1
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Amaro IA, Wohl MP, Pitcher S, Alfonso-Parra C, Avila FW, Paige AS, Helinski MEH, Duvall LB, Harrington LC, Wolfner MF, McMeniman CJ. Sex peptide receptor is not required for refractoriness to remating or induction of egg laying in Aedes aegypti. Genetics 2024; 227:iyae034. [PMID: 38551457 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyae034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Across diverse insect taxa, the behavior and physiology of females dramatically changes after mating-processes largely triggered by the transfer of seminal proteins from their mates. In the vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster, the seminal protein sex peptide (SP) decreases the likelihood of female flies remating and causes additional behavioral and physiological changes that promote fertility including increasing egg production. Although SP is only found in the Drosophila genus, its receptor, sex peptide receptor (SPR), is the widely conserved myoinhibitory peptide (MIP) receptor. To test the functional role of SPR in mediating postmating responses in a non-Drosophila dipteran, we generated 2 independent Spr-knockout alleles in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti. Although SPR is needed for postmating responses in Drosophila and the cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera, Spr mutant Ae. aegypti show completely normal postmating decreases in remating propensity and increases in egg laying. In addition, injection of synthetic SP or accessory gland homogenate from D. melanogaster into virgin female mosquitoes did not elicit these postmating responses. Our results demonstrate that Spr is not required for these canonical postmating responses in Ae. aegypti, indicating that other, as yet unknown, signaling pathways are likely responsible for these behavioral switches in this disease vector.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Margot P Wohl
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Sylvie Pitcher
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | | | - Frank W Avila
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Andrew S Paige
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | | | - Laura B Duvall
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | | | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Conor J McMeniman
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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2
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Hafezi Y, Omurzakov A, Carlisle JA, Caldas IV, Wolfner MF, Clark AG. The Drosophila melanogaster Y-linked gene, WDY, is required for sperm to swim in the female reproductive tract. Commun Biol 2024; 7:90. [PMID: 38216628 PMCID: PMC10786823 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05717-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Unique patterns of inheritance and selection on Y chromosomes have led to the evolution of specialized gene functions. We report CRISPR mutants in Drosophila of the Y-linked gene, WDY, which is required for male fertility. We demonstrate that the sperm tails of WDY mutants beat approximately half as fast as those of wild-type and that mutant sperm do not propel themselves within the male ejaculatory duct or female reproductive tract. Therefore, although mature sperm are produced by WDY mutant males, and are transferred to females, those sperm fail to enter the female sperm storage organs. We report genotype-dependent and regional differences in sperm motility that appear to break the correlation between sperm tail beating and propulsion. Furthermore, we identify a significant change in hydrophobicity at a residue at a putative calcium-binding site in WDY orthologs at the split between the melanogaster and obscura species groups, when WDY first became Y-linked. This suggests that a major functional change in WDY coincided with its appearance on the Y chromosome. Finally, we show that mutants for another Y-linked gene, PRY, also show a sperm storage defect that may explain their subfertility. Overall, we provide direct evidence for the long-held presumption that protein-coding genes on the Drosophila Y regulate sperm motility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yassi Hafezi
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA.
| | - Arsen Omurzakov
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | - Jolie A Carlisle
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | - Ian V Caldas
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | - Andrew G Clark
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA.
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3
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Thomalla JM, Wolfner MF. Reproductive biology: A genetic recipe for parthenogenesis. Curr Biol 2023; 33:R904-R906. [PMID: 37699347 PMCID: PMC10753294 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.07.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
New work reveals differences in oogenic gene expression between parthenogenetic and sexually reproducing Drosophila mercatorum strains. Recapitulating those changes in D. melanogaster oocytes induced parthenogenesis in this normally sexually reproducing species, providing molecular insight into how these reproductive modes arise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathon M Thomalla
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
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4
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Wolfner MF, Suarez SS, Dorus S. Suspension of hostility: Positive interactions between spermatozoa and female reproductive tracts. Andrology 2023; 11:943-947. [PMID: 36448311 PMCID: PMC10227186 DOI: 10.1111/andr.13349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Interactions between spermatozoa and the female reproductive tract (FRT) are complex, in many cases poorly understood, and likely to contribute to the mechanistic basis of idiopathic infertility. As such, it is not surprising that the FRT was often viewed historically as a "hostile" environment for spermatozoa. The FRT has also been touted as a selective environment to ensure that only the highest quality spermatozoa progress to the oocyte for the opportunity to participate in fertilization. Recent advances, however, are giving rise to a far more nuanced view in which supportive spermatozoa × FRT interactions-in both directions-contribute to beneficial, even essential, effects on fertility. In this perspective article, we discuss several examples of positive spermatozoa × FRT interactions. We believe that these examples, arising in part from studies of taxonomically diverse nonmammalian systems, are useful to efforts to study mammalian spermatozoa × FRT interactions and their relevance to fertility and the advancement of assisted reproductive technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana F. Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Susan S. Suarez
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Steve Dorus
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA
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5
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Delbare SYN, Jain AM, Clark AG, Wolfner MF. Transcriptional programs are activated and microRNAs are repressed within minutes after mating in the Drosophila melanogaster female reproductive tract. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:356. [PMID: 37370014 PMCID: PMC10294459 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09397-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The female reproductive tract is exposed directly to the male's ejaculate, making it a hotspot for mating-induced responses. In Drosophila melanogaster, changes in the reproductive tract are essential to optimize fertility. Many changes occur within minutes after mating, but such early timepoints are absent from published RNA-seq studies. We measured transcript abundances using RNA-seq and microRNA-seq of reproductive tracts of unmated and mated females collected at 10-15 min post-mating. We further investigated whether early transcriptome changes in the female reproductive tract are influenced by inhibiting BMPs in secondary cells, a condition that depletes exosomes from the male's ejaculate. RESULTS We identified 327 differentially expressed genes. These were mostly upregulated post-mating and have roles in tissue morphogenesis, wound healing, and metabolism. Differentially abundant microRNAs were mostly downregulated post-mating. We identified 130 predicted targets of these microRNAs among the differentially expressed genes. We saw no detectable effect of BMP inhibition in secondary cells on transcript levels in the female reproductive tract. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that mating induces early changes in the female reproductive tract primarily through upregulation of target genes, rather than repression. The upregulation of certain target genes might be mediated by the mating-induced downregulation of microRNAs. Male-derived exosomes and other BMP-dependent products were not uniquely essential for this process. Differentially expressed genes and microRNAs provide candidates that can be further examined for their participation in the earliest alterations of the reproductive tract microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofie Y N Delbare
- Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
| | - Asha M Jain
- Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Andrew G Clark
- Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
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6
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Hafezi Y, Omurzakov A, Carlisle JA, Caldas IV, Wolfner MF, Clark AG. The Drosophila melanogaster Y-linked gene, WDY, is required for sperm to swim in the female reproductive tract. bioRxiv 2023:2023.02.02.526876. [PMID: 36778485 PMCID: PMC9915733 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.02.526876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Unique patterns of inheritance and selection on Y chromosomes lead to the evolution of specialized gene functions. Yet characterizing the function of genes on Y chromosomes is notoriously difficult. We report CRISPR mutants in Drosophila of the Y-linked gene, WDY, which is required for male fertility. WDY mutants produce mature sperm with beating tails that can be transferred to females but fail to enter the female sperm storage organs. We demonstrate that the sperm tails of WDY mutants beat approximately half as fast as wild-type sperm's and that the mutant sperm do not propel themselves within the male ejaculatory duct or female reproductive tract (RT). These specific motility defects likely cause the sperm storage defect and sterility of the mutants. Regional and genotype-dependent differences in sperm motility suggest that sperm tail beating and propulsion do not always correlate. Furthermore, we find significant differences in the hydrophobicity of key residues of a putative calcium-binding domain between orthologs of WDY that are Y-linked and those that are autosomal. Given that WDY appears to be evolving under positive selection, our results suggest that WDY's functional evolution coincides with its transition from autosomal to Y-linked in Drosophila melanogaster and its most closely related species. Finally, we show that mutants for another Y-linked gene, PRY, also show a sperm storage defect that may explain their subfertility. In contrast to WDY, PRY mutants do swim in the female RT, suggesting they are defective in yet another mode of motility, navigation, or a necessary interaction with the female RT. Overall, we provide direct evidence for the long-held presumption that protein-coding genes on the Drosophila Y regulate sperm motility.
