Hybrid lizards with introgressed mtDNA show resistance to DNA damage from Reactive Oxygen Species
Hybrids can experience genetic incompatibilities that lead to cellular dysfunction and infertility. Previous analyses of mitochondrial function in the lizards Urosaurus graciosus and Urosaurus ornatus found that hybrids, which had introgressed mtDNA, experienced higher ATP production which increases reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, one of the main causes of damage to DNA. Hybrid populations of these lizards have persisted so we predicted they may have mechanisms for protecting their DNA from damage. To test this, we exposed liver cells of these lizards to hydrogen peroxide, a source of ROS, and compared DNA damage using single-cell gel electrophoresis. Hybrid cells showed significantly less DNA damage. We then examined potential mechanisms to explain this result by comparing melanin content of livers and expression levels of antioxidant genes. If functioning to deal with ROS, these should be expressed higher in hybrids. Melanin content of livers was highly variable among U. graciosus individuals and therefore not highest in hybrids as expected. Eighteen antioxidant genes showed significant differential expression but were not expressed consistently higher in hybrids. The overall gene expression profiles of hybrids and U. graciosus were very similar while that of the mtDNA donor species, U. ornatus, was highly divergent from both. Three antioxidant genes with different expression levels in hybrids and that warrant further study were SOD2, SOD3, and PRDX2. These results show how species can compensate for mtDNA introgression and highlight the complexity of genetic interactions encountered when closely related species exchange genetic material in zones of secondary contact. Overall design: To investigate the differences in antioxidant gene expression in hybrid lizards, lizards (both parental species and hybrids) were held for 48 hours at 36C or 40C. Total RNA was extracted from liver tissue and sequenced. Sequences were aligned to the Sceloporus undulatus genome and then expression levels were calculated and compared for 40 antioxidant genes using DEseq2.