results are valuable to understand the different regulatory mechanisms of sperm motility and survival in different species. Abstract Assessments of sperm performance are valuable tools for the analysis of sperm fertilizing potential and to understand determinants of male fertility. Hamster species constitute important animal models because they produce sperm cells in high quantities and of high quality. Sexual selection over evolutionary time in these species seems to have resulted in the largest mammalian spermatozoa, and high swimming and bioenergetic performances. Earlier studies showed that golden hamster sperm requires motility factors such as D-penicillamine, hypotaurine and epinephrine (PHE) to sustain survival over time, but it is unknown how they affect swimming kinetics or ATP levels and if other hamster species also require them. The objective of the present study was to examine the effect of PHE on spermatozoa of five hamster species (Mesocricetus auratus, Cricetulus griseus, Phodopus campbelli, P. sungorus, P. roborovskii). In sperm incubated for up to 4 h without or with PHE, we assessed motility, viability, acrosome integrity, sperm velocity and trajectory, and ATP content. The results showed differences in the effect of PHE among species. They had a significant positive effect on the maintenance of sperm quality in M. auratus and C. griseus, whereas there was no consistent effect on spermatozoa of the Phodopus species. Differences between species may be the result of varying underlying regulatory mechanisms of sperm performance and may be important to understand how they relate to successful fertilization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maximiliano Tourmente
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Spanish Research Council (CSIC), 28006 Madrid, Spain;
- Centro de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Cordoba X5016GCA, Argentina
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas (IIByT), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científica y Técnicas (CONICET), Cordoba X5016GCA, Argentina
- Correspondence: (M.T.); (E.R.S.R.)
| | - Ana Sanchez-Rodriguez
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Spanish Research Council (CSIC), 28006 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Eduardo R. S. Roldan
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Spanish Research Council (CSIC), 28006 Madrid, Spain;
- Correspondence: (M.T.); (E.R.S.R.)
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Smirnov GY. Sperm Motility in Bank (Clethrionomys glareolus) and Northern Red-backed Voles (Cl. rutilus) Exposed to Industrial Pollution. RUSS J ECOL+ 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s1067413622010106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
|
11
|
Sperm Numbers as a Paternity Guard in a Wild Bird. Cells 2022; 11:cells11020231. [PMID: 35053349 PMCID: PMC8773506 DOI: 10.3390/cells11020231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Sperm competition is thought to impose strong selection on males to produce competitive ejaculates to outcompete rival males under competitive mating conditions. Our understanding of how different sperm traits influence fertilization success, however, remains limited, especially in wild populations. Recent literature highlights the importance of incorporating multiple ejaculate traits and pre-copulatory sexually selected traits in analyses aimed at understanding how selection acts on sperm traits. However, variation in a male’s ability to gain fertilization success may also depend upon a range of social and ecological factors that determine the opportunity for mating events both within and outside of the social pair-bond. Here, we test for an effect of sperm quantity and sperm size on male reproductive success in the red-back fairy-wren (Malurus melanocephalus) while simultaneously accounting for pre-copulatory sexual selection and potential socio-ecological correlates of male mating success. We found that sperm number (i.e., cloacal protuberance volume), but not sperm morphology, was associated with reproductive success in male red-backed fairy-wrens. Most notably, males with large numbers of sperm available for copulation achieved greater within-pair paternity success. Our results suggest that males use large sperm numbers as a defensive strategy to guard within-pair paternity success in a system where there is a high risk of sperm competition and female control of copulation. Finally, our work highlights the importance of accounting for socio-ecological factors that may influence male mating opportunities when examining the role of sperm traits in determining male reproductive success.
Collapse
|
12
|
Sansegundo E, Tourmente M, Roldan ERS. Energy Metabolism and Hyperactivation of Spermatozoa from Three Mouse Species under Capacitating Conditions. Cells 2022; 11:220. [PMID: 35053337 PMCID: PMC8773617 DOI: 10.3390/cells11020220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammalian sperm differ widely in sperm morphology, and several explanations have been presented to account for this diversity. Less is known about variation in sperm physiology and cellular processes that can give sperm cells an advantage when competing to fertilize oocytes. Capacitation of spermatozoa, a process essential for mammalian fertilization, correlates with changes in motility that result in a characteristic swimming pattern known as hyperactivation. Previous studies revealed that sperm motility and velocity depend on the amount of ATP available and, therefore, changes in sperm movement occurring during capacitation and hyperactivation may involve changes in sperm bioenergetics. Here, we examine differences in ATP levels of sperm from three mouse species (genus Mus), differing in sperm competition levels, incubated under non-capacitating and capacitating conditions, to analyse relationships between energetics, capacitation, and swimming patterns. We found that, in general terms, the amount of sperm ATP decreased more rapidly under capacitating conditions. This descent was related to the development of a hyperactivated pattern of movement in two species (M. musculus and M. spicilegus) but not in the other (M. spretus), suggesting that, in the latter, temporal dynamics and energetic demands of capacitation and hyperactivation may be decoupled or that the hyperactivation pattern differs. The decrease in ATP levels during capacitation was steeper in species with higher levels of sperm competition than in those with lower levels. Our results suggest that, during capacitation, sperm consume more ATP than under non-capacitating conditions. This higher ATP consumption may be linked to higher velocity and lateral head displacement, which are associated with hyperactivated motility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ester Sansegundo
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Spanish Research Council (CSIC), 28006 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Maximiliano Tourmente
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Spanish Research Council (CSIC), 28006 Madrid, Spain;
- Centro de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Cordoba X5016GCA, Argentina
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas (IIByT), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científica y Técnicas (CONICET), Cordoba X5016GCA, Argentina
| | - Eduardo R. S. Roldan
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Spanish Research Council (CSIC), 28006 Madrid, Spain;
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
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
|
14
|
Peirce E, Moya-Smith T, Leigh C, Breed W. Intraspecific variation in testis organisation and sperm head morphology of the delicate mouse (Pseudomys delicatulus): its possible causes and consequences. AUSTRALIAN MAMMALOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1071/am20057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The delicate mouse (Pseudomys delicatulus) ranges from Queensland to northern Western Australia. In this study the morphology of the cellular organisation of the testis and cauda epididymal spermatozoa are compared. Individuals from the mainland of the Northern Territory and Western Australia invariably have only 60–70% of the testes composed of seminiferous tubules with the interstitial tissue between the tubules containing abundant lipid rich Leydig cells, whereas the cauda epididymal sperm have highly polymorphic, often pear-shaped, heads and basally attached tails. In individuals from Queensland the seminiferous tubules make up approximately 80% of the testis, whereas in the cauda epididymides the sperm populations are generally less variable and have bilaterally flattened heads with the tail attached to the lower concave surface. These differences in the morphology of the delicate mouse testis and spermatozoa in these two geographic regions suggest differences in intensity of intermale sperm competition, with individuals from northern Western Australia and the mainland of the Northern Territory exhibiting monogamy whereas those from Queensland may exhibit some degree of intermale sperm competition and hence possibly have a polyandrous or promiscuous mating system. These findings support the suggestion that P. delicatulus, as currently recognised, contains at least one cryptic species.
