In ovo yolk carotenoid and testosterone levels interactively influence female transfer of yolk antioxidants to her eggs.

ABSTRACT: Mothers can influence prenatal conditions by varying the amount of nutrients, hormones or antioxidants they provide to their developing young. Some of these substances even affect the transfer of these compounds in the next generation, but it is less clear how different maternally transmitted compounds interact with each other to shape reproductive resource allocation in their offspring. Here, we found that female Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica) that were exposed to high carotenoid levels during embryonic development transferred lower concentrations of yolk antioxidants to their own eggs later in life. This effect disappeared when both testosterone and carotenoid concentrations were manipulated simultaneously, showing long-term and interactive effects of these maternally derived egg co

SUBMITTER: Giraudeau M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6030601 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature