scholarly journals Ancestral diet transgenerationally influences offspring in a parent-of-origin and sex-specific manner

2019 ◽  
Vol 374 (1768) ◽  
pp. 20180181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen Emborski ◽  
Alexander S. Mikheyev
Keyword(s):  
Body Composition ◽  
Reproductive Output ◽  
Control Diet ◽  
Female Offspring ◽  
Specific Manner ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Parent Of Origin ◽  
Full Factorial ◽  
Rapid Environmental Change

Parent-of-origin effects, whereby specific phenotypes are differentially inherited paternally or maternally, provide useful clues to better understand transgenerational effect transmission. Ancestral diet influences offspring phenotypes, including body composition and fitness. However, the specific role that mothers and fathers play in the transmission of altered phenotypes to male and female offspring remains unclear. We investigated the influence of the parent-of-origin's diet on adult progeny phenotypes and reproductive output for three generations in fruit flies ( Drosophila melanogaster ). Males and females reared on a control diet were exposed to the control diet or one of two altered (no- or high-) sugar treatment diets for a single generation. Flies from one of the two altered diet treatments were then mated to control flies in a full-factorial design to produce F 1 offspring and kept on control media for each following generation. We found parent-of-origin (triglyceride) and non-parent-of-origin (sugar) body composition effects, which were transgenerational and sex-specific. Additionally, we observed a negative correlation between intergenerational maternal reproductive output and triglyceride levels, suggesting that ancestral diet may affect fitness. This work demonstrates that ancestral diet can transmit altered phenotypes in a parent-of-origin and sex-specific manner and highlights that mechanisms regulating such transmission have been greatly overlooked. This article is part of the theme issue ‘The role of plasticity in phenotypic adaptation to rapid environmental change’.

scholarly journals Large mothers, but not large fathers, influence offspring number in a caridean shrimp

2018 ◽  
Vol 96 (10) ◽  
pp. 1106-1113 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.E. Sganga ◽  
C. Tropea ◽  
M. Valdora ◽  
M.F. Statti ◽  
L.S. López Greco
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Output ◽  
Growth Period ◽  
Female Offspring ◽  
Growth Increment ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Lipid Concentration ◽  
Offspring Quality ◽  
Offspring Number ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
The Relationship

The relationship between parental mass and female reproductive output, as well as offspring quality, was studied in the red cherry shrimp (Neocaridina davidi (Bouvier, 1904)) under controlled laboratory conditions. Adult males and females of the same age were paired combining different shrimp masses. The number of hatched juveniles from large females was higher than that from small ones, but no influence of paternal mass was detected on this variable. Both the mass of newly hatched juveniles and their growth increment during a 60-day period were similar for all parental masses. Shrimps reached sexual maturity at the end of the growth period in all treatments, and their biochemical reserves (glycogen, lipid, and protein concentrations) were not associated with maternal and paternal masses. However, lipid concentration was higher in female offspring than in male offspring. The present results show that, unlike maternal mass, paternal mass had no effect on female reproductive output and offspring quality, suggesting that the contribution of males to offspring development was adequate regardless of male size.

scholarly journals Ancestral diet leads to dynamic transgenerational plasticity for five generations in Drosophila melanogaster

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen Emborski ◽  
Alexander S Mikheyev
Keyword(s):  
Body Composition ◽  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Control Diet ◽  
Phenotypic Expression ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Transgenerational Plasticity ◽  
Summary Statement ◽  
Dietary Sugar ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Why Questions

AbstractAncestral exposures can influence phenotypic expression in subsequent generations, which influence diverse biological processes ranging from phenotypic plasticity to obesity. Currently, most transgenerational studies work under the assumption of transgenerational response stability and reproducibility through time and across exposure differences, relying on short-term (i.e. 2-3 generations) single-exposure experiments. Yet, little evidence exists in the literature to validate this assumption, leaving the consistency and reliability of interpretations in question. Additionally, as most studies have focused on proximal mechanistic (‘how’) rather than ultimate evolutionary (‘why’) questions, the interpretations of observed responses and broader evolutionary implications remain unclear. In the current study, we begin to address these gaps by analyzing the transgenerational effects of three dietary sugar concentrations (i.e. no, low, and high) relative to controls on body composition (i.e. whole body fat and sugar concentrations) and reproduction (i.e. lifetime fitness) over five generations in both males and females. We found that the changes in ancestral diet led to complex transgenerational body composition and fitness fluctuations relative to control offspring responses, despite the conformity of the treatments to a control diet in the F1-F5 generations. Interestingly, the direction of response frequently changed from generation to generation, and as a function of ancestral exposures and sex. These fluctuating response findings have not been documented previously, and were broadly consistent in both our pilot and main experiments. Our results highlight the dynamic and multifaceted nature of transgenerational plasticity, and provide some of the first evidence that transgenerational response stability may not be universally valid.Summary StatementAlterations in ancestral dietary sugar transgenerationally influences body composition and fitness in Drosophila melanogaster, leading to fluctuating responses relative to controls over five generations following exposure.

