Construction of two BAC libraries from half-smooth tongue sole Cynoglossus semilaevis and identification of clones containing candidate sex-determination genes

Unveiling Gene Expression Dynamics during Early Embryogenesis in Cynoglossus semilaevis: A Transcriptomic Perspective

Commencing with sperm-egg fusion, the early stages of metazoan development include the cleavage and formation of blastula and gastrula. These early embryonic events play a crucial role in ontogeny and are accompanied by a dramatic remodeling of the gene network, particularly encompassing the maternal-to-zygotic transition. Nonetheless, the gene expression dynamics governing early embryogenesis remain unclear in most metazoan lineages. We conducted transcriptomic profiling on two types of gametes (oocytes and sperms) and early embryos (ranging from the four-cell to the gastrula stage) of an economically valuable flatfish-the Chinese tongue sole Cynoglossus semilaevis (Pleuronectiformes: Cynoglossidae). Comparative transcriptome analysis revealed that large-scale zygotic genome activation (ZGA) occurs in the blastula stage, aligning with previous findings in zebrafish. Through the comparison of the most abundant transcripts identified in each sample and the functional analysis of co-expression modules, we unveiled distinct functional enrichments across different gametes/developmental stages: actin- and immune-related functions in sperms; mitosis, transcription inhibition, and mitochondrial function in oocytes and in pre-ZGA embryos (four- to 1000-cell stage); and organ development in post-ZGA embryos (blastula and gastrula). These results provide insights into the intricate transcriptional regulation of early embryonic development in Cynoglossidae fish and expand our knowledge of developmental constraints in vertebrates.

The chromosome-level genome assembly of the Japanese yellowtail jack Seriola aureovittata provides insights into genome evolution and efficient oxygen transport

Fishes of the genus Seriola are widely farmed and highly valued in global aquaculture production. To further understand their economically important traits and help improve aquaculture product quality and sustainability, we performed a chromosome-level genome construction for Seriola aureovittata. Combining two technologies, PacBio and BGISEQ-500, we assembled 649.86 Mb S. aureovittata genome sequences with a contig N50 of 22.21 Mb, and 98% of BUSCO genes were detected in total. The initial assembly was then further scaffolded into 24 pseudochromosomes using Hi-C data, indicating the high quality of the genome. Genome evolution analysis showed that many genes related to fatty acid metabolism and oxygen binding, or transport were expanded, which provided insights into the metabolic characteristics of fatty acids and efficient oxygen transport. Based on the genome data, we confirmed the evolutionary relationship of S. aureovittata, S. dorsalis and S. lalandi and identified chr12 as the putative sex chromosome of S. aureovittata. Our chromosome-level genome assembly provides a genetic foundation for the phylogenetic and taxonomic investigation of different Seriola species. Moreover, the genome will provide an important genomic resource for further biological and aquaculture studies of S. aureovittata.

A chromosome-level genome assembly of the yellowfin seabream (Acanthopagrus latus; Hottuyn, 1782) provides insights into its osmoregulation and sex reversal

The yellowfin seabream Acanthopagrus latus is the economically most important Sparidae fish in the northern South China Sea. As euryhaline fish, they are perfect model for investigating osmoregulatory mechanisms in teleosts. Moreover, the reproductive biology of hermaphrodites has long been intriguing; however, little information is known about the molecular pathways underlying their sex change. Here, we report a chromosome level reference genome of A. latus generated by employing the PacBio single molecule sequencing technique (SMRT) and high-throughput chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) technologies. The draft genome of yellowfin seabream was 806 Mb, with 732 Mb scaffolds anchored on 24 chromosomes. The contig N50 and scaffold N50 were 2.6 Mb and 30.17 Mb, respectively. The assembly is of high integrity and includes 92.23% universal single-copy orthologues based on benchmarking universal single-copy orthologs (BUSCO) analysis. A total of 19,631 protein-coding genes were functionally annotated in the reference genome. Moreover, ARRDC3 and GSTA gene families which related to osmoregulation underwent an extensive expansion in two euryhaline sparids fish genomes compared to other teleost genomes. Moreover, integrating sex-specific transcriptome analyses, several genes related to the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) signalling pathway involved in sex differentiation and development. This genomic resource will not only be valuable for studying the osmoregulatory mechanisms in estuarine fish and sex determination in hermaphrodite vertebrate species, but also provide useful genomic tools for facilitating breeding of the yellowfin seabream.

