Separating Paternal and Maternal Contributions to Thermal Transgenerational Plasticity

Climate change is rapidly altering the thermal environment in terrestrial and aquatic systems. Transgenerational thermal plasticity (TGP) – which occurs when the temperatures experienced by the parental generation prior to the fertilization of gametes results in a change in offspring reaction norms – may mitigate the effects of climate change. Although “maternal effects” have been widely studied, relatively little is known about TGP effects in vertebrates, particularly paternal contributions. We used artificial fertilization to cross sheepshead minnow (Cyprinodon variegatus) parents exposed to either low (26°C) or high (32°C) temperatures and measured growth rates of the offspring over the first 8 weeks of life at both low and high temperatures. A linear mixed effects model was employed to quantify the effects of maternal, paternal, and offspring temperatures on offspring growth and fecundity. We found that the offspring growth rate up to 63 days post-hatch was affected by both the temperature they experienced directly and parental temperatures prior to fertilization. Growth was lowest when neither parents’ temperature matched the offspring temperature, indicating a strong transgenerational effect. Notably, offspring growth was highest when all three (offspring, sire, and dam) temperatures matched [although the three-way interaction was found to be marginally non-significant (P = 0.155)], suggesting that TGP effects were additive across significant sire-offspring (P < 0.001) and dam-offspring interactions (P < 0.001). Transgenerational effects on fecundity (GSI) were suggestive for both maternal and paternal effects, but not significant. The finding that thermal TGP is contributed by both parents strongly suggests that it has an epigenetic basis.

Multigenerational endometriosis : consequence of fetal exposure to diethylstilbestrol ?

Background Endometriosis, which affects 10–15 % of women of reproductive age, is an estrogen-driven condition influenced by environmental and genetic factors. Exposition to estrogen-like endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) has been reported to contribute to the fetal origin of this disease. Case presentation We report here an informative family in which all prenatally DES-exposed daughters and subsequent granddaughters presented endometriosis, whereas the unexposed first daughter and her progeny presented no gynecological disorders. Moreover, the only post-pubertal great-granddaughter, who presents chronic dysmenorrhea that remains resistant to conventional therapy, is at risk of developing endometriosis. The mother (I-2) was prescribed DES (30 mg/day for 3 months) to inhibit lactation after each delivery. Conclusions Although a direct causal link between the grandmother’s treatment with DES and the development of endometriosis in possibly three exposed generations remains speculative, this report strengthens the suspicion that fetal exposition to DES contributes to the pathogenesis of adult diseases, such as endometriosis. It also highlights a multigenerational and likely transgenerational effect of EDCs.

The effects of parental age difference on the offspring sex and fitness of European blackbirds

Background Many studies of birds have indicated that offspring sex ratios can vary with environmental and parental traits. On the basis of long-term research, we first evaluated the possible influence of parental age difference and brood characteristics on offspring sex and fitness in multi-brooded Blackbirds Turdus merula. Methodology The study was conducted in the city-centre Stefan Żeromski Park in Szczecin, NW Poland, where the local population of Blackbirds has been studied since 1996. Data on the offspring sex and fitness were collected in five years, 2005–2007 and 2016–2017. During the breeding season we inspected the study area to locate the pairs’ territories and to track their nests and clutches. Results We found that the overall sex ratio did not differ statistically from 50:50, but that younger females bonded with older mates did tend to produce more sons, probably because of the greater fitness of male descendants. Accordingly, the sons’ breeding success increased with the father’s age, but this relationship was close to non-linear, which may indicate that the transgenerational effect of paternal senescence could negatively affect progeny fitness despite the high-quality of older fathers. Older females mated with younger males produced more daughters, which could have been due to the lesser attractiveness of the males and the mothers’ poorer condition caused by accelerated senescence. We found that neither offspring hatching sequence nor hatching date or clutch sequence were significant for sex determination. Conclusions We consider that in our Blackbird population, parental age could make a more significant contribution to shaping offspring sex and reproductive success.

TRANSGENERATIONAL EFFECT OF ATTACHMENT - What was I given as a child, what do I share with my partner and what do I give to my newborn?

Attachment theory describes functioning through internalworking models that guide expectations and behaviours in the relationships. Our aim was toanalyzetransgenerational effect of attachment. We also wanted to map the attachment with respect tobonding and remembered attachment. Our sample consisted of 100 participants (26menand 74women)between 21 and 46 yearsfrom non-clinical populationthat were shortly postpartum. They filled 3 self-administered questionnaires: Egna Minnen Betraffande Uppfostran-short form(My memories of upbringing, sEMBU), The Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised (ECR-R), and The Mother-Infant Bonding Questionnaire (MIBQ). Emotional warmth shown by mother had prediction power to attachment in close relationship (avoidance in 9% and anxiety in 5%) which inturns correlated with the wish for physical contact with own infant (desire to touch or hold the infant). Furthermore, emotional warmth together with rejection by mother were predictors of acceptance of own parent ́s role in bonding in 8% and 5% respectively. We see several limits among which self-reported instruments, new questionnaire MIBQ, age range and smaller sample of men. Nevertheless, we consider our research to be important in slightly clarifying an importance of remembered emotional warmth of mother in functioning in actual relationships (attachmentavoidance and anxiety) and in bonding (acceptance of own parent ́s role).

Direct and maternal reduced balanced protein diet influences the liver transcriptome in chickens

The objective of this study was to evaluate, by means of RNA-sequencing, the direct and transgenerational effect of a reduced balanced protein diet on broiler breeder metabolism. Chickens of the F0 generation were fed a control (C) or reduced balanced protein (RP) diet and their F1 progeny was fed a C or RP diet as well, resulting in four groups of chickens, C/C, C/RP, RP/C and RP/RP. While both a direct and a maternal effect were seen on body weight, breast muscle weight and abdominal fat weight in the F1 generation, the direct effect was the most dominant one. The liver transcriptome in the F1 generation showed that amino acid metabolism was upregulated in chickens that received control feed when compared to their respective contemporaries that received the reduced protein diet. Interestingly, chickens hatched from control fed hens but reared on reduced protein diet (C/RP group) activated a fatty acid metabolism, expressing more FADS1, FADS2 and ELOVL2, when compared to control fed chickens hatched from control fed hens (C/C group), while chickens hatched from reduced protein fed hens that received themselves the same reduced protein diet (RP/RP group) triggered their glucose metabolism more, showing elevated levels of PFKL, PFKFB4 and ALDOC mRNA compared to the chickens hatched from reduced protein fed hens but reared on a control diet (RP/C group). This suggests that the maternal protein diet has an impact on the metabolism of broilers when they are reared on a reduced balanced protein diet.