Gender Diversity in Computing: An Environmental Perspective

10.28945/3248 ◽  
2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cecille Marsh
Keyword(s):  
Gender Diversity ◽  
Household Head ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Political Factors ◽  
Female Household Head ◽  
Dominant Female ◽  
Computer Confidence ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Research Questions

Previous research conducted by the author investigated the socio-political backgrounds of two groups of female students studying computer-related university programmes. They came from distinctly different backgrounds and were enrolled at two institutions with very different legacies. The author found that socio-political factors, in particular the role of a dominant female household head and aggressive governmental affirmative action, had a significant effect on the girls’ levels of confidence and subsequently on their decision to study computer-related courses. Based on this insight, the researcher undertook to look further into gender diversity with respect to self-perceived general computer confidence and self-perceived ability to program a computer. A sample of both female and male Information T echnology students from very similar disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds was surveyed. The sample of 204 students was drawn from all three years of the National Diploma in Information Technology. The author considered the following research questions: (i) Do males and females studying computer-related courses have differing computer selfefficacy levels? (ii) Do males and females studying computer programming have differing attitudes towards their ability to program? (iii) Do males and females differ in their attitudes towards the programming learning environment?

Selenium Role in Reproduction, Pregnant/Postpartum Women and Neonates: A Current Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-37
Author(s):  
Tabinda Sattar
Keyword(s):  
Infant Development ◽  
Selenium Deficiency ◽  
Human Reproduction ◽  
Postpartum Women ◽  
Female Reproduction ◽  
Pregnancy And Lactation ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
One Year ◽  
Selenium Supplements

Background: Selenium is a micronutrient, although required in low amounts, its importance in male and female reproduction is well known. Objectives: The core purpose of this study is to evaluate the role of selenium in human reproduction, during pregnancy/ lactation in women and newborns. The review explains side by side the sources of selenium, required amounts of selenium in humans and during pregnancy or lactation. Methods: Selenium deficiency is a major cause of male infertility. Similarly, selenium deficiency, both in pregnant and postpartum women, would greatly affect the health of the newborn baby in all respects. The effect of maternal selenium upon the fetus and the neonates even one year after birth has been explained with some recent examples. Results: The study elaborates the fact that the selenium deficiency in pregnancy and lactation is common due to fetal/infant development, so selenium supplements must be provided in order to overcome these deficiency symptoms. Conclusions: The better reproductive health in humans is possible due to the sufficient amounts of selenium present both in males and females as well.

10 THE ROLE OF DIETARY L-SERINE IN THE REGULATION OF INTESTINAL MUCUS BARRIER DURING INFLAMMATION

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S42-S42
Author(s):  
Kohei Sugihara ◽  
Nobuhiko Kamada
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Control Diet ◽  
Bacterial Strains ◽  
Germ Free ◽  
Intestinal Mucus ◽  
Gnotobiotic Mice ◽  
Mucus Barrier