A combination of genome-wide association study screening and SNaPshot for detecting sex-related SNPs and genes in Cynoglossus semilaevis

Chinese tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis) males and females exhibit great differences in growth rate and appearance. The species is heterogametic (ZW/ZZ) and has sex-reversed "pseudomales" that are genetically female and physiologically male. In this study, we identified eight sex-specific single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers for the sex identification of C. semilaevis by using a combination of genome-wide association study (GWAS) screening and SnaPshot validation. Candidate SNPs were screened using genotyping by sequencing to perform GWAS of the differential SNPs between the sexes of C. semilaevis. The SNP loci were amplified using a multiplex PCR system and detected via SNaPshot, which enables multiplexing of up to 30-40 SNPs in a single assay and ensures high accuracy of the results. The molecular markers detected in our study were used to successfully identify normal males and pseudomales from 45 caught and 40 cultured C. semilaevis specimens. Linkage disequilibrium analysis showed that the eight SNP loci were related to each other, with a strong linkage. Moreover, we investigated the expression of prdm6 mRNA containing a missense SNP and confirmed that the gene is differentially expressed in the gonads of the different sexes of C. semilaevis; the expression of prdm6 mRNA was significantly higher in the males than in the females and pseudomales. This means prdm6 may be related to sex differentiation in C. semilaevis.

Seminal Plasma Exosomes: Promising Biomarkers for Identification of Male and Pseudo-Males in Cynoglossus semilaevis

In mammals, small RNAs enclosed in exosomes have been identified as appropriate signatures for disease diagnosis. However, there is limited information on exosomes derived from seminal plasma, and few studies have reported analyzed the composition of exosomes and enclosed small RNAs in fish. The half-smooth tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis) is an economically important fish for aquaculture, and it exhibits sexual dimorphism: the female gender show higher growth rates and larger body sizes than males. Standard karyotype analysis and artificial gynogenesis tests have revealed that this species uses heterogametic sex determination (ZW/ZZ), and so-called sex-reversed pseudo-males exist. In this study, we successfully identified exosomes in the seminal plasma of C. semilaevis; to the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of exosomes in fish seminal plasma. Analysis of the nucleotide composition showed that miRNAs were dominant in the exosomes, and the miRNAs were sequenced and compared to identify signature miRNAs as sexual biomarkers. Moreover, target genes of the signature miRNAs were predicted by sequence matching and annotation. Finally, four miRNAs (dre-miR-141-3P, dre-miR-10d-5p, ssa-miR-27b-3p, and ssa-miR-23a-3p) with significant differential expression in the males and pseudo-males were selected from the signature candidate miRNAs as markers for sex identification, and their expression profiles were verified using real-time quantitative PCR. Our findings could provide an effective detection method for sex differentiation in fish.

Construction of a Genomic Bacterial Artificial Chromosome (BAC) Library for the Prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii and Initial Analysis of ZW Chromosome-Derived BAC Inserts

Knowledge on sex determination has proven valuable for commercial production of the prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii due to sex dimorphism of the male and female individuals. Previous studies indicated that prawn sex is determined by a ZW-ZZ chromosomal system, but no genomic information is available for the sex chromosome. Herein, we constructed a genomic bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library and identified the ZW-derived BAC clones for initial analysis of the sex chromosomal DNA sequence. The arrayed BAC library contains 200,448 clones with average insert size of 115.4 kb, corresponding to ∼ 4× coverage of the estimated 5.38 Gb genome. Based on a short female-specific marker, a Z- and a W-fragment were retrieved with the genomic walking method. Screening the BAC library using a ZW-specific marker as probe resulted in 12 positive clones. From these, a Z-derived (P331M17) and a W-derived (P122G2) BAC clones were randomly selected and sequenced by PacBio method. We report the construction of a large insert, deep-coverage, and high-quality BAC library for M. rosenbergii that provides a useful resource for positional cloning of target genes, genomic organization, and comparative genomics analysis. Our study not only confirmed the ZW/ZZ system but also discovered sex-linked genes on ZW chromosomes for the first time, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of the genomic structure of sex chromosomes in M. rosenbergii.

