Analysis of the Offspring Sex Ratio of Chicken by Using Molecular Sexing

The overall sex ratio of offspring （dead embryos and hatch chicks） from all the fertilized eggs of 140 hens collected for 30 days was studied using duplex PCR of certain fragments of sex chromosomes. Additional 894 dead embryos over a period of 21 days of incubation were also investigated to verify the sex ratio of the dead embryos. The sex of the early dead embryos was identified using this molecular sexing technique. The sex ratio of the hatch chicks and the total offspring of the hens investigated in this experiment did not differ from the expected sex ratio （i.e., 1：1）., However, the number of female dead embryos was significantly more than that of males. The data indicated that the different physiologic function of males and females contributed to female-biased mortality during incubation. It was also found by further analysis that the sex ratios of the offspring of some hens were significantly biased to female or male over the period investigated, which suggested that the sex ratio of offspring might be influenced by the maternal condition to some degrees.     

Male fertility and sex ratio at birth in red deer

Efforts to test sex ratio theory have focused mostly on females. However, when males possess traits that could enhance the reproductive success of sons, males would also benefit from the manipulation of the offspring sex ratio. We tested the prediction that more-fertile red deer males produce more sons. Our findings reveal that male fertility is positively related to the proportion of male offspring. We also show that there is a positive correlation between the percentage of morphologically normal spermatozoa (a main determinant of male fertility) and the proportion of male offspring. Thus, males may contribute significantly to biases in sex ratio at birth among mammals, creating the potential for conflicts of interest between males and females.     

Constraints in the evolution of sex ratio adjustment

When the relative fitness of male and female offspring varies with environmental conditions, evolutionary theory predicts that parents should adjust the sex of their offspring accordingly. Qualitative and even quantitative support for this prediction is striking in some taxa but much less convincing in others. Explaining such variation across taxa in the fit of sex ratio theory remains a major challenge. We use meta-analysis to test the role of two constraints in the evolution of sex ratios. Based on analysis of sex ratio skews in birds and wasps, we show that (i) mechanisms of sex determination do not necessarily constrain the evolution of sex ratio adjustment, and (ii) parental ability to predict their offsprings' environment influences the evolution of sex ratio patterns across taxa. More generally, our results show that multiple constraints may determine the precision of adaptation.     

普通大蓟马子代性比对同种成虫气味的响应

为了探究同种成虫的气味对普通大蓟马(Megalurothrips usitatus)交配期间性比调节的影响,设置对照（无气味）、已交配雌虫、未交配雌虫和已交配雄虫等4种气味源,分别处理单对刚羽化成虫24 h,然后用幼嫩豇豆(Vigna unguiculata)豆荚单头饲养被测雌虫,观测每日所产子代的性别和数量,计算子代性比。结果表明:已交配雌虫气味处理的子代雌虫数（22.80头）最少,跟其他处理差异显著。同对照的子代性比（0.31）相比,已交配雌虫和未交配雌虫的气味分别导致子代性比显著提高和降低,子代性比分别为0.48和0.22,而已交配雄虫气味对子代性比无显著影响。4个处理中,仅已交配雌虫气味处理的雌虫在产卵最后1天的日性比达到1.00,即雌虫体内的精子已消耗殆尽。成虫气味源对雌虫产卵天数没有明显影响。实验结果说明,普通大蓟马在交配期间能依靠嗅觉判别周边雌虫的交配状况,然后通过调控雌虫的获精数量,实现对子代性比的自调节。     

寄主大小及寄生顺序对蝇蛹佣小蜂寄生策略的影响

寄主大小模型认为寄生蜂后代性比与寄主大小相关,寄生蜂倾向于在大寄主上产出更多雌性后代,在小寄主上产出更多雄性后代。探讨了以家蝇蛹为寄主时,蝇蛹佣小蜂后代产量和性比变化;单次寄生情况下,寄主大小及寄生顺序对寄生蜂后代性比等影响。结果表明,蝇蛹佣小蜂的产卵期为(8.93±3.34) d,单头雌蜂能产雌性后代(34.11±16.34)头和雄性后代(11.04±8.87)头,且雄性百分比为0.24±0.11。随成蜂日龄的增大,寄生蜂产生雄性后代的比率显著增加。蝇蛹佣小蜂在寄生家蝇蛹时,会优先选择寄生个体较大的蛹;在单次寄生的情况下,蝇蛹佣小蜂倾向于在较大的家蝇蛹内产出更多的雌性后代。     

