scholarly journals Matrilineal inheritance of a key mediator of prenatal maternal effects

2016 ◽  
Vol 283 (1838) ◽  
pp. 20161676 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Tschirren ◽  
Ann-Kathrin Ziegler ◽  
Joel L. Pick ◽  
Monika Okuliarová ◽  
Michal Zeman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Maternal Effects ◽  
Prenatal Development ◽  
Experimental Manipulation ◽  
Sex Linkage ◽  
Maternal Line ◽  
Sexually Antagonistic Selection ◽  
Paternal Grandmother ◽  
Female Specific ◽  
Yolk Testosterone ◽  
Matrilineal Inheritance

Sex-linkage is predicted to evolve in response to sex-specific or sexually antagonistic selection. In line with this prediction, most sex-linked genes are associated with reproduction in the respective sex. In addition to traits directly involved in fertility and fecundity, mediators of maternal effects may be predisposed to evolve sex-linkage, because they indirectly affect female fitness through their effect on offspring phenotype. Here, we test for sex-linked inheritance of a key mediator of prenatal maternal effects in oviparous species, the transfer of maternally derived testosterone to the eggs. Consistent with maternal inheritance, we found that in Japanese quail ( Coturnix japonica ) granddaughters resemble their maternal (but not their paternal) grandmother in yolk testosterone deposition. This pattern of resemblance was not due to non-genetic priming effects of testosterone exposure during prenatal development, as an experimental manipulation of yolk testosterone levels did not affect the females' testosterone transfer to their own eggs later in life. Instead, W chromosome and/or mitochondrial variation may underlie the observed matrilineal inheritance pattern. Ultimately, the inheritance of mediators of maternal effects along the maternal line will allow for a fast and direct response to female-specific selection, thereby affecting the dynamics of evolutionary processes mediated by maternal effects.

scholarly journals Differential effects of steroid hormones on levels of genetic variance in a wild bird: possible mechanism of maternal-effects x genetic variance interaction?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Szymon Marian Drobniak ◽  
Joanna Sudyka ◽  
Mariusz Cichoń ◽  
Aneta Arct ◽  
Lars Gustafsson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Steroid Hormones ◽  
Maternal Effects ◽  
Evolutionary Biology ◽  
Quantitative Traits ◽  
Genetic Variance ◽  
Genetic Correlations ◽  
Experimental Manipulation ◽  
Evolutionary Potential ◽  
Blue Tits ◽  
Rearing Effects

Genetic variation is one of the key concepts in evolutionary biology and an important prerequisite of evolutionary change. Still, we know very little about processes that modulate its levels in wild populations. In particular – we still are to understand why genetic variances often depend on environmental conditions. One of possible environment-sensitive modulators of observed levels of genetic variance are maternal effects. In this study we attempt to experimentally test the hypothesis that maternally-transmitted agents (e.g. hormones) may influence the expression of genetic variance in quantitative traits in the offspring. We manipulated the levels of steroid hormones (testosterone and corticosterone) in eggs laid by blue tits in a wild population. Our experimental setup allowed for full crossing of genetic and rearing effects with the experimental manipulation. We observed, that birds treated with corticosterone exhibited a significant decrease in genetic variance of tarsus length. We also observed less pronounced, marginally significant effects of hormonal administration on the patterns of genetic correlations between traits expressed under varying pre-hatching hormonal conditions. Our study indicates, that maternally transmitted substances such as hormones may have measurable impact on the levels of genetic variance – and hence, on the evolutionary potential of quantitative traits.

Detecting Sex-Associated Variation With the Families of MZ and DZ Twins

1984 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 287-301 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.S. Haley
Keyword(s):  
Maternal Effects ◽  
Phenotypic Variation ◽  
Human Population ◽  
Genetic Influences ◽  
Sex Linkage ◽  
Sample Sizes ◽  
Twin Design ◽  
Detection And Estimation ◽  
Sex Limitation ◽  
Extended Twin Design

AbstractPhenotypic variation in human population may contain contributions from a number of different sex-associated genetic influences. These influences include maternal effects, the effects of sex-linked loci, and the effects of sex-limited autosomally linked loci. The families produced by MZ and DZ twins provide statistics which permit the detection and estimation of these effects. In particular, they provide statistics derived from various types of age-matched half-sibs and cousins in addition to those derived from the more usually studied full-sib or parent-offspring relationships. Specific models for genetic maternal effects, sex-linkage and sex-limitation are used to explore the use of extended twin design for the detection of and the discrimination between various sex-associated effects. The sample sizes required to detect maternal effects and sex-linkage were considered for some simple cases and it is concluded that comparison derived from the progeny of twins will often provide better tests for these effects than those derived from parent-offspring comparison.

scholarly journals The monozygotic twin half-sib method for analysing maternal effects and sex-linkage in humans

Heredity ◽  
1981 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 227-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
C S Haley ◽  
J L Jinks ◽  
Krystyna Last
Keyword(s):  
Maternal Effects ◽  
Monozygotic Twin ◽  
Sex Linkage

scholarly journals Maternal Age and Maternal Environment Affect Egg Composition, Yolk Testosterone, Offspring Growth and Behaviour in Laying Hens

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tina M. Widowski ◽  
Leanne Cooley ◽  
Simone Hendriksen ◽  
Mariana R.L.V. Peixoto
Keyword(s):  
Maternal Effects ◽  
Maternal Age ◽  
Laying Hens ◽  
Egg Yolk ◽  
Maternal Environment ◽  
Testosterone Concentration ◽  
Natural Decrease ◽  
Offspring Growth ◽  
Egg Composition ◽  
Yolk Testosterone

