Journal article
Transgenerational epigenetic imprints on mate preference
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS, Vol.104(14), pp.5942-5946
04/03/2007
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/110213
PMCID: PMC1851596
PMID: 17389367
Abstract
Environmental contamination by endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDC) can have epigenetic effects (by DNA methylation) on the germ line and promote disease across subsequent generations. In natural populations, both sexes may encounter affected as well as unaffected individuals during the breeding season, and any diminution in attractiveness could compromise reproductive success. Here we examine mate preference in male and female rats whose progenitors had been treated with the antiandrogenic fungicide vinclozolin. This effect is sex-specific, and we demonstrate that females three generations removed from the exposure discriminate and prefer males who do not have a history of exposure, whereas similarly epigenetically imprinted males do not exhibit such a preference. The observations suggest that the consequences of EDCs are not just transgenerational but can be “transpopulational”, because in many mammalian species, males are the dispersing sex. This result indicates that epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of EDC action represents an unappreciated force in sexual selection. Our observations provide direct experimental evidence for a role of epigenetics as a determinant factor in evolution.
Metrics
1 File views/ downloads
16 Record Views
Details
- Title
- Transgenerational epigenetic imprints on mate preference
- Creators
- David Crews - Section of Integrative BiologyAndrea C Gore - Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, andTimothy S Hsu - Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, andNygerma L Dangleben - Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, andMichael Spinetta - Department of Psychology, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712; andTimothy Schallert - Department of Psychology, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712; andMatthew D Anway - Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Molecular Biosciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4231Michael K Skinner - Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Molecular Biosciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4231
- Publication Details
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS, Vol.104(14), pp.5942-5946
- Academic Unit
- Biological Sciences, School of
- Publisher
- National Academy of Sciences
- Identifiers
- 99900547379301842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article