Yolk testosterone organizes behavior and male plumage coloration in house sparrows (Passer domesticus)

Strasser, Rosemary; Schwabl, Hubert

doi:10.1007/s00265-004-0810-9

Cited by 155 publications

(140 citation statements)

References 60 publications

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“…We expected our treatment to induce higher levels of plasma testosterone, and/ or higher levels of AR mRNA expression. This prediction is based on previous findings that yolk T increased competitiveness in this species [43], and aggression or begging behavior in other bird species [12,18,23,36,41,50] which may be under the control of postnatal testosterone. However, the prediction is weakened by the contradictory finding in the literature on early postnatal androgen levels and AR mRNA expression as mentioned above.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Examining a pathway for hormone mediated maternal effects – Yolk testosterone affects androgen receptor expression and endogenous testosterone production in young chicks (Gallus gallus domesticus)

Pfannkuche

Gahr

Weites

et al. 2011

General and Comparative Endocrinology

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Examining a pathway for hormone mediated maternal effects – Yolk testosterone affects androgen receptor expression and endogenous testosterone production in young chicks (Gallus gallus domesticus)

Pfannkuche

Gahr

Weites

et al. 2011

General and Comparative Endocrinology

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“…Alternatively, or additionally, females might not invest differently in egg size, but allocate more specific resources (e.g. maternal yolk androgens [49]) into the eggs sired by an extra-pair and social partner (either actively, passively or because they are forced to do so), and that these resources specifically favour the expression of sexually selected ornaments [57,58]. Because we used a cross-fostering approach, which randomized EPO and WPO across broods and thereby broke up potential biases within broods, differential investment of resources after hatching or hatching order effects (as observed earlier [21,22]) are unlikely to explain the differences in cheek patch size between EPO and WPO in our study.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

When mothers make sons sexy: maternal effects contribute to the increased sexual attractiveness of extra-pair offspring

et al. 2011

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Quality differences between offspring sired by the social and by an extra-pair partner are usually assumed to have a genetic basis, reflecting genetic benefits of female extra-pair mate choice. In the zebra finch ( Taeniopygia guttata ), we identified a colour ornament that is under sexual selection and appears to have a heritable basis. Hence, by engaging in extra-pair copulations with highly ornamented males, females could, in theory, obtain genes for increased offspring attractiveness. Indeed, sons sired by extra-pair partners had larger ornaments, seemingly supporting the genetic benefit hypothesis. Yet, when comparing ornament size of the social and extra-pair partners, there was no difference. Hence, the observed differences most likely had an environmental basis, mediated, for example, via differential maternal investment of resources into the eggs fertilized by extra-pair and social partners. Such maternal effects may (at least partly) be mediated by egg size, which we found to be associated with mean ornament expression in sons. Our results are consistent with the idea that maternal effects can shape sexual selection by altering the genotype–phenotype relationship for ornamentation. They also caution against automatically attributing greater offspring attractiveness or viability to an extra-pair mate's superior genetic quality, as without controlling for differential maternal investment we may significantly overestimate the role of genetic benefits in the evolution of extra-pair mating behaviour.

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“…For example, in the house sparrow, testosterone injections into the yolk enhanced agonistic behaviour in both sexes, but plumage colour that is characteristic for males only in males. Treatment did not induce this male colouration in females (Strasser & Schwabl 2004;Partecke & Schwabl in preparation). In the American kestrel, androgen injections (a cocktail of A 4 and T) into yolk blunted growth of male but not female nestlings (Sockman et al in press).…”

Section: Unequal Hormone Concentrations In Yolk Layersmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although thorough studies of testes, reproductive tracts and brains have not been conducted, androgen injections into eggs within the physiological range did not induce the development of ornaments typical for one sex in the other (e.g. Strasser & Schwabl 2004; K. Pfannkuche & T. G. G. Groothuis 2007, unpublished data;Von Engelhardt & Groothuis in preparation;Rubolini et al 2006b). How can this discrepancy be understood?…”

Section: Precocial Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, hormones of the HPG axis, such as testosterone, interact with the hypothalamuspituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis (McCormick et al 1998 or the nuptial plumage in gulls, are affected by androgen injections in ovo (Strasser & Schwabl 2004;Partecke & Schwabl in preparation;Eising et al 2006). Treatment of juvenile gulls with testosterone led to a faster and higher expression level of social display behaviour in birds hatched from androgen-treated eggs than control eggs, indicating that in ovo exposure to testosterone increases the sensitivity to testosterone later in life (Groothuis & Mü ller in preparation).…”

Section: Precocial Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Hormone-mediated maternal effects in birds:mechanismsmatter but what do we know of them?

Groothuis

Schwabl

2007

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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407

426

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Over the past decade, birds have proven to be excellent models to study hormone-mediated maternal effects in an evolutionary framework. Almost all these studies focus on the function of maternal steroid hormones for offspring development, but lack of knowledge about the underlying mechanisms hampers further progress. We discuss several hypotheses concerning these mechanisms, point out their relevance for ecological and evolutionary interpretations, and review the relevant data. We first examine whether maternal hormones can accumulate in the egg independently of changes in hormone concentrations in the maternal circulation. This is important for Darwinian selection and female physiological trade-offs, and possible mechanisms for hormone accumulation in the egg, which may differ among hormones, are reviewed. Although independent regulation of plasma and yolk concentrations of hormones is conceivable, the data are as yet inconclusive for ovarian hormones. Next, we discuss embryonic utilization of maternal steroids, since enzyme and receptor systems in the embryo may have coevolved with maternal effect mechanisms in the mother. We consider doseresponse relationships and action pathways of androgens and argue that these considerations may help to explain the apparent lack of interference of maternal steroids with sexual differentiation. Finally, we discuss mechanisms underlying the pleiotropic actions of maternal steroids, since linked effects may influence the coevolution of parent and offspring traits, owing to their role in the mediation of physiological trade-offs. Possible mechanisms here are interactions with other hormonal systems in the embryo. We urge endocrinologists to embark on suggested mechanistic studies and behavioural ecologists to adjust their interpretations to accommodate the current knowledge of mechanisms.

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Yolk testosterone organizes behavior and male plumage coloration in house sparrows (Passer domesticus)

Cited by 155 publications

References 60 publications

Examining a pathway for hormone mediated maternal effects – Yolk testosterone affects androgen receptor expression and endogenous testosterone production in young chicks (Gallus gallus domesticus)

Examining a pathway for hormone mediated maternal effects – Yolk testosterone affects androgen receptor expression and endogenous testosterone production in young chicks (Gallus gallus domesticus)

When mothers make sons sexy: maternal effects contribute to the increased sexual attractiveness of extra-pair offspring

Hormone-mediated maternal effects in birds:mechanismsmatter but what do we know of them?

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