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Zhang D, Tian T, Li S, Du J, Lei C, Zhu T, Han L, Song H. Transcriptome analysis of four types of gonadal tissues in largemouth bass ( Micropterus salmoides) to reveal its sex-related genes. Front Genet 2024; 15:1459427. [PMID: 39253718 PMCID: PMC11381392 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1459427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 09/11/2024] Open
Abstract
The sex determination system of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides, LMB) is XX/XY; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms involved in early sex differentiation, gonadal development, and exogenous hormone-induced sex reversal remain unknown. In this study, LMB at 15 days post-hatching (dph) were fed diets containing 20 mg/kg of 17α-methyltestosterone (17α-MT) or 30 mg/kg of 17β-estradiol (17β-E2) for 60 days, respectively. Serum steroid levels, histological observations of the gonads, and identification of sex-specific markers were employed to screen the gonads of 60-day-old normal female fish (XX-F), normal male fish (XY-M), 17β-E2 induced pseudo-female fish (XY-F), and 17α-MT-induced pseudo-male fish (XX-M) for transcriptome sequencing in order to uncover genes and pathway involved in the process of sexual reversal. The results from histology and serum sex steroid hormone analysis showed that both 17α-MT and 17β-E2 were capable of inducing sex reversal of LMB at 15 dph. Transcriptome results revealed a total of 2,753 genes exhibiting differential expression, and the expression pattern of these genes in the gonads of XX-M or XY-F resembled that of normal females or males. The male sex-biased genes that are upregulated in XX-M and downregulated in XY-F are referred to as key genes for male reversal, while the female sex-biased genes that are upregulated in XY-F and downregulated in XX-M are referred to as key genes for female reversal. Finally, 12 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to male sex reversal were screened, including star2, cyp17a, cyp11b1, dmrt1, amh, sox9a, katnal1, spata4, spata6l, spata7, spata18 and foxl3. 2 DEGs (foxl2a and cyp19a1b) were found to be associated with female sex reversal. The changes in these genes collectively influence the direction of sex differentiation of LMB. Among them, star2, dmrt1 and cyp19a1b with significantly altered expression levels may play potentially crucial role in the process of gender reversal. The expression patterns of 21 randomly selected genes were verified using qRT-PCR which confirmed the reliability and accuracy of the RNA-seq results. These findings not only enhance our understanding of the molecular basis underlying sex reversal but also provide crucial data support for future breeding research on unisexual LMB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongyun Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resource Application and Cultivation, China Ministry of Agriculture, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fisheries Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- College of Life Science, Huzhou University, Huzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Taihang Tian
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resource Application and Cultivation, China Ministry of Agriculture, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fisheries Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- College of Fisheries and Life Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shengjie Li
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resource Application and Cultivation, China Ministry of Agriculture, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fisheries Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jinxing Du
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resource Application and Cultivation, China Ministry of Agriculture, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fisheries Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Caixia Lei
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resource Application and Cultivation, China Ministry of Agriculture, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fisheries Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tao Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resource Application and Cultivation, China Ministry of Agriculture, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fisheries Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Linqiang Han
- Guangdong Province Liangshi Aquaculture Seed Industry, Foshan, Guangdong, China
| | - Hongmei Song
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resource Application and Cultivation, China Ministry of Agriculture, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fisheries Sciences, Guangzhou, China
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Deng J, Huang Y, Liang J, Jiang Y, Chen T. Medaka ( Oryzias latipes) Dmrt3a Is Involved in Male Fertility. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:2406. [PMID: 39199940 PMCID: PMC11350882 DOI: 10.3390/ani14162406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2024] [Revised: 08/11/2024] [Accepted: 08/14/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Research across various species has demonstrated that the doublesex and mab-3-related transcription factor 3 (dmrt3) plays pivotal roles in testis development. However, the precise molecular mechanisms of dmrt3 remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of dmrt3 (dmrt3a) in testis development using the model organism medaka (Oryzias latipes). SqRT-PCR and ISH analyses revealed that dmrt3a is predominantly expressed in the testis, especially in the spermatid and spermatozoon. Using CRISPR/Cas9, we generated two dmrt3a homozygous mutants (-8 bp and -11 bp), which exhibited significantly reduced fertilization rates and embryo production. Additionally, the number of germ cells and sperm motility were markedly decreased in the dmrt3a mutants, manifesting as the symptoms of asthenozoospermia and oligozoospermia. Interestingly, RNA-Seq analysis showed that the deficiency of dmrt3a could lead to a significant downregulation of numerous genes related to gonadal development and severe disruptions in mitochondrial function. These results suggested that dmrt3a is essential for spermatogenesis and spermatozoa energy production. This paper provides new insights and perspectives for further exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying spermatogenesis and addressing male reproductive issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ju Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Breeding, Engineering Research Center of the Modern Technology for Eel Industry, Ministry of Education, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, China; (J.D.); (Y.H.); (J.L.); (Y.J.)
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Yan Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Breeding, Engineering Research Center of the Modern Technology for Eel Industry, Ministry of Education, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, China; (J.D.); (Y.H.); (J.L.); (Y.J.)
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Jingjie Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Breeding, Engineering Research Center of the Modern Technology for Eel Industry, Ministry of Education, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, China; (J.D.); (Y.H.); (J.L.); (Y.J.)
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Yuewen Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Breeding, Engineering Research Center of the Modern Technology for Eel Industry, Ministry of Education, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, China; (J.D.); (Y.H.); (J.L.); (Y.J.)
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Tiansheng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Breeding, Engineering Research Center of the Modern Technology for Eel Industry, Ministry of Education, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, China; (J.D.); (Y.H.); (J.L.); (Y.J.)
