Sperm pre-fertilization thermal environment shapes offspring phenotype and performance

• DOI: 10.1242/jeb.181412
• Publication Date: 2018-08-31T09:45:11Z
• Authors: Jukka Kekäläinen; Párástu Oskoei; Matti Janhunen; Heikki Koskinen; Raine Kortet; Hannu Huuskonen
• Keywords: Male; 0106 biological sciences; Hot Temperature; sukupolven ylittävä joustavuus/plastisuus; sperma; Coregonus lavaretus; sperm; 01 natural sciences; paternal effects; isävaikutus; Animals; ta415; transgenerational plasticity; ta1184; coregonus lavaretus; temperature; ilmastonmuutokset; Spermatozoa; paternal effect; climate change; Phenotype; Fertilization; Sperm Motility; lämpötila; Salmonidae

The sperm pre-fertilization environment has recently been suggested to mediate remarkable transgenerational consequences for offspring phenotype (transgenerational plasticity, TGB), but the adaptive significance of process remained unclear. Here, we studied effects thermal in a cold-adapted salmonid, European whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus). We used full-factorial breeding design where eggs five females were fertilized with milt 10 males that had pre-incubated at two different temperatures (3.5°C and 6.5°C) 15 h prior fertilization. Thermal manipulation did not affect motility, cell size, fertilization success or embryo mortality. However, 6.5°C-exposed smaller poorer swimming performance than their full-siblings 3.5°C-exposed milt. Furthermore, effect treatment on mortality varied among (treatment×female interaction) male-female combinations (treatment×female×male interaction). Together, these results indicate shapes post-hatching modifies both magnitude female (dam) compatibility gametes. Generally, our suggest short-term changes conditions may have negative impact fitness. Thus, an important role determining adaptation potential organisms climate change. Detailed mechanism(s) behind findings require further attention.