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7
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Brown NC, Gordon B, McDonough-Goldstein CE, Misra S, Findlay GD, Clark AG, Wolfner MF. The seminal odorant binding protein Obp56g is required for mating plug formation and male fertility in Drosophila melanogaster. bioRxiv 2023:2023.02.03.526941. [PMID: 36798169 PMCID: PMC9934574 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.03.526941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
In Drosophila melanogaster and other insects, the seminal fluid proteins (SFPs) and male sex pheromones that enter the female with sperm during mating are essential for fertility and induce profound post-mating effects on female physiology and behavior. The SFPs in D. melanogaster and other taxa include several members of the large gene family known as odorant binding proteins (Obps). Previous work in Drosophila has shown that some Obp genes are highly expressed in the antennae and can mediate behavioral responses to odorants, potentially by binding and carrying these molecules to odorant receptors. These observations have led to the hypothesis that the seminal Obps might act as molecular carriers for pheromones or other compounds important for male fertility in the ejaculate, though functional evidence in any species is lacking. Here, we used RNAi and CRISPR/Cas9 generated mutants to test the role of the seven seminal Obps in D. melanogaster fertility and the post-mating response (PMR). We found that Obp56g is required for male fertility and the induction of the PMR, whereas the other six genes had no effect on fertility when mutated individually. Obp56g is expressed in the male's ejaculatory bulb, an important tissue in the reproductive tract that synthesizes components of the mating plug. We found males lacking Obp56g fail to form a mating plug in the mated female's reproductive tract, leading to ejaculate loss and reduced sperm storage. We also examined the evolutionary history of these seminal Obp genes, as several studies have documented rapid evolution and turnover of SFP genes across taxa. We found extensive lability in gene copy number and evidence of positive selection acting on two genes, Obp22a and Obp51a. Comparative RNAseq data from the male reproductive tract of multiple Drosophila species revealed that Obp56g shows high male reproductive tract expression only in species of the melanogaster and obscura groups, though conserved head expression in all species tested. Together, these functional and expression data suggest that Obp56g may have been co-opted for a reproductive function over evolutionary time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora C. Brown
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Benjamin Gordon
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
- Present address: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
| | | | - Snigdha Misra
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
- Present address: University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun, UK, India
| | - Geoffrey D. Findlay
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
- Department of Biology, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Andrew G. Clark
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Mariana F. Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
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8
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Misra S, Buehner NA, Singh A, Wolfner MF. Female factors modulate Sex Peptide's association with sperm in Drosophila melanogaster. BMC Biol 2022; 20:279. [PMID: 36514080 PMCID: PMC9749180 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-022-01465-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Male-derived seminal fluid proteins (SFPs) that enter female fruitflies during mating induce a myriad of physiological and behavioral changes, optimizing fertility of the mating pair. Some post-mating changes in female Drosophila melanogaster persist for ~10-14 days. Their long-term persistence is because the seminal protein that induces these particular changes, the Sex Peptide (SP), is retained long term in females by binding to sperm, with gradual release of its active domain from sperm. Several other "long-term response SFPs" (LTR-SFPs) "prime" the binding of SP to sperm. Whether female factors play a role in this process is unknown, though it is important to study both sexes for a comprehensive physiological understanding of SFP/sperm interactions and for consideration in models of sexual conflict. RESULTS We report here that sperm in male ejaculates bind SP more weakly than sperm that have entered females. Moreover, we show that the amount of SP, and other SFPs, bound to sperm increases with time and transit of individual seminal proteins within the female reproductive tract (FRT). Thus, female contributions are needed for maximal and appropriate binding of SP, and other SFPs, to sperm. Towards understanding the source of female molecular contributions, we ablated spermathecal secretory cells (SSCs) and/or parovaria (female accessory glands), which contribute secretory proteins to the FRT. We found no dramatic change in the initial levels of SP bound to sperm stored in mated females with ablated or defective SSCs and/or parovaria, indicating that female molecules that facilitate the binding of SP to sperm are not uniquely derived from SSCs and parovaria. However, we observed higher levels of SP (and sperm) retention long term in females whose SSCs and parovaria had been ablated, indicating secretions from these female tissues are necessary for the gradual release of Sex Peptide's active region from stored sperm. CONCLUSION This study reveals that the SP-sperm binding pathway is not entirely male-derived and that female contributions are needed to regulate the levels of SP associated with sperm stored in their storage sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Snigdha Misra
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.,Present address: School of Health Sciences and Technology, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun, UK, 248007, India
| | - Norene A Buehner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Akanksha Singh
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.,Present address: Centre for Life Sciences, Mahindra University, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500043, India
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
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Wigby S, Brown NC, Sepil I, Wolfner MF. On how to identify a seminal fluid protein: A commentary on Hurtado et al. Insect Mol Biol 2022; 31:533-536. [PMID: 35975871 PMCID: PMC9452446 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Seminal fluid proteins (Sfps) have striking effects on the behaviour and physiology of females in many insects. Some Drosophila melanogaster Sfps are not highly or exclusively expressed in the accessory glands, but derive from, or are additionally expressed in other male reproductive tissues. The full suite of Sfps includes transferred proteins from all male reproductive tissues, regardless of expression level or presence of a signal peptide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart Wigby
- Department of Ecology Evolution and Behaviour, Institute
of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool
L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Nora C Brown
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell
University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Irem Sepil
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1
3PS, UK
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell
University, Ithaca, NY, USA
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10
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Chen DS, Clark AG, Wolfner MF. Octopaminergic/tyraminergic Tdc2 neurons regulate biased sperm usage in female Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics 2022; 221:6637517. [PMID: 35809068 PMCID: PMC9339280 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyac096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In polyandrous internally fertilizing species, a multiply-mated female can use stored sperm from different males in a biased manner to fertilize her eggs. The female's ability to assess sperm quality and compatibility is essential for her reproductive success, and represents an important aspect of postcopulatory sexual selection. In Drosophila melanogaster, previous studies demonstrated that the female nervous system plays an active role in influencing progeny paternity proportion, and suggested a role for octopaminergic/tyraminergic Tdc2 neurons in this process. Here, we report that inhibiting Tdc2 neuronal activity causes females to produce a higher-than-normal proportion of first-male progeny. This difference is not due to differences in sperm storage or release, but instead is attributable to the suppression of second-male sperm usage bias that normally occurs in control females. We further show that a subset of Tdc2 neurons innervating the female reproductive tract is largely responsible for the progeny proportion phenotype that is observed when Tdc2 neurons are inhibited globally. On the contrary, overactivation of Tdc2 neurons does not further affect sperm storage, release or progeny proportion. These results suggest that octopaminergic/tyraminergic signaling allows a multiply-mated female to bias sperm usage, and identify a new role for the female nervous system in postcopulatory sexual selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawn S Chen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca NY 14853, USA
| | - Andrew G Clark
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca NY 14853, USA
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca NY 14853, USA
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11
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Gordon KE, Wolfner MF, Lazzaro BP. A single mating is sufficient to induce persistent reduction of immune defense in mated female Drosophila melanogaster. J Insect Physiol 2022; 140:104414. [PMID: 35728669 PMCID: PMC10162487 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2022.104414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
In many species, female reproductive investment comes at a cost to immunity and resistance to infection. Mated Drosophila melanogaster females are more susceptible to bacterial infection than unmated females. Transfer of the male seminal fluid protein Sex Peptide reduces female post-mating immune defense. Sex Peptide is known to cause both short- and long-term changes to female physiology and behavior. While previous studies showed that females were less resistant to bacterial infection as soon as 2.5 h and as long as 26.5 h after mating, it is unknown whether this is a binary switch from mated to unmated state or whether females can recover to unmated levels of immunity. It is additionally unknown whether repeated mating causes progressive reduction in defense capacity. We compared the immune defense of mated females when infected at 2, 4, 7, or 10 days after mating to that of unmated females and saw no recovery of immune capacity regardless of the length of time between mating and infection. Because D. melanogaster females can mate multiply, we additionally tested whether a second mating, and therefore a second transfer of seminal fluids, caused deeper reduction in immune performance. We found that females mated either once or twice before infection survived at equal proportions, both with significantly lower probability than unmated females. We conclude that a single mating event is sufficient to persistently suppress the female immune system. Interestingly, we observed that induced levels of expression of genes encoding antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) decreased with age in both experiments, partially obscuring the effects of mating. Collectively, the data indicate that being reproductively active versus reproductively inactive are alternative binary states with respect to female D. melanogaster immunity. The establishment of a suppressed immune status in reproductively active females can inform our understanding of the regulation of immune defense and the mechanisms of physiological trade-offs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen E Gordon
- Field of Genetics, Genomics, and Development, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Field of Genetics, Genomics, and Development, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Brian P Lazzaro
- Field of Genetics, Genomics, and Development, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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12
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Chen DS, Clark AG, Wolfner MF. Octopaminergic/tyraminergic Tdc2 neurons regulate biased sperm usage in female Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics 2022; 221:6613932. [PMID: 35736370 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyac097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In polyandrous internally fertilizing species, a multiply-mated female can use stored sperm from different males in a biased manner to fertilize her eggs. The female's ability to assess sperm quality and compatibility is essential for her reproductive success, and represents an important aspect of postcopulatory sexual selection. In Drosophila melanogaster, previous studies demonstrated that the female nervous system plays an active role in influencing progeny paternity proportion, and suggested a role for octopaminergic/tyraminergic Tdc2 neurons in this process. Here, we report that inhibiting Tdc2 neuronal activity causes females to produce a higher-than-normal proportion of first-male progeny. This difference is not due to differences in sperm storage or release, but instead is attributable to the suppression of second-male sperm usage bias that normally occurs in control females. We further show that a subset of Tdc2 neurons innervating the female reproductive tract is largely responsible for the progeny proportion phenotype that is observed when Tdc2 neurons are inhibited globally. On the contrary, overactivation of Tdc2 neurons does not further affect sperm storage and release or progeny proportion. These results suggest that octopaminergic/tyraminergic signaling allows a multiply-mated female to bias sperm usage, and identify a new role for the female nervous system in postcopulatory sexual selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawn S Chen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca NY 14853, USA
| | - Andrew G Clark
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca NY 14853, USA
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca NY 14853, USA
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13
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McQueen EW, Afkhami M, Atallah J, Belote JM, Gompel N, Heifetz Y, Kamimura Y, Kornhauser SC, Masly JP, O’Grady P, Peláez J, Rebeiz M, Rice G, Sánchez-Herrero E, Santos Nunes MD, Santos Rampasso A, Schnakenberg SL, Siegal ML, Takahashi A, Tanaka KM, Turetzek N, Zelinger E, Courtier-Orgogozo V, Toda MJ, Wolfner MF, Yassin A. A standardized nomenclature and atlas of the female terminalia of Drosophila melanogaster. Fly (Austin) 2022; 16:128-151. [PMID: 35575031 PMCID: PMC9116418 DOI: 10.1080/19336934.2022.2058309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The model organism Drosophila melanogaster has become a focal system for investigations of rapidly evolving genital morphology as well as the development and functions of insect reproductive structures. To follow up on a previous paper outlining unifying terminology for the structures of the male terminalia in this species, we offer here a detailed description of the female terminalia of D. melanogaster. Informative diagrams and micrographs are presented to provide a comprehensive overview of the external and internal reproductive structures of females. We propose a collection of terms and definitions to standardize the terminology associated with the female terminalia in D. melanogaster and we provide a correspondence table with the terms previously used. Unifying terminology for both males and females in this species will help to facilitate communication between various disciplines, as well as aid in synthesizing research across publications within a discipline that has historically focused principally on male features. Our efforts to refine and standardize the terminology should expand the utility of this important model system for addressing questions related to the development and evolution of animal genitalia, and morphology in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eden W. McQueen
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Mehrnaz Afkhami
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | - Joel Atallah
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - John M. Belote
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Nicolas Gompel
- Evolutionary Ecology, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München, Fakultät für Biologie, Biozentrum, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Yael Heifetz
- Department of Entomology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | | | - Shani C. Kornhauser
- Department of Entomology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - John P. Masly
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | - Patrick O’Grady
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Julianne Peláez
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Mark Rebeiz
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Gavin Rice
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Ernesto Sánchez-Herrero
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (C.S.I.C.-U.A.M.), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, Spain
| | | | | | - Sandra L. Schnakenberg
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- Sema4, Stamford, CT, USA
| | - Mark L. Siegal
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Aya Takahashi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Hachioji, Japan
- Research Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Hachioji, Japan
| | - Kentaro M. Tanaka
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Hachioji, Japan
| | - Natascha Turetzek
- Evolutionary Ecology, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München, Fakultät für Biologie, Biozentrum, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Einat Zelinger
- Department of Entomology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
- Center for Scientific Imaging, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | | | | | - Mariana F. Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Amir Yassin
- Laboratoire Evolution, Génomes, Comportement, Ecologie (EGCE), UMR 9191, CNRS, IRD, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
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14