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, China
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Ogunwole GA, Adeyemi JA, Saliu JK, Olorundare KE. A computational analysis of the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of ibuprofen and dibutyl phthalate on gene expression in fish. Heliyon 2024; 10:e31880. [PMID: 38845962 PMCID: PMC11153241 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The impact of emerging pollutants such as ibuprofen and dibutyl phthalate on aquatic species is a growing concern and the need for proper assessment and evaluation of these toxicants is imperative. The objective of this study was to examine the toxicogenomic impacts of ibuprofen and dibutyl phthalate on Clarias gariepinus, a widely distributed African catfish species. Results showed that exposure to the test compounds caused significant changes in gene expression, including upregulation of growth hormone, interleukin, melatonin receptors, 17β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase, heat shock protein, doublesex, and mab-3 related transcription factor. On the other hand, expression of forkhead Box Protein L2 and cytochrome P450 was downregulated, revealing a potential to induce female to male sex reversal. The binding affinities and hydrophobic interactions of the test compounds with the reference genes were also studied, showing that ibuprofen had the lowest binding energy and the highest affinity for the docked genes. Both compounds revealed a mutual molecular interaction with amino acids residues within the catalytic cavity of the docked genes. These results provide new insights into the toxic effects of ibuprofen and dibutyl phthalate on Clarias gariepinus, contributing to a better understanding of the environmental impact of these pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Germaine Akinola Ogunwole
- Department of Biology, School of Science, Federal University of Technology, Akure. P.M.B 704, Ondo, Nigeria
| | - Joseph Adewuyi Adeyemi
- Department of Biology, School of Science, Federal University of Technology, Akure. P.M.B 704, Ondo, Nigeria
| | - Joseph Kayode Saliu
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Kayode Emmanuel Olorundare
- Department of Biology, School of Science, Federal University of Technology, Akure. P.M.B 704, Ondo, Nigeria
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Kong D, Zhao X, Pan Y, Song N. Gonadal transcriptome analysis of sex-biased gene and genome-wide investigation of dmrt gene family in Acanthogobius ommaturus. COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY. PART D, GENOMICS & PROTEOMICS 2024; 50:101204. [PMID: 38342067 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbd.2024.101204] [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: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
Acanthogobius ommaturus is one of the largest goby fish, and widely distributed in the Northwestern Pacific as an annual benthic fish. This study aims to report the gonadal transcriptome of A. ommaturus and identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between sexes. A total of 5460 (27.94 %) DEGs were detected from genome, with 3301 (16.89 %) biased towards males and 2159 (11.05 %) towards females. Analysis of 76 known vertebrate sex-related genes revealed multiple key genes, including the male-biased genes dmrt1 (Doublesex and Mab-3 related transcription factor 1) and amh (Anti-Mullerian Hormone), and the female-biased genes foxl2 (Forkhead Box L2) and cyp19a1a (Cytochrome P450 Aromatase 19 Subfamily A1). Furthermore, a genome-wide gene family analysis focused on the most significantly differentially expressed male-biased gene, dmrt1, was conducted using the chromosomal-level genome. Six Aodmrt genes were identified and subjected to phylogenetic and protein interaction network analyses. To validate the expression pattern, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was performed and compared with gonadal transcriptome data. The results showed that only dmrt1 exhibited significant male-bias, while the expression levels and sex differences of other dmrt genes in the gonads were inconclusive. Interestingly, the other dmrt genes displayed higher expression levels in other tissues, suggesting currently unknown functions. In conclusion, this study provides valuable genetic information contributing to the understanding of the sex determination mechanism of A. ommaturus and bony fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delong Kong
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture (Ocean University of China), Ministry of Education, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Xiang Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture (Ocean University of China), Ministry of Education, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Yu Pan
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture (Ocean University of China), Ministry of Education, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Na Song
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture (Ocean University of China), Ministry of Education, Qingdao 266003, China.
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Zhao H, Xiao Y, Xiao Z, Wu Y, Ma Y, Li J. Genome-wide investigation of the DMRT gene family sheds new insight into the regulation of sex differentiation in spotted knifejaw (Oplegnathus punctatus) with fusion chromosomes (Y). Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 257:128638. [PMID: 38070801 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.128638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
The role of the DMRT family in male sex determination and differentiation is significant, but its regulatory role in spotted knifejaw with Y fusion chromosomes remains unclear. Through genome-wide scanning, transcriptome analysis, qPCR, FISH, and RNA interference (RNAi), we investigated the DMRT family and the dmrt1-based sex regulation network. Seven DMRTs were identified (DMRT1/2 (2a,2b)/6, DMRT4/5, DMRT3), and dmrt gene dispersion among chromosomes is possibly driven by three whole-genome duplications. Transcriptome analysis enriched genes were associated with sex regulation and constructed a network associated with dmrt1. qPCR and FISH results showed the expression dimorphism of sex-related genes in dmrt-related regulatory networks. RNAi experiments indicated a distinct sex regulation mode in spotted knifejaw. Dmrt1 knockdown upregulated male-related genes (sox9a, sox9b, dmrt1, amh, amhr2) and hsd11b2 expression, which is critical for androgen synthesis. Amhr2 is located on the heterozygous chromosome (Y) and is specifically localized in primary spermatocytes, and is extremely upregulated after dmrt1 knockdown which suggested besides the important role of dmrt1 in male differentiation, the amhr2 along with amhr2/amh system, also play important regulatory roles in maintaining high expression of the hsd11b2 and male differentiation. This study aims to further investigate sex regulatory mechanisms in species with fusion chromosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haixia Zhao
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China; Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China; Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yongshuang Xiao
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China; Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China; Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China.
| | - Zhizhong Xiao
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China; Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China; Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Yanduo Wu
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China; Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China; Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yuting Ma
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China; Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China; Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Jun Li
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China; Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China; Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China.