The Gene Toolkit Implicated in Functional Sex in Sparidae Hermaphrodites: Inferences From Comparative Transcriptomics

Sex-biased gene expression is the mode through which sex dimorphism arises from a nearly identical genome, especially in organisms without genetic sex determination. Teleost fishes show great variations in the way the sex phenotype forms. Among them, Sparidae, that might be considered as a model family displays a remarkable diversity of reproductive modes. In this study, we sequenced and analyzed the sex-biased transcriptome in gonads and brain (the tissues with the most profound role in sexual development and reproduction) of two sparids with different reproductive modes: the gonochoristic common dentex, Dentex dentex, and the protandrous hermaphrodite gilthead seabream, Sparus aurata. Through comparative analysis with other protogynous and rudimentary protandrous sparid transcriptomes already available, we put forward common male and female-specific genes and pathways that are probably implicated in sex-maintenance in this fish family. Our results contribute to the understanding of the complex processes behind the establishment of the functional sex, especially in hermaphrodite species and set the groundwork for future experiments by providing a gene toolkit that can improve efforts to control phenotypic sex in finfish in the ever-increasingly important field of aquaculture.

The transcriptomic signature of different sexes in two protogynous hermaphrodites: Insights into the molecular network underlying sex phenotype in fish

Sex differentiation is a puzzling problem in fish due to the variety of reproductive systems and the flexibility of their sex determination mechanisms. The Sparidae, a teleost family, reflects this remarkable diversity of sexual mechanisms found in fish. Our aim was to capture the transcriptomic signature of different sexes in two protogynous hermaphrodite sparids, the common pandora Pagellus erythrinus and the red porgy Pagrus pagrus in order to shed light on the molecular network contributing to either the female or the male phenotype in these organisms. Through RNA sequencing, we investigated sex-specific differences in gene expression in both species' brains and gonads. The analysis revealed common male and female specific genes/pathways between these protogynous fish. Whereas limited sex differences found in the brain indicate a sexually plastic tissue, in contrast, the great amount of sex-biased genes observed in gonads reflects the functional divergence of the transformed tissue to either its male or female character. Α common "crew" of well-known molecular players is acting to preserve either sex identity of the gonad in these fish. Lastly, this study lays the ground for a deeper understanding of the complex process of sex differentiation in two species with an evolutionary significant reproductive system.

Characterization of a low-density lipoprotein receptor, Lrp13, in Chinese tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis) and medaka (Oryzias latipes)

As an important economic marine species cultured in China, Chinese tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis) has interested us due to its sexual dimorphism and ZW/ZZ sex determination system. In a previous study, dmrt1 was identified as a dosage-dependent male-determining gene. In the present study, a female-specific expressed gene, cse0440, initially annotated as lrp1b-like, was identified from chromosome W of C. semilaevis. In view of the differences between cse0440 and lrp1b in terms of expression pattern, a phylogenetic analysis containing 85 LRP proteins was constructed and provided an evidence to re-annotate cse0440 as cseLRP13. In addition, two orthologues of cseLRP13 were separately identified from W and Z chromosomes: cseLRP13-W and cseLRP13-Z. The subsequent multiple sequence alignment and syntenic arrangements of LRP13 in C. semilaevis, Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes), large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea), striped bass (Morone saxatilis), white perch (Morone americana) and Fugu rubripes (Takifugu rubripes) further supported this re-annotation. RT-PCR and in situ hybridization revealed that cselrp13 was exclusively expressed in the oocytes and follicles of ovaries. These results suggested that lrp13 may play important roles in female reproduction. In future, with the advancement of micromanipulation in flatfish, the detailed function of two lrp13 orthologues in C. semilaevis will be elucidated.