Collapse
|
15
|
Wang TE, Yeh LY, Kuo-Kuang Lee R, Lu CH, Yang TH, Kuo YW, Joshi R, Tsai PS, Li SH. Secretory mouse quiescin sulfhydryl oxidase 1 aggregates defected human and mouse spermatozoa in vitro and in vivo. iScience 2021; 24:103167. [PMID: 34667943 PMCID: PMC8506963 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103167] [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: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
A flavin-dependent enzyme quiescin Q6 sulfhydryl oxidase 1 (QSOX1) catalyzes the oxidation of thiol groups into disulfide bonds. QSOX1 is prominently expressed in the seminal plasma. However, its role in male reproduction is elusive. Here, we purified the secreted form of QSOX1, i.e., QSOX1c, from mouse seminal vesicle secretions and revealed for the first time its function involved in sperm physiology. Exogenous addition of QSOX1c time-dependently promoted the in vitro aggregation of thiol-rich, oxidative stressed, and apoptotic mouse and human sperm cells. Also, in vivo aggregated sperm cells collected from mouse uterine and human ejaculates also showed high levels of QSOX1c, intracellular reactive oxygen species, annexin V, and free thiols. In summary, our studies demonstrated that QSOX1c could agglutinate spermatozoa susceptible to free radical attack and apoptosis. This characteristic may provide an opportunity to separate defective sperm cells and improve sperm quality before artificial insemination in humans and animals. QSOX1c is expressed in the seminal vesicle and presented in the seminal plasma QSOX1c agglutinates thiol-rich, oxidatively stressed, and apoptotic sperm QSOX1c aggregates impaired sperm presented in the mouse uterine and human ejaculates QSOX1c-treated semen may improve the sperm quality for artificial insemination
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tse-En Wang
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Veterinary Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, USA
| | - Ling-Yu Yeh
- Department of Medical Research, MacKay Memorial Hospital, Tamsui, Taiwan
| | - Robert Kuo-Kuang Lee
- Department of Medical Research, MacKay Memorial Hospital, Tamsui, Taiwan.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, MacKay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Hao Lu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, MacKay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tsung-Hsien Yang
- Department of Medical Research, MacKay Memorial Hospital, Tamsui, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Wen Kuo
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Veterinary Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Radhika Joshi
- Graduate Institute of Veterinary Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Shiue Tsai
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Veterinary Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Research Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Sheng-Hsiang Li
- Department of Medical Research, MacKay Memorial Hospital, Tamsui, Taiwan.,MacKay Junior College of Medicine, Nursing, and Management, Taipei, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Baharun A, Said S, Arifiantini RI, Karja NWK. Correlation between age, testosterone and adiponectin concentrations, and sperm abnormalities in Simmental bulls. Vet World 2021; 14:2124-2130. [PMID: 34566330 PMCID: PMC8448644 DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2021.2124-2130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Aim: Capacity for sperm production is affected by age, which is related to the morphology of sperm abnormalities and can affect fertility. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between age and concentrations of testosterone and adiponectin with sperm abnormalities in Simmental bulls. Materials and Methods: The study used 11 bulls, separated into three groups. The first group consisted of five bulls aged 4-5 years, and the second and third groups each consisted of three bulls, aged 6-7 and 8-10 years, respectively. The average sperm motility of the animals ranged from 57.66±2.60% to 70.17±0.22%. Blood samples were obtained from the coccygeal region of the animals. Testosterone and adiponectin analysis was performed using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Sperm morphology was evaluated using carbol fuchsin-eosin staining according to the Williams method. Finally, correlations between testosterone and adiponectin concentrations, age, and sperm abnormalities were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation analysis. Results: The findings revealed a significant correlation (p<0.01) between the concentrations of testosterone and adiponectin (−0.538), age (−0.588), and abnormal sperm morphology (−0.912). Moreover, they revealed that the concentration of testosterone in the bulls aged 8-10 years was lower, at 21.89±4.56 ng/mL, compared to that in the bulls aged 4-5 years, at 36.15±1.29 ng/mL, and 6-7 years, at 35.16±5.39 ng/mL. The findings also revealed a positive correlation between adiponectin concentration and age (0.529) and sperm abnormalities (0.506). The increase in testosterone concentration was inversely related to the adiponectin concentration (−0.538). Moreover, the mean amount of abnormal sperm increased with increasing age: 3.82±0.33% in the group aged 4-5 years, and 4.40±0.72% and 10.20±1.97% in the groups aged 6-7 years and 8-10 years, respectively. Conclusion: The study data indicate that there is a decrease in testosterone concentration, a high adiponectin concentration, and an increase in abnormal sperm with increasing age in bulls.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abdullah Baharun
- Biology Reproductive Program, Post Graduate School, IPB University, Jl. Raya Dramaga, Dramaga Campus, Bogor 16680, Indonesia.,Animals Science Program, Faculty of Agriculture, Djuanda University, Jl. Tol Jagorawi No.1, Ciawi, Bogor 16720, Indonesia
| | - Syahruddin Said
- Research Center for Biotechnology, Indonesia Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Jl. Raya Jakarta-Bogor, Cibinong, Bogor 16911, Indonesia
| | - Raden Iis Arifiantini
- Department of Clinic, Reproduction, and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, IPB University, Jl. Agatis, Dramaga Campus, Bogor 16680, Indonesia
| | - Ni Wayan K Karja
- Department of Clinic, Reproduction, and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, IPB University, Jl. Agatis, Dramaga Campus, Bogor 16680, Indonesia
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
van der Horst G, Kotzè S, O'Riain MJ, Muller N, Maree L. A possible highway system for the rapid delivery of sperm from the testis to the penis in the naked mole-rat, Heterocephalus glaber. J Morphol 2021; 282:1478-1498. [PMID: 34296784 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.21399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Gametogenesis is suppressed in most members of the eusocial naked mole-rat (NMR) colony, while the queen selects mainly one breeding male during her life span. Recently, it was reported that the NMR testicular organization seems to produce spermatozoa on demand after suppression of spermatogenesis during most of gestation. A Sertoli cell "pump" is then used to flush the spermatozoa into short tubuli recti and simplified rete testis to reach the excurrent duct system. We hypothesize that the components of this duct system are adapted for rapid delivery of spermatozoa to the penis and for numerous copulations with the queen. Therefore, the aim was to study the ultrastructure of the male NMR reproductive duct system using light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The NMR rete testis gives rise to six to eight efferent tubules joining the caput epididymis. The caput epididymis resembles that of other rodents but with less distinction in terms of histological zoning. The remainder of the epididymis is considerably reduced in length compared to other rodents. In contrast, the vas deferens epithelium is highly specialized in that a vast range of vesicles, often closely associated with the spermatozoa, were visible. The large ampulla is a factory for merocrine and apocrine secretions, producing even more diverse vesicles. The transitional epithelial cells of the bladder appear to secrete abundant mucous and the penis as well as its baculum is relatively small. We speculate that these modifications strongly suggest that the excurrent duct system has been simplified and adjusted to compensate for the absence of long maturation and storage of spermatozoa. We propose that these adaptations to the NMR reproductive tract are associated with a state of degenerative orthogenesis that was selected for due to the absence of sperm competition and apparently rapid delivery of spermatozoa from the testis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gerhard van der Horst
- Department of Medical, Biosciences, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa
| | - Sanet Kotzè
- Division of Clinical Anatomy, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.,Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Basseterre, St. Kitts, West Indies
| | | | - Nolan Muller
- National Health Laboratory Services, Anatomical Pathology, Tygerberg Hospital, Parow, South Africa
| | - Liana Maree
- Department of Medical, Biosciences, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Arévalo L, Tourmente M, Varea-Sánchez M, Ortiz-García D, Roldan ERS. Sexual selection towards a protamine expression ratio optimum in two rodent groups? Evolution 2021; 75:2124-2131. [PMID: 34224143 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Post-copulatory sexual selection is thought to influence the evolution of genes involved in reproduction. However, the detection of straightforward effects has been proven difficult due to the complexity and diversity of reproductive landscapes found in different taxa. Here, we compare the possible effect of relative testes mass as a sperm competition proxy on protamine genotype (protamine 1/protamine 2 ratio) and the link to sperm head phenotype in two rodent groups, mice, and voles. In mice, protamine expression ratios were found to increase from low values toward a 1:1 ratio in a positive association with testes mass, and relative sperm head area. In contrast, in voles, decreasing protamine expression ratios were found in species with larger testes but, surprisingly, they range from high values, again toward a 1:1 ratio, and showing a negative correlation with relative sperm head area. Altogether, we found differences in the way protamines seem to be selected and involved in adaptations of the sperm head in voles and mice. However, sexual selection driven by sperm competition seems to exhibit a common evolutionary pattern in both groups toward an equilibrium in the expression of the two protamines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lena Arévalo
