DNA Methylation Associates With Sex-Specific Effects of Experimentally Increased Yolk Testosterone in Wild Nestlings

TY - JOUR

T1 - DNA Methylation Associates With Sex-Specific Effects of Experimentally Increased Yolk Testosterone in Wild Nestlings

AU - Sepers, Bernice

AU - Ruuskanen, Suvi

AU - van Mastrigt, Tjomme

AU - Mateman, A. Christa

AU - van Oers, Kees

N1 - Data/Code archiving: Dryad, NCBI, Zenodo

PY - 2025/1/6

Y1 - 2025/1/6

N2 - Maternal hormones can profoundly impact offspring physiology and behaviour in sex-dependent ways. Yet little is known about the molecular mechanisms linking these maternal effects to offspring phenotypes. DNA methylation, an epigenetic mechanism, is suggested to facilitate maternal androgens' effects. To assess whether phenotypic changes induced by maternal androgens associate with DNA methylation changes, we experimentally manipulated yolk testosterone levels in wild great tit eggs (Parus major) and quantified phenotypic and DNA methylation changes in the hatched offspring. While we found no effect on the handing stress response, increased yolk testosterone levels decreased the begging probability, emphasised sex differences in fledging mass, and affected methylation at 763 CpG sites, but always in a sex-specific way. These sites are associated with genes involved in growth, oxidative stress, and reproduction, suggesting sex-specific trade-offs to balance the costs and benefits of exposure to high yolk testosterone levels. Future studies should assess if these effects extend beyond the nestling stage and impact fitness.

AB - Maternal hormones can profoundly impact offspring physiology and behaviour in sex-dependent ways. Yet little is known about the molecular mechanisms linking these maternal effects to offspring phenotypes. DNA methylation, an epigenetic mechanism, is suggested to facilitate maternal androgens' effects. To assess whether phenotypic changes induced by maternal androgens associate with DNA methylation changes, we experimentally manipulated yolk testosterone levels in wild great tit eggs (Parus major) and quantified phenotypic and DNA methylation changes in the hatched offspring. While we found no effect on the handing stress response, increased yolk testosterone levels decreased the begging probability, emphasised sex differences in fledging mass, and affected methylation at 763 CpG sites, but always in a sex-specific way. These sites are associated with genes involved in growth, oxidative stress, and reproduction, suggesting sex-specific trade-offs to balance the costs and benefits of exposure to high yolk testosterone levels. Future studies should assess if these effects extend beyond the nestling stage and impact fitness.

KW - androgens

KW - behaviour

KW - development

KW - epigenetics

KW - maternal effects

KW - sex-specific effects

U2 - 10.1111/mec.17647

DO - 10.1111/mec.17647

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85214374830

SN - 0962-1083

JO - Molecular Ecology

JF - Molecular Ecology

M1 - e17647

ER -