scholarly journals Embryonic communication in the nest: metabolic responses of reptilian embryos to developmental rates of siblings

2011 ◽  
Vol 279 (1734) ◽  
pp. 1709-1715 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica K. McGlashan ◽  
Ricky-John Spencer ◽  
Julie M. Old

Incubation temperature affects developmental rates and defines many phenotypes and fitness characteristics of reptilian embryos. In turtles, eggs are deposited in layers within the nest, such that thermal gradients create independent developmental conditions for each egg. Despite differences in developmental rate, several studies have revealed unexpected synchronicity in hatching, however, the mechanisms through which synchrony are achieved may be different between species. Here, we examine the phenomenon of synchronous hatching in turtles by assessing proximate mechanisms in an Australian freshwater turtle ( Emydura macquarii ). We tested whether embryos hatch prematurely or developmentally compensate in response to more advanced embryos in a clutch. We established developmental asynchrony within a clutch of turtle eggs and assessed both metabolic and heart rates throughout incubation in constant and fluctuating temperatures. Turtles appeared to hatch at similar developmental stages, with less-developed embryos in experimental groups responding to the presence of more developed eggs in a clutch by increasing both metabolic and heart rates. Early hatching did not appear to reduce neuromuscular ability at hatching. These results support developmental adjustment mechanisms of the ‘catch-up hypothesis’ for synchronous hatching in E. macquarii and implies some level of embryo–embryo communication. The group environment of a nest strongly supports the development of adaptive communication mechanisms between siblings and the evolution of environmentally cued hatching.

Weed Science ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 521-524 ◽  
Author(s):  
David W. Cudney ◽  
Lowell S. Jordan ◽  
Chris J. Corbett ◽  
Warren E. Bendixen

Prediction of the developmental stages of wheat and wild oats would be useful in order to: 1) correctly time the application of herbicides, and 2) accurately schedule research and cultural operations. The Haun developmental scale which numbers leaf development and describes floral development on the main stem of grasses was found to be suitable for describing the development of semidwarf wheat and wild oats in California. Haun developmental rates of wheat and wild oats were similar. Interference by wheat or wild oats in mixed cultures did not change the developmental rate of either species when grown with added nutrients and water. Degree days gave better correlations with development than calendar days when different planting dates, years, and locations were compared. A degree day model with a 5 C base temperature and a second-order polynomial expression gave accurate predictions of developmental stage, which correlated well with field data.


Aquaculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 535 ◽  
pp. 736381
Author(s):  
Geovanna Carla Zacheo Coelho ◽  
Dilberto Ribeiro Arashiro ◽  
Tamiris Disselli ◽  
Matheus Pereira-Santos ◽  
Tatiana María Mira-López ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalie J. Clark ◽  
Courtenay E. Mills ◽  
Nicolette A. Osborne ◽  
Kerry M. Neil

Development of water infrastructure benefits water security and agriculture but poses risks to habitat and aquatic fauna. Wyaralong Dam was constructed on Teviot Brook in 2010 to provide future urban water supplies for South East Queensland, Australia. Construction of the dam created a large impoundment area and environmental impact assessment predicted significant impacts upon resident freshwater turtle species and their habitats. Differences in habitat requirements, life-history characteristics and sensitivity to change between the Macquarie River turtle (Emydura macquarii macquarii) and the common saw-shelled turtle (Myuchelys latisternum) were expected to influence the impact of the dam on the spatial and temporal abundance of these species. The relative abundance of each species was monitored at sites located within, upstream and downstream of the impoundment across wet and dry seasons during the dam’s first five years of operation. The results of this monitoring program indicate that spatial and temporal variability in the relative abundance of E. macquarii macquarii and M. latisternum occurred during the study but not all expected impacts were realised. Contrary to expectation, the relative abundance of E. macquarii macquarii did not increase over time within, upstream or downstream of the dam. M. latisternum showed greater temporal variability at some sites; however, no clear relationship between relative abundance and operational years was observed during the monitoring program. Spatial variability in relative abundance between sites was dependent upon season, with trends generally consistent across both turtle species. Where differences between species were observed, these are suspected to have resulted from the influence of environmental conditions on species-specific movement behaviours. The monitoring program confirmed the use of the upper limits of the impoundment and the plunge pool below the dam wall by both turtle species but relative abundance within the main body of the impoundment remained low throughout monitoring. The results of the study allow for consideration of the suitability of predefined management measures and the development of recommendations for future monitoring programs prescribed for water infrastructure developments.