Identification of exosomes and its signature miRNAs of male and female Cynoglossus semilaevis

Exosomes are small membrane particles which are widely found in various cell lines and physiological fluids in mammalian. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) enclosed in exosomes have been identified as proper signatures for many diseases and response to therapies. However, the composition of exosomes and enclosed miRNAs in fishes has not been investigated. Cynoglossus semilaevis is an important commercial flatfish with ambiguous distinction between males and females before sex maturation, which leads to screening difficulty in reproduction and cultivation. An effective detection method was required for sex differentiation of C. semilaevis. In this work, we successfully identified exosomes in C. semilaevis serum. The analysis of nucleotide composition showed that miRNA dominated in exosomes. Thereafter the miRNA profiles in exosomes from males and females were sequenced and compared to identify the signature miRNAs corresponding to sex differentiation. The functions of signature miRNAs were analyzed by target matching and annotation. Furthermore, 7 miRNAs with high expression in males were selected from signature miRNAs as the markers for sex identification with their expression profiles verified by real time quantitative PCR. Exosomes were first found in fish serum in this work. Investigation of marker miRNAs supplies an effective index for the filtration of male and female C. semilaevis in cultivation.

Integrating genomic resources of flatfish (Pleuronectiformes) to boost aquaculture production

Flatfish have a high market acceptance thus representing a profitable aquaculture production. The main farmed species is the turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) followed by Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceous) and tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis), but other species like Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus), Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) and common sole (Solea solea) also register an important production and are very promising for farming. Important genomic resources are available for most of these species including whole genome sequencing projects, genetic maps and transcriptomes. In this work, we integrate all available genomic information of these species within a common framework, taking as reference the whole assembled genomes of turbot and tongue sole (>210× coverage). New insights related to the genetic basis of productive traits and new data useful to understand the evolutionary origin and diversification of this group were obtained. Despite a general 1:1 chromosome syntenic relationship between species, the comparison of turbot and tongue sole genomes showed huge intrachromosomic reorganizations. The integration of available mapping information supported specific chromosome fusions along flatfish evolution and facilitated the comparison between species of previously reported genetic associations for productive traits. When comparing transcriptomic resources of the six species, a common set of ~2500 othologues and ~150 common miRNAs were identified, and specific sets of putative missing genes were detected in flatfish transcriptomes, likely reflecting their evolutionary diversification.

Molecular characterization of three gonadotropin subunits and their expression patterns during ovarian maturation in Cynoglossus semilaevis

The endocrine regulation of reproduction in a multiple spawning flatfish with an ovary of asynchronous development remains largely unknown. The objectives of this study were to monitor changes in mRNA expression patterns of three gonadotropin hormone (GTH) subunits (FSHβ, LHβ and CGα) and plasma GTH levels during ovarian maturation of half-smooth tongue sole Cynoglossus semilaevis. Cloning and sequence analysis revealed that the cDNAs of FSHβ, LHβ and CGα were 541, 670 and 685 bp in length, and encode for peptides of 130, 158 and 127 amino acids, respectively. The number of cysteine residues and potential N-linked glycosylation sites of the flatfish GTHs were conserved among teleosts. However, the primary structure of GTHs in Pleuronectiformes appeared to be highly divergent. The FSHβ transcriptional level in the pituitary remained high during the vitellogenic stage while plasma levels of FSH peaked and oocyte development was stimulated. The LHβ expression in the pituitary and ovary reached the maximum level during oocyte maturation stages when the plasma levels of LH peaked. The brain GTHs were expressed at the different ovarian stages. These results suggested that FSH and LH may simultaneously regulate ovarian development and maturation through the brain-pituitary-ovary axis endocrine system in tongue sole.

Molecular characterization and functional divergence of two Gadd45g homologs in sex determination in half-smooth tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis)

The growth arrest and DNA-damage-inducible protein 45 gamma (Gadd45g) is known to play a major role in embryonic development and sex determination. In this study, two Gadd45g genes were isolated from half-smooth tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis). Using chromosomal fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), Gadd45g1 and Gadd45g2 were located on the W and Z chromosomes, respectively. The full-length cDNA sequences of Gadd45g1 (1270bp) and Gadd45g2 (1181bp) were predicted to contain a 480-bp coding sequence that could encode a protein of 159 amino acids residues. A phylogenetic tree showed that the predicted Gadd45g1 and Gadd45g2 amino acid sequences clustered closely in one branch. It is proposed that Gadd45g1 and Gadd45g2 are paralogous genes derived from the divergence of the sex chromosome. Ka/Ks ratios indicated that Gadd45g1 and Gadd45g2 may have undergone a high number of mutations and have a divergence time of only about 68,000years, although Gadd45g homologs are highly conserved. The qRT-PCR demonstrated that Gadd45g1 and Gadd45g2 were highly expressed in ovary, and negligibly expressed in testis of male and neo-male. During development of the ovary (from 80 to 150days), the expression levels of both genes reached high levels. Gadd45g1 was also highly expressed at 50days, the stage just before gonad differentiation in C. semilaevis. All these findings imply functional divergence of the two Gadd45g homologs; Gadd45g1 may be necessary for sex differentiation in the early stage of gonad development, and then Gadd45g1 and Gadd45g2 maintain ovary development and the female character of half-smooth tongue sole.

