Parental sex effect of parthenogenesis on hatchability and sperm-egg penetration in mated Chinese Painted quail (Coturnix chinensis)

Abstract

Selecting quail for an increased incidence of parthenogenesis also impacts egg weight and albumen pH as well as reduces hatchability and fertility due to decreased sperm-egg penetration (SEP). However, it is unknown which parental sex is responsible for these changes in quail selected for parthenogenesis. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine which sex influences egg weight, albumen pH, hatchability, and SEP in birds selected for parthenogenesis. In this study, 2 lines of birds were used: 1 line that was selected for parthenogenesis and 1 line not selected for parthenogenesis (control). Treatments were as follows: control females w/control males, control females w/parthenogenetic line males, parthenogenetic line females w/control males, and parthenogenetic line females w/parthenogenetic line males. Fresh eggs were collected daily, labeled and analyzed for albumen pH and SEP or incubated at 37.5 °C for 20 d of incubation. Eggs were candled at 10 days of incubation (DOI) and eggs exhibiting little or no embryonic development were removed and broken open to determine hatching failure. This was repeated at 20 DOI for eggs that did not hatch. A dam main effect for egg set weight existed with parthenogenetic line dams exhibiting heavier eggs than control dams. The parthenogenetic line dams and sires exhibited lower albumen pH and hatch but a higher incidence of parthenogenesis than control line dams or sires. However, only a sire main effect existed for fertility and SEP. Sires from the parthenogenetic line yielded the highest infertility due to lower SEP. In conclusion, both the parthenogenetic line dams and sires contribute to reduced reproductive performance. However, it appears that the sire from the parthenogenetic line is responsible for lower fertility due to a reduction in SEP. Because the sire has a negative impact on overall fertility, it is possible that males selected for parthenogenesis have poorer semen quality resulting in fewer sperm traversing the oviduct or penetrating the perivitelline layer.

Parthenogenesis in birds: a review

“…Also, the percentage of eggs without any sperm holes was 21% higher in birds exhibiting parthenogenesis as opposed to the control birds (Santa Rosa et al 2016a). Parker et al (2017) found that males selected for the parthenogenetic trait were indeed responsible for this lower fertility due perhaps to poor semen quality, therefore allowing for more unfertilized eggs and hence more parthenogenetic eggs. These recent findings contradict Olsen's (1962a) earlier hypothesis that mechanisms of parthenogenesis do not interfere with the mechanisms of normal fertilization and embryonic development in birds.…”

“…Similarly, Schom et al (1982) reported a negative correlation between the incidence of parthenogenesis in virgin hens and hatch of fertile eggs (r = −0.93) in artificially inseminated Broad Breasted White turkeys. In addition, both male and female quail selected for the parthenogenetic trait appear to be responsible for the reduction in hatchability (Parker et al 2017). In fact, parthenogenetic line females contribute to this reduction in hatchability following mating by increasing early embryonic mortality and the percentage of eggs exhibiting parthenogenesis.…”

“…In fact, parthenogenetic line females contribute to this reduction in hatchability following mating by increasing early embryonic mortality and the percentage of eggs exhibiting parthenogenesis. However, the reduction in hatchability for parthenogenetic line males is due to decreased fertility as well as an increased incidence of parthenogenesis (Parker et al 2017).…”

“…Both parthenogenetic line dams and sires exhibited a lower hatchability and albumen pH as well as a higher incidence of parthenogenesis vs control parents. Further, parthenogenetic line males were responsible for the reduced fertility by lowering the number of sperm penetrating the egg (Parker et al 2017). Previously among chickens, the Cornish breeds were found to exhibit the highest incidence of parthenogenesis (Olsen 1966b).…”

Skeletal development in blue‐breasted quail embryos

“…Thus, the use of the blue‐breasted quail as an avian model allows researchers to reduce the cost, space, and labor for breeding. Because of these advantages, the blue‐breasted quail has been used in the various research fields, for example, developmental biology, genetics, reproduction, behavior, and immunology for more than 20 years (Adkins‐Regan, ; Araguas, Sanz, Viñas, & Vidal, ; Kageyama, Takenouchi, Kinoshita, Nakamura, & Tsudzuki, ; Ma et al., ; Nishibori, Tsudzuki, Hayashi, Yamamoto, & Yasue, ; Ono et al., ; Parker et al., ; Tsudzuki, , ; Wells, Parker, Kiess, & McDaniel, ).…”