- Reproductive Ecology and Biology Group, Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Madrid, 28006, Spain.,Developmental Pathology, University of Bonn Medical School, Bonn, 53127, Germany
| | - Maximiliano Tourmente
- Reproductive Ecology and Biology Group, Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Madrid, 28006, Spain.,Centre for Cell and Molecular Biology. Faculty of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, X5016GCA, Argentina.,Institute for Biological and Technological Research (IIByT), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Córdoba, X5016GCA, Argentina
| | - María Varea-Sánchez
- Reproductive Ecology and Biology Group, Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Madrid, 28006, Spain
| | - Daniel Ortiz-García
- Reproductive Ecology and Biology Group, Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Madrid, 28006, Spain
| | - Eduardo R S Roldan
- Reproductive Ecology and Biology Group, Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Madrid, 28006, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
|
20
|
Reuland C, Simmons LW, Lüpold S, Fitzpatrick JL. Weapons Evolve Faster Than Sperm in Bovids and Cervids. Cells 2021; 10:cells10051062. [PMID: 33947050 PMCID: PMC8145498 DOI: 10.3390/cells10051062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In polyandrous species, males face reproductive competition both before and after mating. Sexual selection thus shapes the evolution of both pre- and postcopulatory traits, creating competing demands on resource allocation to different reproductive episodes. Traits subject to strong selection exhibit accelerated rates of phenotypic divergence, and examining evolutionary rates may inform us about the relative importance and potential fitness consequences of investing in traits under either pre- or postcopulatory sexual selection. Here, we used a comparative approach to assess evolutionary rates of key competitive traits in two artiodactyl families, bovids (family Bovidae) and cervids (family Cervidae), where male–male competition can occur before and after mating. We quantified and compared evolutionary rates of male weaponry (horns and antlers), body size/mass, testes mass, and sperm morphometrics. We found that weapons evolve faster than sperm dimensions. In contrast, testes and body mass evolve at similar rates. These results suggest strong, but differential, selection on both pre- and postcopulatory traits in bovids and cervids. Furthermore, we documented distinct evolutionary rates among different sperm components, with sperm head and midpiece evolving faster than the flagellum. Finally, we demonstrate that, despite considerable differences in weapon development between bovids and cervids, the overall evolutionary patterns between these families were broadly consistent.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Charel Reuland
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18b, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden;
| | - Leigh W. Simmons
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia;
| | - Stefan Lüpold
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland;
| | - John L. Fitzpatrick
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18b, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden;
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Han C, Liu C, Geng J, Tang Y, Li Y, Wang Y, Xie Z. Black and Green Tea Supplements Ameliorate Male Infertility in a Murine Model of Obesity. J Med Food 2020; 23:1303-1311. [PMID: 33185491 DOI: 10.1089/jmf.2020.4784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Obesity, a chronic metabolic disorder, can affect male reproductive function. As a functional beverage, tea has many biological activities and potential in the treatment of obesity. However, its effects on male reproductive damage induced by obesity are not yet clear. In this study, a murine model of obesity was established by feeding with high-fat diet (HF). A total of 24 male mice were divided into four groups: normal diet (control), HF, HF supplemented with 5% green tea powder (HF+G), and HF supplemented with 5% black tea powder (HF+B). The results showed that the HF + B significantly reduced the mouse body weight gain and testicular coefficient and lowered the serum insulin and leptin levels compared with the HF group. The sperm malformation rate of mice in the HF group had a significant increase when compared with the control group, the HF + B group had a significant decrease compared with the HF group, and no difference from the control group. The HF + G and HF + B significantly increased testosterone levels in serum compared with the HF group. The testosterone production-related gene cytochrome P450 family 11 subfamily a member (CYP11A1) and cytochrome p450 family 17 subfamily a member 1 (CYP17A1) expressions in testis were significantly increased in the HF + G group compared with HF group. In addition, the HF + G and HF + B abolished the effects of HF on superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde, and glutathione levels in testis and antioxidant-related gene expressions of XRCC1 and SOD1. Overall, our findings have provided evidence that black and green tea has a positive effect on reducing reproductive damage in a male murine model of obesity, and that black tea is more effective than green tea.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chunyang Han
- College of Animal Science and Technology, and Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Cuiyan Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, and Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
- State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Jiangsu Geng
- College of Animal Science and Technology, and Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Yun Tang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, and Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Yunsheng Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, and Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Yijun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Zhongwen Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Firman RC. Of mice and women: advances in mammalian sperm competition with a focus on the female perspective. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 375:20200082. [PMID: 33070720 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Although initially lagging behind discoveries being made in other taxa, mammalian sperm competition is now a productive and advancing field of research. Sperm competition in mammals is not merely a 'sprint-race' between the gametes of rival males, but rather a race over hurdles; those hurdles being the anatomical and physiological barriers provided by the female reproductive tract, as well as the egg and its vestments. With this in mind, in this review, I discuss progress in the field while focusing on the female perspective. I highlight ways by which sperm competition can have positive effects on female reproductive success and discuss how competitive outcomes are not only owing to dynamics between the ejaculates of rival males, but also attributable to mechanisms by which female mammals bias paternity toward favourable sires. Drawing on examples across different species-from mice to humans-I provide an overview of the accumulated evidence which firmly establishes that sperm competition is a key selective force in the evolution of male traits and detail how females can respond to increased sperm competitiveness with increased egg resistance to fertilization. I also discuss evidence for facultative responses to the sperm competition environment observed within mammal species. Overall, this review identifies shortcomings in our understanding of the specific mechanisms by which female mammals 'select' sperm. More generally, this review demonstrates how, moving forward, mammals will continue to be effective animal models for studying both evolutionary and facultative responses to sperm competition. This article is part of the theme issue 'Fifty years of sperm competition'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Renée C Firman
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Lüpold S, Reil JB, Manier MK, Zeender V, Belote JM, Pitnick S. How female × male and male × male interactions influence competitive fertilization in Drosophila melanogaster. Evol Lett 2020; 4:416-429. [PMID: 33014418 PMCID: PMC7523561 DOI: 10.1002/evl3.193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Revised: 08/02/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
How males and females contribute to joint reproductive success has been a long‐standing question in sexual selection. Under postcopulatory sexual selection, paternity success is predicted to derive from complex interactions among females engaging in cryptic female choice and males engaging in sperm competition. Such interactions have been identified as potential sources of genetic variation in sexually selected traits but are also expected to inhibit trait diversification. To date, studies of interactions between females and competing males have focused almost exclusively on genotypes and not phenotypic variation in sexually selected traits. Here, we characterize within‐ and between‐sex interactions in Drosophila melanogaster using isogenic lines with heritable variation in both male and female traits known to influence competitive fertilization. We confirmed, and expanded on, previously reported genotypic interactions within and between the sexes, and showed that several reproductive events, including sperm transfer, female sperm ejection, and sperm storage, were explained by two‐ and three‐way interactions among sex‐specific phenotypes. We also documented complex interactions between the lengths of competing males’ sperm and the female seminal receptacle, which are known to have experienced rapid female‐male co‐diversification. Our results highlight the nonindependence of sperm competition and cryptic female choice and demonstrate that complex interactions between the sexes do not limit the ability of multivariate systems to respond to directional sexual selection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Lüpold
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies University of Zurich Zurich CH-8057 Switzerland.,Department of Biology Syracuse University Syracuse New York 13244
| | - Jonathan Bradley Reil
- Department of Entomology Cornell University Ithaca New York 14853.,Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences University of Hawaii at Mānoa Honolulu Hawaii 96822