Cloning and characterization of tesk1, a novel spermatogenesis-related gene, in the tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis)

Testis-specific protein kinase 1 (Tesk1) is a serine/threonine kinase with unique structural features. In the present study, we cloned and characterized the tesk1 gene of tongue sole, Cynoglossus semilaevis. The full-length tesk1 cDNA consists of 1,672 nucleotides, encoding a 331 amino acid polypeptide with a characteristic structure composed of an N-terminal kinase domain and a C-terminal proline-rich domain. The tesk1 genomic sequence contains eight exons and seven introns. Real-time quantitative PCR revealed that tesk1 mRNA is expressed predominantly in the testis, though the level of expression varied throughout development. We used in situ hybridization to show that tesk1 mRNA is expressed in the spermatids of males and pseudo-males, but not in triploid males. Our results suggest that tongue sole Tesk1 may play a role in spermatogenesis.

A first generation BAC-based physical map of the half-smooth tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis) genome

Background

Half-smooth tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis Günther) has been exploited as a commercially important cultured marine flatfish, and female grows 2–3 times faster than male. Genetic studies, especially on the chromosomal sex-determining system of this species, have been carried out in the last decade. Although the genome of half-smooth tongue sole was relatively small (626.9 Mb), there are still some difficulties in the high-quality assembly of the next generation genome sequencing reads without the assistance of a physical map, especially for the W chromosome of this fish due to abundance of repetitive sequences. The objective of this study is to construct a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC)-based physical map for half-smooth tongue sole with the method of high information content fingerprinting (HICF).

Results

A physical map of half-smooth tongue sole was constructed with 30, 294 valid fingerprints (7.5 × genome coverage) with a tolerance of 4 and an initial cutoff of 1e-60. A total of 29,709 clones were assembled into 1,485 contigs with an average length of 539 kb and a N50 length of 664 kb. There were 394 contigs longer than the N50 length, and these contigs will be a useful resource for future integration with linkage map and whole genome sequence assembly. The estimated physical length of the assembled contigs was 797 Mb, representing approximately 1.27 coverage of the half-smooth tongue sole genome. The largest contig contained 410 BAC clones with a physical length of 3.48 Mb. Almost all of the 676 BAC clones (99.9%) in the 21 randomly selected contigs were positively validated by PCR assays, thereby confirming the reliability of the assembly.

Conclusions

A first generation BAC-based physical map of half-smooth tongue sole was constructed with high reliability. The map will promote genetic improvement programs of this fish, especially integration of physical and genetic maps, fine-mappings of important gene and/or QTL, comparative and evolutionary genomics studies, as well as whole genome sequence assembly.

Consolidation of the genetic and cytogenetic maps of turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) using FISH with BAC clones