麦蛾气味受体OrCo基因的克隆及其表达模式分析

为提高麦蛾茧蜂种群的室内扩繁效率,采用人为控制种蜂婚配条件,研究麦蛾茧蜂交配经历和种蜂性比对交配行为及子代性别分化的影响。结果表明:麦蛾茧蜂种蜂交配经历对雌雄交配行为具有显著影响。交配经历较少的雄蜂再行配对时,求偶次数和交配次数较多、求偶强度较强且单次交配时间较长。没有交配经历的雄蜂比有5~6次交配经历的雄蜂交配时间显著要长。麦蛾茧蜂雄蜂交配经历对子代雌雄性比具有一定影响,但对子代总蜂数量的影响不明显。较少交配经历的雄蜂与处女雌蜂交配繁育所获子代雌蜂数量较多,雌雄性比较高。室内人工繁殖时,适当提高麦蛾茧蜂种蜂中雄蜂的比例有助于提高子代雌蜂数,当种蜂性比为1雌3雄,益害比为2(雌蜂数)10时繁殖效率最佳。     

Experimental evolution of reduced sex ratio adjustment under local mate competition

Theory predicts that local mate competition (LMC) favors the evolution of female-biased sex ratios. Empirical support of this prediction is indirect and comes from comparative studies or from studies showing that individuals can adjust their offspring sex ratio in response to varying LMC intensities. Replicate lines from a population of the spider mite Tetranychus urticae were selected under three LMC intensities for up to 54 generations. Within each selection regime, the final sex ratio matched theoretical predictions. Furthermore, the ability of individuals to adjust their offspring sex ratio diminished in females evolving under strict LMC, but not in females evolving under relaxed LMC levels. These results provide direct experimental evidence for the evolutionary process by which LMC modifies sex-allocation strategies and suggest that evolution under strict and constant LMC may lead to a loss of phenotypic plasticity.     

应用牙釉质基因鉴定绒山羊早期胚胎的性别

采用酚-氯仿法和煮沸法从南疆绒山羊血液和早期胚胎中提取基因组DNA,分别以雄羊和雌羊的血液基因组DNA和早期胚胎基因组DNA(约20～30胚胎细胞)为模板,以AMEL引物进行PCR扩增和电泳分析.结果表明:绒山羊5ng量和10pg量血液基因组DNA经扩增后雌性只得到1条非特异性带,雄性得到1条非特异性带和1条特异性带;超微量血液基因组DNA样本(10pg)经巢式扩增和电泳分析能够鉴定绒山羊性别;32枚绒山羊胚胎鉴定结果,雄雌性别比17/15;移植胚胎产羔雄雌比15/14.采用牙釉质基因(AMEL),经巢式扩增和电泳分析能够鉴定绒山羊性别,并对胚胎无损伤;南疆绒山羊早期胚胎性别鉴定结果与胚胎移植后产羔性别结果对比,雌雄性别比率差异不显著(P>0.05).     

Evolution. The benefits of allocating sex

Organisms allocate resources to male and female offspring in a process called sex allocation. In a Perspective, Stuart West and colleagues discuss what sex allocation tells us about evolution by natural selection and how sex allocation can be applied to understanding the mating structure of parasitic protozoans.     

Relatedness and inbreeding avoidance: counterploys in the communally nesting acorn woodpecker

Acorn woodpeckers (Melanerpes formicivorus) live in family groups within which more than one female may lay eggs communally in a single nest. Communally nesting females are usually closely related and share evenly in nesting activities. Although birds of either sex may breed in their natal territory, reproductive inhibition of offspring by the presence of their parent of the opposite sex and dispersal by unisexual sibling units ensure that inbreeding between close relatives is rare.     

氯化镉对小鼠精液品质和仔鼠性比的影响

为了探讨不同剂量氯化镉对小鼠雄性生殖及性别比例的影响,取32只雄性昆明小鼠,分成4组,每组每日每千克体重分别皮下注射CdCl20、0.5、1.02、.0 mg,连续5周,然后检测精液品质。结果发现,各试验组小鼠附睾内精子浓度以及精子活力显著下降,精子畸形率显著升高,并呈剂量依赖关系。将以上处理公鼠按1∶2比例与雌鼠交配,计算配种受胎率、妊娠率、窝产仔数和仔鼠性别比例,发现这些指标随处理剂量的增加呈下降趋势,雌/雄性比则呈升高趋势。以上结果表明,镉对小鼠精子生成及精液品质有明显毒性作用,可在一定程度上提高雌性后代的比例。     

Maternally Inherited Sex Ratio in the Parasitoid Wasp Nasonia vitripennis

Facultative control of the sex ratio has been reported in the wasp Nasonia vitripennis. In a newly wild-eaught strain, females produced few or no male offspring and did not show the usual alterations of sex ratio in response to external conditions. The aberrant trait is inherited through females.     

