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Mustapha UF, Zhi F, Huang YQ, Assan D, Li GL, Jiang DN. First account of a transient intersex in spotted scat, Scatophagus argus: a marine gonochoristic fish. FISH PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY 2022; 48:1011-1023. [PMID: 35804212 DOI: 10.1007/s10695-022-01097-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This study presents the first incidence of intersex associated with testis-ova in spotted scat (Scatophagus argus) reared in a controlled environment. The testis-ova is associated with the abnormal occurrence of primary oocytes (POs) in some male testis and is referred to as ectopic primary oocytes (Ecto-PO), whiles individuals with Ecto-PO are called "Ecto-PO gonad/individuals." We investigated gonads of 129 male spotted scat aged 4-12 and 18 months after hatch (mah) by histological studies for the presence of female sexual characteristics. A total of 20 out of 88 gonads representing 22.7% of male fish aged 6-12, or 15.5% of all male fish sampled, were found to have visible Ecto-PO. At least, the Ecto-PO had an average of 7 oocytes per gonadal section, indicating high severity. The Ecto-PO appears after sex differentiation and degenerates during sexual maturation. The Ecto-PO did not significantly influence the expression pattern of male and female sex-related genes performed using qPCR. Immunofluorescence of 42sp50 specifically stained the Ecto-PO without influence from the surrounding testicular tissues. In addition, temperature did not correlate with the proliferation of the Ecto-PO, but rather gonad developmental strategy. The results show that the naturally occurring Ecto-PO might not be detrimental to testis development and could be considered a frequent-high-level incidence of natural aberration. This study highlights the intricacy of fish sex differentiation and provides a new research chapter to ascertain the mystery behind the occurrence of Ecto-PO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Umar Farouk Mustapha
- Fisheries College of Guangdong Ocean University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Disease Control and Healthy culture, Guangdong Province Famous Fish Reproduction and Breeding Engineering Technology Research Center, Zhanjiang, 524088, China
| | - Fei Zhi
- Fisheries College of Guangdong Ocean University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Disease Control and Healthy culture, Guangdong Province Famous Fish Reproduction and Breeding Engineering Technology Research Center, Zhanjiang, 524088, China
| | - Yuang-Qing Huang
- Fisheries College of Guangdong Ocean University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Disease Control and Healthy culture, Guangdong Province Famous Fish Reproduction and Breeding Engineering Technology Research Center, Zhanjiang, 524088, China
| | - Daniel Assan
- Fisheries College of Guangdong Ocean University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Disease Control and Healthy culture, Guangdong Province Famous Fish Reproduction and Breeding Engineering Technology Research Center, Zhanjiang, 524088, China
| | - Guang-Li Li
- Fisheries College of Guangdong Ocean University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Disease Control and Healthy culture, Guangdong Province Famous Fish Reproduction and Breeding Engineering Technology Research Center, Zhanjiang, 524088, China
| | - Dong-Neng Jiang
- Fisheries College of Guangdong Ocean University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Disease Control and Healthy culture, Guangdong Province Famous Fish Reproduction and Breeding Engineering Technology Research Center, Zhanjiang, 524088, China.
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Fodor I, Urbán P, Scott AP, Pirger Z. A critical evaluation of some of the recent so-called 'evidence' for the involvement of vertebrate-type sex steroids in the reproduction of mollusks. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2020; 516:110949. [PMID: 32687858 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2020.110949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Many studies on the control of reproduction in mollusks have focused on hormones (and proteins associated with the production and signaling of those hormones) which were originally discovered in humans, in the belief that if they are also present in mollusks, they must have the same role. However, although human sex steroids can be found in mollusks, they are so readily absorbed that their presence is not necessarily evidence of endogenous synthesis. A homolog of the vertebrate nuclear estrogen receptor has been found in mollusks, but it does not bind to estrogens or indeed to any steroid at all. Antibodies against human aromatase show positive immunostaining in mollusks, yet the aromatase gene has not been found in the genome of any invertebrates (let alone mollusks). This review will deal with these and other examples of contradictory evidence for a role of human hormones in invertebrate reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- István Fodor
- NAP Adaptive Neuroethology, Department of Experimental Zoology, Balaton Limnological Institute, Centre for Ecological Research, 8237, Tihany, Hungary.