Bacterial artificial chromosomes (BAC) have been widely used for fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) mapping of chromosome landmarks in different organisms, including a few in teleosts. In this study, we used BAC-FISH to consolidate the previous genetic and cytogenetic maps of the turbot (Scophthalmus maximus), a commercially important pleuronectiform. The maps consisted of 24 linkage groups (LGs) but only 22 chromosomes. All turbot LGs were assigned to specific chromosomes using BAC probes obtained from a turbot 5× genomic BAC library. It consisted of 46,080 clones with inserts of at least 100 kb and <5 % empty vectors. These BAC probes contained gene-derived or anonymous markers, most of them linked to quantitative trait loci (QTL) related to productive traits. BAC clones were mapped by FISH to unique marker-specific chromosomal positions, which showed a notable concordance with previous genetic mapping data. The two metacentric pairs were cytogenetically assigned to LG2 and LG16, and the nucleolar organizer region (NOR)-bearing pair was assigned to LG15. Double-color FISH assays enabled the consolidation of the turbot genetic map into 22 linkage groups by merging LG8 with LG18 and LG21 with LG24. In this work, a first-generation probe panel of BAC clones anchored to the turbot linkage and cytogenetical map was developed. It is a useful tool for chromosome traceability in turbot, but also relevant in the context of pleuronectiform karyotypes, which often show small hardly identifiable chromosomes. This panel will also be valuable for further integrative genomics of turbot within Pleuronectiformes and teleosts, especially for fine QTL mapping for aquaculture traits, comparative genomics, and whole-genome assembly.

Male-biased genes in catfish as revealed by RNA-Seq analysis of the testis transcriptome

Background

Catfish has a male-heterogametic (XY) sex determination system, but genes involved in gonadogenesis, spermatogenesis, testicular determination, and sex determination are poorly understood. As a first step of understanding the transcriptome of the testis, here, we conducted RNA-Seq analysis using high throughput Illumina sequencing.

Methodology/Principal Findings

A total of 269.6 million high quality reads were assembled into 193,462 contigs with a N50 length of 806 bp. Of these contigs, 67,923 contigs had hits to a set of 25,307 unigenes, including 167 unique genes that had not been previously identified in catfish. A meta-analysis of expressed genes in the testis and in the gynogen (double haploid female) allowed the identification of 5,450 genes that are preferentially expressed in the testis, providing a pool of putative male-biased genes. Gene ontology and annotation analysis suggested that many of these male-biased genes were involved in gonadogenesis, spermatogenesis, testicular determination, gametogenesis, gonad differentiation, and possibly sex determination.

Conclusion/Significance

We provide the first transcriptome-level analysis of the catfish testis. Our analysis would lay the basis for sequential follow-up studies of genes involved in sex determination and differentiation in catfish.

Construction of a high-density microsatellite genetic linkage map and mapping of sexual and growth-related traits in half-smooth tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis)

High-density genetic linkage maps of half-smooth tongue sole were developed with 1007 microsatellite markers, two SCAR markers and an F1 family containing 94. The female map was composed of 828 markers in 21 linkage groups, covering a total of 1447.3 cM, with an average interval 1.83 cM between markers. The male map consisted of 794 markers in 21 linkage groups, spanning 1497.5 cM, with an average interval of 1.96 cM. The female and male maps had 812 and 785 unique positions, respectively. The genome length of half-smooth tongue sole was estimated to be 1527.7 cM for the females and 1582.1 cM for the males. Based on estimations of the map lengths, the female and male maps covered 94.74 and 94.65% of the genome, respectively. The consensus map was composed of 1007 microsatellite markers and two SCAR markers in 21 linkage groups, covering a total of 1624 cM with an average interval of 1.67 cM. Furthermore, 159 sex-linked SSR markers were identified. Five sex-linked microsatellite markers were confirmed in their association with sex in a large number of individuals selected from different families. These sex-linked markers were mapped on the female map LG1f with zero recombination. Two QTLs that were identified for body weight, designated as We-1 and We-2, accounted for 26.39% and 10.60% of the phenotypic variation. Two QTLs for body width, designated Wi-1 and Wi-2, were mapped in LG4f and accounted for 14.33% and 12.83% of the phenotypic variation, respectively. Seven sex-related loci were mapped in LG1f, LG14f and LG1m by CIM, accounting for 12.5–25.2% of the trait variation. The results should prove to be very useful for improving growth traits using molecular MAS.

Genomic approaches to study genetic and environmental influences on fish sex determination and differentiation

The embryonic gonad is the only organ that takes two mutually exclusive differentiating pathways and hence gives rise to two different adult organs: testes or ovaries. The recent application of genomic tools including microarrays, next-generation sequencing approaches, and epigenetics can significantly contribute to decipher the molecular mechanisms involved in the processes of sex determination and sex differentiation. However, in fish, these studies are complicated by the fact that these processes depend, perhaps to a larger extent when compared to other vertebrates, on the interplay of genetic and environmental influences. Here, we review the advances made so far, taking into account different experimental approaches, and illustrate some technical complications deriving from the fact that as development progresses it becomes more and more difficult to distinguish whether changes in gene expression or DNA methylation patterns are the cause or the consequence of such developmental events. Finally, we suggest some avenues for further research in both model fish species and fish species facing specific problems within an aquaculture context.