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Lasalle A, Benech-Correa G, Brunet FG, Vizziano-Cantonnet D. hsd17b1 is a key gene for ovarian differentiation of the Siberian sturgeon. Mol Reprod Dev 2024; 91:e23729. [PMID: 38282315 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
This is the first work using gonads from undifferentiated, genetically-sexed Siberian sturgeon describing expression changes in genes related to steroid synthesis and female and male sex differentiation. One factor identified as relevant for ovarian differentiation was the gene coding for the enzyme Hsd17b1, which converts estrone into estradiol-17β. hsd17b1 was highly activated in female gonads at 2.5 months of age, around the onset of sex differentiation, preceding activation of two other genes involved in estrogen production (cyp19a1 and foxl2). hsd17b1 was also strongly repressed in males. Two known foxl2 paralogs are found in Siberian sturgeon-foxl2 and foxl2l-but only foxl2 appeared to be associated with ovarian differentiation. With regard to the male pathway, neither 11-oxygenated androgens nor classic male genes (amh, dmrt1, sox9, and dhh) were found to be involved in male sex differentiation, leaving open the question of which genes participate in early male gonad development in this ancient fish. Taken together, these results indicate an estrogen-dependence of female sex differentiation and 11-oxygenated androgen-independence of male sex differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Lasalle
- Laboratorio de Fisiología de la Reproducción y Ecología de Peces, Instituto de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República Oriental del Uruguay, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Germán Benech-Correa
- Laboratorio de Fisiología de la Reproducción y Ecología de Peces, Instituto de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República Oriental del Uruguay, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Frédéric G Brunet
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, UMR5242, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Claude Bernard, Lyon, France
| | - Denise Vizziano-Cantonnet
- Laboratorio de Fisiología de la Reproducción y Ecología de Peces, Instituto de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República Oriental del Uruguay, Montevideo, Uruguay
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Valdivieso A, Caballero-Huertas M, Moraleda-Prados J, Piferrer F, Ribas L. Exploring the Effects of Rearing Densities on Epigenetic Modifications in the Zebrafish Gonads. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16002. [PMID: 37958987 PMCID: PMC10647740 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242116002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Rearing density directly impacts fish welfare, which, in turn, affects productivity in aquaculture. Previous studies have indicated that high-density rearing during sexual development in fish can induce stress, resulting in a tendency towards male-biased sex ratios in the populations. In recent years, research has defined the relevance of the interactions between the environment and epigenetics playing a key role in the final phenotype. However, the underlying epigenetic mechanisms of individuals exposed to confinement remain elucidated. By using zebrafish (Danio rerio), the DNA methylation promotor region and the gene expression patterns of six genes, namely dnmt1, cyp19a1a, dmrt1, cyp11c1, hsd17b1, and hsd11b2, involved in the DNA maintenance methylation, reproduction, and stress were assessed. Zebrafish larvae were subjected to two high-density conditions (9 and 66 fish/L) during two periods of overlapping sex differentiation of this species (7 to 18 and 18 to 45 days post-fertilization, dpf). Results showed a significant masculinization in the populations of fish subjected to high densities from 18 to 45 dpf. In adulthood, the dnmt1 gene was differentially hypomethylated in ovaries and its expression was significantly downregulated in the testes of fish exposed to high-density. Further, the cyp19a1a gene showed downregulation of gene expression in the ovaries of fish subjected to elevated density, as previously observed in other studies. We proposed dnmt1 as a potential testicular epimarker and the expression of ovarian cyp19a1a as a potential biomarker for predicting stress originated from high densities during the early stages of development. These findings highlight the importance of rearing densities by long-lasting effects in adulthood conveying cautions for stocking protocols in fish hatcheries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Valdivieso
- IHPE, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IFREMER, Université de Perpignan Via Domitia, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Marta Caballero-Huertas
- CIRAD, UMR ISEM, 34398 Montpellier, France;
- ISEM, Université de Montpellier, CIRAD, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Javier Moraleda-Prados
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ICM-CSIC), 08003 Barcelona, Spain; (J.M.-P.); (F.P.)
| | - Francesc Piferrer
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ICM-CSIC), 08003 Barcelona, Spain; (J.M.-P.); (F.P.)
| | - Laia Ribas
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ICM-CSIC), 08003 Barcelona, Spain; (J.M.-P.); (F.P.)
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Bhat IA, Dubiel MM, Rodriguez E, Jónsson ZO. Insights into Early Ontogenesis of Salmo salar: RNA Extraction, Housekeeping Gene Validation and Transcriptional Expression of Important Primordial Germ Cell and Sex-Determination Genes. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13061094. [PMID: 36978635 PMCID: PMC10044239 DOI: 10.3390/ani13061094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The challenge in extracting high-quality RNA impedes the investigation of the transcriptome of developing salmonid embryos. Furthermore, the mRNA expression pattern of important PGC and SD genes during the initial embryonic development of Salmo salar is yet to be studied. So, in the present study, we aimed to isolate high-quality RNA from eggs and developing embryos to check vasa, dnd1, nanos3a, sdf1, gsdf, amh, cyp19a, dmrt1 and foxl2 expression by qPCR. Additionally, four HKGs (GAPDH, UB2L3, eEf1a and β-actin) were validated to select the best internal control for qPCR. High-quality RNA was extracted, which was confirmed by spectrophotometer, agarose gel electrophoresis and Agilent TapeStation analysis. UB2L3 was chosen as a reference gene because it exhibited lower intra- and inter-sample variation. vasa transcripts were expressed in all the developmental stages, while dnd1 was expressed only up to 40 d°C. Nanos3a was expressed in later stages and remained at its peak for a shorter period, while sdf1 showed an irregular pattern of mRNA expression. The mRNA expression levels of SD genes were observed to be upregulated during the later stages of development, prior to hatching. This study presents a straightforward methodology for isolating high-quality RNA from salmon eggs, and the resulting transcript profiles of significant PGC and SD genes in S. salar could aid in improving our comprehension of reproductive development in this commercially important species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irfan Ahmad Bhat
- Institute of Life and Environmental Sciences, School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, University of Iceland, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Milena Malgorzata Dubiel