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Li H, Janssens J, De Waegeneer M, Kolluru SS, Davie K, Gardeux V, Saelens W, David F, Brbić M, Spanier K, Leskovec J, McLaughlin CN, Xie Q, Jones RC, Brueckner K, Shim J, Tattikota SG, Schnorrer F, Rust K, Nystul TG, Carvalho-Santos Z, Ribeiro C, Pal S, Mahadevaraju S, Przytycka TM, Allen AM, Goodwin SF, Berry CW, Fuller MT, White-Cooper H, Matunis EL, DiNardo S, Galenza A, O’Brien LE, Dow JAT, Jasper H, Oliver B, Perrimon N, Deplancke B, Quake SR, Luo L, Aerts S, Agarwal D, Ahmed-Braimah Y, Arbeitman M, Ariss MM, Augsburger J, Ayush K, Baker CC, Banisch T, Birker K, Bodmer R, Bolival B, Brantley SE, Brill JA, Brown NC, Buehner NA, Cai XT, Cardoso-Figueiredo R, Casares F, Chang A, Clandinin TR, Crasta S, Desplan C, Detweiler AM, Dhakan DB, Donà E, Engert S, Floc'hlay S, George N, González-Segarra AJ, Groves AK, Gumbin S, Guo Y, Harris DE, Heifetz Y, Holtz SL, Horns F, Hudry B, Hung RJ, Jan YN, Jaszczak JS, Jefferis GSXE, Karkanias J, Karr TL, Katheder NS, Kezos J, Kim AA, Kim SK, Kockel L, Konstantinides N, Kornberg TB, Krause HM, Labott AT, Laturney M, Lehmann R, Leinwand S, Li J, Li JSS, Li K, Li K, Li L, Li T, Litovchenko M, Liu HH, Liu Y, Lu TC, Manning J, Mase A, Matera-Vatnick M, Matias NR, McDonough-Goldstein CE, McGeever A, McLachlan AD, Moreno-Roman P, Neff N, Neville M, Ngo S, Nielsen T, O'Brien CE, Osumi-Sutherland D, Özel MN, Papatheodorou I, Petkovic M, Pilgrim C, Pisco AO, Reisenman C, Sanders EN, Dos Santos G, Scott K, Sherlekar A, Shiu P, Sims D, Sit RV, Slaidina M, Smith HE, Sterne G, Su YH, Sutton D, Tamayo M, Tan M, Tastekin I, Treiber C, Vacek D, Vogler G, Waddell S, Wang W, Wilson RI, Wolfner MF, Wong YCE, Xie A, Xu J, Yamamoto S, Yan J, Yao Z, Yoda K, Zhu R, Zinzen RP. Fly Cell Atlas: A single-nucleus transcriptomic atlas of the adult fruit fly. Science 2022; 375:eabk2432. [PMID: 35239393 PMCID: PMC8944923 DOI: 10.1126/science.abk2432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 202] [Impact Index Per Article: 101.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
For more than 100 years, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has been one of the most studied model organisms. Here, we present a single-cell atlas of the adult fly, Tabula Drosophilae, that includes 580,000 nuclei from 15 individually dissected sexed tissues as well as the entire head and body, annotated to >250 distinct cell types. We provide an in-depth analysis of cell type-related gene signatures and transcription factor markers, as well as sexual dimorphism, across the whole animal. Analysis of common cell types between tissues, such as blood and muscle cells, reveals rare cell types and tissue-specific subtypes. This atlas provides a valuable resource for the Drosophila community and serves as a reference to study genetic perturbations and disease models at single-cell resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongjie Li
- Department of Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA,Huffington Center on Aging and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jasper Janssens
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium,Laboratory of Computational Biology, Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Maxime De Waegeneer
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium,Laboratory of Computational Biology, Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Sai Saroja Kolluru
- Departments of Bioengineering and Applied Physics, Stanford University, Stanford CA USA, and Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco CA, USA
| | - Kristofer Davie
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Vincent Gardeux
- Laboratory of Systems Biology and Genetics, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Wouter Saelens
- Laboratory of Systems Biology and Genetics, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Fabrice David
- Laboratory of Systems Biology and Genetics, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Maria Brbić
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA, and Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco CA, USA
| | - Katina Spanier
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium,Laboratory of Computational Biology, Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Jure Leskovec
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA, and Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco CA, USA
| | - Colleen N. McLaughlin
- Department of Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Qijing Xie
- Department of Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Robert C. Jones
- Departments of Bioengineering and Applied Physics, Stanford University, Stanford CA USA, and Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco CA, USA
| | - Katja Brueckner
- Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Jiwon Shim
- Department of Life Science, College of Natural Science, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea 04763
| | - Sudhir Gopal Tattikota
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Frank Schnorrer
- Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, IBDM (UMR 7288), Turing Centre for Living systems, 13009 Marseille, France
| | - Katja Rust
- Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Department of Molecular Cell Physiology, Philipps-University, Marburg, Germany,Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Todd G. Nystul
- Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Zita Carvalho-Santos
- Behavior and Metabolism Laboratory, Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Carlos Ribeiro
- Behavior and Metabolism Laboratory, Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Soumitra Pal
- National Center of Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
| | - Sharvani Mahadevaraju
- Laboratory of Cellular and Developmental Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Kidney and Digestive Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Teresa M. Przytycka
- National Center of Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
| | - Aaron M. Allen
- Centre for Neural Circuits & Behaviour, University of Oxford, Tinsley Building, Mansfield road, Oxford, OX1 3SR, UK
| | - Stephen F. Goodwin
- Centre for Neural Circuits & Behaviour, University of Oxford, Tinsley Building, Mansfield road, Oxford, OX1 3SR, UK
| | - Cameron W. Berry
- Department of Developmental Biology and Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Margaret T. Fuller
- Department of Developmental Biology and Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Helen White-Cooper
- Molecular Biosciences Division, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AX UK
| | - Erika L. Matunis
- Department of Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Stephen DiNardo
- Perelman School of Medicine, The University of Pennsylvania, and The Penn Institute for Regenerative Medicine Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Anthony Galenza
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford CA 94305, USA
| | - Lucy Erin O’Brien
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford CA 94305, USA
| | - Julian A. T. Dow
- Institute of Molecular, Cell & Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - FCA Consortium
- FCA Consortium: All authors listed before Acknowledgements, and all contributions and affiliations listed in the Supplementary Materials
| | - Heinrich Jasper
- Immunology Discovery, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Brian Oliver
- Laboratory of Cellular and Developmental Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Kidney and Digestive Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Norbert Perrimon
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA, USA,corresponding authors: (N.P.), (B.D.), (S.R.Q.), (L.L.), (S.A.)
| | - Bart Deplancke
- Laboratory of Systems Biology and Genetics, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland,corresponding authors: (N.P.), (B.D.), (S.R.Q.), (L.L.), (S.A.)
| | - Stephen R. Quake
- Departments of Bioengineering and Applied Physics, Stanford University, Stanford CA USA, and Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco CA, USA,corresponding authors: (N.P.), (B.D.), (S.R.Q.), (L.L.), (S.A.)
| | - Liqun Luo
- Department of Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA,corresponding authors: (N.P.), (B.D.), (S.R.Q.), (L.L.), (S.A.)
| | - Stein Aerts
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium,Laboratory of Computational Biology, Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium,corresponding authors: (N.P.), (B.D.), (S.R.Q.), (L.L.), (S.A.)
| | - Devika Agarwal
- MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | | | - Michelle Arbeitman
- Biomedical Sciences Department, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Majd M Ariss
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jordan Augsburger
- Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Kumar Ayush
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Catherine C Baker
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Torsten Banisch
- Skirball Institute and HHMI, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York City, NY 10016, USA
| | - Katja Birker
- Development, Aging and Regeneration Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Rolf Bodmer
- Development, Aging and Regeneration Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Benjamin Bolival
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Susanna E Brantley
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Julie A Brill
- Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada.,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Nora C Brown
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Norene A Buehner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Xiaoyu Tracy Cai
- Immunology Discovery, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Rita Cardoso-Figueiredo
- Behavior and Metabolism Laboratory, Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Fernando Casares
- CABD (Andalusian Centre for Developmental Biology), CSIC-UPO-JA, Seville 41013, Spain
| | - Amy Chang
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Thomas R Clandinin
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Sheela Crasta
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.,Department of Applied Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.,Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco CA, USA
| | - Claude Desplan
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, New York 10003, USA
| | | | - Darshan B Dhakan
- Behavior and Metabolism Laboratory, Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Erika Donà
- Neurobiology Division, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Stefanie Engert
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Swann Floc'hlay
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium.,Laboratory of Computational Biology, Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Nancy George
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, EMBL-EBI, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Amanda J González-Segarra
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Andrew K Groves
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Samantha Gumbin
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Yanmeng Guo
- Department of Physiology, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Devon E Harris
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Yael Heifetz
- The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Stephen L Holtz
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Felix Horns
- Department of Bioengineering and Biophysics Graduate Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Bruno Hudry
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, INSERM, iBV, France
| | - Ruei-Jiun Hung
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Yuh Nung Jan
- Department of Physiology, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jacob S Jaszczak
- Department of Physiology, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Timothy L Karr
- Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| | | | - James Kezos
- Development, Aging and Regeneration Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Anna A Kim
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.,University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA.,Uppsala University, Sweden
| | - Seung K Kim
- Department of Developmental Biology and Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.,Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Lutz Kockel
- Department of Developmental Biology and Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Nikolaos Konstantinides
- Institut Jacques Monod, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique-UMR 7592, Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France
| | - Thomas B Kornberg
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Henry M Krause
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3E1, Canada
| | - Andrew Thomas Labott
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Meghan Laturney
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Ruth Lehmann
- Skirball Institute, Department of Cell Biology and HHMI, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York City, NY 10016
| | - Sarah Leinwand
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Jiefu Li
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Joshua Shing Shun Li
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Kai Li
- Department of Physiology, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ke Li
- Department of Physiology, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Liying Li
- Department of Physiology, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Tun Li
- Department of Physiology, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Maria Litovchenko
- Laboratory of Systems Biology and Genetics, Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Han-Hsuan Liu
- Department of Physiology, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Yifang Liu
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Tzu-Chiao Lu
- Huffington Center on Aging, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jonathan Manning
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, EMBL-EBI, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Anjeli Mase
- Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | | | - Neuza Reis Matias
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Caitlin E McDonough-Goldstein
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA.,Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Alex D McLachlan
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK
| | - Paola Moreno-Roman
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Norma Neff
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco CA, USA
| | - Megan Neville
- Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SR, UK
| | - Sang Ngo
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Tanja Nielsen
- Development, Aging and Regeneration Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Caitlin E O'Brien
- Department of Physiology, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - David Osumi-Sutherland
- European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL/EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Irene Papatheodorou
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, EMBL-EBI, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Maja Petkovic
- Department of Physiology, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Clare Pilgrim
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK
| | | | - Carolina Reisenman
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Erin Nicole Sanders
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Gilberto Dos Santos
- The Biological Laboratories, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Kristin Scott
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Aparna Sherlekar
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Philip Shiu
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - David Sims
- MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Rene V Sit
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco CA, USA
| | - Maija Slaidina
- Skirball Institute, Faculty of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY 10016
| | - Harold E Smith
- Genomics Core, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, US National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Gabriella Sterne
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Yu-Han Su
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Daniel Sutton
- Graduate Program in Genetics and Genomics, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Marco Tamayo
- Development, Aging and Regeneration Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | | | - Ibrahim Tastekin
- Behavior and Metabolism Laboratory, Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Christoph Treiber
- Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University of Oxford, Tinsley Building, Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA, UK
| | - David Vacek
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Georg Vogler
- Development, Aging and Regeneration Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Scott Waddell
- Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University of Oxford, Tinsley Building, Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA, UK
| | - Wanpeng Wang
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Rachel I Wilson
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Yiu-Cheung E Wong
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Anthony Xie
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Jun Xu
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Shinya Yamamoto
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jia Yan
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco CA, USA
| | - Zepeng Yao
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Kazuki Yoda
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Ruijun Zhu
- Department of Physiology, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Robert P Zinzen
- Laboratory for Systems Biology of Neural Tissue Differentiation, Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology (BIMSB), Max Delbrueck Centre for Molecular Medicine (MDC) in the Helmholtz Association, Robert-Roessle-Strasse 12, 13125 Berlin, Germany
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15
