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Gu Y, Jin CX, Tong ZH, Jiang T, Yao FC, Zhang Y, Huang J, Song FB, Sun JL, Luo J. Expression of genes related to gonadal development and construction of gonadal DNA methylation maps of Trachinotus blochii under hypoxia. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 935:173172. [PMID: 38740210 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Chronic hypoxia can affect the growth and metabolism of fish and potentially impact gonadal development through epigenetic regulation. Trachinotus blochii (Golden pompano) is widely cultured near the coast and is sensitive to low oxygen conditions. We found that hypoxia and reoxygenation processes acted on multiple targets on the HPG axis, leading to endocrine disorders. Changes in the expression of key genes in the brain (gnrh), pituitary (fsh and lh), ovaries (cyp19a1a, foxl2, and er), and testes (dmrt1, ar, sox9, and gsdf) were associated with significant decreases in estrogen and testosterone levels. Hypoxia and reoxygenation lead to changes in DNA methylation levels in the gonads. Hypoxia upregulated the expression of dnmt1, dnmt3a, dnmt3b, tet1, and tet2 in females and dnmt3a and dnmt3b in males, while reoxygenation down-regulated the expression of dnmt1, dnmt3a, dnmt3b, tet1, and tet2 in males. Whole genome methylation sequencing showed that the number of differentially methylated regions was highest on chromosome 10 (5192) and lowest on chromosome 24 (275). Differentially methylated genes in females and males, as well as between males and females, were enriched in the oxytocin signaling pathway, fatty acid metabolism pathway, and HIF-1a pathway. In summary, hypoxia and reoxygenation can induce endocrine disorders, affect the expression of HPG axis genes, change the methylation pattern and modification pattern of gonad DNA, and then have potential effects on gonad development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Gu
- School of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Sanya Nanfan Research Institute of Hainan University, Hainan Aquaculture Breeding Engineering Research Center, Hainan Academician Team Innovation Center, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Chun Xiu Jin
- School of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Sanya Nanfan Research Institute of Hainan University, Hainan Aquaculture Breeding Engineering Research Center, Hainan Academician Team Innovation Center, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Zai Hui Tong
- School of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Sanya Nanfan Research Institute of Hainan University, Hainan Aquaculture Breeding Engineering Research Center, Hainan Academician Team Innovation Center, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Tian Jiang
- School of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Sanya Nanfan Research Institute of Hainan University, Hainan Aquaculture Breeding Engineering Research Center, Hainan Academician Team Innovation Center, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Fu Cheng Yao
- School of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Sanya Nanfan Research Institute of Hainan University, Hainan Aquaculture Breeding Engineering Research Center, Hainan Academician Team Innovation Center, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- School of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Sanya Nanfan Research Institute of Hainan University, Hainan Aquaculture Breeding Engineering Research Center, Hainan Academician Team Innovation Center, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Jie Huang
- School of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Sanya Nanfan Research Institute of Hainan University, Hainan Aquaculture Breeding Engineering Research Center, Hainan Academician Team Innovation Center, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Fei Biao Song
- School of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Sanya Nanfan Research Institute of Hainan University, Hainan Aquaculture Breeding Engineering Research Center, Hainan Academician Team Innovation Center, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Jun Long Sun
- School of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Sanya Nanfan Research Institute of Hainan University, Hainan Aquaculture Breeding Engineering Research Center, Hainan Academician Team Innovation Center, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China.
| | - Jian Luo
- School of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Sanya Nanfan Research Institute of Hainan University, Hainan Aquaculture Breeding Engineering Research Center, Hainan Academician Team Innovation Center, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China.
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Cadmium Ecotoxic Effects on Embryonic Dmrt1 and Aromatase Expression in Chrysemys picta Turtles May Implicate Changes in DNA Methylation. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13081318. [PMID: 35893055 PMCID: PMC9331853 DOI: 10.3390/genes13081318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) decides the sex fate of an individual based on incubation temperature. However, other environmental factors, such as pollutants, could derail TSD sexual development. Cadmium is one such contaminant of soils and water bodies known to affect DNA methylation, an epigenetic DNA modification with a key role in sexual development of TSD vertebrate embryos. Yet, whether cadmium alters DNA methylation of genes underlying gonadal formation in turtles remains unknown. Here, we investigated the effects of cadmium on the expression of two gene regulators of TSD in the painted turtle, Chrysemys picta, incubated at male-producing and female-producing temperatures using qPCR. Results revealed that cadmium alters transcription of Dmrt1 and aromatase, overriding the normal thermal effects during embryogenesis, which could potentially disrupt the sexual development of TSD turtles. Results from a preliminary DNA methylation-sensitive PCR assay implicate changes in DNA methylation of Dmrt1 as a potential cause that requires further testing (aromatase methylation assays were precluded).
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Function of Foxl2 and Dmrt1 proteins during gonadal differentiation in the olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 215:141-154. [PMID: 35716793 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.06.098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Study on fish sex differentiation is important both from academic and practical aspects. Foxl2 and Dmrt1 are important transcription factors that should be involved in fish gonadal differentiation, but there is still no direct evidence to clarify their protein functions. Olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus, an important mariculture fish in China, Japan, and Korea, shows sex-dimorphic growth. In this study, the Foxl2 and Dmrt1 proteins were detected in granulosa cells of the ovary and Sertoli cells of the testis, respectively, showing significant sex-dimorphic expression patterns. Then, bioactive high-purity Foxl2 and Dmrt1 recombinant proteins were obtained in vitro. Furthermore, effects of the recombinant Foxl2 and Dmrt1 during gonadal differentiation period were evaluated by intraperitoneal injection in juvenile fish. Compared with the control group, the male rate in the Dmrt1 group increased from 0 % to 82 %, showing for the first time in fish that the recombinant Dmrt1 could alter the sex phenotype. In addition, transcription levels of cyp19a and its transcription factors also changed after the recombinant Foxl2 and Dmrt1 injection. These findings reveal that Foxl2 and Dmrt1 are vital regulators for fish gonadal differentiation by regulating cyp19a expression, and also provide a new approach for sex control in fish aquaculture.
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