- Institute of Life and Environmental Sciences, School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, University of Iceland, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland
| | | | - Zophonías Oddur Jónsson
- Institute of Life and Environmental Sciences, School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, University of Iceland, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland
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9
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Feng Y, Zhong Z, Wan H, Zhang Z, Zou P, Lin P, Jiang Y, Wang Y. dmrtb1 is involved in the testicular development in Larimichthys crocea. Reproduction 2023; 165:159-170. [PMID: 36342669 DOI: 10.1530/rep-22-0214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
In brief dmrtb1 performs critical functions in sex determination/differentiation and gonadal development in many organisms, but its role in teleost is rarely studied. Through gene cloning, in situ hybridization, and RNA interference technology, the function of dmrtb1 in testicular development of large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) was studied; our study will be helpful in understanding further the molecular regulation mechanism of Lcdmrtb1/Lcdmrt6 in testicular development in L. crocea, and our results enrich the theory of fish dmrts involved in reproductive regulation and provide a new idea for sex control breeding of L. crocea by manipulating reproductive pathway. Abstract Doublesex- and mab-3-related transcription factor B1 (dmrtb1/dmrt6) belongs to one of the members of DMRT family, which performs critical functions in sex determination and differentiation, gonadal development, and functional maintenance. However, knowledge of its exact mechanism remains unclear in teleost. Very little is known about the role of dmrtb1 in the gonad development of Larimichthys crocea. In this study, a dmrtb1 homolog in L. crocea named as Lcdmrtb1 with the full-length cDNA was isolated and characterized. Except for the conserved DM domain, the other regions had low homology. Of the tissues sampled, Lcdmrtb1 was only found to be highly expressed in the testis. In situ hybridization of testis revealed Lcdmrtb1 in both spermatogonia and spermatocytes. After Lcdmrtb1 interference in the testis cells (LYCT) of L. crocea, the expression levels of Lcdmrtb1 and Lcdmrt1 were significantly decreased; subsequently, testicular cell morphology changed from fibrous to round and their growth rate slowed. Similarly, the expression levels of Lcdmrtb1, Lcdmrt1, sox9a/b, and amh were significantly decreased after RNAi in the testis. Furthermore, it was discovered that the spermatogonia had disappeared, and the Sertoli cells had been reduced. The results of immunohistochemistry showed that the expression of Sox9 protein in the testis was not detected after dmrtb1 was knocked down. These results indicated that the absence of Lcdmrtb1 not only greatly inhibited cell growth and destroyed the morphology of testis cells but also down-regulated Lcdmrt1 expression in the testis. This study will be helpful in understanding further the molecular regulation mechanism of Lcdmrtb1/Lcdmrt6 in testicular development in L. crocea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Feng
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen, China.,Fujian Engineering Research center of Aquatic Breeding and Healthy Aquaculture, Xiamen, China
| | - Zhaowei Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen, China.,Fujian Engineering Research center of Aquatic Breeding and Healthy Aquaculture, Xiamen, China
| | - Haifu Wan
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen, China.,Fujian Engineering Research center of Aquatic Breeding and Healthy Aquaculture, Xiamen, China
| | - Ziping Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Large Yellow Croaker Breeding, Ningde Fufa Fisheries Company Limited, Ningde, China.,College of Marine Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Fujian Province, Institute of Oceanology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Pengfei Zou
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen, China.,Fujian Engineering Research center of Aquatic Breeding and Healthy Aquaculture, Xiamen, China
| | - Peng Lin
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen, China.,Fujian Engineering Research center of Aquatic Breeding and Healthy Aquaculture, Xiamen, China
| | - Yonghua Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen, China.,Fujian Engineering Research center of Aquatic Breeding and Healthy Aquaculture, Xiamen, China
| | - Yilei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen, China.,Fujian Engineering Research center of Aquatic Breeding and Healthy Aquaculture, Xiamen, China.,State Key Laboratory of Large Yellow Croaker Breeding, Ningde Fufa Fisheries Company Limited, Ningde, China
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10
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Shen X, Yáñez JM, Bastos Gomes G, Poon ZWJ, Foster D, Alarcon JF, Domingos JA. Comparative gonad transcriptome analysis in cobia ( Rachycentron canadum). Front Genet 2023; 14:1128943. [PMID: 37091808 PMCID: PMC10117682 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1128943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Cobia (Rachycentron canadum) is a species of fish with high commercial potential particularly due to fast growth rates. The evidence of sexual size dimorphism favoring females indicate potential benefits in having a monosex culture. However, the involvement of genetic factors responsible for sexual development and gonadal maintenance that produces phenotypic sex in cobia is largely unknown. Methods: In the present study, we performed transcriptome sequencing of cobia to identify sex-biased significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in testes and ovaries. The reliability of the gonad transcriptome data was validated by qPCR analysis of eight selected significantly differential expressed sex-related candidate genes. Results: This comparative gonad transcriptomic analysis revealed that 7,120 and 4,628 DEGs are up-regulated in testes or ovaries, respectively. Further functional annotation analyses identified 76 important candidate genes involved in sex determination cascades or sex differentiation, including 42 known testis-biased DEGs (dmrt1, amh and sox9 etc.), and 34 known ovary-biased DEGs (foxl2, sox3 and cyp19a etc.). Moreover, eleven significantly enriched pathways functionally related to sex determination and sex differentiation were identified, including Wnt signaling pathway, oocyte meiosis, the TGF-beta signaling pathway and MAPK signaling pathway. Conclusion: This work represents the first comparative gonad transcriptome study in cobia. The putative sex-associated DEGs and pathways provide an important molecular basis for further investigation of cobia's sex determination, gonadal development as well as potential control breeding of monosex female populations for a possible aquaculture setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueyan Shen
- Tropical Futures Institute, James Cook University Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- *Correspondence: Xueyan Shen, ; Jose A. Domingos,
| | - José M. Yáñez
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Giana Bastos Gomes
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | | | | | | | - Jose A. Domingos
- Tropical Futures Institute, James Cook University Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
- *Correspondence: Xueyan Shen, ; Jose A. Domingos,
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11