| | - Mollie K Manier
- Department of Biology Syracuse University Syracuse New York 13244.,Department of Biological Sciences George Washington University Washington DC 20052
| | - Valérian Zeender
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies University of Zurich Zurich CH-8057 Switzerland
| | - John M Belote
- Department of Biology Syracuse University Syracuse New York 13244
| | - Scott Pitnick
- Department of Biology Syracuse University Syracuse New York 13244
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Breed WG, Ding X, Tuke J, Leigh C. Morphological diversity of the spermatozoon and male reproductive tract in Australian Hopping mice, genus
Notomys
– is it determined by sexual selection? J Zool (1987) 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- W. G. Breed
- School of Biological Sciences Faculty of Sciences and The Robinson Research Institute The University of Adelaide Adelaide SA Australia
| | - X. Ding
- Adelaide Medical School Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences The University of Adelaide Adelaide SA Australia
| | - J. Tuke
- School of Mathematical Sciences The University of Adelaide SA Australia
| | - C.M. Leigh
- Adelaide Medical School Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences The University of Adelaide Adelaide SA Australia
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
de Souza AR, Santos EF, Nascimento FSD, Stanyon R, Lino-Neto J, Beani L. Sexually dimorphic traits and male fertility in a paper wasp. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blaa044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Females of many social Hymenoptera commit their reproductive potential to a single male; they mate once and never re-mate. Sexual selection theory predicts that under this regimen female precopulatory mate choice is crucial. The targets of female choice, male secondary sexual traits, should convey information about the functional fertility of the male. Here, we evaluated semen quality and its correlates in the paper wasp Polistes dominula, a monandric species with a lek-based mating system. The main goal of the study was to test whether sperm viability and the total number of sperm covaried with sexually dimorphic abdominal spots, body size and parasitic infection by Xenos vesparum. Surprisingly, superior male fertility was not predicted by attractive sexual traits, such as little round spots and large body size. We also found no effect of the parasite on male fertility, sexual ornamentation or body size. We found only that sperm viability was positively associated with the number of sperm. Moreover, there was evidence of a counterintuitive relationship between (sexually unattractive) large irregular spots and large body size of dominant successful males. Overall, our results suggest a condition-dependent trade-off between body size and costly sexual signals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- André Rodrigues de Souza
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Fernando Santos
- Departamento de Zoologia e Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual Paulista ‘Júlio de Mesquita Filho’, São José do Rio Preto, Brazil
| | - Fábio Santos Do Nascimento
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Roscoe Stanyon
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - José Lino-Neto
- Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Brazil
| | - Laura Beani
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Tourmente M, Varea-Sánchez M, Roldan ERS. Faster and more efficient swimming: energy consumption of murine spermatozoa under sperm competition†. Biol Reprod 2020; 100:420-428. [PMID: 30203065 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioy197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2017] [Revised: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 09/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
ATP supply is essential for sperm performance and increases in ATP content coevolve with enhanced sperm swimming velocity as a response to sperm competition in rodents. ATP content is the balance between production and consumption but, although ATP production has received much attention, little is known about ATP consumption. The rate of ATP consumption is crucial for the propagation of the flagellar wave, becoming a main determinant of the time and distance sperm could move before exhausting their reserves. A high yield in distance per unit of ATP consumed (efficiency) could provide advantages in sperm competition. We characterized sperm ATP consumption rate in a group of mouse species with different sperm competition levels to understand its impact on swimming velocity, duration, and yield of sperm ATP reserves. Interspecific comparisons revealed that sperm of species with higher sperm competition levels had high ATP consumption rates and faster swimming velocity. Moreover, sperm that consumed ATP at a faster rate swam more efficiently, since they were able to cover more distance per unit of ATP consumed. Our results suggest that by coupling the advantages of higher ATP turnover rates to increased efficiency of ATP expenditure, sperm would respond to increasingly competitive environments while maintaining a positive ATP balance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maximiliano Tourmente
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Madrid, Spain
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
| | - María Varea-Sánchez
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Madrid, Spain
| | - Eduardo R S Roldan
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Schaschl H, Wallner B. Population-specific, recent positive directional selection suggests adaptation of human male reproductive genes to different environmental conditions. BMC Evol Biol 2020; 20:27. [PMID: 32054438 PMCID: PMC7020506 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-019-1575-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Recent human transcriptomic analyses revealed a very large number of testis-enriched genes, many of which are involved in spermatogenesis. This comprehensive transcriptomic data lead us to the question whether positive selection was a decisive force influencing the evolution and variability of testis-enriched genes in humans. We used two methodological approaches to detect different levels of positive selection, namely episodic positive diversifying selection (i.e., past selection) in the human lineage within primate phylogeny, potentially driven by sperm competition, and recent positive directional selection in contemporary human populations, which would indicate adaptation to different environments. Results In the human lineage (after correction for multiple testing) we found that only the gene TULP2, for which no functional data are yet available, is subject to episodic positive diversifying selection. Using less stringent statistical criteria (uncorrected p-values), also the gene SPATA16, which has a pivotal role in male fertility and for which episodes of adaptive evolution have been suggested, also displays a putative signal of diversifying selection in the human branch. At the same time, we found evidence for recent positive directional selection acting on several human testis-enriched genes (MORC1, SLC9B1, ROPN1L, DMRT1, PLCZ1, RNF17, FAM71D and WBP2NL) that play important roles in human spermatogenesis and fertilization. Most of these genes are population-specifically under positive selection. Conclusion Episodic diversifying selection, possibly driven by sperm competition, was not an important force driving the evolution of testis-enriched genes in the human lineage. Population-specific, recent positive directional selection suggests an adaptation of male reproductive genes to different environmental conditions. Positive selection acts on eQTLS and sQTLs, indicating selective effects on important gene regulatory functions. In particular, the transcriptional diversity regulated by sQTLs in testis-enriched genes may be important for spermatocytes to respond to environmental and physiological stress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Helmut Schaschl
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Bernard Wallner
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Mating behavior differences in monogamous and polygamous sympatric closely related species Mus musculus and Mus spicilegus and their role in behavioral precopulatory isolation. RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF THERIOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.15298/rusjtheriol.18.2.01] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
|
29
|
Liao WB, Zhong MJ, Lüpold S. Sperm quality and quantity evolve through different selective processes in the Phasianidae. Sci Rep 2019; 9:19278. [PMID: 31848414 PMCID: PMC6917726 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-55822-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Sperm competition is often considered the primary selective force underlying the rapid and diversifying evolution of ejaculate traits. Yet, several recent studies have drawn attention to other forms of selection with the potential of exceeding the effects of sperm competition. Since ejaculates are complex, multivariate traits, it seems plausible that different ejaculate components vary in their responses to different selective pressures. Such information, however, is generally lacking as individual ejaculate traits tend to be studied in isolation. Here, we studied the macroevolutionary patterns of ejaculate volume, sperm number, sperm length and the proportion of viable normal sperm in response to varying levels of sperm competition, body size and the duration of female sperm storage in pheasants and allies (Phasianidae). Ejaculate volume, sperm number and sperm viability were all relatively higher in polygamous than in monogamous mating systems. However, whereas ejaculate volume additionally covaried with body size, sperm number instead increased with the female sperm-storage duration, in conjunction with a decrease in sperm length. Overall, our results revealed important details on how different forms of selection can jointly shape ejaculates as complex, composite traits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wen Bo Liao
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong, 637009, Sichuan, China. .,Key Laboratory of Artificial Propagation and Utilization in Anurans of Nanchong City, China West Normal University, Nanchong, Sichuan, 637009, China. .,Institute of Eco-adaptation in Amphibians and Reptiles, China West Normal University, Nanchong, 637009, Sichuan, China.
