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Gene bionetworks involved in the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of altered mate preference: environmental epigenetics and evolutionary biology.

ABSTRACT: Mate preference behavior is an essential first step in sexual selection and is a critical determinant in evolutionary biology. Previously an environmental compound (the fungicide vinclozolin) was found to promote the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of an altered sperm epigenome and modified mate preference characteristics for three generations after exposure of a gestating female.The current study investigated gene networks involved in various regions of the brain that correlated with the altered mate preference behavior in the male and female. Statistically significant correlations of gene clusters and modules were identified to associate with specific mate preference behaviors. This novel systems biology approach identified gene networks (bionetworks) involved in sex-specific mate preference behavior. Observations demonstrate the ability of environmental factors to promote the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of this altered evolutionary biology determinant.Combined observations elucidate the potential molecular control of mate preference behavior and suggests environmental epigenetics can have a role in evolutionary biology.

SUBMITTER: Skinner MK

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4073506 | biostudies-literature | 2014 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Gene bionetworks involved in the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of altered mate preference: environmental epigenetics and evolutionary biology.

Skinner Michael K MK Savenkova Marina I MI Zhang Bin B Gore Andrea C AC Crews David D

BMC genomics 20140516

<h4>Background</h4>Mate preference behavior is an essential first step in sexual selection and is a critical determinant in evolutionary biology. Previously an environmental compound (the fungicide vinclozolin) was found to promote the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of an altered sperm epigenome and modified mate preference characteristics for three generations after exposure of a gestating female.<h4>Results</h4>The current study investigated gene networks involved in various regions ...[more]

PMID: 24885959

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Project description:Sexual selection involves mate preference behavior and is a critical determinant for natural selection and evolutionary biology. Previously an environmental compound (fungicide vinclozolin) was found to promote epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of modified mate selection characteristics in all progeny for three generations after exposure of a gestating female. The current study investigated gene networks involved in various regions of the brain that correlated with the mate preference behavior altered in F3-Vinclozolin lineage animals. Statistically significant correlations of differentially expressed gene clusters and modules were identified to associate with specific mate preference behaviors. This novel systems biology approach identified critical gene networks involved in mate preference behavior and demonstrated the ability of environmental factors to promote epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of this altered evolutionary biology determinant. Combined observations elucidate the potential molecular control of mate preference behavior and suggests environmental epigenetics can have a role in evolutionary biology. We used Affymetrix Rat Gene 1.0 ST microarrays to determine genes expressed differentially in F3 Vinclozolin lineage male or female rats' 6 brain areas - amygdala (Amy), hippocampus (Hipp), olfactory bulb (OlfB), cingulate cortex (CngCtx), entorhinal cortex (EnCtx), and preoptic area-anterior hypothalamus (POAH) - due to Vinclozolin treatments of their grand-grandmothers (F0). For each of 6 brain areas of male or female rats (female: amygdala (F-Amy), cingulate cortex (F-CngCTX), enterorhinal cortex (F-EnCTX), hippocampus (F-Hipp), olfactory bulbs (F-OlfB), and preoptic area-anterior hypothalamus (F-POAH); male: amygdala (M-Amy), cingulate cortex (M-CngCTX), enterorhinal cortex (M-EnCTX), hippocampus (M-Hipp), olfactory bulbs (M-OlfB), and preoptic area-anterior hypothalamus (M-POAH)), RNA samples from 2 treatment groups - F3 Control lineage (Con) or F3 Vinclozolin lineage (Vin) - were compared to each other. Each of treatment groups contained 4-6 biological replicas for each brain region. RNA for each replica was isolated from an individual animal in order to compare to individual animal mate preference behavior studied with the same rats before sacrifice. Totally, 132 RNA samples from 24 animals (6 male F3 Control, 6 male F3 Vinclozolin,6 female F3 Control, and 6 female F3 Vinclozolin) were isolated and studied.

Project description:Discussion on the role of DEHP in the critical period of gonadal development in pregnant rats (F0), studied the evolution of F1-F4 generation of inter-generational inheritance of cryptorchidism and the alteration of DNA methylation levels in testis. Pregnant SD rats were randomly divided into two groups: normal control group and DEHP experimental group. From pregnancy 7 d to 19 d, experimental group was sustained to gavage DEHP 750 mg/kg bw/day, observed the incidence of cryptorchidism in offspring and examined the pregnancy rate of female rats through mating experiments. Continuous recording the rat's weight and AGD value, after maturation (PND80) recording testis and epididymis' size and weight, detected the sperm number and quality. Subsequently, we examined the evolution morphological changes of testicular tissue for 4 generation rats by HE staining and Western Blot. Completed the MeDIP-sequencing analysis of 6 samples (F1 generation, F4 generation and Control). DEHP successfully induced cryptorchidism occurrence in offspring during pregnancy. The incidence of cryptorchidism in F1 was 30%, in F2 was 12.5%, and there was no cryptorchidism coming up in F3 and F4. Mating experiment shows conception rate 50% in F1, F2 generation was 75%, the F3 and F4 generation were 100%. HE staining showed that the seminiferous epithelium of F1 generation was atrophy and with a few spermatogenic cell, F2 generation had improved, F3 and F4 generation were tend to be normal. The DNA methyltransferase expression was up-regulated with the increase of generations by Real Time-PCR, immunohistochemistry and Western Blot. MeDIP-seq Data Analysis Results show many differentially methylated DNA sequences between F1 and F4. DEHP damage male reproductive function in rats, affect expression of DNA methyltransferase enzyme, which in turn leads to genomic imprinting methylation pattern changes and passed on to the next generation, so that the offspring of male reproductive system critical role in the development of imprinted genes imbalances, and eventually lead to producing offspring cryptorchidism. This may be an important mechanism of reproductive system damage.

Dataset Information

Gene bionetworks involved in the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of altered mate preference: environmental epigenetics and evolutionary biology.

Publications

Gene bionetworks involved in the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of altered mate preference: environmental epigenetics and evolutionary biology.

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