Abstract Maternal effects have been reported to alter offspring phenotype in laying hens. In this study, we investigated the effects of maternal environment and maternal age on egg traits and offspring development and behaviour. For this, we ran two experiments. First (E1), commercial hybrid hens were reared either in aviary or barren brooding cages, then housed in aviary, conventional cages or furnished (enriched) cages, thus forming different maternal housing treatments. Hens from each treatment were inseminated at three ages, and measures of egg composition, yolk testosterone concentration and offspring’s development, anxiety and fearfulness were assessed. In experiment 2 (E2), maternal age effects on offspring's growth and behaviour were further investigated using fertile eggs from commercial breeder flocks at three ages. Results from E1 showed that maternal age affected the majority of measures including egg composition, yolk testosterone, offspring growth, anxiety and fearfulness. Maternal rearing and housing affected fewer measures but included egg characteristics, offspring weight and behaviour. Effects of maternal age were not replicated in E2, possibly due to higher tolerance to maternal effects in commercial breeders. Overall, our research confirms that maternal environment and maternal age affect the offspring of laying hens in a variety of ways. These effects may be mediated by the natural decrease in egg yolk testosterone concentration over time.

Experimental manipulation of yolk testosterone affects digit length ratios in the ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)

2005 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 342-346 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Romano ◽  
Diego Rubolini ◽  
Roberta Martinelli ◽  
Andrea Bonisoli Alquati ◽  
Nicola Saino
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Manipulation ◽  
Phasianus Colchicus ◽  
Yolk Testosterone ◽  
Digit Length

scholarly journals Correlated evolution of maternally derived yolk testosterone and early developmental traits in passerine birds

2005 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 461-464 ◽  
Author(s):  
K.B Gorman ◽  
T.D Williams
Keyword(s):  
Maternal Effects ◽  
Genetic Effect ◽  
Passerine Birds ◽  
Independent Contrasts ◽  
Correlated Evolution ◽  
Indirect Genetic Effect ◽  
Associated Species ◽  
Developmental Traits ◽  
Early Developmental ◽  
Yolk Testosterone

Recent studies on hormone-mediated maternal effects in birds have highlighted the influence of variable maternal yolk androgen concentration on offspring phenotype, particularly in terms of early development. If genetic differences between laying females regulate variation in yolk hormone concentration, then this physiological maternal effect is an indirect genetic effect which can provide a basis for the co-evolution of maternal and offspring phenotypes. Thus, we investigated the evolutionary associations between maternally derived yolk testosterone (T) and early developmental traits in passerine birds via a comparative, phylogenetic analysis. Our results from species-correlation and independent contrasts analyses provide convergent evidence for the correlated evolution of maternal yolk T concentration and length of the prenatal developmental period in passerines. Here, we show these traits are significantly negatively associated (species-correlation: p <0.001, r 2 =0.85; independent contrasts: p =0.005). Our results highlight the need for more studies investigating the role of yolk hormones in evolutionary processes concerning maternal effects.

scholarly journals A mobile sex-determining region, male-specific haplotypes, and rearing environment influence age at maturity in Chinook salmon

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Garrett J McKinney ◽  
Krista M Nichols ◽  
Michael J Ford
Keyword(s):  
Chinook Salmon ◽  
Genetic Architecture ◽  
Chromosomal Location ◽  
Pacific Salmon ◽  
Rad Sequencing ◽  
Sex Linkage ◽  
Age At Maturity ◽  
Sequencing Data ◽  
Sexually Antagonistic Selection ◽  
Male Specific

AbstractVariation in age at maturity is an important contributor to life history and demographic variation within and among species. The optimal age at maturity can vary by sex, and the ability of each sex to evolve towards its fitness optimum depends on the genetic architecture of maturation. Using GWAS of RAD sequencing data, we show that age at maturity in Chinook salmon exhibits sex-specific genetic architecture, with age at maturity in males governed by large (up to 20Mb) male-specific haplotypes. These regions showed no such effect in females. We also provide evidence for translocation of the sex-determining gene between two different chromosomes. This has important implications for sexually antagonistic selection, particularly that sex-linkage of adaptive genes may differ within and among populations based on chromosomal location of the sex-determining gene. Our findings will facilitate research into the genetic causes of shifting demography in Chinook salmon as well as a better understanding of sex-determination in this species and Pacific salmon in general.

scholarly journals Evolutionary implications of interspecific variation in a maternal effect: a meta-analysis of yolk testosterone response to competition

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (11) ◽  
pp. 160499 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra B. Bentz ◽  
Daniel J. Becker ◽  
Kristen J. Navara
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Maternal Effects ◽  
Effect Size ◽  
Maternal Effect ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Interspecific Variation ◽  
Competitive Environments ◽  
Egg Yolks ◽  
Yolk Testosterone ◽  
Nest Type

Competition between conspecifics during the breeding season can result in behavioural and physiological programming of offspring via maternal effects. For birds, in which maternal effects are best studied, it has been claimed that exposure to increased competition causes greater deposition of testosterone into egg yolks, which creates faster growing, more aggressive offspring; such traits are thought to be beneficial for high-competition environments. Nevertheless, not all species show a positive relationship between competitive interactions and yolk testosterone, and an explanation for this interspecific variation is lacking. We here test if the magnitude and direction of maternal testosterone allocated to eggs in response to competition can be explained by life-history traits while accounting for phylogenetic relationships. We performed a meta-analysis relating effect size of yolk testosterone response to competition with species coloniality, nest type, parental effort and mating type. We found that effect size was moderated by coloniality and nest type; colonial species and those with open nests allocate less testosterone to eggs when in more competitive environments. Applying a life-history perspective helps contextualize studies showing little or negative responses of yolk testosterone to competition and improves our understanding of how variation in this maternal effect may have evolved.

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