| | - Mao Jun Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong, 637009, Sichuan, China.,Key Laboratory of Artificial Propagation and Utilization in Anurans of Nanchong City, China West Normal University, Nanchong, Sichuan, 637009, China.,Institute of Eco-adaptation in Amphibians and Reptiles, China West Normal University, Nanchong, 637009, Sichuan, China
| | - Stefan Lüpold
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich-Irchel, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Breed WG, Hassan H, Gonzalez M, McLennan HJ, Leigh CM, Heaney LR. Interspecific diversity of testes mass and sperm morphology in the Philippine chrotomyine rodents: implications for differences in breeding systems across the species. Reprod Fertil Dev 2019; 31:705-711. [PMID: 30475689 DOI: 10.1071/rd18278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The high diversity of native Philippine murid rodents includes an old endemic group, the chrotomyines, which are the sister group of the Australasian hydromyines. Herein we detail their interspecific diversity of relative testes mass (RTM) and sperm morphology. We find that in chrotomyines, as in the Australasian hydromyines, testes mass relative to body mass differs by an order of magnitude across the species and ranges from a large RTM in Soricomys and Chrotomys species to a small RTM in Apomys. Sperm morphology is associated with these findings, with individuals in species of Soricomys and Chrotomys producing relatively larger spermatozoa with a prominent apical hook and long tail, whereas, by contrast, the Apomys species have a sperm head that either has a very short or no apical hook and a shorter tail. These findings indicate coevolution of RTM with sperm morphological traits across the species, with the marked interspecific differences in RTM suggesting differences in the intensity of intermale sperm competition and hence breeding system. Thus, we hypothesise that species of Soricomys and Chrotomys that produce more streamlined spermatozoa with longer tails have a polyandrous or promiscuous mating system, whereas the Apomys species, which produce smaller and less streamlined spermatozoa, may exhibit monogamy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William G Breed
- Robinson Research Institute, School of Medicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Hazirah Hassan
- Robinson Research Institute, School of Medicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Macarena Gonzalez
- Robinson Research Institute, School of Medicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Hanna J McLennan
- Robinson Research Institute, School of Medicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Chris M Leigh
- Robinson Research Institute, School of Medicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Lawrence R Heaney
- Field Museum of Natural History, Division of Mammals, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60605, USA
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Tourmente M, Archer CR, Hosken DJ. Complex interactions between sperm viability and female fertility. Sci Rep 2019; 9:15366. [PMID: 31653962 PMCID: PMC6814814 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51672-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Sperm viability is a major male fitness component, with higher sperm viability associated with enhanced sperm competitiveness. While many studies have focussed on sperm viability from the male fitness standpoint, its impact on female fitness is less clear. Here we used a panel of 32 isogenic Drosophila simulans lines to test for genetic variation in sperm viability (percentage of viable cells). We then tested whether sperm viability affected female fitness by mating females to males from low or high sperm viability genotypes. We found significant variation in sperm viability among genotypes, and consistent with this, sperm viability was highly repeatable within genotypes. Additionally, females mated to high sperm viability males laid more eggs in the first seven hours after mating, and produced more offspring in total. However, the early increase in oviposition did not result in more offspring in the 8 hours following mating, suggesting that mating with high sperm-viability genotypes leads to egg wastage for females shortly after copulation. Although mating with high sperm-viability males resulted in higher female fitness in the long term, high quality ejaculates would result in a short-term female fitness penalty, or at least lower realised fitness, potentially generating sexual conflict over optimal sperm viability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maximiliano Tourmente
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, United Kingdom.
| | - C Ruth Archer
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, United Kingdom.,Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - David J Hosken
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Roldan ERS. Sperm competition and the evolution of sperm form and function in mammals. Reprod Domest Anim 2019; 54 Suppl 4:14-21. [DOI: 10.1111/rda.13552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2019] [Revised: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo R. S. Roldan
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology; Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC); Madrid Spain
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Shepard KA, Korsak LIT, DeBartolo D, Akins MR. Axonal localization of the fragile X family of RNA binding proteins is conserved across mammals. J Comp Neurol 2019; 528:502-519. [PMID: 31502255 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Revised: 09/04/2019] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Spatial segregation of proteins to neuronal axons arises in part from local translation of mRNAs that are first transported into axons in ribonucleoprotein particles (RNPs), complexes containing mRNAs and RNA binding proteins. Understanding the importance of local translation for a particular circuit requires not only identifying axonal RNPs and their mRNA cargoes, but also whether these RNPs are broadly conserved or restricted to only a few species. Fragile X granules (FXGs) are axonal RNPs containing the fragile X related family of RNA binding proteins along with ribosomes and specific mRNAs. FXGs were previously identified in mouse, rat, and human brains in a conserved subset of neuronal circuits but with species-dependent developmental profiles. Here, we asked whether FXGs are a broadly conserved feature of the mammalian brain and sought to better understand the species-dependent developmental expression pattern. We found FXGs in a conserved subset of neurons and circuits in the brains of every examined species that together include mammalian taxa separated by up to 160 million years of divergent evolution. A developmental analysis of rodents revealed that FXG expression in frontal cortex and olfactory bulb followed consistent patterns in all species examined. In contrast, FXGs in hippocampal mossy fibers increased in abundance across development for most species but decreased across development in guinea pigs and members of the Mus genus, animals that navigate particularly small home ranges in the wild. The widespread conservation of FXGs suggests that axonal translation is an ancient, conserved mechanism for regulating the proteome of mammalian axons.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Lulu I T Korsak
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | | | - Michael R Akins
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Støstad HN, Rowe M, Johnsen A, Lifjeld JT. Sperm head abnormalities are more frequent in songbirds with more helical sperm: A possible trade-off in sperm evolution. J Evol Biol 2019; 32:666-674. [PMID: 30945783 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13446] [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: 10/11/2018] [Revised: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Sperm morphology varies enormously across the animal kingdom. Whilst knowledge of the factors that drive the evolution of interspecific variation in sperm morphology is accumulating, we currently have little understanding of factors that may constrain evolutionary change in sperm traits. We investigated whether susceptibility to sperm abnormalities could represent such a constraint in songbirds, a group characterized by a distinctive helical sperm head shape. Specifically, using 36 songbird species and data from light and scanning electron microscopy, we examined among-species correlations between the occurrence of sperm head abnormalities and sperm morphology, as well as the correlation between sperm head abnormalities and two indicators of sperm competition. We found that species with more helically shaped sperm heads (i.e., a wider helical membrane and more pronounced cell waveform) had a higher percentage of abnormal sperm heads than species with less helical sperm (i.e., relatively straight sperm) and that sperm head traits were better predictors of head abnormalities than total sperm length. In contrast, there was no correlation between sperm abnormalities and the level of sperm competition. Given that songbird species with more pronounced helical sperm have higher average sperm swimming speed, our results suggest an evolutionary trade-off between sperm performance and the structural integrity of the sperm head. As such, susceptibility to morphological abnormalities may constrain the evolution of helical sperm morphology in songbirds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Melissah Rowe
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Biosciences, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Arild Johnsen
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jan T Lifjeld
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Kotenkova EV, Mal’tsev AN, Ambaryan AV. Experimental Analysis of the Reproductive Potential of House Mice (Mus musculus sensu lato, Rodentia, Muridae) in Transcaucasia and Other Regions. BIOL BULL+ 2019. [DOI: 10.1134/s106235901808006x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
|
36
|
López Juri G, Chiaraviglio M, Cardozo G. Electrostimulation is an effective and safe method for semen collection in medium-sized lizards. Theriogenology 2018; 118:40-45. [DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2018.05.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2018] [Revised: 05/26/2018] [Accepted: 05/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
|
37
|
Mazoch V, Mikula O, Bryja J, Konvičková H, Russo IR, Verheyen E, Šumbera R. Phylogeography of a widespread sub-Saharan murid rodent Aethomys chrysophilus: the role of geographic barriers and paleoclimate in the Zambezian bioregion. MAMMALIA 2018. [DOI: 10.1515/mammalia-2017-0001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Murid rodents of the genus Aethomys are one of the most common rodents in drier habitats in sub-Saharan Africa. Among them, the red veld rat Aethomys chrysophilus is the most widespread species with the core distribution located in the Zambezian bioregion. In this study, we describe phylogeographic structure of the species and estimate its age from a time-calibrated phylogeny of the genus. Seven parapatric clades were identified in the mitochondrial cytochrome b phylogeny, where some of the distributions of these clades have been separated by previously described biogeographical divides (Zambezi-Kafue river system, Rukwa Rift and the Eastern Arc Mountains). One internal clade corresponded to populations previously described as a distinct species, Aethomys ineptus. The whole A. chrysophilus complex was estimated to be 1.3 (0.5–2.4) Mya old, with A. ineptus originating 0.7 (0.1–1.4) Mya before present. The internal position of A. ineptus was also recovered in phylogenetic reconstruction based on two nuclear genes and thus it is not a consequence of mitochondrial introgression. In addition, we analyzed skull form variation across the species’ distributional range and found no significant difference between A. ineptus and the rest of A. chrysophilus complex.