2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (10) ◽  
pp. 1737-1742
Author(s):  
Josana Andreia Langner ◽  
Nereu Augusto Streck ◽  
Genei Antonio Dalmago ◽  
Lia Rejane Silveira Reiniger ◽  
Angelica Durigon ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to determine the maximum development rates for the phases of emergence, vegetative and reproductive, and to test the performance of the Wang and Engel (WE) model for simulating the development of landrace and improved maize cultivars sown on different dates. Model calibration was with data collected from a field experiment with a sowing date on December 13, 2014, and the model was tested with independent data from experiments with five sowing dates (August 20 and November 4, 2013, February 3 and August 15, 2014, and January 7, 2015) in Santa Maria, RS. The experiment was a complete randomized block design with four replicates. The dates of emergence (EM), silking (R1), and physiological maturity (R6) of two landraces ('Cinquentinha' and 'Bico de ouro') and two improved maize cultivars ('BRS Planalto' and 'AS 1573PRO') were recorded. Maximum daily developmental rates varied among cultivars from 0.2400 to 0.3411 d-1 for the emergence phase, from 0.0213 to 0.0234 d-1 for the vegetative phase, and from 0.0254 to 0.0298 d-1 for the reproductive phase. The WE model adequately estimated the developmental stages of landraces and improved maize cultivars with a mean error of 3.7 days. The cardinal temperatures used in the WE model were appropriate to estimate the developmental stages of landraces and improved maize cultivars.


Parasitology ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 114 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. LARDEUX ◽  
J. CHEFFORT

Developmental rates for Wuchereria bancrofti larvae maturing in the vector Aedes polynesiensis were estimated by analysing stage-frequency data consisting of counts of larval stages in mosquitoes reared at 20, 22·5, 25, 27·5, 30 and 32 °C. Base temperatures (i.e. low temperature thresholds) for W. bancrofti development were estimated by the x-intercept method and the model of Lactin et al. (1995). Resulting values were similar with both methods and were ≈12·5 °C for microfilariae (mf) in thorax, ≈17 °C for L1, 15·5 °C for L2 and 16·5 °C for L3. Upper thresholds estimated by the Lactin et al. model were 29·3 °C for mf, 29·1 °C for L1, 32·2 °C for L2 and 31·5 °C for L3. In addition, an original method was devised for computing the L3 upper threshold, by modelling L3 length shrinkage with temperature. It gave a value of 31·4 °C. At 32 °C, L2 and L3 stages exhibited altered morphology, larvae being shorter and wider than expected. The model of Lactin et al. described adequately the non-linear relationship between developmental rate and temperature, but a linear degree-day approach may be applied for temperatures below 27–28 °C.


Reproduction ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 154 (5) ◽  
pp. 695-710 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Vitorino Carvalho ◽  
E Canon ◽  
L Jouneau ◽  
C Archilla ◽  
L Laffont ◽  
...  

During the last few years, several co-culture systems using either BOEC or VERO feeder cells have been developed to improve bovine embryo development and these systems give better results at high oxygen concentration (20%). In parallel, the SOF medium, used at 5% O2, has been developed to mimic the oviduct fluid. Since 2010s, the SOF medium has become popular in improving bovine embryo development and authors have started to associate this medium to co-culture systems. Nevertheless, little is known about the putative benefit of this association on early development. To address this question, we have compared embryo transcriptomes in four different culture conditions: SOF with BOEC or VERO at 20% O2, and SOF without feeders at 5% or 20% O2. Embryos have been analyzed at 16-cell and blastocyst stages. Co-culture systems did not improve the developmental rate when compared to 5% O2. Direct comparison of the two co-culture systems failed to highlight major differences in embryo transcriptome at both developmental stages. Both feeder cell types appear to regulate the same cytokines and growth factors pathways, and thus to influence embryo physiology in the same way. In blastocysts, when compared to culture in SOF at 5% O2, BOEC or VERO seems to reduce cell survival and differentiation by, at least, negatively regulating STAT3 and STAT5 pathways. Collectively, in SOF medium both blastocysts rate and embryo transcriptome suggest no influence of feeder origin on bovine early development and no beneficial impact of co-culture systems when compared to 5% O2.


1985 ◽  
Vol 117 (2) ◽  
pp. 185-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Safranyik ◽  
H. S. Whitney

AbstractThe development and survival of mountain pine beetles axenically reared on standardized diet at 8 constant temperatures (10°–35 °C) were observed. At 32 °and 35 °C, 22 and 18% of the eggs hatched and all larvae died within 10 d of hatching. At the lower temperatures, 60–70% of the eggs hatched. The highest survival for all developmental stages was at 24 °C. At 10° and 15 °C development of all beetles reared in bolts of lodgepole pine or on axenic diet stopped when larvae were fully developed, whereas at 24 °and 27 °C all of the beetles developed normally to the adult stage. Larvae that had stopped developing during rearing at 15 °C resumed development after being transferred to 24 °C, indicating that pupation was limited by temperature. Although mean development times to the larval, pupal, and adult stages all decreased with increasing incubation temperature, heat-unit requirements above a base temperature of 5.6 °C were lowest for individuals reared at 27 °and 24 °C for all developmental stages. At these temperatures, an estimated average of 673 and 674 degree-days above 5.6 °C were required for development from egg to the tanned (dark) adult stage, respectively. The average widths of the prothorax and the sex ratios of axenic beetles were within published ranges. Mean development times and heat-unit requirements at constant temperatures for development to various life stages agreed well with published field and laboratory studies from western Canada.