Abstract Background Recent accumulating evidence suggests that amino acids have crucial roles in the maintenance of intestinal homeostasis. In inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), amino acid metabolism is changed in both host and the gut microbiota. Among amino acids, L-serine plays a central role in several metabolic processes that are essential for the growth and survival of both mammalian and bacterial cells. However, the role of L-serine in intestinal homeostasis and IBD remains incompletely understood. In this study, we investigated the effect of dietary L-serine on intestinal inflammation in a murine model of colitis. Methods Specific pathogen-free (SPF) mice were fed either a control diet (amino acid-based diet) or an L-serine-deficient diet (SDD). Colitis was induced by the treatment of dextran sodium sulfate (DSS). The gut microbiome was analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing. We also evaluate the effect of dietary L-serine in germ-free mice and gnotobiotic mice that were colonized by a consortium of non-mucolytic bacterial strains or the consortium plus mucolytic bacterial strains. Results We found that the SDD exacerbated experimental colitis in SPF mice. However, the severity of colitis in SDD-fed mice was comparable to control diet-fed mice in germ-free condition, suggesting that the gut microbiota is required for exacerbation of colitis caused by the restriction of dietary L-serine. The gut microbiome analysis revealed that dietary L-serine restriction fosters the blooms of a mucus-degrading bacterium Akkermansia muciniphila and adherent-invasive Escherichia coli in the inflamed gut. Consistent with the expansion of mucolytic bacteria, SDD-fed mice showed a loss of the intestinal mucus layer. Dysfunction of the mucus barrier resulted in increased intestinal permeability, thereby leading to bacterial translocation to the intestinal mucosa, which subsequently increased the severity of colitis. The increased intestinal permeability and subsequent bacterial translocation were observed in SDD-fed gnotobiotic mice that colonized by mucolytic bacteria. In contrast, dietary L-serine restriction did not alter intestinal barrier integrity in gnotobiotic mice that colonized only by non-mucolytic bacteria. Conclusion Our results suggest that dietary L-serine regulates the integrity of the intestinal mucus barrier during inflammation by limiting the expansion of mucus degrading bacteria.

scholarly journals Microbiota Changes in Fathers Consuming a High Prebiotic Fiber Diet Have Minimal Effects on Male and Female Offspring in Rats

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 820
Author(s):  
Faye Chleilat ◽  
Alana Schick ◽  
Raylene A. Reimer
Keyword(s):  
Beta Diversity ◽  
Control Diet ◽  
Gastrointestinal Hormones ◽  
Alpha Diversity ◽  
Female Offspring ◽  
Sprague Dawley ◽  
Microbial Composition ◽  
Gut Hormone ◽  
Satiety Hormone ◽  
Prebiotic Fiber

Background: Consuming a diet high in prebiotic fiber has been associated with improved metabolic and gut microbial parameters intergenerationally, although studies have been limited to maternal intake with no studies examining this effect in a paternal model. Method: Male Sprague Dawley rats were allocated to either (1) control or (2) oligofructose-supplemented diet for nine weeks and then mated. Offspring consumed control diet until 16 weeks of age. Bodyweight, body composition, glycemia, hepatic triglycerides, gastrointestinal hormones, and gut microbiota composition were measured in fathers and offspring. Results: Paternal energy intake was reduced, while satiety inducing peptide tyrosine tyrosine (PYY) gut hormone was increased in prebiotic versus control fathers. Increased serum PYY persisted in female prebiotic adult offspring. Hepatic triglycerides were decreased in prebiotic fathers with a similar trend (p = 0.07) seen in female offspring. Gut microbial composition showed significantly reduced alpha diversity in prebiotic fathers at 9 and 12 weeks of age (p < 0.001), as well as concurrent differences in beta diversity (p < 0.001), characterized by differences in Bifidobacteriaceae, Lactobacillaceae and Erysipelotrichaceae, and particularly Bifidobacterium animalis. Female prebiotic offspring had higher alpha diversity at 3 and 9 weeks of age (p < 0.002) and differences in beta diversity at 15 weeks of age (p = 0.04). Increases in Bacteroidetes in female offspring and Christensenellaceae in male offspring were seen at nine weeks of age. Conclusions: Although paternal prebiotic intake before conception improves metabolic and microbiota outcomes in fathers, effects on offspring were limited with increased serum satiety hormone levels and changes to only select gut bacteria.

scholarly journals Genetic Studies of mei-P26 Reveal a Link Between the Processes That Control Germ Cell Proliferation in Both Sexes and Those That Control Meiotic Exchange in Drosophila

Genetics ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 155 (4) ◽  
pp. 1757-1772 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott L Page ◽  
Kim S McKim ◽  
Benjamin Deneen ◽  
Tajia L Van Hook ◽  
R Scott Hawley
Keyword(s):  
Meiotic Recombination ◽  
Double Mutant ◽  
P Element ◽  
Genetic Studies ◽  
Germline Differentiation ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Bag Of Marbles ◽  
Differentiation And Proliferation