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Amaro IA, Ahmed-Braimah YH, League GP, Pitcher SA, Avila FW, Cruz PC, Harrington LC, Wolfner MF. Seminal fluid proteins induce transcriptome changes in the Aedes aegypti female lower reproductive tract. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:896. [PMID: 34906087 PMCID: PMC8672594 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-08201-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mating induces behavioral and physiological changes in the arbovirus vector Aedes aegypti, including stimulation of egg development and oviposition, increased survival, and reluctance to re-mate with subsequent males. Transferred seminal fluid proteins and peptides derived from the male accessory glands induce these changes, though the mechanism by which they do this is not known. RESULTS To determine transcriptome changes induced by seminal proteins, we injected extract from male accessory glands and seminal vesicles (MAG extract) into females and examined female lower reproductive tract (LRT) transcriptomes 24 h later, relative to non-injected controls. MAG extract induced 87 transcript-level changes, 31 of which were also seen in a previous study of the LRT 24 h after a natural mating, including 15 genes with transcript-level changes similarly observed in the spermathecae of mated females. The differentially-regulated genes are involved in diverse molecular processes, including immunity, proteolysis, neuronal function, transcription control, or contain predicted small-molecule binding and transport domains. CONCLUSIONS Our results reveal that seminal fluid proteins, specifically, can induce gene expression responses after mating and identify gene targets to further investigate for roles in post-mating responses and potential use in vector control.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Alexandra Amaro
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | | | - Garrett P League
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Sylvie A Pitcher
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Frank W Avila
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, 050010, Colombia
| | - Priscilla C Cruz
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | | | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
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16
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League GP, Degner EC, Pitcher SA, Hafezi Y, Tennant E, Cruz PC, Krishnan RS, Garcia Castillo SS, Alfonso-Parra C, Avila FW, Wolfner MF, Harrington LC. The impact of mating and sugar feeding on blood-feeding physiology and behavior in the arbovirus vector mosquito Aedes aegypti. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009815. [PMID: 34591860 PMCID: PMC8509887 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are globally distributed vectors of viruses that impact the health of hundreds of millions of people annually. Mating and blood feeding represent fundamental aspects of mosquito life history that carry important implications for vectorial capacity and for control strategies. Females transmit pathogens to vertebrate hosts and obtain essential nutrients for eggs during blood feeding. Further, because host-seeking Ae. aegypti females mate with males swarming near hosts, biological crosstalk between these behaviors could be important. Although mating influences nutritional intake in other insects, prior studies examining mating effects on mosquito blood feeding have yielded conflicting results. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS To resolve these discrepancies, we examined blood-feeding physiology and behavior in virgin and mated females and in virgins injected with male accessory gland extracts (MAG), which induce post-mating changes in female behavior. We controlled adult nutritional status prior to blood feeding by using water- and sugar-fed controls. Our data show that neither mating nor injection with MAG affect Ae. aegypti blood intake, digestion, or feeding avidity for an initial blood meal. However, sugar feeding, a common supplement in laboratory settings but relatively rare in nature, significantly affected all aspects of feeding and may have contributed to conflicting results among previous studies. Further, mating, MAG injection, and sugar intake induced declines in subsequent feedings after an initial blood meal, correlating with egg production and laying. Taking our evaluation to the field, virgin and mated mosquitoes collected in Colombia were equally likely to contain blood at the time of collection. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Mating, MAG, and sugar feeding impact a mosquito's estimated ability to transmit pathogens through both direct and indirect effects on multiple aspects of mosquito biology. Our results highlight the need to consider natural mosquito ecology, including diet, when assessing their physiology and behavior in the laboratory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garrett P. League
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Ethan C. Degner
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Sylvie A. Pitcher
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Yassi Hafezi
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Erica Tennant
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Priscilla C. Cruz
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Raksha S. Krishnan
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Stefano S. Garcia Castillo
- Laboratorio de Malaria: Parásitos y Vectores, Laboratorios de Investigación y Desarrollo, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Catalina Alfonso-Parra
- Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical, Universidad CES, Sabaneta, Antioquia, Colombia
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
| | - Frank W. Avila
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
| | - Mariana F. Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Laura C. Harrington
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
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17
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Meyer H, Buhr A, Callaerts P, Schiemann R, Wolfner MF, Marygold SJ. Identification and bioinformatic analysis of neprilysin and neprilysin-like metalloendopeptidases in Drosophila melanogaster. MicroPubl Biol 2021; 2021:10.17912/micropub.biology.000410. [PMID: 34189422 PMCID: PMC8223033 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.000410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The neprilysin (M13) family of metalloendopeptidases comprises highly conserved ectoenzymes that cleave and thereby inactivate many physiologically relevant peptides in the extracellular space. Impaired neprilysin activity is associated with numerous human diseases. Here, we present a comprehensive list and classification of M13 family members in Drosophila melanogaster. Seven Neprilysin (Nep) genes encode active peptidases, while 21 Neprilysin-like (Nepl) genes encode proteins predicted to be catalytically inactive. RNAseq data demonstrate that all 28 genes are expressed during development, often in a tissue-specific pattern. Most Nep proteins possess a transmembrane domain, whereas almost all Nepl proteins are predicted to be secreted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heiko Meyer
- Department of Zoology & Developmental Biology, Osnabrück University, 49076 Osnabrück, Germany,
Correspondence to: Heiko Meyer (); Steven J. Marygold ()
| | - Annika Buhr
- Department of Zoology & Developmental Biology, Osnabrück University, 49076 Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Patrick Callaerts
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Developmental Genetics, Department of Human Genetics, KULeuven, University of Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ronja Schiemann
- Department of Zoology & Developmental Biology, Osnabrück University, 49076 Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Mariana F. Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca NY 14853 USA
| | - Steven J. Marygold
- FlyBase, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3DY, U.K.,
Correspondence to: Heiko Meyer (); Steven J. Marygold ()
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18
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Orr TJ, Burns M, Hawkes K, Holekamp KE, Hook KA, Josefson CC, Kimmitt AA, Lewis AK, Lipshutz SE, Lynch KS, Sirot LK, Stadtmauer DJ, Staub NL, Wolfner MF, Hayssen V. It Takes Two to Tango: Including a Female Perspective in Reproductive Biology. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 60:796-813. [PMID: 32702091 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icaa084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Like many scientific disciplines, the field of reproductive biology is subject to biases in terminology and research foci. For example, females are often described as coy and passive players in reproductive behaviors and are termed "promiscuous" if they engage in extra-pair copulations. Males on the other hand are viewed as actively holding territories and fighting with other males. Males are termed "multiply mating" if they mate with multiple females. Similarly, textbooks often illustrate meiosis as it occurs in males but not females. This edition of Integrative and Comparative Biology (ICB) includes a series of papers that focus on reproduction from the female perspective. These papers represent a subset of the work presented in our symposium and complementary sessions on female reproductive biology. In this round table discussion, we use a question and answer format to leverage the diverse perspectives and voices involved with the symposium in an exploration of theoretical, cultural, pedagogical, and scientific issues related to the study of female biology. We hope this dialog will provide a stepping-stone toward moving reproductive science and teaching to a more inclusive and objective framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teri J Orr
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA
| | - Mercedes Burns
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA
| | - Kristen Hawkes
- Department of Anthropology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Kay E Holekamp
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Kristin A Hook
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Chloe C Josefson
- Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844, USA
| | - Abigail A Kimmitt
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - A Kelsey Lewis
- Center for Research on Gender and Women & Department of Urology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Sara E Lipshutz
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Kathleen S Lynch
- Biological Sciences, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY 11549, USA
| | - Laura K Sirot
- Department of Biology, The College of Wooster, Wooster, OH 44691, USA
| | - Daniel J Stadtmauer
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Nancy L Staub
- Biology Department, Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA 99258, USA
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
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19
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Abstract
The biogenic monoamine octopamine (OA) is a crucial regulator of invertebrate physiology and behavior. Since its discovery in the 1950s in octopus salivary glands, OA has been implicated in many biological processes among diverse invertebrate lineages. It can act as a neurotransmitter, neuromodulator and neurohormone in a variety of biological contexts, and can mediate processes including feeding, sleep, locomotion, flight, learning, memory, and aggression. Here, we focus on the roles of OA in female reproduction in insects. OA is produced in the octopaminergic neurons that innervate the female reproductive tract (RT). It exerts its effects by binding to receptors throughout the RT to generate tissue- and region-specific outcomes. OA signaling regulates oogenesis, ovulation, sperm storage, and reproductive behaviors in response to the female's internal state and external conditions. Mating profoundly changes a female's physiology and behavior. The female's OA signaling system interacts with, and is modified by, male molecules transferred during mating to elicit a subset of the post-mating changes. Since the role of OA in female reproduction is best characterized in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, we focus our discussion on this species but include discussion of OA in other insect species whenever relevant. We conclude by proposing areas for future research to further the understanding of OA's involvement in female reproduction in insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa A White
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Dawn S Chen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
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20
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Immarigeon C, Frei Y, Delbare SYN, Gligorov D, Machado Almeida P, Grey J, Fabbro L, Nagoshi E, Billeter JC, Wolfner MF, Karch F, Maeda RK. Identification of a micropeptide and multiple secondary cell genes that modulate Drosophila male reproductive success. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2001897118. [PMID: 33876742 PMCID: PMC8053986 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2001897118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Even in well-characterized genomes, many transcripts are considered noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) simply due to the absence of large open reading frames (ORFs). However, it is now becoming clear that many small ORFs (smORFs) produce peptides with important biological functions. In the process of characterizing the ribosome-bound transcriptome of an important cell type of the seminal fluid-producing accessory gland of Drosophila melanogaster, we detected an RNA, previously thought to be noncoding, called male-specific abdominal (msa). Notably, msa is nested in the HOX gene cluster of the Bithorax complex and is known to contain a micro-RNA within one of its introns. We find that this RNA encodes a "micropeptide" (9 or 20 amino acids, MSAmiP) that is expressed exclusively in the secondary cells of the male accessory gland, where it seems to accumulate in nuclei. Importantly, loss of function of this micropeptide causes defects in sperm competition. In addition to bringing insights into the biology of a rare cell type, this work underlines the importance of small peptides, a class of molecules that is now emerging as important actors in complex biological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clément Immarigeon
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Sciences III, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland;
| | - Yohan Frei
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Sciences III, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - Sofie Y N Delbare
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-2703
| | - Dragan Gligorov
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Sciences III, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - Pedro Machado Almeida
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Sciences III, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - Jasmine Grey
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-2703
| | - Léa Fabbro
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Sciences III, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - Emi Nagoshi
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Sciences III, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Christophe Billeter
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen 9700 CC, The Netherlands
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-2703
| | - François Karch
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Sciences III, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - Robert K Maeda
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Sciences III, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland;
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21
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Koreman GT, Xu Y, Hu Q, Zhang Z, Allen SE, Wolfner MF, Wang B, Han C. Upgraded CRISPR/Cas9 tools for tissue-specific mutagenesis in Drosophila. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2014255118. [PMID: 33782117 PMCID: PMC8040800 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2014255118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
CRISPR/Cas9 has emerged as a powerful technology for tissue-specific mutagenesis. However, tissue-specific CRISPR/Cas9 tools currently available in Drosophila remain deficient in three significant ways. First, many existing gRNAs are inefficient, such that further improvements of gRNA expression constructs are needed for more efficient and predictable mutagenesis in both somatic and germline tissues. Second, it has been difficult to label mutant cells in target tissues with current methods. Lastly, application of tissue-specific mutagenesis at present often relies on Gal4-driven Cas9, which hampers the flexibility and effectiveness of the system. Here, we tackle these deficiencies by building upon our previous CRISPR-mediated tissue-restricted mutagenesis (CRISPR-TRiM) tools. First, we significantly improved gRNA efficiency in somatic tissues by optimizing multiplexed gRNA design. Similarly, we also designed efficient dual-gRNA vectors for the germline. Second, we developed methods to positively and negatively label mutant cells in tissue-specific mutagenesis by incorporating co-CRISPR reporters into gRNA expression vectors. Lastly, we generated genetic reagents for convenient conversion of existing Gal4 drivers into tissue-specific Cas9 lines based on homology-assisted CRISPR knock-in. In this way, we expand the choices of Cas9 for CRISPR-TRiM analysis to broader tissues and developmental stages. Overall, our upgraded CRISPR/Cas9 tools make tissue-specific mutagenesis more versatile, reliable, and effective in Drosophila These improvements may be also applied to other model systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel T Koreman
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
- Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - Yineng Xu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
- Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - Qinan Hu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - Zijing Zhang
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - Sarah E Allen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - Bei Wang
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853;
- Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - Chun Han
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853;
- Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
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22
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Hu Q, Antipova OA, O’Halloran TV, Wolfner MF. X-ray fluorescence microscopy scanning of Drosophila oocytes and eggs. STAR Protoc 2021; 2:100247. [PMID: 33437967 PMCID: PMC7786125 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2020.100247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
X-ray fluorescence microscopy (XFM) is a powerful tool for mapping and quantifying the spatial distribution of elemental composition of biological samples. Recently, it was reported that transition metal fluctuations occur during Drosophila reproduction, analogous to what is seen in mammals and nematodes, and may contribute to Drosophila female fertility. To further support XFM studies on Drosophila reproduction, we describe procedures for isolating oocytes and activated eggs and examining their elemental composition by XFM scanning and analysis. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Hu et al. (2020).