Collapse
|
38
|
Maltsev AN, Ambaryan AV, Kotenkova EV. Evaluation of the Fertility of Ecologically Different Forms of House Mice and Hybrids of the Superspecies Complex Mus musculus sensu lato (Rodentia: Muridae). BIOL BULL+ 2018. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062359017100089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
|
39
|
Dubey A, Saxena S, Mishra G, Omkar. Mating experience influences mate choice and reproductive output in an aphidophagous ladybird, Menochilus sexmaculatus. ANIM BIOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1163/15707563-17000128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Information about mating status can be used to decide about whether to invest resources in mating with a particular partner. In the present study, we evaluated mate choice in relation to the mating experience of males and females of Menochilus sexmaculatus. We subjected both unmated and multiply mated males and females to different mate choice trials. The mating experience of the adults includes unmated, once-mated, twice-mated and multiply mated. The mate choice trials revealed that unmated adults were preferred over mated adults by both unmated and multiply mated partners. This preference for unmated partners also had consequences for mating behaviour and reproductive output. Unmated and multiply mated females commenced mating with unmated males earlier. In addition, unmated and multiply mated males invested more time in copula with unmated females. Moreover, females mated with unmated males were more fecund than those mated with previously mated males. This suggests that mating experience of mates may influence mating and reproductive behaviour in this species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ankita Dubey
- Ladybird Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Lucknow, Lucknow-226007, India
| | - Swati Saxena
- Ladybird Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Lucknow, Lucknow-226007, India
| | - Geetanjali Mishra
- Ladybird Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Lucknow, Lucknow-226007, India
| | - Omkar
- Ladybird Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Lucknow, Lucknow-226007, India
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Pahl T, McLennan HJ, Wang Y, Achmadi AS, Rowe KC, Aplin K, Breed WG. Sperm morphology of the Rattini – are the interspecific differences due to variation in intensity of intermale sperm competition? Reprod Fertil Dev 2018; 30:1434-1442. [DOI: 10.1071/rd17431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2017] [Accepted: 04/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
It is widely accepted that in mammals a causal relationship exists between postcopulatory sexual selection and relative testes mass of the species concerned, but how much it determines sperm size and shape is debatable. Here we detailed for the largest murine rodent tribe, the Rattini, the interspecific differences in relative testes mass and sperm form. We found that residual testes mass correlates with sperm head apical hook length as well as its angle, together with tail length, and that within several lineages a few species have evolved highly divergent sperm morphology with a reduced or absent apical hook and shorter tail. Although most species have a relative testes mass of 1–4%, these derived sperm traits invariably co-occur in species with much smaller relative testes mass. We therefore suggest that high levels of intermale sperm competition maintain a sperm head with a long apical hook and long tail, whereas low levels of intermale sperm competition generally result in divergent sperm heads with a short or non-existent apical hook and shorter tail. We thus conclude that sexual selection is a major selective force in driving sperm head form and tail length in this large tribe of murine rodents.
Collapse
|
41
|
Cooper JC, Phadnis N. Parallel Evolution of Sperm Hyper-Activation Ca2+ Channels. Genome Biol Evol 2017; 9:1938-1949. [PMID: 28810709 PMCID: PMC5553355 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evx131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Sperm hyper-activation is a dramatic change in sperm behavior where mature sperm burst into a final sprint in the race to the egg. The mechanism of sperm hyper-activation in many metazoans, including humans, consists of a jolt of Ca2+ into the sperm flagellum via CatSper ion channels. Surprisingly, all nine CatSper genes have been independently lost in several animal lineages. In Drosophila, sperm hyper-activation is performed through the cooption of the polycystic kidney disease 2 (pkd2) Ca2+ channel. The parallels between CatSpers in primates and pkd2 in Drosophila provide a unique opportunity to examine the molecular evolution of the sperm hyper-activation machinery in two independent, nonhomologous calcium channels separated by > 500 million years of divergence. Here, we use a comprehensive phylogenomic approach to investigate the selective pressures on these sperm hyper-activation channels. First, we find that the entire CatSper complex evolves rapidly under recurrent positive selection in primates. Second, we find that pkd2 has parallel patterns of adaptive evolution in Drosophila. Third, we show that this adaptive evolution of pkd2 is driven by its role in sperm hyper-activation. These patterns of selection suggest that the evolution of the sperm hyper-activation machinery is driven by sexual conflict with antagonistic ligands that modulate channel activity. Together, our results add sperm hyper-activation channels to the class of fast evolving reproductive proteins and provide insights into the mechanisms used by the sexes to manipulate sperm behavior.
