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Germline de novo mutations (DNMs) refer to spontaneous mutations arising during gametogenesis, resulting in genetic changes within germ cells that are subsequently transmitted to the next generation. While the impact of maternal exposures on germline DNMs has been extensively studied, more recent studies have begun to highlight the increasing importance of the effects of paternal factors. In this review, we have summarized the existing literature on how various exposures experienced by fathers affect the germline DNM burden in their spermatozoa, as well as their consequences for semen analysis parameters, pregnancy outcomes, and offspring health. A growing body of literature supports the conclusion that advanced paternal age (APA) correlates with a higher germline DNM rate in offspring. Furthermore, lifestyle choices, environmental toxins, assisted reproductive techniques (ART), and chemotherapy are associated with the accumulation of paternal DNMs in spermatozoa, with deleterious consequences for pregnancy outcomes and offspring health. Ultimately, our review highlights the clear importance of the germline DNM mode of inheritance, and the current understanding of how this is affected by various paternal factors. In addition, we explore conflicting reports or gaps of knowledge that should be addressed in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Deltamethrin, as a highly effective and broad‐spectrum insecticide, has been widely used for agricultural pest control such as Aphis gossypii worldwide. Increasing evidence has shown that despite great economic benefits brought by it, deltamethrin has also non‐negligible side effects. However, the potential risks and related molecular mechanisms remain largely unclear. Results: Herein, the life table parameters and transcriptome sequencing analyses of the four successive aphid generations were performed to investigate the hormesis and transgenerational effects of deltamethrin on A. gossypii. The life table analysis showed that although the exposure of G0 aphid to 30% lethal concentration (LC30) deltamethrin significantly reduced the net reproduction rate (R0), intrinsic rate of increase (r), and fecundity of G0, but it significantly enhanced the R0 and fecundity of subsequent two generations (G1 and G2) of A. gossypii. Moreover, transcriptomic analyses showed that the signaling pathways related to posttranscriptional regulation (spliceosome), protein processing, longevity regulating, and cell proliferation (DNA replication, homologous recombination and non‐homologous end‐joining) were significantly up‐regulated in G1 or G2 under LC30 deltamethrin treatment. Additionally, we also found that the deltamethrin–sulfoxaflor rotation of G0 and G1 still induced reproductive stimulation, but the reproductive stimulation induced by insecticides rotation treatment was significantly lower than that in the deltamethrin exposure alone. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that sublethal concentrations of deltamethrin significantly enhanced the offspring fecundity of cotton aphid. In addition, our study also reveals the transcriptional response mechanism of hormesis‐induced fecundity increase, providing valuable reference for optimizing the application of deltamethrin in integrated pest management. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although numerous studies have independently tested the roles of physiological integration and parental effects on the performance of clonal plant species, few have assessed them simultaneously. Moreover, the capacity for physiological integration differs greatly within species of clonal plants. We conducted a greenhouse experiment with eight genotypes of the clonal herb Hydrocotyle verticillata. In the first phase, we either severed or maintained the connections between the original proximal nodes (the basal portion) and the new distal nodes (the apical portion) of each genotype. In the second phase, the ramets in the apical portion produced in the first phase were selected and cultivated, and their connections were subjected to the same severance treatments. In the first phase, the negative effects of severance on the apical portion balanced the positive effects of severance on the basal portion, resulting in no net effect of severance on total mass, leaf mass, stem mass, and ramet number for the whole clone. In the second phase, the effects of parental severance on stem mass of the apical portion of H. verticillata varied among the eight genotypes. Additionally, the positive effect of physiological integration on offspring generations was greater in the apical portion and the whole clone of one genotype when the parental connections were intact than when they were severed, whereas it was greater in the apical portion of another genotype when the parental connections were severed than when they were intact. Our results suggest that clonal parental effects can influence the capacity for physiological integration of offspring generations and that these effects may differ among genotypes within a species.