The Role of Feed Restriction on DNA Methylation, Feed Efficiency, Metabolome, Biochemical Profile, and Progesterone Patterns in the Female Filial Generation (F1) Obtained From Early Feed Restricted Ewes (F0)

Deficient management of replacement animals in the farm during early developmental windows may promote adverse programming effects on reproductive traits and subsequent transmission to the next generation. In this sense, DNA methylation profiles allow researchers to decode epigenetic regulation mechanisms in mammals and identify novel candidate genes correlated with phenotype differences in both dams and offspring. Therefore, improving knowledge in the field of epigenetics and intergenerational effects caused by prenatal and postnatal early nutritional events (e.g., feed restriction) is crucial for refining strategies dedicated to animal breeding. In this study, we determined differences in the global blood methylation patterns, biochemical profile, and metabolome of ewe lambs (F1) born from either early feed restricted dams (F0-RES) or fed ad libitum (F0-ADL). Our data show that functional categories such as those related to cellular processes, phosphorylation, nervous system, immunity response, or reproductive function were enriched significantly in the F1-RES lambs due to differences in the methylation of genes in these categories. These F1-RES lambs did not show differences in feed efficiency during the replacement period but presented higher levels of insulin and triglycerides and reduced concentration of progesterone, whereas the metabolome profile demonstrated variations in the bile acid composition when compared with the F1-ADL lambs. Taken together, all these results suggest that intergenerational effects caused by early feed restriction of dams (F0) may persist in the F1 female lambs with negative consequences on genes involved in cellular processes and reproductive traits.

Vector Competence of Eucampsipoda africana (Diptera: Nycteribiidae) for Marburg Virus Transmission in Rousettus aegyptiacus (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae)

This study aimed to determine the vector competence of bat-associated nycteribiid flies (Eucamsipoda africana) for Marburg virus (MARV) in the Egyptian Rousette Bat (ERB), Rousettus aegyptiacus. In flies fed on subcutaneously infected ERBs and tested from 3 to 43 days post infection (dpi), MARV was detected only in those that took blood during the peak of viremia, 5–7 dpi. Seroconversion did not occur in control bats in contact with MARV-infected bats infested with bat flies up to 43 days post exposure. In flies inoculated intra-coelomically with MARV and tested on days 0–29 post inoculation, only those assayed on day 0 and day 7 after inoculation were positive by q-RT-PCR, but the virus concentration was consistent with that of the inoculum. Bats remained MARV-seronegative up to 38 days after infestation and exposure to inoculated flies. The first filial generation pupae and flies collected at different times during the experiments were all negative by q-RT-PCR. Of 1693 nycteribiid flies collected from a wild ERB colony in Mahune Cave, South Africa where the enzootic transmission of MARV occurs, only one (0.06%) tested positive for the presence of MARV RNA. Our findings seem to demonstrate that bat flies do not play a significant role in the transmission and enzootic maintenance of MARV. However, ERBs eat nycteribiid flies; thus, the mechanical transmission of the virus through the exposure of damaged mucous membranes and/or skin to flies engorged with contaminated blood cannot be ruled out.

Successful captive breeding of a Malayan pangolin population to the third filial generation

Pangolins are threatened placental mammals distributed in Africa and Asia. Many efforts have been undertaken in the last century to maintain pangolins in captivity, but only a few of them succeeded in maintaining and keeping this species in a controlled environment. This study reports the first systematic breeding of the Critically Endangered Malayan pangolin (Manis javanica) in captivity. Our captive breeding approach successfully improved the reproductive rate for both wild and captive-born female pangolins. From 2016 to 2020, we had 33 wild pangolins and produced 49 captive-born offspring spanning three filial generations. The female offspring further bred 18 offspring, of which 14 (78%) were conceived during the first time of cohabitation with males, and four offspring were conceived during the second cohabitation event, suggesting that they may practice copulation-induced ovulation. We observed that captive-born female pangolins could reach sexual maturity at 7–9 months (n = 4), and male pangolins could mate and successfully fertilise females at nine months age (n = 1). We also observed a female pangolin conceiving on the eighth day after parturition (the fifth day after the death of its pup). Our captive pangolins had a female-biased sex ratio of 1:0.5 at birth, unlike other known captive-born mammals. Also, captive-born pangolins were generally more viable after successful weaning and had a similar gestation length (~185 days) to wild pangolins. Most importantly, we report the first self-sustaining captive population of Malayan pangolins, and this species has an efficient reproduction strategy. These advances provide more comprehensive information for people to understand pangolins, and have implications for conserving endangered Malayan pangolins and providing scientific guidance to the management of other pangolin species.

