Sperm storage reduces sperm and embryo quality in animals

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: April 16, 2025

Abstract In many animals, sperm are stored for extended periods either in the reproductive tracts of males before ejaculation, or females after copulation. Sperm storage reduces risk limitation both sexes and avoids costs female re-mating. However, can lead to post-meiotic senescence, i.e. within-sperm-age-dependent deterioration, potentially impacting conceived offspring lowering male fitness. Yet, extent magnitude such deterioration variables modulating it during not well understood. Using a meta-analysis across humans (115 studies) non-human animals (56 studies from 30 species), we investigate how in-vivo affects quality, fertilisation success, quality. humans, leads greater oxidative stress DNA damage, viability motility. other performance embryo quality decline. We identify duration storage, design used sampling individuals, sex individual storing as important moderators effects storage. These findings have key biomedical implications, including optimising timing ejaculation fertility clinics captive breeding programs. Overall, our results reveal mechanisms that cause fitness consequences provide evolutionary insights into sex-specific adaptations mitigate detrimental

Language: Английский

Extra-pair paternity and sperm length variation in a far northern Great Tit (Parus major) population

Journal of Ornithology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: July 25, 2024

Abstract Extra-pair paternity is common among socially monogamous bird species and considered an important driver of post-copulatory sexual selection on ejaculate traits including sperm traits. Patterns extra-pair size both show substantial variation populations, yet we know little about the expression these key reproductive at high latitudes. Here report patterns describe in dimensions a Norwegian population Great Tit ( Parus major ) breeding beyond polar circle 69° northern latitude. Across six study years, detected 19.2% 26 broods, average 4.7% nestlings per brood were offspring. As expected from results previous intraspecific analyses latitudinal rates, observed rate offspring was low comparison to published estimates more southern populations (range: 2.9 − 20.4%). Our therefore support pattern decreasing levels with increasing latitude this also for extremely Overall mean total length amounted 97.5 ± 0.6 (SE) μm 30.6% phenotypic explained by differences samples. The among-sample coefficient sample 1.93%. Using comparative work as yardstick, value substantially lower than frequency

Language: Английский

Offspring’s early-life performance varies with father’s sperm quality in a genetically monogamous seabird

Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 78(11)

Published: Nov. 1, 2024

Language: Английский