Survival of Polyploid hybrid salamander embryos
Abstract Background Animals with polyploid, hybrid nuclei offer a challenge for models of gene expression and regulation during embryogenesis. To understand how such organisms proceed through development, we examined the timing and prevalence of mortality among embryos of unisexual salamanders in th...
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doaj-6a7b3d78e75643eb9fdae4231e53ba842020-11-25T04:08:24ZengBMCBMC Developmental Biology1471-213X2019-11-0119111510.1186/s12861-019-0202-zSurvival of Polyploid hybrid salamander embryosNoah D. Charney0Jacob E. Kubel1Craig T. Woodard2Blanca I. Carbajal-González3Samantha Avis4Julia A. Blyth5Charles S. EisemanJohn Castorino6John H. Malone7Harvard Forest, Harvard UniversityNatural Heritage & Endangered Species Program, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and WildlifeMount Holyoke CollegeMount Holyoke CollegeMount Holyoke CollegeMaria Mitchell AssociationHampshire CollegeDepartment of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of ConnecticutAbstract Background Animals with polyploid, hybrid nuclei offer a challenge for models of gene expression and regulation during embryogenesis. To understand how such organisms proceed through development, we examined the timing and prevalence of mortality among embryos of unisexual salamanders in the genus Ambystoma. Results Our regional field surveys suggested that heightened rates of embryo mortality among unisexual salamanders begin in the earliest stages of embryogenesis. Although we expected elevated mortality after zygotic genome activation in the blastula stage, this is not what we found among embryos which we reared in the laboratory. Once embryos entered the first cleavage stage, we found no difference in mortality rates between unisexual salamanders and their bisexual hosts. Our results are consistent with previous studies showing high rates of unisexual mortality, but counter to reports that heightened embryo mortality continues throughout embryo development. Conclusions Possible causes of embryonic mortality in early embryogenesis suggested by our results include abnormal maternal loading of RNA during meiosis and barriers to insemination. The surprising survival rates of embryos post-cleavage invites further study of how genes are regulated during development in such polyploid hybrid organisms.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12861-019-0202-zAmbystomaDevelopmentFertilizationGene regulationGynogenesisKleptogenesis |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Noah D. Charney Jacob E. Kubel Craig T. Woodard Blanca I. Carbajal-González Samantha Avis Julia A. Blyth Charles S. Eiseman John Castorino John H. Malone |
spellingShingle |
Noah D. Charney Jacob E. Kubel Craig T. Woodard Blanca I. Carbajal-González Samantha Avis Julia A. Blyth Charles S. Eiseman John Castorino John H. Malone Survival of Polyploid hybrid salamander embryos BMC Developmental Biology Ambystoma Development Fertilization Gene regulation Gynogenesis Kleptogenesis |
author_facet |
Noah D. Charney Jacob E. Kubel Craig T. Woodard Blanca I. Carbajal-González Samantha Avis Julia A. Blyth Charles S. Eiseman John Castorino John H. Malone |
author_sort |
Noah D. Charney |
title |
Survival of Polyploid hybrid salamander embryos |
title_short |
Survival of Polyploid hybrid salamander embryos |
title_full |
Survival of Polyploid hybrid salamander embryos |
title_fullStr |
Survival of Polyploid hybrid salamander embryos |
title_full_unstemmed |
Survival of Polyploid hybrid salamander embryos |
title_sort |
survival of polyploid hybrid salamander embryos |
publisher |
BMC |
series |
BMC Developmental Biology |
issn |
1471-213X |
publishDate |
2019-11-01 |
description |
Abstract Background Animals with polyploid, hybrid nuclei offer a challenge for models of gene expression and regulation during embryogenesis. To understand how such organisms proceed through development, we examined the timing and prevalence of mortality among embryos of unisexual salamanders in the genus Ambystoma. Results Our regional field surveys suggested that heightened rates of embryo mortality among unisexual salamanders begin in the earliest stages of embryogenesis. Although we expected elevated mortality after zygotic genome activation in the blastula stage, this is not what we found among embryos which we reared in the laboratory. Once embryos entered the first cleavage stage, we found no difference in mortality rates between unisexual salamanders and their bisexual hosts. Our results are consistent with previous studies showing high rates of unisexual mortality, but counter to reports that heightened embryo mortality continues throughout embryo development. Conclusions Possible causes of embryonic mortality in early embryogenesis suggested by our results include abnormal maternal loading of RNA during meiosis and barriers to insemination. The surprising survival rates of embryos post-cleavage invites further study of how genes are regulated during development in such polyploid hybrid organisms. |
topic |
Ambystoma Development Fertilization Gene regulation Gynogenesis Kleptogenesis |
url |
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12861-019-0202-z |
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