Seminal fluid protein

Summary

Seminal fluid proteins (SFPs) or accessory gland proteins (Acps) are one of the non-sperm components of semen. In many animals with internal fertilization, males transfer a complex cocktail of proteins in their semen to females during copulation. These seminal fluid proteins often have diverse, potent effects on female post-mating phenotypes.[2] SFPs are produced by the male accessory glands.

A photo of Heliconius erato, a species of butterfly
Heliconius erato, or the red postman, was among the first species of butterfly to have its seminal fluid proteome studied.[1]

Seminal fluid proteins frequently show evidence of elevated evolutionary rates and are often cited as an example of sexual conflict.[2]

Proteomics edit

SFPs are best studied in mammals and insects,[3] especially in the common fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. Most species produce a wide variety of proteins that are transferred to females. For example, approximately 150 SFPs have been identified in D. melanogaster,[4][5] 46 in the mosquito Anopheles gambae,[6] and around 160 in humans.[7]

Elevated evolution edit

Even between closely related species, the seminal fluid proteome can vary greatly. SFPs show elevated rates of DNA sequence change compared to non-reproductive genes (measured by Ka/Ks ratio) in many orders, including Diptera (flies),[8][9] Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths),[1] Rodentia,[10] and Primates.[11][12][13]

Additionally, SFPs show high rates of gene turnover compared to non-reproductive genes.[9]

Function edit

 
Research on the function of SFPs has been conducted primarily in insect species, especially D. melanogaster.

The function of SFPs is best understood in D. melanogaster. SFPs play a role in male–male sperm competition. One study that manipulated the amount of SFPs male D. melanogaster produced found that when males were in competition, males that produced more SFPs sired a larger proportion of offspring.[14]

In many insect species, significant changes occur in female behavior and physiology following mating; the isolated receipt of SFPs has been shown to be responsible for many of these changes. In D. melanogaster females, over 160 genes show either up or down-regulation following isolated SFP receipt.[15] These transcriptomic changes are not limited to the female's reproductive tract.[16] SFPs lengthen the refractory period (when the female is disinterested in mating) and stimulate ovulation; additionally they can affect processes such as sperm storage, metabolism, and activity levels.[3]

Though SFPs seem to play a role in coordinating male and female reproductive efforts (e.g. in timing of ovulation), SFPs may also be a source of sexual conflict. Studies of D. melanogaster have revealed that females who received SFPs suffered decreased lifespan and fitness.[17] Frequent mating in D. melanogaster is associated with a reduction in female lifespan,[18] and this cost of mating in females has been shown to be primarily mediated by receipt of SFPs.[19]

As SFPs play an important role in reproductive processes in disease-carrying species of mosquito and additionally tend to be highly species-specific, manipulation of SFPs may hold potential for highly targeted control of these mosquito populations.[20]