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinan Hu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Olga A. Antipova
- X-ray Sciences Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439, USA
| | - Thomas V. O’Halloran
- The Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Mariana F. Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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23
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Abstract
In many animal species, females undergo physiological and behavioral changes after mating. Some of these changes are driven by male-derived seminal fluid proteins and are critical for fertilization success. Unfortunately, our understanding of the molecular interplay between female and male reproductive proteins remains inadequate. Here, we analyze the postmating response in a Drosophila species that has evolved strong gametic incompatibility with its sister species; Drosophila novamexicana females produce only ∼1% fertilized eggs in crosses with Drosophila americana males, compared to ∼98% produced in within-species crosses. This incompatibility is likely caused by mismatched male and female reproductive molecules. In this study, we use short-read RNA sequencing to examine the evolutionary dynamics of female reproductive genes and the postmating transcriptome response in crosses within and between species. First, we found that most female reproductive tract genes are slow-evolving compared to the genome average. Second, postmating responses in con- and heterospecific matings are largely congruent, but heterospecific matings induce expression of additional stress-response genes. Some of those are immunity genes that are activated by the Imd pathway. We also identify several genes in the JAK/STAT signaling pathway that are induced in heterospecific, but not conspecific mating. While this immune response was most pronounced in the female reproductive tract, we also detect it in the female head and ovaries. These results show that the female's postmating transcriptome-level response is determined in part by the genotype of the male, and that divergence in male reproductive genes and/or traits can have immunogenic effects on females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasir H Ahmed-Braimah
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 13850
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 13850
| | - Andrew G Clark
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 13850
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24
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Allen SE, Koreman GT, Sarkar A, Wang B, Wolfner MF, Han C. Versatile CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mosaic analysis by gRNA-induced crossing-over for unmodified genomes. PLoS Biol 2021; 19:e3001061. [PMID: 33444322 PMCID: PMC7837743 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2020] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Mosaic animals have provided the platform for many fundamental discoveries in developmental biology, cell biology, and other fields. Techniques to produce mosaic animals by mitotic recombination have been extensively developed in Drosophila melanogaster but are less common for other laboratory organisms. Here, we report mosaic analysis by gRNA-induced crossing-over (MAGIC), a new technique for generating mosaic animals based on DNA double-strand breaks produced by CRISPR/Cas9. MAGIC efficiently produces mosaic clones in both somatic tissues and the germline of Drosophila. Further, by developing a MAGIC toolkit for 1 chromosome arm, we demonstrate the method's application in characterizing gene function in neural development and in generating fluorescently marked clones in wild-derived Drosophila strains. Eliminating the need to introduce recombinase-recognition sites into the genome, this simple and versatile system simplifies mosaic analysis in Drosophila and can in principle be applied in any organism that is compatible with CRISPR/Cas9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E. Allen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Gabriel T. Koreman
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
- Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Ankita Sarkar
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
- Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Bei Wang
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
- Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Mariana F. Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Chun Han
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
- Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
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25
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Wigby S, Brown NC, Allen SE, Misra S, Sitnik JL, Sepil I, Clark AG, Wolfner MF. The Drosophila seminal proteome and its role in postcopulatory sexual selection. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 375:20200072. [PMID: 33070726 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Postcopulatory sexual selection (PCSS), comprised of sperm competition and cryptic female choice, has emerged as a widespread evolutionary force among polyandrous animals. There is abundant evidence that PCSS can shape the evolution of sperm. However, sperm are not the whole story: they are accompanied by seminal fluid substances that play many roles, including influencing PCSS. Foremost among seminal fluid models is Drosophila melanogaster, which displays ubiquitous polyandry, and exhibits intraspecific variation in a number of seminal fluid proteins (Sfps) that appear to modulate paternity share. Here, we first consolidate current information on the identities of D. melanogaster Sfps. Comparing between D. melanogaster and human seminal proteomes, we find evidence of similarities between many protein classes and individual proteins, including some D. melanogaster Sfp genes linked to PCSS, suggesting evolutionary conservation of broad-scale functions. We then review experimental evidence for the functions of D. melanogaster Sfps in PCSS and sexual conflict. We identify gaps in our current knowledge and areas for future research, including an enhanced identification of PCSS-related Sfps, their interactions with rival sperm and with females, the role of qualitative changes in Sfps and mechanisms of ejaculate tailoring. This article is part of the theme issue 'Fifty years of sperm competition'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart Wigby
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK.,Faculty Biology, Applied Zoology, Technische Universität Dresden, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Nora C Brown
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Sarah E Allen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Snigdha Misra
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Jessica L Sitnik
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Irem Sepil
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
| | - Andrew G Clark
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
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26
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura K Sirot
- Department of Biology, College of Wooster, Wooster, OH, 44691, USA
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
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27
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Sinha S, Jones BM, Traniello IM, Bukhari SA, Halfon MS, Hofmann HA, Huang S, Katz PS, Keagy J, Lynch VJ, Sokolowski MB, Stubbs LJ, Tabe-Bordbar S, Wolfner MF, Robinson GE. Behavior-related gene regulatory networks: A new level of organization in the brain. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:23270-23279. [PMID: 32661177 PMCID: PMC7519311 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1921625117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal networks are the standard heuristic model today for describing brain activity associated with animal behavior. Recent studies have revealed an extensive role for a completely distinct layer of networked activities in the brain-the gene regulatory network (GRN)-that orchestrates expression levels of hundreds to thousands of genes in a behavior-related manner. We examine emerging insights into the relationships between these two types of networks and discuss their interplay in spatial as well as temporal dimensions, across multiple scales of organization. We discuss properties expected of behavior-related GRNs by drawing inspiration from the rich literature on GRNs related to animal development, comparing and contrasting these two broad classes of GRNs as they relate to their respective phenotypic manifestations. Developmental GRNs also represent a third layer of network biology, playing out over a third timescale, which is believed to play a crucial mediatory role between neuronal networks and behavioral GRNs. We end with a special emphasis on social behavior, discuss whether unique GRN organization and cis-regulatory architecture underlies this special class of behavior, and review literature that suggests an affirmative answer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saurabh Sinha
- Department of Computer Science, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801;
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801
| | - Beryl M Jones
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
| | - Ian M Traniello
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801
| | - Syed A Bukhari
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801
- Informatics Program, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61820
| | - Marc S Halfon
- Department of Biochemistry, University at Buffalo-State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14203
| | - Hans A Hofmann
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712
- Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712
| | - Sui Huang
- Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, WA 98109
| | - Paul S Katz
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003
| | - Jason Keagy
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801
| | - Vincent J Lynch
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo-State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260
| | - Marla B Sokolowski
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3B2, Canada
- Program in Child and Brain Development, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, ON M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Lisa J Stubbs
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801
| | - Shayan Tabe-Bordbar
- Department of Computer Science, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850
| | - Gene E Robinson
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801;
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801
- Department of Entomology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801
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28
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Camargo C, Ahmed-Braimah YH, Amaro IA, Harrington LC, Wolfner MF, Avila FW. Mating and blood-feeding induce transcriptome changes in the spermathecae of the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti. Sci Rep 2020; 10:14899. [PMID: 32913240 PMCID: PMC7484758 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71904-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are the primary vectors of numerous viruses that impact human health. As manipulation of reproduction has been proposed to suppress mosquito populations, elucidation of biological processes that enable males and females to successfully reproduce is necessary. One essential process is female sperm storage in specialized structures called spermathecae. Aedes aegypti females typically mate once, requiring them to maintain sperm viably to fertilize eggs they lay over their lifetime. Spermathecal gene products are required for Drosophila sperm storage and sperm viability, and a spermathecal-derived heme peroxidase is required for long-term Anopheles gambiae fertility. Products of the Ae. aegypti spermathecae, and their response to mating, are largely unknown. Further, although female blood-feeding is essential for anautogenous mosquito reproduction, the transcriptional response to blood-ingestion remains undefined in any reproductive tissue. We conducted an RNAseq analysis of spermathecae from unfed virgins, mated only, and mated and blood-fed females at 6, 24, and 72 h post-mating and identified significant differentially expressed genes in each group at each timepoint. A blood-meal following mating induced a greater transcriptional response in the spermathecae than mating alone. This study provides the first view of elicited mRNA changes in the spermathecae by a blood-meal in mated females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Camargo
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Complejo RutaN, Calle 67 #52-20, Laboratory 4-166, 050010, Medellín, Colombia
| | | | - I Alexandra Amaro
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | | | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | - Frank W Avila
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Complejo RutaN, Calle 67 #52-20, Laboratory 4-166, 050010, Medellín, Colombia.