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Guan WZ, Jiang K, Lai XL, Dong YT, Qiu GF. Comprehensive Transcriptome Analysis of Gonadal and Somatic Tissues for Identification of Sex-Related Genes in the Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides. MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2022; 24:588-598. [PMID: 35384611 DOI: 10.1007/s10126-022-10127-x] [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: 12/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) is an economically important fish. It can spawn many times during a breeding season, and there are no obvious morphological characteristics to distinguish male and female juvenile fish. So far, little is known about the genes regulating their sexual development in this species. Here, we performed RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis of the testis, ovary, and somatic tissue to identify sex-related genes in the largemouth bass. A total of 51,672 unigenes were obtained via the transcriptome analysis, and 5900 differential expression genes (DEGs), including 3028 up-regulated and 2872 down-regulated DEGs, were obtained in the somatic tissue, testis, and ovary. DEGs were retrieved by making comparisons: somatic tissue vs testis (1733-up and 1382-down), testis vs ovary (841-up and 807-down), and ovary vs somatic tissue (454-up and 683-down). Finally, functional annotation identified 22 key sex-related DEGs, including 13 testis-biased DEGs (dmrt1, cyp11b1, sox9, spata4, spata22, spata17, fshr, fem-1a, wt1, daz1, amh, vasa, and piwi1) and 9 ovary-biased DEGs (foxl2, gdf9, zp3, sox3, cyp19a, bmp15, fem-1b, fig. la, and piwi2). This result was further confirmed by the tissue expression detection via RT-PCR and RT-qPCR. Protein-protein interacting (PPI) network analysis revealed that the testis-specific dmrt1 interacts directly with the testis-biased DEGs (cyp11b1 and spata4) and the ovary-biased DEGs (foxl2, gdf9, zp3, sox3, cyp19a, and bmp15), suggesting that the dmrt1 as a sex-determining gene can play a dual role through inducing the testis-biased DEGs and inhibiting the ovary-biased DEGs during the testicular development. Our present results provide useful molecular data for a better understanding of sexual development in the largemouth bass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Zhi Guan
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of AgricultureShanghai Engineering Research Center of AquaculturePudong New Area, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, 999 Huchenghuan Road, Shanghai, 201306, China
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang, China
| | - Kai Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of AgricultureShanghai Engineering Research Center of AquaculturePudong New Area, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, 999 Huchenghuan Road, Shanghai, 201306, China
| | - Xing-Lin Lai
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of AgricultureShanghai Engineering Research Center of AquaculturePudong New Area, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, 999 Huchenghuan Road, Shanghai, 201306, China
| | - Yao-Ting Dong
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of AgricultureShanghai Engineering Research Center of AquaculturePudong New Area, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, 999 Huchenghuan Road, Shanghai, 201306, China
| | - Gao-Feng Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of AgricultureShanghai Engineering Research Center of AquaculturePudong New Area, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, 999 Huchenghuan Road, Shanghai, 201306, China.
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12
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Xu S, Zhang S, Zhang W, Liu H, Wang M, Zhong L, Bian W, Chen X. Genome-Wide Identification, Phylogeny, and Expression Profile of the Dmrt (Doublesex and Mab-3 Related Transcription Factor) Gene Family in Channel Catfish ( Ictalurus punctatus). Front Genet 2022; 13:891204. [PMID: 35571040 PMCID: PMC9095985 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.891204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Dmrt (Doublesex and Mab-3 related transcription factor) gene family is a class of crucial transcription factors characterized by a conserved DM domain related to sex determination and differentiation, which has been systematically described in various teleost fish, but less in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), an important global aquaculture species in the US and China. In this study, seven Dmrt genes from channel catfish genome were identified and analyzed using bioinformatics methods. Seven IpDmrt genes were distributed unevenly across five chromosomes. Synteny analysis revealed that Dmrt1, Dmrt2a, Dmrt2b, Dmrt3, Dmrt4, and Dmrt5 were relatively conserved in teleost fish. Tissue distribution analysis showed that IpDmrt1, IpDmrt2b, IpDmrt5, and IpDmrt6 exhibited sexually dimorphic expression patterns and, among them, IpDmrt1 and IpDmrt6 had high expression levels in the testes, while IpDmrt2b and IpDmrt5 had more significant expression levels in the ovaries than in other tissues. After 17β-estradiol treatment, IpDmrt2b and IpDmrt5 were significantly up regulated, while the expression of IpDmrt1 and IpDmrt6 was significantly repressed in XY channel catfish ovaries compared with XX channel catfish ovaries. The present study provides a comprehensive insight into the Dmrt gene family of channel catfish. The results suggest that IpDmrt1 and IpDmrt6 may play an important role in testis differentiation/development, while IpDmrt2b and IpDmrt5 are critical in ovary development in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siqi Xu
- National Genetic Breeding Center of Channel Catfish, Freshwater Fisheries Research Institute of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing, China
- College of Marine Science and Fisheries, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, China
| | - Shiyong Zhang
- National Genetic Breeding Center of Channel Catfish, Freshwater Fisheries Research Institute of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing, China
- The Jiangsu Provincial Platform for Conservation and Utilization of Agricultural Germplasm, Nanjing, China
| | - Wenping Zhang
- National Genetic Breeding Center of Channel Catfish, Freshwater Fisheries Research Institute of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing, China
- College of Marine Science and Fisheries, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, China
| | - Hongyan Liu
- National Genetic Breeding Center of Channel Catfish, Freshwater Fisheries Research Institute of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing, China
| | - Minghua Wang
- National Genetic Breeding Center of Channel Catfish, Freshwater Fisheries Research Institute of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing, China
- The Jiangsu Provincial Platform for Conservation and Utilization of Agricultural Germplasm, Nanjing, China
| | - Liqiang Zhong
- National Genetic Breeding Center of Channel Catfish, Freshwater Fisheries Research Institute of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing, China
- The Jiangsu Provincial Platform for Conservation and Utilization of Agricultural Germplasm, Nanjing, China
| | - Wenji Bian
- National Genetic Breeding Center of Channel Catfish, Freshwater Fisheries Research Institute of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing, China
- College of Marine Science and Fisheries, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, China