Effects of multigenerational exposure and phenotypic variation on a freshwater fish species exposed to elevated carbon dioxide (CO2)

The amount of dissolved carbon dioxide (CO2) and the acidity of aquatic ecosystems is increasing as atmospheric CO2 concentrations increase due to human activities. Changes in pH and dissolved CO2 can have considerable aversive effects on fish physiology and behaviour, which can result in negative effects on fish populations. Multigenerational studies have found that the conditions experienced by parents can have significant effects on the performance of their offspring and understanding these effects can help to predict how fish populations will cope in future conditions. Additionally, repeatable behavioural phenotypes are good predictors of trends in behaviour, can be useful predictors of other physiological and life history traits, and can be subject to selection pressures. Unfortunately, the effects of elevated CO2 on freshwater fishes over multiple generations, and the effects of behavioural phenotypes, are poorly understood. In my thesis, freshwater Japanese Medaka (Oryzias latipes) were used to investigate the influence of phenotypic variation and differences in time of exposure (generational) on biological responses to elevated CO2. Lab-reared medaka were divided into ‘responsive’ and ‘non-responsive’ groups based on behavioural differences from the population mean during acute exposure to high CO2 in a common shuttling and novel tank behavioural assay. Responsive and non-responsive fish in parental generation (P) were subdivided and exposed to either control (~480 ppm) or high CO2 (~1250 ppm) conditions over a 6-week period. Following this time, eggs from this generation were collected and randomly selected into either high or control conditions, where they were hatched and reared until maturation (filial generation one (F1), 18 weeks). Eggs from F1 were collected and hatched and reared in the same conditions as their parents until adulthood (filial generation two (F2), 24 weeks). Body condition (size, weight and length), behaviour (total distance moved, time spent in the outer zone of the behavioural arena, and swimming direction), reproductive (number of eggs, size of eggs, and survival to hatch) performance, and the relative abundance of various mRNA transcripts in whole brain tissue of fish was measured across these three generations. Behavioural phenotypes influenced reproduction for P and F2 generation fish, and growth for F1 and F2 fish; suggesting that intraspecific variation in behavioural phenotypes may influence how medaka respond to elevated CO2. However, behavioural phenotypes did not have a significant effect on mRNA abundance on genes targeted in my study. Multigenerational exposure to elevated CO2 were shown to improve the performance of offspring in some measures and resulted in changes of mRNA abundance of several genes. Transgenerational exposure, where a parent or grandparent was exposed to elevated CO2 but the offspring were not exposed to elevated CO2, resulted in some deleterious effects suggesting that, generally, exposure to environmental conditions that differ from that of their parents may put fish especially at risk. In my thesis, current CO2 exposure appeared to be the best predictor of overall condition, where fish exposed to elevated CO2 were worse off than fish exposed to control CO2 conditions. The results of this research contribute to filling a current gap of knowledge in understanding how freshwater fish will respond to future conditions over an ecologically-relevant time scale. Importantly, this information will contribute to generating more informed decisions on freshwater ecosystem management and future research directions. Marine and freshwater environments offer food and water security and are of high importance to the economy and the health of our planet, making my research relevant to our broader society.

Paternal Finasteride Treatment Can Influence the Testicular Transcriptome Profile of Male Offspring—Preliminary Study

(1) Background: Hormone-dependent events that occur throughout spermatogenesis during postnatal testis maturation are significant for adult male fertility. Any disturbances in the T/DHT ratio in male progeny born from females fertilized by finasteride-treated male rats (F0:Fin) can result in the impairment of testicular physiology. The goal of this work was to profile the testicular transcriptome in the male filial generation (F1:Fin) from paternal F0:Fin rats. (2) Methods: The subject material for the study were testis from immature and mature male rats born from females fertilized by finasteride-treated rats. Testicular tissues from the offspring were used in microarray analyses. (3) Results: The top 10 genes having the highest and lowest fold change values were mainly those that encoded odoriferous (Olfr: 31, 331, 365, 633, 774, 814, 890, 935, 1109, 1112, 1173, 1251, 1259, 1253, 1383) and vomeronasal (Vmn1r: 50, 103, 210, 211; Vmn2r: 3, 23, 99) receptors and RIKEN cDNA 5430402E10, also known as odorant-binding protein. (4) Conclusions: Finasteride treatment of male adult rats may cause changes in the testicular transcriptome of their male offspring, leading to a defective function of spermatozoa in response to odorant-like signals, which are recently more and more often noticed as significant players in male fertility.