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29
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Hu Q, Wolfner MF. Regulation of Trpm activation and calcium wave initiation during Drosophila egg activation. Mol Reprod Dev 2020; 87:880-886. [PMID: 32735035 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The transition from a developmentally arrested mature oocyte to a developing embryo requires a series of highly conserved events, collectively known as egg activation. All of these events are preceded by a ubiquitous rise of intracellular calcium, which results from influx of external calcium and/or calcium release from internal storage. In Drosophila, this calcium rise initiates from the pole(s) of the oocyte by influx of external calcium in response to mechanical triggers. It is thought to trigger calcium responsive kinases and/or phosphatases, which in turn alter the oocyte phospho-proteome to initiate downstream events. Recent studies revealed that external calcium enters the activating Drosophila oocyte through Trpm channels, a feature conserved in mouse. The local entry of calcium raises the question of whether Trpm channels are found locally at the poles of the oocyte or are localized around the oocyte periphery, but activated only at the poles. Here, we show that Trpm is distributed all around the oocyte. This requires that it thus be specially regulated at the poles to allow calcium wave initiation. We show that neither egg shape nor local pressure is sufficient to explain this local activation of Trpm channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinan Hu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
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30
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Hu Q, Duncan FE, Nowakowski AB, Antipova OA, Woodruff TK, O'Halloran TV, Wolfner MF. Zinc Dynamics during Drosophila Oocyte Maturation and Egg Activation. iScience 2020; 23:101275. [PMID: 32615472 PMCID: PMC7330606 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 05/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Temporal fluctuations in zinc concentration are essential signals, including during oogenesis and early embryogenesis. In mammals, zinc accumulation and release are required for oocyte maturation and egg activation, respectively. Here, we demonstrate that zinc flux occurs in Drosophila oocytes and activated eggs, and that zinc is required for female fertility. Our synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence microscopy reveals zinc as the most abundant transition metal in Drosophila oocytes. Its levels increase during oocyte maturation, accompanied by the appearance of zinc-enriched intracellular granules in the oocyte, which depend on transporters. Subsequently, in egg activation, which mediates the transition from oocyte to embryo, oocyte zinc levels decrease significantly, as does the number of zinc-enriched granules. This pattern of zinc dynamics in Drosophila oocytes follows a similar trajectory to that in mammals, extending the parallels in female gamete processes between Drosophila and mammals and establishing Drosophila as a model for dissecting reproductive roles of zinc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinan Hu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Francesca E Duncan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Andrew B Nowakowski
- The Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Olga A Antipova
- X-ray Sciences Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439, USA
| | - Teresa K Woodruff
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; The Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
| | - Thomas V O'Halloran
- The Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
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31
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Sepil I, Hopkins BR, Dean R, Bath E, Friedman S, Swanson B, Ostridge HJ, Harper L, Buehner NA, Wolfner MF, Konietzny R, Thézénas ML, Sandham E, Charles PD, Fischer R, Steinhauer J, Kessler BM, Wigby S. Male reproductive aging arises via multifaceted mating-dependent sperm and seminal proteome declines, but is postponable in Drosophila. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:17094-17103. [PMID: 32611817 PMCID: PMC7382285 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2009053117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Declining ejaculate performance with male age is taxonomically widespread and has broad fitness consequences. Ejaculate success requires fully functional germline (sperm) and soma (seminal fluid) components. However, some aging theories predict that resources should be preferentially diverted to the germline at the expense of the soma, suggesting differential impacts of aging on sperm and seminal fluid and trade-offs between them or, more broadly, between reproduction and lifespan. While harmful effects of male age on sperm are well known, we do not know how much seminal fluid deteriorates in comparison. Moreover, given the predicted trade-offs, it remains unclear whether systemic lifespan-extending interventions could ameliorate the declining performance of the ejaculate as a whole. Here, we address these problems using Drosophila melanogaster. We demonstrate that seminal fluid deterioration contributes to male reproductive decline via mating-dependent mechanisms that include posttranslational modifications to seminal proteins and altered seminal proteome composition and transfer. Additionally, we find that sperm production declines chronologically with age, invariant to mating activity such that older multiply mated males become infertile principally via reduced sperm transfer and viability. Our data, therefore, support the idea that both germline and soma components of the ejaculate contribute to male reproductive aging but reveal a mismatch in their aging patterns. Our data do not generally support the idea that the germline is prioritized over soma, at least, within the ejaculate. Moreover, we find that lifespan-extending systemic down-regulation of insulin signaling results in improved late-life ejaculate performance, indicating simultaneous amelioration of both somatic and reproductive aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irem Sepil
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, OX1 3SZ Oxford, United Kingdom;
| | - Ben R Hopkins
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, OX1 3SZ Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Rebecca Dean
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, WC1E 6BT London, United Kingdom
| | - Eleanor Bath
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, OX1 3SZ Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | - Ben Swanson
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, OX1 3SZ Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Harrison J Ostridge
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, OX1 3SZ Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, WC1E 6BT London, United Kingdom
| | - Lucy Harper
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, OX1 3SZ Oxford, United Kingdom
- School of Biology, University of St Andrews, KY16 9ST St Andrews, United Kingdom
| | - Norene A Buehner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - Rebecca Konietzny
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, TDI Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Target Discovery Institute, University of Oxford, OX3 7FZ Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Marie-Laëtitia Thézénas
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, TDI Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Target Discovery Institute, University of Oxford, OX3 7FZ Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth Sandham
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, OX1 3SZ Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Philip D Charles
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, TDI Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Target Discovery Institute, University of Oxford, OX3 7FZ Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Roman Fischer
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, TDI Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Target Discovery Institute, University of Oxford, OX3 7FZ Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | - Benedikt M Kessler
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, TDI Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Target Discovery Institute, University of Oxford, OX3 7FZ Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Stuart Wigby
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, OX1 3SZ Oxford, United Kingdom
- Faculty Biology, Applied Zoology, Technische Universität Dresden, 01069 Dresden, Germany
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, L69 7ZB Liverpool, United Kingdom
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32
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Misra S, Wolfner MF. Drosophila seminal sex peptide associates with rival as well as own sperm, providing SP function in polyandrous females. eLife 2020; 9:58322. [PMID: 32672537 PMCID: PMC7398695 DOI: 10.7554/elife.58322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
When females mate with more than one male, the males’ paternity share is affected by biases in sperm use. These competitive interactions occur while female and male molecules and cells work interdependently to optimize fertility, including modifying the female’s physiology through interactions with male seminal fluid proteins (SFPs). Some modifications persist, indirectly benefiting later males. Indeed, rival males tailor their ejaculates accordingly. Here, we show that SFPs from one male can directly benefit a rival’s sperm. We report that Sex Peptide (SP) that a female Drosophila receives from a male can bind sperm that she had stored from a previous male, and rescue the sperm utilization and fertility defects of an SP-deficient first-male. Other seminal proteins received in the first mating ‘primed’ the sperm (or the female) for this binding. Thus, SP from one male can directly benefit another, making SP a key molecule in inter-ejaculate interaction. When fruit flies and other animals reproduce, a compatible male and a female mate, allowing sperm from the male to swim to and fuse with the female’s egg cells. The males also produce proteins known as seminal proteins that travel with the sperm. These proteins increase the likelihood of sperm meeting an egg and induce changes in the female that increase the number, or quality, of offspring produced. Some seminal proteins help a male to compete against its rivals by decreasing their chances to fertilize eggs. However, since many of the changes seminal proteins induce in females are long-lasting, it is possible that a subsequent male may actually benefit indirectly from the effects of a prior male’s seminal proteins. It remains unclear whether the seminal proteins of one male are also able to directly interact with and help the sperm of another male. Male fruit flies make a seminal protein known as sex peptide. Normally, a sex peptide binds to the sperm it accompanies into the female, increasing the female’s fertility and preventing her from mating again with a different male. To test whether the sex peptide from one male can bind to and help a rival male’s sperm, Misra and Wolfner mated female fruit flies with different combinations of males that did, or did not, produce the sex peptide. The experiments found that female flies that only mated with mutant males lacking the sex peptide produced fewer offspring than if they had mated with a ‘normal’ male. However, in females that mated with a mutant male followed by another male who provided the sex peptide, the second male’s sex peptide was able to bind to the mutant male’s sperm (as well as to his own). This in turn allowed the mutant male’s sperm to be efficiently used to sire offspring, at levels comparable to a normal male providing the sex peptide. These findings demonstrate that the ways individual male fruit flies interact during reproduction are more complex than just simple rivalry. Since humans and other animals also produce seminal proteins comparable to those of fruit flies, this work may aid future advances in human fertility treatments and strategies to control the fertility of livestock and pests, including mosquitoes that transmit diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Snigdha Misra
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States
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33
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League GP, Baxter LL, Wolfner MF, Harrington LC. Male accessory gland molecules inhibit harmonic convergence in the mosquito Aedes aegypti. Curr Biol 2020; 29:R196-R197. [PMID: 30889386 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Aedes aegypti mosquitoes transmit pathogens such as yellow fever, dengue, Zika, and chikungunya viruses to millions of human hosts annually [1]. As such, understanding Ae. aegypti courtship and mating biology could prove crucial to the success of disease control efforts that target reproduction. Potentially to communicate reproductive fitness [2,3], mosquito males and females harmonize their flight tones prior to mating in a behavior known as harmonic convergence (HC) [4]. Furthermore, after mating or treatment with extracts from male accessory glands (MAG), which make seminal fluid molecules, female Ae. aegypti become resistant, or refractory, to re-mating [5]. To test the hypothesis that mating and MAG fluids inhibit a female's ability to induce HC in males, we recorded audio of pre-copulatory flight interactions between virgin males and either virgin, mated, or MAG extract-injected females and analyzed these recordings for the presence or absence of HC. We found that mating and MAG extract lower HC occurrence by 53% compared with all other controls. Our results further suggest that mating may inhibit HC indirectly via the broader range of MAG-induced female refractory mating behaviors. Together, our results demonstrate an important new role for MAG molecules in mediating female post-mating behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garrett P League
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, 3131 Comstock Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Lindsay L Baxter
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, 3131 Comstock Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, 423 Biotechnology Building, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
| | - Laura C Harrington
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, 3131 Comstock Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
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34
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Pitnick S, Wolfner MF, Dorus S. Post-ejaculatory modifications to sperm (PEMS). Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2020; 95:365-392. [PMID: 31737992 PMCID: PMC7643048 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2019] [Revised: 10/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Mammalian sperm must spend a minimum period of time within a female reproductive tract to achieve the capacity to fertilize oocytes. This phenomenon, termed sperm 'capacitation', was discovered nearly seven decades ago and opened a window into the complexities of sperm-female interaction. Capacitation is most commonly used to refer to a specific combination of processes that are believed to be widespread in mammals and includes modifications to the sperm plasma membrane, elevation of intracellular cyclic AMP levels, induction of protein tyrosine phosphorylation, increased intracellular Ca2+ levels, hyperactivation of motility, and, eventually, the acrosome reaction. Capacitation is only one example of post-ejaculatory modifications to sperm (PEMS) that are widespread throughout the animal kingdom. Although PEMS are less well studied in non-mammalian taxa, they likely represent the rule rather than the exception in species with internal fertilization. These PEMS are diverse in form and collectively represent the outcome of selection fashioning complex maturational trajectories of sperm that include multiple, sequential phenotypes that are specialized for stage-specific functionality within the female. In many cases, PEMS are critical for sperm to migrate successfully through the female reproductive tract, survive a protracted period of storage, reach the site of fertilization and/or achieve the capacity to fertilize eggs. We predict that PEMS will exhibit widespread phenotypic plasticity mediated by sperm-female interactions. The successful execution of PEMS thus has important implications for variation in fitness and the operation of post-copulatory sexual selection. Furthermore, it may provide a widespread mechanism of reproductive isolation and the maintenance of species boundaries. Despite their possible ubiquity and importance, the investigation of PEMS has been largely descriptive, lacking any phylogenetic consideration with regard to divergence, and there have been no theoretical or empirical investigations of their evolutionary significance. Here, we (i) clarify PEMS-related nomenclature; (ii) address the evolutionary origin, maintenance and divergence in PEMS in the context of the protracted life history of sperm and the complex, selective environment of the female reproductive tract; (iii) describe taxonomically widespread types of PEMS: sperm activation, chemotaxis and the dissociation of sperm conjugates; (iv) review the occurence of PEMS throughout the animal kingdom; (v) consider alternative hypotheses for the adaptive value of PEMS; (vi) speculate on the evolutionary implications of PEMS for genomic architecture, sexual selection, and reproductive isolation; and (vii) suggest fruitful directions for future functional and evolutionary analyses of PEMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott Pitnick