- The Jiangsu Provincial Platform for Conservation and Utilization of Agricultural Germplasm, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaohui Chen
- National Genetic Breeding Center of Channel Catfish, Freshwater Fisheries Research Institute of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing, China
- College of Marine Science and Fisheries, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, China
- The Jiangsu Provincial Platform for Conservation and Utilization of Agricultural Germplasm, Nanjing, China
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13
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Tian H, Liu R, Zhang S, Wei S, Wang W, Ru S. 17β-Trenbolone binds to androgen receptor, decreases number of primordial germ cells, modulates expression of genes related to sexual differentiation, and affects sexual differentiation in zebrafish (Danio rerio). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 806:150959. [PMID: 34662611 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 10/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to 17β-trenbolone caused a skewed sex ratio in fish. However, the molecular initiating event and key molecular event(s) remain unknown. In this study, zebrafish were exposed to 17β-trenbolone at nominal concentrations of 2 ng/L, 20 ng/L, 200 ng/L, and 2000 ng/L from fertilization to 60 days post fertilization (dpf). First, the sex ratio at 60 dpf was calculated to evaluate adverse outcomes on sexual differentiation. 17β-Trenbolone caused a skewed sex ratio toward males, with intersex individuals observed in the 20 ng/L group and all-male populations found in the 200 ng/L and 2000 ng/L groups. Then, the distribution and number of primordial germ cells, the expression of sex differentiation-related genes, and plasma vitellogenin concentrations were detected in wild-type zebrafish and the EGFP-nanos-3'UTR transgenic line using whole-mount in situ hybridization, real-time PCR, EGFP fluorescence quantification, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The results indicated that 17β-trenbolone exposure decreased the number of primordial germ cells at 1 dpf and 3 dpf, decreased expression of ovarian differentiation-related genes foxl2 and cyp19a1a at 60 dpf, increased expression of testis differentiation-related genes dmrt1, sox9a, and amh at 60 dpf, and decreased plasma vitellogenin levels at 60 dpf, revealing the key molecular events at different time points involved in affected sexual differentiation by 17β-trenbolone. Finally, molecular docking showed that 17β-trenbolone docked into ligand-binding domain of zebrafish androgen receptor with high binding energy (-3.72 kcal/mol), suggesting that binding to androgen receptor is the molecular initiating event affecting sexual differentiation by 17β-trenbolone. We found that 17β-trenbolone can bind to the zebrafish androgen receptor, decrease the number of primordial germ cells during the early embryonic stage, modulate the expression of genes related to sexual differentiation during gonadal differentiation, and eventually cause a skewed sex ratio toward males in adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Tian
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, Shandong Province, China
| | - Rui Liu
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, Shandong Province, China
| | - Suqiu Zhang
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, Shandong Province, China
| | - Shuhui Wei
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, Shandong Province, China
| | - Wei Wang
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, Shandong Province, China..
| | - Shaoguo Ru
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, Shandong Province, China
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14
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Sharma P, Purohit S, Kothiyal S, Negi S, Bhattacharya I. Sex Specific Transcriptional Regulation of Gonadal Steroidogenesis in Teleost Fishes. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:820241. [PMID: 35250877 PMCID: PMC8894591 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.820241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
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15
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Lin CJ, Jeng SR, Lei ZY, Yueh WS, Dufour S, Wu GC, Chang CF. Involvement of Transforming Growth Factor Beta Family Genes in Gonadal Differentiation in Japanese Eel, Anguilla japonica, According to Sex-Related Gene Expressions. Cells 2021; 10:cells10113007. [PMID: 34831230 PMCID: PMC8616510 DOI: 10.3390/cells10113007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The gonochoristic feature with environmental sex determination that occurs during the yellow stage in the eel provides an interesting model to investigate the mechanisms of gonadal development. We previously studied various sex-related genes during gonadal sex differentiation in Japanese eels. In the present study, the members of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) superfamily were investigated. Transcript levels of anti-Müllerian hormone, its receptor, gonadal soma-derived factor (amh, amhr2, and gsdf, respectively) measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) showed a strong sexual dimorphism. Transcripts were dominantly expressed in the testis, and their levels significantly increased with testicular differentiation. In contrast, the expressions of amh, amhr2, and gsdf transcripts were low in the ovary of E2-feminized female eels. In situ hybridization detected gsdf (but not amh) transcript signals in undifferentiated gonads. amh and gsdf signals were localized to Sertoli cells and had increased significantly with testicular differentiation. Weak gsdf and no amh signals were detected in early ovaries of E2-feminized female eels. Transcript levels of amh and gsdf (not amhr2) decreased during human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG)-induced spermatogenesis in males. This study suggests that amh, amhr2, and especially gsdf might be involved in the gene pathway regulating testicular differentiation of Japanese eels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chien-Ju Lin
- Department of Aquaculture, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 912, Taiwan;
| | - Shan-Ru Jeng
- Department of Aquaculture, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung 811, Taiwan; (Z.-Y.L.); (W.-S.Y.)
- Correspondence: (S.-R.J.); (G.-C.W.); (C.-F.C.)
| | - Zhen-Yuan Lei
- Department of Aquaculture, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung 811, Taiwan; (Z.-Y.L.); (W.-S.Y.)
| | - Wen-Shiun Yueh
- Department of Aquaculture, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung 811, Taiwan; (Z.-Y.L.); (W.-S.Y.)
| | - Sylvie Dufour
- Laboratory Biology of Aquatic Organisms and Ecosystems (BOREA), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, IRD, Sorbonne Université, CEDEX 05, 75231 Paris, France;
- Center of Excellence for the Oceans, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 202, Taiwan
| | - Guan-Chung Wu
- Center of Excellence for the Oceans, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 202, Taiwan
- Department of Aquaculture, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 202, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (S.-R.J.); (G.-C.W.); (C.-F.C.)
| | - Ching-Fong Chang
- Center of Excellence for the Oceans, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 202, Taiwan
- Department of Aquaculture, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 202, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (S.-R.J.); (G.-C.W.); (C.-F.C.)