Collapse
|
42
|
Delbarco-Trillo J, Tourmente M, Varea-Sánchez M, Roldan ERS. Is male reproductive senescence minimized in Mus species with high levels of sperm competition? Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blx146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
|
43
|
Liao WB, Huang Y, Zeng Y, Zhong MJ, Luo Y, Lüpold S. Ejaculate evolution in external fertilizers: Influenced by sperm competition or sperm limitation? Evolution 2017; 72:4-17. [PMID: 28975611 DOI: 10.1111/evo.13372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2017] [Revised: 09/22/2017] [Accepted: 09/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The evolution of sperm quality and quantity is shaped by various selective processes, with sperm competition generally considered the primary selective agent. Particularly in external fertilizers, however, sperm limitation through gamete dispersal can also influence gamete investments, but empirical data examining this effect are limited. Here, we studied the relative importance of sperm competition and the spawning conditions in explaining the macroevolutionary patterns of sperm size and number within two taxa with external fertilization but differences in their reproductive biology. In frogs, sperm swim slowly but for up to hours as they penetrate the gelatinous egg coating, whereas fish sperm typically swim fast, are very short-lived (seconds to minutes), and often face a relatively higher risk of being moved away from the ova by currents. Our phylogenetic models and path analyses revealed different trajectories of ejaculate evolution in these two taxa. Sperm size and number responded primarily to variation in sperm competition in the anurans, but more strongly to egg number and water turbulence in the fishes. Whereas the results across anurans align with the general expectation that sexual selection is the main driver of ejaculate evolution, our findings across the fishes suggest that sperm limitation has been underappreciated.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wen Bo Liao
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong 637009, Sichuan, China
| | - Yan Huang
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong 637009, Sichuan, China
| | - Yu Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong 637009, Sichuan, China
| | - Mao Jun Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong 637009, Sichuan, China
| | - Yi Luo
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong 637009, Sichuan, China
| | - Stefan Lüpold
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich-Irchel, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Vicens A, Borziak K, Karr TL, Roldan ERS, Dorus S. Comparative Sperm Proteomics in Mouse Species with Divergent Mating Systems. Mol Biol Evol 2017; 34:1403-1416. [PMID: 28333336 PMCID: PMC5435083 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msx084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual selection is the pervasive force underlying the dramatic divergence of sperm form and function. Although it has been demonstrated that testis gene expression evolves rapidly, exploration of the proteomic basis of sperm diversity is in its infancy. We have employed a whole-cell proteomics approach to characterize sperm divergence among closely related Mus species that experience different sperm competition regimes and exhibit pronounced variation in sperm energetics, motility and fertilization capacity. Interspecific comparisons revealed significant abundance differences amongst proteins involved in fertilization capacity, including those that govern sperm-zona pellucida interactions, axoneme components and metabolic proteins. Ancestral reconstruction of relative testis size suggests that the reduction of zona pellucida binding proteins and heavy-chain dyneins was associated with a relaxation in sperm competition in the M. musculus lineage. Additionally, the decreased reliance on ATP derived from glycolysis in high sperm competition species was reflected in abundance decreases in glycolytic proteins of the principle piece in M. spretus and M. spicilegus. Comparison of protein abundance and stage-specific testis expression revealed a significant correlation during spermatid development when dynamic morphological changes occur. Proteins underlying sperm diversification were also more likely to be subject to translational repression, suggesting that sperm composition is influenced by the evolution of translation control mechanisms. The identification of functionally coherent classes of proteins relating to sperm competition highlights the utility of evolutionary proteomic analyses and reveals that both intensified and relaxed sperm competition can have a pronounced impact on the molecular composition of the male gamete.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Vicens
- Reproductive Biology and Evolution Group, Department of Biodiversity and Biological Evolution, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Kirill Borziak
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
| | - Timothy L Karr
- Department of Genomics and Genetic Resources, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Eduardo R S Roldan
- Reproductive Biology and Evolution Group, Department of Biodiversity and Biological Evolution, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Steve Dorus
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Bu P, Yagi S, Shiota K, Alam SMK, Vivian JL, Wolfe MW, Rumi MAK, Chakraborty D, Kubota K, Dhakal P, Soares MJ. Origin of a rapidly evolving homeostatic control system programming testis function. J Endocrinol 2017; 234:217-232. [PMID: 28576872 PMCID: PMC5529123 DOI: 10.1530/joe-17-0250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2017] [Accepted: 06/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Mammals share common strategies for regulating reproduction, including a conserved hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis; yet, individual species exhibit differences in reproductive performance. In this report, we describe the discovery of a species-restricted homeostatic control system programming testis growth and function. Prl3c1 is a member of the prolactin gene family and its protein product (PLP-J) was discovered as a uterine cytokine contributing to the establishment of pregnancy. We utilized mouse mutagenesis of Prl3c1 and revealed its involvement in the regulation of the male reproductive axis. The Prl3c1-null male reproductive phenotype was characterized by testiculomegaly and hyperandrogenism. The larger testes in the Prl3c1-null mice were associated with an expansion of the Leydig cell compartment. Prl3c1 locus is a template for two transcripts (Prl3c1-v1 and Prl3c1-v2) expressed in a tissue-specific pattern. Prl3c1-v1 is expressed in uterine decidua, while Prl3c1-v2 is expressed in Leydig cells of the testis. 5'RACE, chromatin immunoprecipitation and DNA methylation analyses were used to define cell-specific promoter usage and alternative transcript expression. We examined the Prl3c1 locus in five murid rodents and showed that the testicular transcript and encoded protein are the result of a recent retrotransposition event at the Mus musculus Prl3c1 locus. Prl3c1-v1 encodes PLP-J V1 and Prl3c1-v2 encodes PLP-J V2. Each protein exhibits distinct intracellular targeting and actions. PLP-J V2 possesses Leydig cell-static actions consistent with the Prl3c1-null testicular phenotype. Analysis of the biology of the Prl3c1 gene has provided insight into a previously unappreciated homeostatic setpoint control system programming testicular growth and function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pengli Bu
- Institute for Reproductive Health and Regenerative MedicineUniversity of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineUniversity of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Shintaro Yagi
- Laboratory of Cellular BiochemistryVeterinary Medical Sciences/Animal Resource Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kunio Shiota
- Laboratory of Cellular BiochemistryVeterinary Medical Sciences/Animal Resource Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Waseda Research Institute for Science and EngineeringWaseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - S M Khorshed Alam
- Institute for Reproductive Health and Regenerative MedicineUniversity of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineUniversity of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Jay L Vivian
- Institute for Reproductive Health and Regenerative MedicineUniversity of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineUniversity of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Michael W Wolfe
- Institute for Reproductive Health and Regenerative MedicineUniversity of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
- Department of Molecular and Integrative PhysiologyUniversity of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - M A Karim Rumi
- Institute for Reproductive Health and Regenerative MedicineUniversity of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineUniversity of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Damayanti Chakraborty
- Institute for Reproductive Health and Regenerative MedicineUniversity of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineUniversity of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Kaiyu Kubota
- Institute for Reproductive Health and Regenerative MedicineUniversity of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineUniversity of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Pramod Dhakal
- Institute for Reproductive Health and Regenerative MedicineUniversity of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineUniversity of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Michael J Soares
- Institute for Reproductive Health and Regenerative MedicineUniversity of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineUniversity of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
- Department of PediatricsUniversity of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Kumari K, Capstick M, Cassara AM, Herrala M, Koivisto H, Naarala J, Tanila H, Viluksela M, Juutilainen J. Effects of intermediate frequency magnetic fields on male fertility indicators in mice. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2017; 157:64-70. [PMID: 28525858 PMCID: PMC5472253 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2017.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2017] [Revised: 05/05/2017] [Accepted: 05/10/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Human exposure to intermediate frequency (IF) fields is increasing due to new applications such as electronic article surveillance systems, wireless power transfer and induction heating cookers. However, limited data is available on effects of IF magnetic fields (MF) on male fertility function. This study was conducted to assess possible effects on fertility indicators from exposure to IF MF. Male C57BL/6J mice were exposed continuously for 5 weeks to 7.5kHz MF at 12 and 120μT. Sperm cells from cauda epididymis were analysed for motility, total sperm counts, and head abnormalities. Motile sperm cells were classified as progressive or non-progressive. Testicular spermatid heads were counted as well. The body weight development and reproductive tissue weights were not affected. No exposure-related differences were observed in sperm counts or sperm head abnormalities. Proportion of non-motile cells was significantly decreased in the 120µT group, and a corresponding increase was seen in the percentage of motile cells (significant in non-progressive motile cells). In conclusion, no adverse effects on fertility indicators were observed. Increased sperm motility is an interesting finding that needs to be confirmed in further studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- K Kumari
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. BOX 1627, FIN-70211, Kuopio, Finland.