- Department of Biology, Center for Reproductive Evolution, Syacuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | - Mariana F. Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Steve Dorus
- Department of Biology, Center for Reproductive Evolution, Syacuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
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35
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinan Hu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Adriana N Vélez-Avilés
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.,University of Puerto Rico-Río Piedras, Río Piedras, PR
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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36
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Abstract
Behaviors associated with reproduction are major contributors to the evolutionary success of organisms and are subject to many evolutionary forces, including natural and sexual selection, and sexual conflict. Successful reproduction involves a range of behaviors, from finding an appropriate mate, courting, and copulation, to the successful production and (in oviparous animals) deposition of eggs following mating. As a consequence, behaviors and genes associated with reproduction are often under strong selection and evolve rapidly. Courtship rituals in flies follow a multimodal pattern, mediated through visual, chemical, tactile, and auditory signals. Premating behaviors allow males and females to assess the species identity, reproductive state, and condition of their partners. Conflicts between the "interests" of individual males, and/or between the reproductive strategies of males and females, often drive the evolution of reproductive behaviors. For example, seminal proteins transmitted by males often show evidence of rapid evolution, mediated by positive selection. Postmating behaviors, including the selection of oviposition sites, are highly variable and Drosophila species span the spectrum from generalists to obligate specialists. Chemical recognition features prominently in adaptation to host plants for feeding and oviposition. Selection acting on variation in pre-, peri-, and postmating behaviors can lead to reproductive isolation and incipient speciation. Response to selection at the genetic level can include the expansion of gene families, such as those for detecting pheromonal cues for mating, or changes in the expression of genes leading to visual cues such as wing spots that are assessed during mating. Here, we consider the evolution of reproductive behavior in Drosophila at two distinct, yet complementary, scales. Some studies take a microevolutionary approach, identifying genes and networks involved in reproduction, and then dissecting the genetics underlying complex behaviors in D. melanogaster Other studies take a macroevolutionary approach, comparing reproductive behaviors across the genus Drosophila and how these might correlate with environmental cues. A full synthesis of this field will require unification across these levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert R H Anholt
- Center for Human Genetics, Clemson University, Greenwood, South Carolina 29646
- Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Greenwood, South Carolina 29646
| | - Patrick O'Grady
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853
| | - Susan T Harbison
- Laboratory of Systems Genetics, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
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37
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York-Andersen AH, Hu Q, Wood BW, Wolfner MF, Weil TT. A calcium-mediated actin redistribution at egg activation in Drosophila. Mol Reprod Dev 2019; 87:293-304. [PMID: 31880382 PMCID: PMC7044060 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Egg activation is the essential process in which mature oocytes gain the competency to proceed into embryonic development. Many events of egg activation are conserved, including an initial rise of intracellular calcium. In some species, such as echinoderms and mammals, changes in the actin cytoskeleton occur around the time of fertilization and egg activation. However, the interplay between calcium and actin during egg activation remains unclear. Here, we use imaging, genetics, pharmacological treatment, and physical manipulation to elucidate the relationship between calcium and actin in living Drosophila eggs. We show that, before egg activation, actin is smoothly distributed between ridges in the cortex of the dehydrated mature oocytes. At the onset of egg activation, we observe actin spreading out as the egg swells though the intake of fluid. We show that a relaxed actin cytoskeleton is required for the intracellular rise of calcium to initiate and propagate. Once the swelling is complete and the calcium wave is traversing the egg, it leads to a reorganization of actin in a wavelike manner. After the calcium wave, the actin cytoskeleton has an even distribution of foci at the cortex. Together, our data show that calcium resets the actin cytoskeleton at egg activation, a model that we propose to be likely conserved in other species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Qinan Hu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | - Benjamin W Wood
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | - Timothy T Weil
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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38
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Heifetz Y, Wolfner MF. Editorial overview: Networks, phase transitions, sociality, and reproduction: Inter-insect interactions that change molecular physiological state. Curr Opin Insect Sci 2019; 35:vii-ix. [PMID: 31629477 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2019.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yael Heifetz
- The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
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39
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Abstract
Egg activation is the process in which mature oocytes are released from developmental arrest and gain competency for embryonic development. In Drosophila and other arthropods, eggs are activated by mechanical pressure in the female reproductive tract, whereas in most other species, eggs are activated by fertilization. Despite the difference in the trigger, Drosophila shares many conserved features with higher vertebrates in egg activation, including a rise of intracellular calcium in response to the trigger. In Drosophila, this calcium rise is initiated by entry of extracellular calcium due to opening of mechanosensitive ion channels and initiates a wave that passes across the egg prior to initiation of downstream activation events. Here, we combined inhibitor tests, germ-line-specific RNAi knockdown, and germ-line-specific CRISPR/Cas9 knockout to identify the Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) channel subfamily M (Trpm) as a critical channel that mediates the calcium influx and initiates the calcium wave during Drosophila egg activation. We observed a reduction in the proportion of eggs that hatched from trpm germ-line knockout mutant females, although eggs were able to complete some egg activation events including cell cycle resumption. Since a mouse ortholog of Trpm was recently reported also to be involved in calcium influx during egg activation and in further embryonic development, our results suggest that calcium uptake from the environment via TRPM channels is a deeply conserved aspect of egg activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinan Hu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
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40
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Chen DS, Delbare SYN, White SL, Sitnik J, Chatterjee M, DoBell E, Weiss O, Clark AG, Wolfner MF. Female Genetic Contributions to Sperm Competition in Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics 2019; 212:789-800. [PMID: 31101677 PMCID: PMC6614900 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.119.302284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Accepted: 05/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In many species, sperm can remain viable in the reproductive tract of a female well beyond the typical interval to remating. This creates an opportunity for sperm from different males to compete for oocyte fertilization inside the female's reproductive tract. In Drosophila melanogaster, sperm characteristics and seminal fluid content affect male success in sperm competition. On the other hand, although genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have demonstrated that female genotype plays a role in sperm competition outcome as well, the biochemical, sensory, and physiological processes by which females detect and selectively use sperm from different males remain elusive. Here, we functionally tested 26 candidate genes implicated via a GWAS for their contribution to the female's role in sperm competition, measured as changes in the relative success of the first male to mate (P1). Of these 26 candidates, we identified eight genes that affect P1 when knocked down in females, and showed that five of them do so when knocked down in the female nervous system. In particular, Rim knockdown in sensory pickpocket (ppk)+ neurons lowered P1, confirming previously published results, and a novel candidate, caup, lowered P1 when knocked down in octopaminergic Tdc2+ neurons. These results demonstrate that specific neurons in the female's nervous system play a functional role in sperm competition and expand our understanding of the genetic, neuronal, and mechanistic basis of female responses to multiple matings. We propose that these neurons in females are used to sense, and integrate, signals from courtship or ejaculates, to modulate sperm competition outcome accordingly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawn S Chen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853-2703
| | - Sofie Y N Delbare
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853-2703
| | - Simone L White
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853-2703
| | - Jessica Sitnik
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853-2703
| | - Martik Chatterjee
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853-2703
| | - Elizabeth DoBell
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853-2703
| | - Orli Weiss
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853-2703
| | - Andrew G Clark
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853-2703
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853-2703
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41
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Hoke KL, Adkins-Regan E, Bass AH, McCune AR, Wolfner MF. Co-opting evo-devo concepts for new insights into mechanisms of behavioural diversity. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 222:222/8/jeb190058. [PMID: 30988051 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.190058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
We propose that insights from the field of evolutionary developmental biology (or 'evo-devo') provide a framework for an integrated understanding of the origins of behavioural diversity and its underlying mechanisms. Towards that goal, in this Commentary, we frame key questions in behavioural evolution in terms of molecular, cellular and network-level properties with a focus on the nervous system. In this way, we highlight how mechanistic properties central to evo-devo analyses - such as weak linkage, versatility, exploratory mechanisms, criticality, degeneracy, redundancy and modularity - affect neural circuit function and hence the range of behavioural variation that can be filtered by selection. We outline why comparative studies of molecular and neural systems throughout ontogeny will provide novel insights into diversity in neural circuits and behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim L Hoke
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Elizabeth Adkins-Regan
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.,Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Andrew H Bass
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Amy R McCune
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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42
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Degner EC, Ahmed-Braimah YH, Borziak K, Wolfner MF, Harrington LC, Dorus S. Proteins, Transcripts, and Genetic Architecture of Seminal Fluid and Sperm in the Mosquito Aedes aegypti. Mol Cell Proteomics 2019; 18:S6-S22. [PMID: 30552291 PMCID: PMC6427228 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.ra118.001067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2018] [Revised: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti,, transmits several viruses causative of serious diseases, including dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. Some proposed efforts to control this vector involve manipulating reproduction to suppress wild populations or to replace them with disease-resistant mosquitoes. The design of such strategies requires an intimate knowledge of reproductive processes, yet our basic understanding of reproductive genetics in this vector remains largely incomplete. To accelerate future investigations, we have comprehensively catalogued sperm and seminal fluid proteins (SFPs) transferred to females in the ejaculate using tandem mass spectrometry. By excluding female-derived proteins using an isotopic labeling approach, we identified 870 sperm proteins and 280 SFPs. Functional composition analysis revealed parallels with known aspects of sperm biology and SFP function in other insects. To corroborate our proteome characterization, we also generated transcriptomes for testes and the male accessory glands-the primary contributors to Ae. aegypti, sperm and seminal fluid, respectively. Differential gene expression of accessory glands from virgin and mated males suggests that transcripts encoding proteins involved in protein translation are upregulated post-mating. Several SFP transcripts were also modulated after mating, but >90% remained unchanged. Finally, a significant enrichment of SFPs was observed on chromosome 1, which harbors the male sex determining locus in this species. Our study provides a comprehensive proteomic and transcriptomic characterization of ejaculate production and composition and thus provides a foundation for future investigations of Ae. aegypti, reproductive biology, from functional analysis of individual proteins to broader examination of reproductive processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethan C Degner
- From the ‡Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | | | - Kirill Borziak
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York;.
| | - Laura C Harrington
- From the ‡Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York;.
| | - Steve Dorus
- Center for Reproductive Evolution, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York.
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43
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Zhang Z, Ahmed-Braimah YH, Goldberg ML, Wolfner MF. Calcineurin-dependent Protein Phosphorylation Changes During Egg Activation in Drosophila melanogaster. Mol Cell Proteomics 2019; 18:S145-S158. [PMID: 30478224 PMCID: PMC6427240 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.ra118.001076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2018] [Revised: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
In almost all animals studied to date, the crucial process of egg activation, by which an arrested mature oocyte transitions into an actively developing embryo, initiates with an increase in Ca2+ in the oocyte's cytoplasm. This Ca2+ rise sets off a series of downstream events, including the completion of meiosis and the dynamic remodeling of the oocyte transcriptome and proteome, which prepares the oocyte for embryogenesis. Calcineurin is a highly conserved phosphatase that is activated by Ca2+ upon egg activation and that is required for the resumption of meiosis in Xenopus,, ascidians, and Drosophila. The molecular mechanisms by which calcineurin transduces the calcium signal to regulate meiosis and other downstream events are still unclear. In this study, we investigate the regulatory role of calcineurin during egg activation in Drosophila melanogaster,. Using mass spectrometry, we quantify the phosphoproteomic and proteomic changes that occur during egg activation, and we examine how these events are affected when calcineurin function is perturbed in female germ cells. Our results show that calcineurin regulates hundreds of phosphosites and also influences the abundance of numerous proteins during egg activation. We find calcineurin-dependent changes in cell cycle regulators including Fizzy (Fzy), Greatwall (Gwl) and Endosulfine (Endos); in protein translation modulators including PNG, NAT, eIF4G, and eIF4B; and in important components of signaling pathways including GSK3β and Akt1. Our results help elucidate the events that occur during the transition from oocyte to embryo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zijing Zhang
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | | | - Michael L Goldberg
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.