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16
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Ou M, Chen K, Gao D, Wu Y, Luo Q, Liu H, Zhao J. Characterization, expression and CpG methylation analysis of Dmrt1 and its response to steroid hormone in blotched snakehead (Channa maculata). Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2021; 257:110672. [PMID: 34455080 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2021.110672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 08/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Dmrt1 is an important transcriptional regulator that plays critical role in male gonadogenesis, testicular differentiation and development. In this study, Dmrt1 was cloned from blotched snakehead (Channa maculata), which is designated as CmDmrt1. CmDmrt1 encoded a putative protein with 293 amino acids and presented an extremely conserved DM domain. It was nearly expressed in the gonads, and the expression was more than 15 times higher in the testis than in the ovary. 1851 bp promoter sequence of CmDmrt1 was characterized and the methylation levels of the CpG sites were analyzed to detect sex-related differences. A significant negative correlation between CmDmrt1 expression and CpG methylation level of its promoter was found in the testis and ovary. During gonadal development, CmDmrt1 transcription displayed strong male-biased expression patterns, increased with the maturation of testis and reached the peak at 195 days after hatching (dah), which indicates a significant role of Dmrt1 in spermatogenesis. Steroid treatment could influence CmDmrt1 expression, and long-term 17β-estradiol (E2) treatment could induce the male-to-female secondary sex reversal (SSR), which resulted in the differentiated testis transformed to ovary or ovotestis. Meanwhile, CmDmrt1 expression was down-regulated to fairly low level in the ovary of the SSR XY fish, which was similar to that in normal XX females ovary. Our research illustrates that Dmrt1 is linked to testis differentiation and spermatogenesis in blotched snakehead, providing information for functional studies on sex differentiation and gonadal development of C. maculata, and scientific basis for the production practice of all-male snakehead breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mi Ou
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resources Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510380, China.
| | - Kunci Chen
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resources Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510380, China.
| | - Dandan Gao
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resources Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510380, China; College of Fisheries and Life Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Yanduo Wu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resources Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510380, China; College of Fisheries and Life Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Qing Luo
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resources Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510380, China.
| | - Haiyang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resources Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510380, China.
| | - Jian Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resources Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510380, China.
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17
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Pan Q, Kay T, Depincé A, Adolfi M, Schartl M, Guiguen Y, Herpin A. Evolution of master sex determiners: TGF-β signalling pathways at regulatory crossroads. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200091. [PMID: 34247498 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
To date, more than 20 different vertebrate master sex-determining genes have been identified on different sex chromosomes of mammals, birds, frogs and fish. Interestingly, six of these genes are transcription factors (Dmrt1- or Sox3- related) and 13 others belong to the TGF-β signalling pathway (Amh, Amhr2, Bmpr1b, Gsdf and Gdf6). This pattern suggests that only a limited group of factors/signalling pathways are prone to become top regulators again and again. Although being clearly a subordinate member of the sex-regulatory network in mammals, the TGF-β signalling pathway made it to the top recurrently and independently. Facing this rolling wave of TGF-β signalling pathways, this review will decipher how the TGF-β signalling pathways cope with the canonical sex gene regulatory network and challenge the current evolutionary concepts accounting for the diversity of sex-determining mechanisms. This article is part of the theme issue 'Challenging the paradigm in sex chromosome evolution: empirical and theoretical insights with a focus on vertebrates (Part I)'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaowei Pan
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Tomas Kay
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Mateus Adolfi
- University of Würzburg, Developmental Biochemistry, Biocenter, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Manfred Schartl
- University of Würzburg, Developmental Biochemistry, Biocenter, 97074 Würzburg, Germany.,Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA
| | - Yann Guiguen
- INRAE, UR 1037 Fish Physiology and Genomics, 35000 Rennes, France
| | - Amaury Herpin
- INRAE, UR 1037 Fish Physiology and Genomics, 35000 Rennes, France.,State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081 Hunan, People's Republic of China
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18
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Herpin A, Schartl M, Depincé A, Guiguen Y, Bobe J, Hua-Van A, Hayman ES, Octavera A, Yoshizaki G, Nichols KM, Goetz GW, Luckenbach JA. Allelic diversification after transposable element exaptation promoted gsdf as the master sex determining gene of sablefish. Genome Res 2021; 31:1366-1380. [PMID: 34183453 PMCID: PMC8327909 DOI: 10.1101/gr.274266.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Concepts of evolutionary biology suggest that morphological change may occur by rare punctual but rather large changes, or by more steady and gradual transformations. It can therefore be asked whether genetic changes underlying morphological, physiological, and/or behavioral innovations during evolution occur in a punctual manner, whereby a single mutational event has prominent phenotypic consequences, or if many consecutive alterations in the DNA over longer time periods lead to phenotypic divergence. In the marine teleost, sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria), complementary genomic and genetic studies led to the identification of a sex locus on the Y Chromosome. Further characterization of this locus resulted in identification of the transforming growth factor, beta receptor 1a (tgfbr1a) gene, gonadal somatic cell derived factor (gsdf), as the main candidate for fulfilling the master sex determining (MSD) function. The presence of different X and Y Chromosome copies of this gene indicated that the male heterogametic (XY) system of sex determination in sablefish arose by allelic diversification. The gsdfY gene has a spatio-temporal expression profile characteristic of a male MSD gene. We provide experimental evidence demonstrating a pivotal role of a transposable element (TE) for the divergent function of gsdfY. By insertion within the gsdfY promoter region, this TE generated allelic diversification by bringing cis-regulatory modules that led to transcriptional rewiring and thus creation of a new MSD gene. This points out, for the first time in the scenario of MSD gene evolution by allelic diversification, a single, punctual molecular event in the appearance of a new trigger for male development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amaury Herpin