Construction of BIBAC and BAC libraries from a variety of organisms for advanced genomics research

Large-insert BAC (bacterial artificial chromosome) and BIBAC (binary BAC) libraries are essential for modern genomics research for all organisms. We helped pioneer the BAC and BIBAC technologies, and by using them we have constructed hundreds of BAC and BIBAC libraries for different species of plants, animals, marine animals, insects, algae and microbes. These libraries have been used globally for different aspects of genomics research. Here we describe the procedure with the latest improvements that we have made and used for construction of BIBAC libraries. The procedure includes the preparation of BIBAC vectors, the preparation of clonable fragments of the desired size from the source DNA, the construction and transformation of BIBACs and, finally, the characterization and assembly of BIBAC libraries. We also specify the modifications necessary for construction of BAC libraries using the protocol. The entire protocol takes ∼7 d.

Preparation of megabase-sized DNA from a variety of organisms using the nuclei method for advanced genomics research

Megabase-sized DNA is crucial to modern genomics research of all organisms. Among the preparation methods developed, the nuclei method is the simplest and most widely used for preparing high-quality megabase-sized DNA from divergent organisms. In this method, nuclei are first isolated by physically grinding the source tissues. The nontarget cytoplast organellar genomes and metabolites are removed by centrifugation and washing, thus maximizing the utility of the method and substantially improving the digestibility and clonability of the resultant DNA. The nuclei are then embedded in an agarose matrix containing numerous pores, allowing the access of restriction enzymes while preventing the DNA from physical shearing. DNA is extracted from the nuclei, purified and subsequently manipulated in the agarose matrix. Here we describe the nuclei method that we have successfully used to prepare high-quality megabase-sized DNA from hundreds of plant, animal, fish, insect, algal and microbial species. The entire protocol takes ∼3 d.

Construction and characterization of the BAC library for common carp Cyprinus carpio L. and establishment of microsynteny with zebrafish Danio rerio

A bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library of common carp Cyprinus carpio L. was constructed as a part of ongoing common carp genome project, which is aiming assembly of common carp genome. The library, containing a total of 92,160 BAC clones with an average insert size of 141 kb, was constructed into the restriction site of Hind III on BAC vector CopyControl pCC1BAC, covering 7.7 X haploid genome equivalents. Three dimension pools and superpools of the BAC library were established and 23 positive clones of 14 targets were identified from one-fifth of the BAC library. Pilot project of BAC end sequencing was conducted on 2,688 BAC ends from 1,344 clones and harvested 2,522 high-quality Q20 sequences with average length of 677 bp. The sequencing success rate was 93.8% and pair-end success rate was 92.3%. A total of 212 microsyntenies had been established between common carp and zebrafish genomes as a trial for genome-wide comparative genomics in these two closely related species.

The birds and the bees and the flowers and the trees: lessons from genetic mapping of sex determination in plants and animals

The ability to identify genetic markers in nonmodel systems has allowed geneticists to construct linkage maps for a diversity of species, and the sex-determining locus is often among the first to be mapped. Sex determination is an important area of study in developmental and evolutionary biology, as well as ecology. Its importance for organisms might suggest that sex determination is highly conserved. However, genetic studies have shown that sex determination mechanisms, and the genes involved, are surprisingly labile. We review studies using genetic mapping and phylogenetic inferences, which can help reveal evolutionary pattern within this lability and potentially identify the changes that have occurred among different sex determination systems. We define some of the terminology, particularly where confusion arises in writing about such a diverse range of organisms, and highlight some major differences between plants and animals, and some important similarities. We stress the importance of studying taxa suitable for testing hypotheses, and the need for phylogenetic studies directed to taxa where the patterns of changes can be most reliably inferred, if the ultimate goal of testing hypotheses regarding the selective forces that have led to changes in such an essential trait is to become feasible.