Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 22, 2026
08:58
Fluorimetric Techniques for the Assessment of Sperm Membranes
Published on: November 28, 2018
14.1K
Evolutionary Proteomics Reveals Distinct Patterns of Complexity and Divergence between Lepidopteran Sperm Morphs
Emma Whittington1, Timothy L Karr2, Andrew J Mongue3
1Center for Reproductive Evolution, Department of Biology, Syracuse University.
Genome Biology and Evolution
|July 4, 2019
Summary
Sperm diversity includes non-fertilizing parasperm. Comparing butterfly and moth sperm reveals shared proteins in both types, but parasperm have fewer proteins and evolve faster, possibly due to sexual selection.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Reproductive biology
- Proteomics
Background:
- Spermatozoa exhibit remarkable diversity, including sperm heteromorphism, where males produce multiple sperm morphs.
- Sperm heteromorphism involves fertilizing sperm and non-fertilizing parasperm, whose functions are poorly understood.
- In Lepidoptera, males produce fertilizing eupyrene sperm and non-fertilizing apyrene sperm lacking DNA.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a comparative proteomic analysis of eupyrene and apyrene sperm in two lepidopteran species.
- To identify shared and unique proteins between fertilizing and non-fertilizing sperm morphs.
- To investigate the evolutionary dynamics of sperm proteomes in relation to sperm heteromorphism.
Main Methods:
- Comparative proteomic analysis of eupyrene and apyrene sperm from Danaus plexippus (monarch butterfly) and Manduca sexta (Carolina sphinx moth).
- Mass spectrometry-based identification and quantification of sperm proteins.
- Gene ontology (GO) analysis to determine protein functions and cellular localizations.
Main Results:
- Approximately 700 sperm proteins were identified in each species, with about half shared between eupyrene and apyrene sperm.
- Apyrene sperm exhibited a less complex proteome compared to eupyrene sperm.
- Shared proteins were associated with canonical sperm structures and metabolism, while morph-specific proteins suggested roles in female neurobiology and reflected structural differences.
Conclusions:
- Proteins shared between sperm morphs are highly conserved, whereas morph-specific proteins, particularly in apyrene sperm, evolve rapidly.
- The rapid divergence of apyrene sperm proteomes may result from relaxed selection pressures related to fertilization.
- Parasperm's evolutionary lability suggests adaptive responses to sexual selection dynamics.
Related Concept Videos
02:35What is Evolutionary History?
43.0K
Scientists record evolutionary history by analyzing fossil, morphological, and genetic data. The fossil record documents the history of life on Earth and provides evidence for evolution. However, both fossil and living organisms offer evidence that outlines Earth’s evolutionary history.
43.0K
01:20Evolutionary Psychology
964
Evolutionary psychology explores the origins of human behavior and mental processes by framing them within the context of natural selection, a theory famously propounded by Charles Darwin. This field asserts that many behaviors common across human societies — ranging from instinctive fear reactions to complex social interactions — arose as evolutionary adaptations. These adaptations enhanced the survival and reproductive success of our ancestors, thereby becoming embedded in the...
964
01:15Divergence and Curl
3.1K
The divergence of a vector field at a point is the net outward flow of the flux out of a small volume through a closed surface enclosing the volume, as the volume tends to zero. More practically, divergence measures how much a vector field spreads out or diverges from a given point. For an outgoing flux, conventionally, the divergence is positive. The diverging point is often called the "source" of the field. Meanwhile, the negative divergence of a vector field at a point means that the vector...
3.1K
01:06Divergence and Stokes' Theorems
3.5K
The divergence and Stokes' theorems are a variation of Green's theorem in a higher dimension. They are also a generalization of the fundamental theorem of calculus. The divergence theorem and Stokes' theorem are in a way similar to each other; The divergence theorem relates to the dot product of a vector, while Stokes' theorem relates to the curl of a vector. Many applications in physics and engineering make use of the divergence and Stokes' theorems, enabling us to write...
3.5K
01:23Criticisms of the Evolutionary Perspective
346
In a study where individuals posing as strangers offered compliments and proposed casual sex to students, the responses differed significantly based on gender. Not a single woman accepted the proposal, while 70% of the men agreed. This outcome provides a useful scenario to explore through the lens of evolutionary psychology and social learning theory, highlighting the diverse perspectives on human sexual behaviors.
Evolutionary psychology provides one explanation for these findings, suggesting...
Evolutionary psychology provides one explanation for these findings, suggesting...
346
02:37Gene Duplication and Divergence
7.9K
The seminal work of Ohno in 1970 popularized the idea of gene duplication and divergence. DNA sequence comparison studies reveal that a large portion of the genes in bacteria, archaebacteria, and eukaryotes was generated by gene duplication and divergence, indicating its critical role in evolution.
The duplicated copies of the gene are called Paralogs. Paralogs with similar sequences and functions form a gene family. Across several species, a large number of gene families are...
The duplicated copies of the gene are called Paralogs. Paralogs with similar sequences and functions form a gene family. Across several species, a large number of gene families are...
7.9K