| | - Péter Urbán
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Core Facilities, Szentágothai Research Centre, University of Pécs, 7624, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Alexander P Scott
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Research (Cefas), Barrack Road, Weymouth, DT4 8UB, UK
| | - Zsolt Pirger
- NAP Adaptive Neuroethology, Department of Experimental Zoology, Balaton Limnological Institute, Centre for Ecological Research, 8237, Tihany, Hungary
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Grilo TF, Rosa R. Intersexuality in aquatic invertebrates: Prevalence and causes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 592:714-728. [PMID: 28325592 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.02.099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2016] [Revised: 02/10/2017] [Accepted: 02/11/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
This review is the first assembling information on intersexuality in aquatic invertebrates, from freshwater to estuarine and marine environments. Intersex is a condition whereby an individual of a gonochorist (separate sexes) species has oocytes or distinct stages of spermatogonia, at varying degrees of development, within the normal gonad of the opposite gender (i.e. spermatocytes in the ovary or oocytes in the testis), often involving alterations in the gonadal structure, reproductive tract or external genitalia. By the end of 2016 we found approximately 340 records of aquatic invertebrate species evidencing signs of intersexuality (or imposex), all comprised within the Phyla Mollusca and Arthropoda. Gastropod molluscs are by far the group with more examples documented (256 species), followed by crustaceans, i.e., decapods, copepods and amphipods. To our knowledge no further cases of intersexuality were known concerning other invertebrate taxa. Despite some reports suggesting that a baseline level of intersexuality may occur naturally in some populations, the causes are multifaceted and mostly linked with environmental contamination by estrogenic and organotin endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), parasitism, and genetic/environmental sex determination abnormalities. A more comprehensive discussion about the origin of intersexuality, prevalence and causes, knowledge gaps and future research directions in the light of new omics scientific advances (genomics, proteomics and transcriptomics) is also provided. The lack of studies linking molecular responses of invertebrate intersex individuals to multiple stressors represents a true challenge to be further investigated in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiago F Grilo
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Laboratório Marítimo da Guia, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Nossa Senhora do Cabo 939, 2750-374 Cascais, Portugal.
| | - Rui Rosa
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Laboratório Marítimo da Guia, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Nossa Senhora do Cabo 939, 2750-374 Cascais, Portugal
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Pope ND, Childs K, Dang C, Davey MS, O'Hara SCM, Langston K, Minier C, Pascoe PL, Shortridge E, Langston WJ. Intersex in the clam Scrobicularia plana (Da Costa): Widespread occurrence in English Channel estuaries and surrounding areas. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2015; 95:598-609. [PMID: 25837773 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.02.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2014] [Revised: 02/26/2015] [Accepted: 02/26/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Estuarine clams Scrobicularia plana were sampled from 108 intertidal locations around the English Channel and adjacent areas. Although S. plana is believed to be a strict gonochorist, 58% of the populations sampled included intersexed individuals (described as male clams exhibiting ovotestis). Over the entire region, on average, 8.6% of male clams exhibited intersex, although proportions of affected males ranged from 0% to 53% depending on location. The severity of intersex was assessed using a simple classification scale, with the majority of individuals showing low levels of impact. Sex ratios were significantly skewed at some sites. There were no significant relationships between incidence or severity of intersex; or with size or parasitism of individual clams. Intersex in S. plana is a useful tool to assess endocrine disruptive effects in estuaries, although mechanisms of impact and causative agents remain uncertain.
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Affiliation(s)
- N D Pope
- Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth PL1 2PB, UK.
| | - K Childs
- Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth PL1 2PB, UK
| | - C Dang
- Laboratory of Ecotoxicology, Universite du Havre, BP540, 76058 Le Havre, France
| | - M S Davey
- Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth PL1 2PB, UK
| | - S C M O'Hara
- Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth PL1 2PB, UK
| | - K Langston
- Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth PL1 2PB, UK
| | - C Minier
- Laboratory of Ecotoxicology, Universite du Havre, BP540, 76058 Le Havre, France
| | - P L Pascoe
- Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth PL1 2PB, UK
| | - E Shortridge
- Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth PL1 2PB, UK
| | - W J Langston
- Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth PL1 2PB, UK
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Langston WJ, Pope ND, Davey M, Langston KM, O' Hara SCM, Gibbs PE, Pascoe PL. Recovery from TBT pollution in English Channel environments: A problem solved? MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2015; 95:551-564. [PMID: 25733081 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2014] [Revised: 11/27/2014] [Accepted: 12/03/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Following recognition of effects in the 1980s, tributyltin (TBT) has been monitored at sites in the English Channel to evaluate the prognosis for biota - spanning the introduction of restrictions on TBT use on small boats and the recent phase-out on the global fleet. We describe how persistence and impact of TBT in clams Scrobicularia plana has changed during this period in Southampton Water and Poole Harbour. TBT contamination (and loss) in water, sediment and clams reflects the abundance and type of vessel activity: half-times in sediment (up to 8y in Poole, 33y in Southampton) are longest near commercial shipping. Recovery of clam populations - slowest in TBT-contaminated deposits - provides a useful biological measure of legislative efficacy in estuaries. On rocky shores, recovery from imposex in Nucella lapillus is evident at many sites but, near ports, is prolonged by shipping impacts, including sediment legacy, for example, in the Fal.
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Affiliation(s)
- W J Langston
- Marine Biological Association, Citadel Hill, Plymouth PL1 2PB, UK.
| | - N D Pope
- Marine Biological Association, Citadel Hill, Plymouth PL1 2PB, UK
| | - M Davey
- Marine Biological Association, Citadel Hill, Plymouth PL1 2PB, UK
| | - K M Langston
- Marine Biological Association, Citadel Hill, Plymouth PL1 2PB, UK
| | - S C M O' Hara
- Marine Biological Association, Citadel Hill, Plymouth PL1 2PB, UK
| | - P E Gibbs
- Marine Biological Association, Citadel Hill, Plymouth PL1 2PB, UK
| | - P L Pascoe
- Marine Biological Association, Citadel Hill, Plymouth PL1 2PB, UK
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