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Evolution of Prostate Specific Gene Expression Associated with Post Copulatory Sexual Selection Scott Eh Rgenrother

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Evolution of Prostate Specific Gene Expression Associated with Post Copulatory Sexual Selection Scott Eh Rgenrother Duquesne University Duquesne Scholarship Collection Electronic Theses and Dissertations Spring 2015 Evolution of Prostate Specific Gene Expression Associated With Post Copulatory Sexual Selection Scott eH rgenrother Follow this and additional works at: https://dsc.duq.edu/etd Recommended Citation Hergenrother, S. (2015). Evolution of Prostate Specific Gene Expression Associated With Post Copulatory Sexual Selection (Doctoral dissertation, Duquesne University). Retrieved from https://dsc.duq.edu/etd/649 This Immediate Access is brought to you for free and open access by Duquesne Scholarship Collection. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Duquesne Scholarship Collection. For more information, please contact [email protected]. EVOLUTION OF PROSTATE SPECIFIC GENE EXPRESSION ASSOCIATED WITH POST COPULATORY SEXUAL SELECTION A Dissertation Submitted to the Bayer School of Natural and Environmental Sciences Duquesne University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy By Scott D. Hergenrother March 2015 Copyright by Scott D. Hergenrother 2015 EVOLUTION OF PROSTATE SPECIFIC GENE EXPRESSION ASSOCIATED WITH POST COPULATORY SEXUAL SELECTION By Scott D. Hergenrother Approved March 30, 2015 ________________________________ ________________________________ Michael I. Jensen-Seaman, Ph.D. Philip E. Auron, Ph.D. Associate Professor Professor Department of Biological Sciences Department of Biological Sciences (Committee Chair) (Committee Member) ________________________________ ________________________________ David Lampe, Ph.D. Philip Reno, Ph.D. Associate Professor Assistant Professor Department of Biological Sciences Department of Anthropology (Committee Member) Penn State University (Committee Member) ________________________________ ________________________________ Philip Paul Reeder, Ph.D. Joseph R. McCormick, Ph.D. Dean, Bayer School of Natural Chair, Biological Sciences and Environmental Sciences Associate Professor Department of Biological Sciences iii ABSTRACT EVOLUTION OF PROSTATE SPECIFIC GENE EXPRESSION ASSOCIATED WITH POST COPULATORY SEXUAL SELECTION By Scott D. Hergenrother March 2015 Dissertation supervised by Michael I. Seaman, Ph.D. Hominoid primate species differ remarkably in their social grouping and mating systems, notably including differing degrees of post-copulatory sexual selection. As the mating system of extinct hominins remains unknown and difficult to predict, it may be useful to examine more proximate phenotypes correlated with behavior. For example, chimpanzees and bonobos have a large ejaculate that coagulates into a rigid copulatory plug, presumably in response to high levels of sperm competition, while gorillas have a small semi-viscous ejaculate associated with low sperm competition. To understand the molecular basis responsible for differences in semen biochemistry among hominoid species, I completed two research projects. First, by cloning the upstream putative promoters of the chimpanzee, bonobo, human, and gorilla prostatic acid phosphatase (ACPP) genes into luciferase reporter vectors followed by transient transfections into a human prostate cell line, I identified the underlying nucleotide changes that reduce iv expression of this protein in chimpanzee semen. Second, by mapping large deletions at the kallikrein-related peptidase (KLK) locus in the gorilla and gibbon genomes, I characterized the convergent gene loss and the formation of a novel chimeric gene in these monandrous species. For both the ACPP and KLK locus changes, I determined the polarity of the changes through outgroup comparison. At ACPP, the reduced expression in chimpanzee and bonobo is derived, and likely in response to the onset of intense sperm competition in the common ancestor of these two species. If this biochemical phenotype is indeed a proxy for mating behavior, my data provides some evidence (to be compared and contrasted with other molecular, behavioral, and paleontological data) that the last common ancestor of humans and chimpanzees was not chimp-like in its high degree of polyandry. v DEDICATION This dissertation is lovingly dedicated to Todd Hergenrother. Todd, Throughout your life, you have continuously surpassed all expectations, and you have refused to understand the word impossible. Your determination and your persistence have been and will continue to be my greatest source of inspiration. Genuinely, Your Brother and Life-Long Friend. vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENT First and foremost, I would like to thank my wife, Alejandra Boza. Her love and support helped me every step of the way. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my adviser, Dr. Michael Jensen- Seaman, for his exceptional mentorship. Without his enthusiasm, encouragement, and guidance, this dissertation would not have been possible. I would also like to thank my internal committee members, Dr. David Lampe and Dr. Philip Aaron. Your advice and guidance has continued to provide me with the insight needed to continue my work. You have incessantly and patiently provided me with your time, most of it unscheduled, and your support. I would especially like to thank my external committee member, Dr. Philip Reno. I am inspired by your work, and I am grateful for your time and insight. The faculty, students, and staff in Department of Biological Sciences have continued to provide me with excellent support. My lab members Sarah Carnahan Craig, Amanda Colvin Zielen, Jennifer Vill, and Peter Chovanec have been supportive and helpful in too many ways to count. I would also like to thank the members of Auron Lab, McCormick Lab, Lampe Lab and Selcer Lab, especially Natasha Diaz and Stewart Cantlay, for technical support and advice. Finally, I would like to thank all of my friends and family for their love, support, and encouragement, with special thanks to my amazing parents, Richard and Lynn Hergenrother, and my friends Becky Klink and Andre Furtado. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................................................................. iv DEDICATION .......................................................................................................................................................... vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ...................................................................................................................................... vii LIST OF TABLES.................................................................................................................................................... xi LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................................................. xii 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 INTRODUCTION TO THE PRIMATES .............................................................................................. 1 1.1.1 PRIMATE TAXONOMY .......................................................................................................................... 1 1.1.2 APE TAXONOMY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY ........................................................................................ 2 1.1.3 APE LIFE HISTORY ................................................................................................................................. 7 1.1.4 SEXUAL SELECTION ........................................................................................................................... 27 1.1.5 SELECTION AND CIS-REGULATORY CHANGES ....................................................................... 34 2 EVOLUTION OF TRANSCRIPTIONAL REGULATION OF ACPP IN HOMINOIDS ................. 38 2.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................... 38 2.1.1 ACPP PROTEIN STRUCTURE ........................................................................................................... 38 2.1.2 ACPP ACTIVITY AND FUNCTION ................................................................................................... 39 2.1.3 ACPP GENE ............................................................................................................................................. 41 2.1.4 ACPP REGULATION ............................................................................................................................. 42 2.1.5 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SPECIES ............................................................................................... 45 2.2 MATERIALS AND METHODS ........................................................................................................... 49 viii 2.2.1 PCR ............................................................................................................................................................ 49 2.2.2 SEQUENCING ......................................................................................................................................... 50 2.2.3 CONSTRUCT DESIGN .......................................................................................................................... 51 2.2.4 REPORTER ASSAYS ............................................................................................................................. 55 2.2.5 EXPERIMENTAL
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