References edit

  1. ^ a b Walters, J. R.; Harrison, R. G. (2010-04-07). "Combined EST and Proteomic Analysis Identifies Rapidly Evolving Seminal Fluid Proteins in Heliconius Butterflies". Molecular Biology and Evolution. 27 (9): 2000–2013. doi:10.1093/molbev/msq092. ISSN 0737-4038. PMID 20375075.
  2. ^ a b Sirot, Laura K.; Wong, Alex; Chapman, Tracey; Wolfner, Mariana F. (2014-12-11). "Sexual Conflict and Seminal Fluid Proteins: A Dynamic Landscape of Sexual Interactions". Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology. 7 (2): a017533. doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a017533. ISSN 1943-0264. PMC 4315932. PMID 25502515.
  3. ^ a b Avila, Frank W.; Sirot, Laura K.; LaFlamme, Brooke A.; Rubinstein, C. Dustin; Wolfner, Mariana F. (2011). "Insect Seminal Fluid Proteins: Identification and Function". Annual Review of Entomology. 56: 21–40. doi:10.1146/annurev-ento-120709-144823. ISSN 0066-4170. PMC 3925971. PMID 20868282.
  4. ^ Findlay, Geoffrey D.; Yi, Xianhua; MacCoss, Michael J.; Swanson, Willie J. (2008-07-29). "Proteomics Reveals Novel Drosophila Seminal Fluid Proteins Transferred at Mating". PLOS Biology. 6 (7): e178. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0060178. ISSN 1545-7885. PMC 2486302. PMID 18666829.
  5. ^ Findlay, Geoffrey D.; MacCoss, Michael J.; Swanson, Willie J. (2009-05-01). "Proteomic discovery of previously unannotated, rapidly evolving seminal fluid genes in Drosophila". Genome Research. 19 (5): 886–896. doi:10.1101/gr.089391.108. ISSN 1088-9051. PMC 2675977. PMID 19411605.
  6. ^ Dottorini, Tania; Nicolaides, Lietta; Ranson, Hilary; Rogers, David W.; Crisanti, Andrea; Catteruccia, Flaminia (2007-10-09). "A genome-wide analysis in Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes reveals 46 male accessory gland genes, possible modulators of female behavior". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 104 (41): 16215–16220. Bibcode:2007PNAS..10416215D. doi:10.1073/pnas.0703904104. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 2042187. PMID 17901209.
  7. ^ Schumacher, Julia; Rosenkranz, David; Herlyn, Holger (2014-01-22). "Mating systems and protein–protein interactions determine evolutionary rates of primate sperm proteins". Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences. 281 (1775): 20132607. doi:10.1098/rspb.2013.2607. ISSN 0962-8452. PMC 3866406. PMID 24307672.
  8. ^ Kelleher, Erin S; Watts, Thomas D; Laflamme, Brooke A; Haynes, Paul A; Markow, Therese A (2009-05-01). "Proteomic analysis of Drosophila mojavensis male accessory glands suggests novel classes of seminal fluid proteins". Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. 39 (5–6): 366–371. doi:10.1016/j.ibmb.2009.03.003. ISSN 0965-1748. PMID 19328853.
  9. ^ a b Mueller, J. L. (2005-06-18). "Cross-Species Comparison of Drosophila Male Accessory Gland Protein Genes". Genetics. 171 (1): 131–143. doi:10.1534/genetics.105.043844. ISSN 0016-6731. PMC 1456506. PMID 15944345.
  10. ^ Ramm, S. A.; McDonald, L.; Hurst, J. L.; Beynon, R. J.; Stockley, P. (2008-10-06). "Comparative Proteomics Reveals Evidence for Evolutionary Diversification of Rodent Seminal Fluid and Its Functional Significance in Sperm Competition". Molecular Biology and Evolution. 26 (1): 189–198. doi:10.1093/molbev/msn237. ISSN 0737-4038. PMID 18931385.
  11. ^ Clark, Nathaniel L.; Swanson, Willie J. (2005). "Pervasive Adaptive Evolution in Primate Seminal Proteins". PLOS Genetics. 1 (3): e35. doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.0010035. ISSN 1553-7390. PMC 1201370. PMID 16170411.
  12. ^ Good, Jeffrey M.; Wiebe, Victor; Albert, Frank W.; Burbano, Hernán A.; Kircher, Martin; Green, Richard E.; Halbwax, Michel; André, Claudine; Atencia, Rebeca (2013-01-16). "Comparative Population Genomics of the Ejaculate in Humans and the Great Apes". Molecular Biology and Evolution. 30 (4): 964–976. doi:10.1093/molbev/mst005. ISSN 1537-1719. PMID 23329688.
  13. ^ Meslin, Camille; Laurin, Michel; Callebaut, Isabelle; Druart, Xavier; Monget, Philippe (2015). "Evolution of species-specific major seminal fluid proteins in placental mammals by gene death and positive selection". Contributions to Zoology. 84 (3): 217–235. doi:10.1163/18759866-08403003.
  14. ^ Wigby, Stuart; Sirot, Laura K.; Linklater, Jon R.; Buehner, Norene; Calboli, Federico C.F.; Bretman, Amanda; Wolfner, Mariana F.; Chapman, Tracey (May 2009). "Seminal Fluid Protein Allocation and Male Reproductive Success". Current Biology. 19 (9): 751–757. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2009.03.036. ISSN 0960-9822. PMC 2737339. PMID 19361995.
  15. ^ McGraw, Lisa A.; Gibson, Greg; Clark, Andrew G.; Wolfner, Mariana F. (August 2004). "Genes Regulated by Mating, Sperm, or Seminal Proteins in Mated Female Drosophila melanogaster". Current Biology. 14 (16): 1509–1514. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2004.08.028. ISSN 0960-9822. PMID 15324670. S2CID 17056259.
  16. ^ McGraw, L. A.; Clark, A. G.; Wolfner, M. F. (2008-06-18). "Post-mating Gene Expression Profiles of Female Drosophila melanogaster in Response to Time and to Four Male Accessory Gland Proteins". Genetics. 179 (3): 1395–1408. doi:10.1534/genetics.108.086934. ISSN 0016-6731. PMC 2475742. PMID 18562649.
  17. ^ Wigby, Stuart; Chapman, Tracey (February 2005). "Sex Peptide Causes Mating Costs in Female Drosophila melanogaster". Current Biology. 15 (4): 316–321. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2005.01.051. ISSN 0960-9822. PMID 15723791. S2CID 15533396.
  18. ^ Fowler, Kevin; Partridge, Linda (April 1989). "A cost of mating in female fruitflies". Nature. 338 (6218): 760–761. Bibcode:1989Natur.338..760F. doi:10.1038/338760a0. ISSN 0028-0836. S2CID 4283317.
  19. ^ Chapman, Tracey; Liddle, Lindsay F.; Kalb, John M.; Wolfner, Mariana F.; Partridge, Linda (January 1995). "Cost of mating in Drosophila melanogaster females is mediated by male accessory gland products". Nature. 373 (6511): 241–244. Bibcode:1995Natur.373..241C. doi:10.1038/373241a0. ISSN 0028-0836. PMID 7816137. S2CID 4336339.
  20. ^ "Grant explores using seminal fluid proteins to control mosquitoes | Cornell Chronicle". news.cornell.edu. Retrieved 2018-08-14.