2004 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 144
Author(s):  
G.-S. IM ◽  
L. Lai ◽  
Z. Liu ◽  
Y. Hao ◽  
C.M. Murphy ◽  
...  

Although nuclear transfer (NT) has successfully produced cloned piglets, the development to blastocyst and to term is still low. Activation of the NT embryos is one of the key factors to improve the developmental ability of porcine NT embryos. Electric pulses as well as chemicals have been used to activate porcine NT embryos. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of continued activation following fusion pulses on in vitro development of porcine NT Embryos. Oocytes derived from a local abattoir were matured for 42 to 44h and enucleated. Ear skin cells were obtained from a 4-day-old transgenic pig transduced with eGFP recombinant retrovirus. Enucleated oocytes were reconstructed and cultured in PZM-3 in a gas atmosphere of 5% CO2 in air. Cleavage and blastocyst developmental rates were assessed under a stereomicroscope on Day 3 or 6. Blastocysts were stained with 5μg of Hoechst 33342 and total cell number was determined with an epifluorescent microscope. In Experiment 1, oocytes were activated with two 1.2kV/cm for 30μs (E) in 0.3M mannitol supplemented with either 0.1 or 1.0mM Ca2+. In each treatment, activated oocytes were divided into three groups. The first group was control (E). Other two groups were exposed to either ionomycin and 6-DMAP (E+I+D) or 6-DMAP (E+D) immediately after the electric pulses. In Experiment 2, fusion was conducted by using 1.0mM Ca2+ in the fusion medium. Fused NT embryos were divided into three treatments. NT embryos were fused and activated simultaneously with electric pulse as a control (C); the second group was treated with 6-DMAP immediately after fusion treatment (D0); and the third group was treated with 6-DMAP at 20min (D20) after fusion. In experiment 1, for 0.1mM Ca2+, developmental rates to the blastocyst stage for E, E+I+D or E+D were 12.5, 26.7 and 22.5%, respectively. For 1.0mM Ca2+, developmental rates to the blastocyst stage were 11.4, 28.3 and 35.6%, respectively. The activated oocytes treated with 6-DMAP following the electric pulses by using 1.0mM Ca2+ in fusion medium had higher (P<0.05) developmental rates to the blastocyst stage. In Experiment 2, developmental rates to the blastocyst stage for C, D0 or D20 were 10.0, 12.3, and 19.9%, respectively. Developmental rate to the blastocyst stage was higher (P<0.05) in D20. Fragmentation rates were 19.9, 10.8, and 9.0%, respectively. Regardless of Ca2+ concentration in fusion medium, continued treatments with chemicals following electric pulses supported more development of porcine activated oocytes. Treating NT embryos with 6-DMAP alone after fusion was completed by using 1.0mM Ca2+ in fusion medium improved the developmental rates to the blastocyst stage and prevented fragmentation accompanied by electric fusion. This study was supported by NIH NCRR 13438 and Food for the 21st Century.


Reproduction ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 115-126
Author(s):  
Ruizhi Deng ◽  
Chengquan Han ◽  
Lu Zhao ◽  
Qing Zhang ◽  
Beifen Yan ◽  
...  

Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), which are abundant in mammalian genomes, can modulate the expression of nearby genes, and their expression is dynamic and stage-specific during early embryonic development in mice and humans. However, the functions and mechanisms of ERV elements in regulating embryonic development remain unclear. Here, we utilized several methods to determine the contribution of ERVs to the makeup and regulation of transcripts during embryonic genome activation (EGA). We constructed an ERV library and embryo RNA-seq library (IVF_2c and IVF_8c) of goat to serve as our research basis. The GO and KEGG analysis of nearby ERV genes revealed that some ERV elements may be associated with embryonic development. RNA-seq results were consistent with the features of EGA. To obtain the transcripts derived from the ERV sequences, we blasted the ERV sequences with embryonic transcripts and identified three lncRNAs and one mRNA that were highly expressed in IVF-8c rather than in IVF-2c (q-value <0.05). Then, we validated the expression patterns of nine ERV-related transcripts during early developmental stages and knocked down three high-expression transcripts in EGA. The knockdown of lncRNA TCONS_00460156 or mRNA HSD17B11 significantly decreased the developmental rate of IVF embryos. Our findings suggested that some transcripts from ERVs are essential for the early embryonic development of goat, and analyzing the ERV expression profile during goat EGA may help elucidate the molecular mechanisms of ERV in regulating embryonic development.


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