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44
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Singh A, Buehner NA, Lin H, Baranowski KJ, Findlay GD, Wolfner MF. Long-term interaction between Drosophila sperm and sex peptide is mediated by other seminal proteins that bind only transiently to sperm. Insect Biochem Mol Biol 2018; 102:43-51. [PMID: 30217614 PMCID: PMC6249070 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2018.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Revised: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Seminal fluid proteins elicit several post-mating physiological changes in mated Drosophila melanogaster females. Some of these changes persist for over a week after mating because the seminal protein that causes these changes, the Sex Peptide (SP), binds to sperm that are stored in the female reproductive tract. SP's sperm binding is mediated by a network of at least eight seminal proteins. We show here that some of these network proteins (CG1656, CG1652, CG9997 and Antares) bind to sperm within 2 h of mating, like SP. However, while SP remains bound to sperm at 4 days post-mating, none of the other network proteins are detectable at this time. We also observed that the same network proteins are detectable at 2 h post-mating in seminal receptacle tissue from which sperm have been removed, but are no longer detectable there by 4 days post-mating, suggesting short-term retention of these proteins in this female sperm storage organ. Our results suggest that these network proteins act transiently to facilitate the conditions for SP's binding to sperm, perhaps by modifying SP or the sperm surface, but are not part of a long-acting complex that stably attaches SP to sperm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akanksha Singh
- Dept. of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Norene A Buehner
- Dept. of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - He Lin
- Dept. of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA; East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Geoffrey D Findlay
- Dept. of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA; Dept. of Biology, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA, 01610, USA
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Dept. of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
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45
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Maeda RK, Sitnik JL, Frei Y, Prince E, Gligorov D, Wolfner MF, Karch F. The lncRNA male-specific abdominal plays a critical role in Drosophila accessory gland development and male fertility. PLoS Genet 2018; 14:e1007519. [PMID: 30011265 PMCID: PMC6067764 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2017] [Revised: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 06/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Although thousands of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) have been identified in the genomes of higher eukaryotes, the precise function of most of them is still unclear. Here, we show that a >65 kb, male-specific, lncRNA, called male-specific abdominal (msa) is required for the development of the secondary cells of the Drosophila male accessory gland (AG). msa is transcribed from within the Drosophila bithorax complex and shares much of its sequence with another lncRNA, the iab-8 lncRNA, which is involved in the development of the central nervous system (CNS). Both lncRNAs perform much of their functions via a shared miRNA embedded within their sequences. Loss of msa, or of the miRNA it contains, causes defects in secondary cell morphology and reduces male fertility. Although both lncRNAs express the same miRNA, the phenotype in the secondary cells and the CNS seem to reflect misregulation of different targets in the two tissues. In many animals, the male seminal fluid induces physiology changes in the mated female that increase a male’s reproductive success. These changes are often referred to as the post-mating response (PMR). In Drosophila, the seminal fluid proteins responsible for generating the PMR are made in a specialized gland, analogous to the mammalian seminal vesicle and prostate, called the accessory gland (AG). In this work, we show that a male-specific, long, non-coding RNA (lncRNA), called msa, plays a critical role in the development and function of this gland, primarily through a microRNA (miRNA) encoded within its sequence. This same miRNA had previously been shown to be expressed in the central nervous system (CNS) via an alternative promoter, where its ability to repress homeotic genes is required for both male and female fertility. Here, we present evidence that the targets of this miRNA in the AG are likely different from those found in the CNS. Thus, the same miRNA seems to have been selected to affect Drosophila fertility through two different mechanisms. Although many non-coding RNAs have now been identified, very few can be shown to have function. Our work highlights a lncRNA that has multiple biological functions, affecting cellular morphology and fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert K. Maeda
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- * E-mail: (RKM); (FK)
| | - Jessica L. Sitnik
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Yohan Frei
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Elodie Prince
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Dragan Gligorov
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Mariana F. Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - François Karch
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- * E-mail: (RKM); (FK)
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46
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Villarreal SM, Pitcher S, Helinski MEH, Johnson L, Wolfner MF, Harrington LC. Male contributions during mating increase female survival in the disease vector mosquito Aedes aegypti. J Insect Physiol 2018; 108:1-9. [PMID: 29729859 PMCID: PMC5988987 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2018.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2017] [Revised: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Aedes aegypti is a vector of medically important viruses including those causing Zika, dengue, and chikungunya. During mating, males transfer a number of proteins and other molecules to the female and these components of the male ejaculate are essential in shifting female post-mating behaviors in a number of insect species. Because these molecules are highly variable by species, and female post-mating behavior by species is also varied, behavioral assays testing the function of the ejaculate are necessary before we can develop control strategies targeting the mating system to reduce mosquito populations. Because increased survival in mosquitoes strongly increases vectorial capacity and can influence population sizes and potential risk we tested the effect of mating on female survival. The ejaculate can either promote or reduce female survival, as both have been shown in multiple insect species, yet this effect has not been directly assessed in mosquitoes. We compared survival of females in four treatment groups: mated females, virgin females, and virgin females injected with either an extract from the male reproductive glands or a saline control. Survival, blood feeding frequency, fecundity and cumulative net reproductive rate (R0) were determined after multiple feedings from a human host. Our results confirm that male reproductive gland substances increase female fecundity and blood feeding frequency, resulting in dramatic increases in fitness (R0). We also demonstrate, for the first time, an effect of male reproductive gland extracts alone on female survival, regardless of whether or not the female ingested a vertebrate blood meal. Thus, the effects of MAG extract on survival are not secondary effects from altered blood feeding. Collectively, we demonstrate a direct role for Ae. aegypti male-derived molecules on increasing female fitness, reproductive success and, ultimately, transmission potential for vector borne pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan M Villarreal
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, 3131 Comstock Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Sylvie Pitcher
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, 3131 Comstock Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Michelle E H Helinski
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, 3131 Comstock Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Lynn Johnson
- Cornell Statistical Consulting Unit, Cornell University, B-11 Savage Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, 423 Biotechnology Building, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Laura C Harrington
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, 3131 Comstock Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
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47
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Cohen AB, Wolfner MF. Dynamic changes in ejaculatory bulb size during Drosophila melanogaster aging and mating. J Insect Physiol 2018; 107:152-156. [PMID: 29634921 PMCID: PMC5962419 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2018.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Revised: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The ejaculatory bulb of Drosophila melanogaster males produces proteins and pheromones that play important roles in reproduction. This tissue is also the final mixing site for the ejaculate before transfer to the female. The ejaculatory bulb's dynamics remain largely unstudied. By microscopy of the ejaculatory bulb in maturing adult males, we observed that the ejaculatory bulb expands in size as males age. Moreover, we document that when males mate, their ejaculatory bulb expands further as ejaculate transfer begins, and then contracts halfway through the course of mating as ejaculate transfer finishes. Although there is some male-to-male variation in the timing of these changes, ultimately the tissue changes in a predictable pattern that gives insight into the active mating process in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allie B Cohen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
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48
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Delbare SYN, Chow CY, Wolfner MF, Clark AG. Roles of Female and Male Genotype in Post-Mating Responses in Drosophila melanogaster. J Hered 2018; 108:740-753. [PMID: 29036644 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esx081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mating induces a multitude of changes in female behavior, physiology, and gene expression. Interactions between female and male genotype lead to variation in post-mating phenotypes and reproductive success. So far, few female molecules responsible for these interactions have been identified. Here, we used Drosophila melanogaster from 5 geographically dispersed populations to investigate such female × male genotypic interactions at the female transcriptomic and phenotypic levels. Females from each line were singly-mated to males from the same 5 lines, for a total of 25 combinations. Reproductive output and refractoriness to re-mating were assayed in females from the 25 mating combinations. Female × male genotypic interactions resulted in significant differences in these post-mating phenotypes. To assess whether female × male genotypic interactions affect the female post-mating transcriptome, next-generation RNA sequencing was performed on virgin and mated females at 5 to 6 h post-mating. Seventy-seven genes showed strong variation in mating-induced expression changes in a female × male genotype-dependent manner. These genes were enriched for immune response and odorant-binding functions, and for expression exclusively in the head. Strikingly, variation in post-mating transcript levels of a gene encoding a spermathecal endopeptidase was correlated with short-term egg production. The transcriptional variation found in specific functional classes of genes might be a read-out of female × male compatibility at a molecular level. Understanding the roles these genes play in the female post-mating response will be crucial to better understand the evolution of post-mating responses and related conflicts between the sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofie Y N Delbare
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-2703
| | - Clement Y Chow
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-2703.,Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-2703
| | - Andrew G Clark
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-2703
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49
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Mattei AL, Wolfner MF. Meroistic oogenesis of Drosophila, in section in situ. Mol Reprod Dev 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/mrd.22934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra L. Mattei
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics; Cornell University; Ithaca NY USA
| | - Mariana F. Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics; Cornell University; Ithaca NY USA
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50
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Billeter JC, Wolfner MF. Chemical Cues that Guide Female Reproduction in Drosophila melanogaster. J Chem Ecol 2018; 44:750-769. [PMID: 29557077 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-018-0947-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2017] [Revised: 02/21/2018] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Chemicals released into the environment by food, predators and conspecifics play critical roles in Drosophila reproduction. Females and males live in an environment full of smells, whose molecules communicate to them the availability of food, potential mates, competitors or predators. Volatile chemicals derived from fruit, yeast growing on the fruit, and flies already present on the fruit attract Drosophila, concentrating flies at food sites, where they will also mate. Species-specific cuticular hydrocarbons displayed on female Drosophila as they mature are sensed by males and act as pheromones to stimulate mating by conspecific males and inhibit heterospecific mating. The pheromonal profile of a female is also responsive to her nutritional environment, providing an honest signal of her fertility potential. After mating, cuticular and semen hydrocarbons transferred by the male change the female's chemical profile. These molecules make the female less attractive to other males, thus protecting her mate's sperm investment. Females have evolved the capacity to counteract this inhibition by ejecting the semen hydrocarbon (along with the rest of the remaining ejaculate) a few hours after mating. Although this ejection can temporarily restore the female's attractiveness, shortly thereafter another male pheromone, a seminal peptide, decreases the female's propensity to re-mate, thus continuing to protect the male's investment. Females use olfaction and taste sensing to select optimal egg-laying sites, integrating cues for the availability of food for her offspring, and the presence of other flies and of harmful species. We argue that taking into account evolutionary considerations such as sexual conflict, and the ecological conditions in which flies live, is helpful in understanding the role of highly species-specific pheromones and blends thereof, as well as an individual's response to the chemical cues in its environment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA.
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