TY - JOUR
T1 - Reduced Heterozygosity Depresses Sperm Quality in Wild Rabbits, Oryctolagus cuniculus
AU - Gage, M.J.G.
AU - Surridge, A.K.
AU - Tomkins, Joseph
AU - Green, E.
AU - Wiskin, L.
AU - Bell, D.J.
AU - Hewitt, G.M.
PY - 2006
Y1 - 2006
N2 - When close relatives are forced to reproduce, the resulting offspring inherit above average homozygosity and reduced fitness [1, 2]. Biologists now recognize inbreeding depression in the wild [3-5], a phenomenon that will probably increase as natural populations become depleted and fragmented. Inbreeding depression is most commonly expressed as compromised fertility and embryogenesis [4], but actual mechanisms remain poorly understood, especially for wild populations. Here, we examine how reduced heterozygosity influences spermatozoal and gonadal traits in wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) sampled across the United Kingdom. By using a suite of 29 microsatellite markers (analyzed to confirm representation of individual heterozygosity across our sample), we found a significant negative relationship between heterozygosity and the production of normal sperm; the relationship was significant both between (n = 12) and within (n = 91 [total males], 42 [island], 49 [mainland]) populations. Reduced heterozygosity was also associated with decreased testis size across males (n = 112), but no relationship was seen at the population level, suggesting environmental confounds. Our results show, for a wild mammal, that inbreeding is associated with decreased sperm quality, confirming suggestions of links between inbreeding and elevated sperm abnormalities in rare felids [6-8]. These findings could explain why inbreeding depression so frequently arises via compromised fertility and embryogenesis [4].
AB - When close relatives are forced to reproduce, the resulting offspring inherit above average homozygosity and reduced fitness [1, 2]. Biologists now recognize inbreeding depression in the wild [3-5], a phenomenon that will probably increase as natural populations become depleted and fragmented. Inbreeding depression is most commonly expressed as compromised fertility and embryogenesis [4], but actual mechanisms remain poorly understood, especially for wild populations. Here, we examine how reduced heterozygosity influences spermatozoal and gonadal traits in wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) sampled across the United Kingdom. By using a suite of 29 microsatellite markers (analyzed to confirm representation of individual heterozygosity across our sample), we found a significant negative relationship between heterozygosity and the production of normal sperm; the relationship was significant both between (n = 12) and within (n = 91 [total males], 42 [island], 49 [mainland]) populations. Reduced heterozygosity was also associated with decreased testis size across males (n = 112), but no relationship was seen at the population level, suggesting environmental confounds. Our results show, for a wild mammal, that inbreeding is associated with decreased sperm quality, confirming suggestions of links between inbreeding and elevated sperm abnormalities in rare felids [6-8]. These findings could explain why inbreeding depression so frequently arises via compromised fertility and embryogenesis [4].
U2 - 10.1016/j.cub.2006.02.059
DO - 10.1016/j.cub.2006.02.059
M3 - Article
SN - 0960-9822
VL - 16
SP - 612
EP - 617
JO - Current Biology
JF - Current Biology
IS - 6
ER -