| | | | | | - M Herrala
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. BOX 1627, FIN-70211, Kuopio, Finland
| | - H Koivisto
- A. I. Virtanen Institute, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - J Naarala
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. BOX 1627, FIN-70211, Kuopio, Finland
| | - H Tanila
- A. I. Virtanen Institute, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - M Viluksela
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. BOX 1627, FIN-70211, Kuopio, Finland; National Institute for Health and Welfare, Chemicals and Health Unit, Kuopio, Finland
| | - J Juutilainen
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. BOX 1627, FIN-70211, Kuopio, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Tourmente M, Hirose M, Ibrahim S, Dowling DK, Tompkins DM, Roldan ERS, Gemmell NJ. mtDNA polymorphism and metabolic inhibition affect sperm performance in conplastic mice. Reproduction 2017; 154:341-354. [PMID: 28676531 DOI: 10.1530/rep-17-0206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2017] [Revised: 06/23/2017] [Accepted: 07/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Whereas a broad link exists between nucleotide substitutions in the mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) and a range of metabolic pathologies, exploration of the effect of specific mtDNA genotypes is on-going. Mitochondrial DNA mutations are of particular relevance for reproductive traits, since they are expected to have profound effects on male specific processes as a result of the strict maternal inheritance of mtDNA. Sperm motility is crucially dependent on ATP in most systems studied. However, the importance of mitochondrial function in the production of the ATP necessary for sperm function remains uncertain. In this study, we test the effect of mtDNA polymorphisms upon mouse sperm performance and bioenergetics by using five conplastic inbred strains that share the same nuclear background while differing in their mitochondrial genomes. We found that, while genetic polymorphisms across distinct mtDNA haplotypes are associated with modification in sperm progressive velocity, this effect is not related to ATP production. Furthermore, there is no association between the number of mtDNA polymorphisms and either (a) the magnitude of sperm performance decrease, or (b) performance response to specific inhibition of the main sperm metabolic pathways. The observed variability between strains may be explained in terms of additive effects of single nucleotide substitutions on mtDNA coding sequences, which have been stabilized through genetic drift in the different laboratory strains. Alternatively, the decreased sperm performance might have arisen from the disruption of the nuclear DNA/mtDNA interactions that have coevolved during the radiation of Mus musculus subspecies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maximiliano Tourmente
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary BiologyMuseo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Misa Hirose
- Institute of Experimental DermatologyUniversity of Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany
| | - Saleh Ibrahim
- Institute of Experimental DermatologyUniversity of Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany
| | - Damian K Dowling
- School of Biological SciencesMonash University, Clayton, Australia
| | | | - Eduardo R S Roldan
- Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary BiologyMuseo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Neil J Gemmell
- Department of AnatomyUniversity of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Dávila F, Aron S. Protein restriction affects sperm number but not sperm viability in male ants. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2017; 100:71-76. [PMID: 28559110 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2017.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Revised: 05/24/2017] [Accepted: 05/26/2017] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Sperm cells are costly to produce; diet should therefore affect sperm number and/or viability. In non-social insects and vertebrates, there is compelling evidence that diet influences sperm production. Less is known about this relationship in eusocial hymenopterans (all ants and some bees and wasps), whose mating systems impose unique selective pressures on sperm production. Males face physiological constraints: they acquire all of the resources they will use in future reproductive efforts as larvae and emerge from the pupal stage with a fixed, non-renewable amount of sperm. Furthermore, males die shortly after copulation, but their genetic material persists for years since their spermatozoa are stored in their mates' spermathecae. We examined the effects of protein restriction during larval development on sperm number and viability in the Argentine ant Linepithema humile. We also looked at its impact on male development, adult mass, and adult fluctuating asymmetry. We found that protein restriction during larval development significantly reduced sperm production, but not sperm viability. It did not affect the number of males reared, male mass, or male asymmetry. However, males from protein-restricted nests developed much more slowly than males from protein-supplemented nests. These results suggest investing in sperm quality and in somatic growth, which enhances a male's ability to disperse and find a mate, are critical to successful male reproduction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Dávila
- Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Avenue F.D. Roosevelt 50, CP160/12, 1050 Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Serge Aron
- Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Avenue F.D. Roosevelt 50, CP160/12, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Maroto-Morales A, García-Álvarez O, Ramón M, Martínez-Pastor F, Fernández-Santos MR, Soler AJ, Garde JJ. Current status and potential of morphometric sperm analysis. Asian J Androl 2017; 18:863-870. [PMID: 27678465 PMCID: PMC5109877 DOI: 10.4103/1008-682x.187581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The spermatozoon is the most diverse cell type known and this diversity is considered to reflect differences in sperm function. How the diversity in sperm morphology arose during speciation and what role the different specializations play in sperm function, however, remain incompletely characterized. This work reviews the hypotheses proposed to explain sperm morphological evolution, with a focus on some aspects of sperm morphometric evaluation; the ability of morphometrics to predict sperm cryoresistance and male fertility is also discussed. For this, the evaluation of patterns of change of sperm head morphometry throughout a process, instead of the study of the morphometric characteristics of the sperm head at different stages, allows a better identification of the males with different sperm cryoconservation ability. These new approaches, together with more studies employing a greater number of individuals, are needed to obtain novel results concerning the role of sperm morphometry on sperm function. Future studies should aim at understanding the causes of sperm design diversity and the mechanisms that generate them, giving increased attention to other sperm structures besides the sperm head. The implementation of scientific and technological advances could benefit the simultaneous examination of sperm phenotype and sperm function, demonstrating that sperm morphometry could be a useful tool for sperm assessment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Olga García-Álvarez
- SaBio IREC (CSIC - UCLM - JCCM), Albacete, Spain.,Biomedical Center, Medical Faculty in Pilsen, Charles University in Prague, Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Manuel Ramón
- Regional Center of Animal Selection and Reproduction (CERSYRA) JCCM, Valdepeñas, Spain
| | - Felipe Martínez-Pastor
- Institute for Animal Health and Cattle Development, University of León, León, Spain.,Department of Molecular Biology, University of León, León, Spain
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
50
|
Soler C, Alambiaga A, Martí MA, García-Molina A, Valverde A, Contell J, Campos M. Dog sperm head morphometry: its diversity and evolution. Asian J Androl 2017; 19:149-153. [PMID: 27751991 PMCID: PMC5312210 DOI: 10.4103/1008-682x.189207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Dogs have been under strong artificial selection as a consequence of their relationship with man. Differences between breeds are evident that could be reflected in seminal characteristics. The present study was to evaluate differences in sperm head morphometry between seven well-defined breeds of dog: the British Bulldog, Chihuahua, German Shepherd, Labrador Retriever, Spanish Mastiff, Staffordshire Terrier, and Valencian Rat Hunting dog. Semen samples were obtained by masturbation and smears stained with Diff-Quik. Morphometric analysis (CASA-Morph) produced four size and four shape parameters. Length, Ellipticity, and Elongation showed higher differences between breeds. MANOVA revealed differences among all breeds. Considering the whole dataset, principal component analysis (PCA) showed that PC1 was related to head shape and PC2 to size. Procluster analysis showed the British Bulldog to be the most isolated breed, followed by the German Shepherd. The PCA breed by breed showed the Chihuahua, Labrador Retriever, Spanish Mastiff, and Staffordshire Terrier to have PC1 related to shape and PC2 to size, whereas the British Bulldog, Valencia Rat Hunting dog, and German Shepherd had PC1 related to size and PC2 to shape. The dendrogram for cluster groupings and the distance between them showed the British Bulldog to be separated from the rest of the breeds. Future work on dog semen must take into account the large differences in the breeds’ sperm characteristics. The results provide a base for future work on phylogenetic and evolutionary studies of dogs, based on their seminal characteristics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carles Soler
- Department of Functional Biology and Physical Anthropology, University of València, 46100 Burjassot, Spain.,R+D Department, Proiser R+D, Scientific Park, University of València, 46980 Paterna, Spain
| | - Ana Alambiaga
- Department of Functional Biology and Physical Anthropology, University of València, 46100 Burjassot, Spain
| | - Maria A Martí
- Department of Functional Biology and Physical Anthropology, University of València, 46100 Burjassot, Spain
| | - Almudena García-Molina
- R+D Department, Proiser R+D, Scientific Park, University of València, 46980 Paterna, Spain
| | - Anthony Valverde
- Department of Functional Biology and Physical Anthropology, University of València, 46100 Burjassot, Spain.,Technological Institute of Costa Rica, San Carlos Campus, School of Agronomy, 223-21001 Alajuela, Costa Rica
| | - Jesús Contell
- R+D Department, Proiser R+D, Scientific Park, University of València, 46980 Paterna, Spain
| | - Marcos Campos
- Department of Medicine and Animal Surgery, University Cardenal-Herrera-CEU, 46113 Moncada, València, Spain.,Global Veterinaria (Reprovalcan), 46500 Sagunto, València, Spain.,Clínica Veterinaria Sangüeso, 46009 València, Spain
| |
Collapse
|