Are Freshwater Snails, Melanoides sp. and Invasive Tarebia granifera (Gastropoda: Thiaridae) Suitable Intermediate Hosts for Calicophoron microbothrium (Trematoda: Paramphistomoidea)? An Experimental Study

Prosobranch snails and adult Paramphistomoidea flukes were collected from water bodies and cattle abattoir located in Mpumalanga province of South Africa, respectively. The snails were identified based on morphological characters as well as the ITS-2 and 16S markers as Melanoides sp. and Tarebia granifera, respectively, and the Paramphistomoidea flukes were identified as Calicophoron microbothrium using the ITS-1/5.8S/ITS-2 marker. After confirming identification, the snails were bred to first filial generation (F1) under laboratory conditions. Ninety snails were randomly selected from the laboratory-bred F1 snails and 25 Melanoides sp. and 20 T. granifera were exposed to C. microbothrium miracidia, and the same numbers were maintained as non-exposed controls. Results showed that C. microbothrium successfully established in Melanoides sp. and produced cercariae, and the prepatent period recorded was 21 days. Three snails shed cercariae at day 21 postexposure (PE), and rediae and free cercariae were detected in the soft tissues of one snail on dissection at day 44 PE. The same fluke did not establish in T. granifera. Melanoides sp. started producing offspring at day 7 PE, and T. granifera at day 14 PE. In conclusion, our results showed that Melanoides sp. used in this study is a suitable intermediate host for C. microbothrium under experimental conditions, and given the wide distribution of this snail species, it is important to determine its role in the natural transmission of other Calicophoron species that have been reported in South Africa.

Effects of sex ratio on different biological parameters of Engytatus varians (Distant) (Hemiptera: Miridae) adults and their offspring: prey preference for Bactericera cockerelli (Sulcer) (Hemiptera: Triozidae)

In the present study, the influence of three sex ratios (1:1, 1:2, and 1:3; female:male) of the mirid Engytatus varians (Distant) (Hemiptera) on different biological parameters and on its offspring was evaluated. The prey preference of different developmental stages of this predator for different nymphal instars (N) of Bactericera cockerelli (Sulcer) (Hemiptera: Triozidae) was also evaluated. The fertility was significantly higher (24 nymphs/female) in the 1:3 sex ratio than in the 1:1 and 1:2 sex ratios (14 and 16 nymphs/female, respectively). The females in the 1:1 and 1:2 sex ratios lived 1.14 and 1.43 days more (27 and 28 days, respectively) than those in the 1:3 sex ratio (26 days). The nymphs derived from the females of the three sex ratios (first filial generation, F1) had five instars and a duration of 17 or 18 days. The ratio of the F1 generation females was not affected by the sex ratio of their parents. In choice tests, independent of whether the preys were placed on a single or multiple tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) leaflets, the consumption of females and males and N3, N4, and N5 nymphs of E. varians on B. cockerelli, generally showed the order of N2>N3>N4>N5. In conclusion, the findings revealed in this study can help to improve the rearing methodology for increasing populations of E. varians. In addition, they can serve as a guideline for releasing this predator in times when there is an abundance of early instar nymphs of B. cockerelli.

Analysis of progeny–parents family travel process from perspective filial piety: driving factors, intergenerational interaction and tourism evaluation

PurposeThis paper attempts to explore why adult progeny initiate progeny–parents family travel, how two generations interact and deal with intergenerational conflicts during travel and how they evaluate their travel experiences from the perspective of filial piety.Design/methodology/approachBased on in-depth interviews with both parents and their adult progeny, it is found that “repayment” or “compensation” of filial piety is the most important driving force to family travel with parents, and in many cases an adult child exhibits “overspending” by showing filial obedience. On the other hand, parents occasionally utilize filial piety as cultural resources to fulfill their personal goals and to evaluate their interactions with adult children. Finally, the authors offer an exploratory explanation to why filial generation has a relatively low evaluation while parent generation has a higher evaluation of family trip.FindingsThe authors suggest that future study in this particular area should attach much more importance to the “filial piety tool boxes” paradigm, which is in parallel with the paradigm of “concept (values) affecting behavior”.Originality/valueThe contribution of this study is to investigate the family travel process of “taking the elderly people to travel” from the perspective of interaction and filial piety.

Genetics of Orange, Red and Yellow Root Colours in Tropical Carrots (Dacus Carota L.)

The research was carried out to study the colour inheritance genetics of the root epidermis, core (phloem) and cortex (xylem), from the parental crosses of the varieties Pusa Meghali (Orange), Pusa Rudhira (Red) and Pusa Kulfi (Yellow). Resultant in crosses yielded uniform mixed colours in F1 (first filial generation), thus could enhance the security of human nutrition through the mixture of carotenoids and anthocyanins in the F1. The F1s were advance to produce F2 and backcross (BCP1 and BCP2) generations, and the Chi-square test ratio (χ2) showed that the root colour of the orange epidermis and cortex (xylem) was dominant over the red and yellow colours, and regulated by dominant genes Oe and Ocx from the parent Pusa Meghali. While, the root colour of the orange core (phloem) was found to be recessive to the red (Rc) from Pusa Rudhira and yellow (Yc) colour from Pusa Kulfi, and to be regulated by a single recessive gene (oc) from the parent Pusa Meghali. These finding of genetic inheritance of colours would be useful in the development of bio-fortified F1 hybrids and varieties which are rich in flavonoids.