Comparative transcriptome analysis of obligately asexual and cyclically sexual rotifers reveals genes with putative functions in sexual reproduction, dormancy, and asexual egg production

Sara J Hanson; Claus-Peter Stelzer; David B Mark Welch; John M Logsdon

doi:10.1186/1471-2164-14-412

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Comparative transcriptome analysis of obligately asexual and cyclically sexual rotifers reveals genes with putative functions in sexual reproduction, dormancy, and asexual egg production

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Comparative transcriptome analysis of obligately asexual and cyclically sexual rotifers reveals genes with putative functions in sexual reproduction, dormancy, and asexual egg production

Sara J Hanson, Claus-Peter Stelzer, David B Mark Welch and John M Logsdon

BMC genomics, Vol.14(1), pp.412-412

06/19/2013

DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-14-412

PMCID: PMC3701536

PMID: 23782598

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Abstract

Background: Sexual reproduction is a widely studied biological process because it is critically important to the genetics, evolution, and ecology of eukaryotes. Despite decades of study on this topic, no comprehensive explanation has been accepted that explains the evolutionary forces underlying its prevalence and persistence in nature. Monogonont rotifers offer a useful system for experimental studies relating to the evolution of sexual reproduction due to their rapid reproductive rate and close relationship to the putatively ancient asexual bdelloid rotifers. However, little is known about the molecular underpinnings of sex in any rotifer species.Results: We generated mRNA-seq libraries for obligate parthenogenetic (OP) and cyclical parthenogenetic (CP) strains of the monogonont rotifer, Brachionus calyciflorus, to identify genes specific to both modes of reproduction. Our differential expression analysis identified receptors with putative roles in signaling pathways responsible for the transition from asexual to sexual reproduction. Differential expression of a specific copy of the duplicated cell cycle regulatory gene CDC20 and specific copies of histone H2A suggest that such duplications may underlie the phenotypic plasticity required for reproductive mode switch in monogononts. We further identified differential expression of genes involved in the formation of resting eggs, a process linked exclusively to sex in this species. Finally, we identified transcripts from the bdelloid rotifer Adineta ricciae that have significant sequence similarity to genes with higher expression in CP strains of B. calyciflorus.Conclusions: Our analysis of global gene expression differences between facultatively sexual and exclusively asexual populations of B. calyciflorus provides insights into the molecular nature of sexual reproduction in rotifers. Furthermore, our results offer insight into the evolution of obligate asexuality in bdelloid rotifers and provide indicators important for the use of monogononts as a model system for investigating the evolution of sexual reproduction. © 2013 Hanson et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Differential expression analysis

Evolution of sexual reproduction

Gametogenesis

Gene ontology analysis

Meiosis

Mixis induction

Resting eggs

Details

Title: Subtitle: Comparative transcriptome analysis of obligately asexual and cyclically sexual rotifers reveals genes with putative functions in sexual reproduction, dormancy, and asexual egg production
Creators: Sara J Hanson - Department of Biology and Interdisciplinary Program in Genetics, University of Iowa, 301 Biology Building, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA Institute for Limnology, University of Innsbruck, Herzog Odilostrasse 101, A-5310, Mondsee, Austria Josephine Bay Paul Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, 7 MBL Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
Claus-Peter Stelzer - Department of Biology and Interdisciplinary Program in Genetics, University of Iowa, 301 Biology Building, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA Institute for Limnology, University of Innsbruck, Herzog Odilostrasse 101, A-5310, Mondsee, Austria Josephine Bay Paul Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, 7 MBL Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
David B Mark Welch - Department of Biology and Interdisciplinary Program in Genetics, University of Iowa, 301 Biology Building, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA Institute for Limnology, University of Innsbruck, Herzog Odilostrasse 101, A-5310, Mondsee, Austria Josephine Bay Paul Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, 7 MBL Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
John M Logsdon - Department of Biology and Interdisciplinary Program in Genetics, University of Iowa, 301 Biology Building, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA Institute for Limnology, University of Innsbruck, Herzog Odilostrasse 101, A-5310, Mondsee, Austria Josephine Bay Paul Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, 7 MBL Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: BMC genomics, Vol.14(1), pp.412-412
DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-14-412
PMID: 23782598
PMCID: PMC3701536
NLM abbreviation: BMC Genomics
ISSN: 1471-2164
eISSN: 1471-2164
Publisher: BioMed Central
Language: English
Date published: 06/19/2013
Academic Unit: Biology
Record Identifier: 9984217425302771

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