DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Determining anucleated sperm function in Lepidoptera

论文研究：确定鳞翅目无核精子的功能

基本信息

批准号：
1701931
负责人：
James Walters
金额：
$ 1.97万
依托单位：
University of Kansas Center for Research Inc
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
Standard Grant
财政年份：
2017
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2017-06-01 至 2021-05-31
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1701931&HistoricalAwards=false
关键词：
DISSERTATION RESEARCH Determining anucleated sperm

项目摘要

The function of sperm cells is traditionally thought to be a way for males to transfer DNA to eggs and create offspring. Sperm cells that do not carry DNA cannot fertilize an egg, thus the existence of such sperm cells in butterflies and moths is puzzling. Almost all of these insects make two types of sperm: both traditional, DNA-bearing sperm, and a second type that lacks DNA. In all of these cases, males make far more of this DNA-lacking sperm than traditional sperm. The sheer abundance of this sperm type implies it plays some yet-unknown functional role in reproduction. This proposal aims to uncover the evolutionary significance of these DNA-lacking sperm cells. The research will also aid in the development of technologies that will allow scientists to maintain important genetically modified lineages in a way that is both cheaper and less vulnerable to failure than traditional rearing methods. Such protocols could even be extended to threatened species to create a gene bank. Outreach to the public will occur via summer science workshops.Production of multiple sperm types by a single male has independently arisen in many animal lineages. In all well-studied cases, evidence suggests that only one type of sperm retains its ability to fertilize eggs but the function of these non-fertilizing sperm remains unclear. Nowhere is this more apparent than in butterflies and moths; males of this order produce a secondary sperm type that lacks nuclear DNA. These anucleated cells represent a significant investment for a male, outnumbering their nucleated sperm by 20-to-1, but cannot possibly fertilize eggs to directly increase male fitness. Several hypotheses have been proposed since the discovery of anucleated sperm to explain the existence of anucleated sperm, but to-date no rigorous tests have been undertaken. This project will develop and refine artificial insemination protocols in two lepidopteran species that differ in mating strategy in order to thoroughly test the function of anucleated sperm in different selective backgrounds with a common framework.

传统上，精子细胞的功能被认为是男性将 DNA 转移到卵子并创造后代的一种方式。不携带DNA的精子细胞无法使卵子受精，因此蝴蝶和飞蛾中是否存在此类精子细胞令人费解。几乎所有这些昆虫都会产生两种类型的精子：一种是传统的带有 DNA 的精子，另一种是缺乏 DNA 的精子。在所有这些情况下，雄性产生的这种缺乏 DNA 的精子比传统精子要多得多。这种精子类型的绝对丰富意味着它在生殖中发挥着一些尚不为人所知的功能作用。该提案旨在揭示这些缺乏 DNA 的精子细胞的进化意义。这项研究还将有助于技术的开发，使科学家能够以比传统饲养方法更便宜、更不易失败的方式维持重要的转基因谱系。此类协议甚至可以扩展到受威胁物种以创建基因库。将通过夏季科学研讨会向公众进行宣传。在许多动物谱系中，单个雄性独立产生多种精子类型。在所有经过充分研究的案例中，有证据表明，只有一种类型的精子保留了使卵子受精的能力，但这些非受精精子的功能仍不清楚。这一点在蝴蝶和飞蛾中表现得最为明显。该目的雄性产生缺乏核DNA的次级精子类型。这些无核细胞对男性来说是一项重大投资，其数量与有核精子的比例为 20 比 1，但不可能使卵子受精以直接增强男性健康。自从发现无核精子以来，人们提出了几种假设来解释无核精子的存在，但迄今为止尚未进行严格的测试。该项目将开发和完善两种交配策略不同的鳞翅目物种的人工授精方案，以便利用共同框架彻底测试不同选择背景下无核精子的功能。

项目成果

期刊论文数量（3）

专著数量（0）

科研奖励数量（0）

会议论文数量（0）

专利数量（0）

Nonfertilizing sperm in Lepidoptera show little evidence for recurrent positive selection

DOI：
10.1111/mec.15096
发表时间：
2019-05
期刊：
Molecular Ecology
影响因子：
4.9
作者：
Andrew J. Mongue;Megan E. Hansen;Liuqi Gu;Clyde E Sorenson;James R Walters
通讯作者：
Andrew J. Mongue;Megan E. Hansen;Liuqi Gu;Clyde E Sorenson;James R Walters

Testing impacts of goal-oriented outreach with the Girl Scouts: Can a single activity change attitudes towards insects?

测试女童子军以目标为导向的外展活动的影响：一项活动能否改变对昆虫的态度？