Formation and reproductive significance of chest spines in Quasipaa spinosa

IF 2.8 2区生物学 Q1 ZOOLOGY

Frontiers in Zoology Pub Date : 2026-10-01 DOI:10.1186/s12983-026-00634-1

Xu Peng,Zhu Piao,Zang Yi,Chen Min,Li Ben,Zheng Rongquan

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Abstract Male spiny frogs ( Quasipaa spinosa) develop seasonal chest spines during the breeding season, but the structural basis, molecular changes, and reproductive role of this trait remain unclear. Therefore, to clarify how structural and molecular remodeling of the chest skin work together to form this important reproductive trait, we performed AB-PAS histological staining, quantitative proteomic analysis, and real-time quantitative PCR validation on male skin tissues. We then combined these analyses with spine blunting, reproductive competition experiments, and SSR-based paternity testing to examine chest spine formation and its relationship with male reproductive success. We found that Q. spinosa chest skin has specialized glandular structures and a collagen-rich dermal framework, suggesting that it provides a structural basis for later spine development. During the reproductive cycle, chest spine formation is accompanied by significant changes in extracellular matrix (ECM)-related proteins and pathways, including focal adhesions and ECM–receptor interactions. Moreover, the expression of genes related to the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway and matrix remodeling was dynamically altered during this process. Reproductive experiments revealed that males with better-developed chest spines produced more offspring, whereas artificial blunting of the spines reduced reproductive success. Together, these results suggest that seasonal chest spine formation in Q. spinosa is closely related to extracellular matrix remodeling and contributes to male reproductive success during the breeding season. These findings provide practical implications for broodstock selection, conservation breeding, and the management of reproductive fitness in amphibian populations. In particular, chest spine development may serve as a practical indicator of male reproductive performance, linking an evolutionarily selected secondary sexual trait to reproductive management.

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棘拟龙胸棘的形成及其生殖意义

雄性刺蛙（Quasipaa spinosa）在繁殖季节发育季节性胸刺，但其结构基础、分子变化及其在生殖中的作用尚不清楚。因此，为了阐明胸部皮肤的结构和分子重塑如何共同作用形成这一重要的生殖特征，我们对男性皮肤组织进行了AB-PAS组织学染色、定量蛋白质组学分析和实时定量PCR验证。然后，我们将这些分析与脊柱钝化、生殖竞争实验和基于ssr的亲子鉴定相结合，以检验胸部脊柱形成及其与男性生殖成功的关系。我们发现棘棘棘猴胸部皮肤具有特殊的腺体结构和富含胶原蛋白的真皮框架，这表明它为后来的脊柱发育提供了结构基础。在生殖周期中，胸椎的形成伴随着细胞外基质（ECM）相关蛋白和通路的显著变化，包括局灶黏附和ECM受体的相互作用。在此过程中，TGF-β/Smad信号通路和基质重塑相关基因的表达发生了动态变化。生殖实验表明，胸刺发育较好的雄性可以生育更多的后代，而人工使胸刺变钝则会降低繁殖成功率。综上所述，这些结果表明，棘棘栎的季节性胸棘形成与细胞外基质重塑密切相关，并有助于雄性在繁殖季节繁殖成功。这些发现对两栖动物种群的亲本选择、保护育种和生殖适应性管理具有实际意义。特别是，胸椎发育可以作为男性生殖表现的实际指标，将进化选择的第二性特征与生殖管理联系起来。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Frontiers in Zoology ZOOLOGY-

CiteScore

4.90

自引率

0.00%

发文量

审稿时长

>12 weeks

期刊介绍： Frontiers in Zoology is an open access, peer-reviewed online journal publishing high quality research articles and reviews on all aspects of animal life. As a biological discipline, zoology has one of the longest histories. Today it occasionally appears as though, due to the rapid expansion of life sciences, zoology has been replaced by more or less independent sub-disciplines amongst which exchange is often sparse. However, the recent advance of molecular methodology into "classical" fields of biology, and the development of theories that can explain phenomena on different levels of organisation, has led to a re-integration of zoological disciplines promoting a broader than usual approach to zoological questions. Zoology has re-emerged as an integrative discipline encompassing the most diverse aspects of animal life, from the level of the gene to the level of the ecosystem. Frontiers in Zoology is the first open access journal focusing on zoology as a whole. It aims to represent and re-unite the various disciplines that look at animal life from different perspectives and at providing the basis for a comprehensive understanding of zoological phenomena on all levels of analysis. Frontiers in Zoology provides a unique opportunity to publish high quality research and reviews on zoological issues that will be internationally accessible to any reader at no cost. The journal was initiated and is supported by the Deutsche Zoologische Gesellschaft, one of the largest national zoological societies with more than a century-long tradition in promoting high-level zoological research.