Perinatal dopamine-related drugs demasculinize rats

Administration of haloperidol, a common neuroleptic, to pregnant or lactating rats impaired the masculine sex behavior of their male offspring. Prenatal haloperidol did not affect testosterone concentrations in fetuses. Maternal administration of apomorphine, a dopamine agonist, and of alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine, an inhibitor of dopamine synthesis, also demasculinized male offspring. In both experiments other behaviors and developmental milestones were unaffected. Perinatal haloperidol, apomorphine, and alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine did not lower testosterone in adulthood. These drugs may act directly on neurons that control masculine behavior without lowering testosterone prenatally or in adulthood.     

Sex ratio adjustment in fig wasps

The effects of inbreeding and local mate competition have often been confounded in theoretical and empirical studies of sex ratio. A general model considering the interplay of their influences on sex ratio evolution is presented, and its predictions are compared with data collected from three fig wasp species. The results indicate that female fig wasps adjust the sex ratio of their offspring in response to both the intensity of proximate local mate competition and the level of inbreeding in the population.     

Sex chromosome-linked species recognition and evolution of reproductive isolation in flycatchers

Interbreeding between species (hybridization) typically produces unfit offspring. Reduced hybridization should therefore be favored by natural selection. However, this is difficult to accomplish because hybridization also sets the stage for genetic recombination to dissociate species-specific traits from the preferences for them. Here we show that this association is maintained by physical linkage (on the same chromosome) in two hybridizing Ficedula flycatchers. By analyzing the mating patterns of female hybrids and cross-fostered offspring, we demonstrate that species recognition is inherited on the Z chromosome, which is also the known location of species-specific male plumage traits and genes causing low hybrid fitness. Limited recombination on the Z chromosome maintains associations of Z-linked genes despite hybridization, suggesting that the sex chromosomes may be a hotspot for adaptive speciation.     

PCR法进行胚胎性别鉴定的研究进展

通过胚胎性别鉴定,可控制家畜后代性别比例,获得巨大经济效益。早期胚胎性别鉴定的方法有,核型分析法,H-Y抗原法,X-连接酶检测法和PCR扩增法等。PCR法因其简单、快速、准确等优点,成为目前比较理想的胚胎性别鉴定方法。笔者对性别决定基因、PCR法胚胎性别鉴定的几个关键环节进行了综述,并对其前景进行了展望。     

促性腺激素释放激素对小鼠繁殖性状的影响

通过给不同性别小鼠皮下注射不同浓度的促性腺激素释放激素类似物(GnRH-a),观察小鼠从合笼到分娩的时间、产仔总数、仔鼠性别比例情况,探讨了GnRH-a对小鼠繁殖性状的影响。结果表明,短效注射GnRH-a对小鼠从合笼到分娩的时间、产仔数量不存在差异。在雄性注射组中,注射低浓度水平的GnRH-a对小鼠后代性别比例的影响在0.05水平显著高于其他各注射组及对照组。可见GnRH-a对雄性小鼠的精液有一定的作用,且具有剂量的依赖性。     

Evolution and development of sex differences in cooperative behavior in meerkats

In cooperatively breeding birds, where helpers of both sexes assist with the provisioning and upbringing of offspring who are not their own, males tend to contribute more than females to rearing young. This sex difference has been attributed to paternity uncertainty, but could also occur because males contribute more where they are likely to remain and breed in their group of origin. In contrast to most birds, female meerkats (Suricata suricatta) are more likely to breed in their natal group than males. We show that female meerkat helpers contribute more to rearing young than males and that female helpers feed female pups more frequently than males. Our results suggest that sex differences in cooperative behavior are generated by sex differences in philopatry and occur because females derive greater direct benefits than males from raising recruits to their natal group. These findings support the view that direct, mutualistic benefits are important in the evolution of specialized cooperative behavior.     

Local mate competition and parental investment in social insects

Efforts to develop formulas for contrasting genetic interests of workers and queens in social Hymenoptera are complicated by many factors, including multiple matings by queens, oviposition by unmated females, and mating rivalry among genetic relatives (Hamilton's "local mate competition"). Because of haplodiploid sex determination in Hymenoptera, when such influences are absent, queens benefit from 1:1 sex ratios of investment (male: female) in reproductive offspring, workers from 1:3 ratios among reproductive siblings. Reports of variable ratios, including many well above 1:3, and female biases in nonsocial Hymenoptera and diplodiploid termites, implicate local mate competition and raises questions about previous interpretations that workers have their way.