Abstract We present the cloning and characterization of mei-P26, a novel P-element-induced exchange-defective female meiotic mutant in Drosophila melanogaster. Meiotic exchange in females homozygous for mei-P261 is reduced in a polar fashion, such that distal chromosomal regions are the most severely affected. Additional alleles generated by duplication of the P element reveal that mei-P26 is also necessary for germline differentiation in both females and males. To further assess the role of mei-P26 in germline differentiation, we tested double mutant combinations of mei-P26 and bag-of-marbles (bam), a gene necessary for the control of germline differentiation and proliferation in both sexes. A null mutation at the bam locus was found to act as a dominant enhancer of mei-P26 in both males and females. Interestingly, meiotic exchange in mei-P261; bamΔ86/+ females is also severely decreased in comparison to mei-P261 homozygotes, indicating that bam affects the meiotic phenotype as well. These data suggest that the pathways controlling germline differentiation and meiotic exchange are related and that factors involved in the mitotic divisions of the germline may regulate meiotic recombination.

scholarly journals Role of DegQ in differential stability of flagellin subunits in Vibrio vulnificus

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
You-Chul Jung ◽  
Mi-Ae Lee ◽  
Han-Shin Kim ◽  
Kyu-Ho Lee
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Vibrio Vulnificus ◽  
Differential Regulation ◽  
Specific Manner ◽  
Associated Proteins ◽  
Differential Stability ◽  
Methionine Residues

AbstractBiofilm formation of Vibrio vulnificus is initiated by adherence of flagellated cells to surfaces, and then flagellum-driven motility is not necessary during biofilm maturation. Once matured biofilms are constructed, cells become flagellated and swim to disperse from biofilms. As a consequence, timely regulations of the flagellar components’ expression are crucial to complete a biofilm life-cycle. In this study, we demonstrated that flagellins’ production is regulated in a biofilm stage-specific manner, via activities of a protease DegQ and a chaperone FlaJ. Among four flagellin subunits for V. vulnificus filament, FlaC had the highest affinities to hook-associated proteins, and is critical for maturating flagellum, showed the least susceptibility to DegQ due to the presence of methionine residues in its DegQ-sensitive domains, ND1 and CD0. Therefore, differential regulation by DegQ and FlaJ controls the cytoplasmic stability of flagellins, which further determines the motility-dependent, stage-specific development of biofilms.

scholarly journals Differential Effects of Short-term Ketogenic, High Fat and Fructose-enriched Diets on Metabolic Parameters in Mice (P08-042-19)

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalia Cortez ◽  
John Solitro ◽  
Brian Hong ◽  
Emily Villarreal ◽  
Gerardo Mackenzie
Keyword(s):  
Body Composition ◽  
Body Weight ◽  
Grip Strength ◽  
Glucose Homeostasis ◽  
Control Diet ◽  
Oral Glucose ◽  
High Fat ◽  
Carbohydrate Source ◽  
Strength Performance ◽  
Glucose Levels

Abstract Objectives Dietary composition influences multiple facets of human health and is inextricably linked to chronic metabolic conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a ketogenic (KD), a high fat (HF), and a fructose-enriched (FR) diets on glucose homeostasis, body composition and grip strength performance in mice. Methods Healthy C57BL/6 J mice (5–6 mice/group) were fed, either a control diet containing approximately 16% total calories from fat (CT), a diet containing 89% fat (KD), a diet with 50% total calories from fat (HF), or a diet with 32% fructose as carbohydrate source (FR). All diets contained 10% protein and all mice were fed ad libitum for 8 weeks. At baseline and 8 weeks, we evaluated body composition using NMR relaxometry, grip strength, non-fasting glucose levels, and ketone levels. In addition, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was conducted by administering glucose by oral gavage (1 g/kg body weight) after 15 hour-fasting and blood glucose levels were measured at 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min after glucose administration. Results All mice, irrespectively of their experimental diet groups, increased their body weight, fat mass and adiposity without significant differences among them. After 4 weeks, the HF (P < 0.05) and FR (P < 0.01) groups had significantly higher glucose levels than control. At 8 weeks, the KD groups showed an improved glucose homeostasis compared to CT group, as determined by OGTT. Moreover, compared to the CT group, grip strength performance increased (although did not reached significance) in the KD group (P = 0.054), and decreased in the FR group (P < 0.05). Moreover, when compared to their respective baseline values, grip strength performance increased in KD-fed mice and decreased in FR-fed mice, but differences among them were not statistically significant (P = 0.07). Conclusions Our preliminary findings indicate that altering macronutrient composition can lead to metabolic and physiological changes. Among the three diets tested, the KD showed an improved glucose utilization and better grip strength performance in mice. Additional mechanistic studies are warranted to better understand these metabolic differences among the experimental diets. Funding Sources funds from the University of California, Davis.

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