- INRAE, LPGP, 35000, Rennes, France.,State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, Hunan, P.R. China
| | - Manfred Schartl
- University of Wuerzburg, Developmental Biochemistry, Biocenter, 97074 Wuerzburg, Germany.,Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas 78666, USA
| | | | | | | | - Aurélie Hua-Van
- Laboratoire Evolution, Génomes Comportement, Ecologie, CNRS Université Paris-Saclay, UMR 9191, IRD UMR 247, F-91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Edward S Hayman
- Ocean Associates Incorporated, under contract to Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, Washington 98112, USA
| | - Anna Octavera
- Department of Marine Biosciences, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo 108-8477, Japan
| | - Goro Yoshizaki
- Department of Marine Biosciences, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo 108-8477, Japan
| | - Krista M Nichols
- Conservation Biology Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, Washington 98112, USA
| | - Giles W Goetz
- Cooperative Institutes for Climate, Ocean, and Environmental Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98112, USA
| | - J Adam Luckenbach
- Environmental and Fisheries Sciences Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, Washington 98112, USA.,Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164, USA
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19
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Casas L, Saborido-Rey F. Environmental Cues and Mechanisms Underpinning Sex Change in Fish. Sex Dev 2021; 15:108-121. [PMID: 34111868 DOI: 10.1159/000515274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Fishes are the only vertebrates that undergo sex change during their lifetime, but even within this group, a unique reproductive strategy is displayed by only 1.5% of the teleosts. This lability in alternating sexual fate is the result of the simultaneous suppression and activation of opposing male and female networks. Here, we provide a brief review summarizing recent advances in our understanding of the environmental cues that trigger sex change and their perception, integration, and translation into molecular cascades that convert the sex of an individual. We particularly focus on molecular events underpinning the complex behavioral and morphological transformation involved in sex change, dissecting the main molecular players and regulatory networks that shape the transformation of one sex into the opposite. We show that histological changes and molecular pathways governing gonadal reorganization are better described than the neuroendocrine basis of sex change and that, despite important advances, information is lacking for the majority of hermaphrodite species. We highlight significant gaps in our knowledge of how sex change takes place and suggest future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Casas
- Ecology and Marine Resources, Institute of Marine Research (IIM-CSIC), Vigo, Spain
| | - Fran Saborido-Rey
- Ecology and Marine Resources, Institute of Marine Research (IIM-CSIC), Vigo, Spain
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20
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Marroquín-Flores RA, Bowden RM, Paitz RT. Brief exposure to warm temperatures reduces intron retention in Kdm6b in a species with temperature-dependent sex determination. Biol Lett 2021; 17:20210167. [PMID: 34102073 PMCID: PMC8187015 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2021.0167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals with temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) respond to thermal cues during early embryonic development to trigger gonadal differentiation. TSD has primarily been studied using constant temperature incubations, where embryos are exposed to constant male- or female-producing temperatures, and these studies have identified genes that display sex-specific expression in response to incubation temperature. Kdm6b, a histone demethylase gene, has received specific attention as it is among the initial genes to respond to incubation temperature and is necessary for testis development. Interestingly, Kdm6b retains an intron when eggs are incubated at a constant male-producing temperature, but the role of thermal variability in this developmental process is relatively understudied. Species with TSD regularly experience thermal cues that fluctuate between male- and female-producing temperatures throughout development but it is unclear how Kdm6b responds to such variable temperatures. In this study, we investigate temperature-sensitive splicing in Kdm6b by exposing embryos to male- and female-producing thermal conditions. We show a rapid decrease in levels of the intron retaining transcript of Kdm6b upon exposure to female-producing conditions. These results demonstrate that, under ecologically relevant conditions, temperature-sensitive splicing can differentially regulate genes critical to TSD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rachel M. Bowden
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790, USA
| | - Ryan T. Paitz
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790, USA
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21
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Tenugu S, Pranoty A, Mamta SK, Senthilkumaran B. Development and organisation of gonadal steroidogenesis in bony fishes - A review. AQUACULTURE AND FISHERIES 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.aaf.2020.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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22
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Comparison of Gonadal Transcriptomes Uncovers Reproduction-Related Genes with Sexually Dimorphic Expression Patterns in Diodon hystrix. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11041042. [PMID: 33917262 PMCID: PMC8068034 DOI: 10.3390/ani11041042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2021] [Revised: 04/04/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Diodon hystrix is a new and emerging aquaculture species in south China. However, due to the lack of understanding of reproductive regulation, the management of breeding and reproduction under captivity remains a barrier for the commercial aquaculture of D. hystrix. More genetic information is needed to identify genes critical for gonadal development. Here, the first gonadal transcriptomes of D. hystrix were analyzed and 151.89 million clean reads were generated. All reads were assembled into 57,077 unigenes, and 24,574 could be annotated. By comparing the gonad transcriptomes, 11,487 differentially expressed genes were obtained, of which 4599 were upregulated and 6888 were downregulated in the ovaries. Using enrichment analyses, many functional pathways were found to be associated with reproduction regulation. A set of sex-biased genes putatively involved in gonad development and gametogenesis were identified and their sexually dimorphic expression patterns were characterized. The detailed transcriptomic data provide a useful resource for further research on D. hystrix reproductive manipulation.
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23
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Imarazene B, Beille S, Jouanno E, Branthonne A, Thermes V, Thomas M, Herpin A, Rétaux S, Guiguen Y. Primordial Germ Cell Migration and Histological and Molecular Characterization of Gonadal Differentiation in Pachón Cavefish Astyanax mexicanus. Sex Dev 2021; 14:80-98. [PMID: 33691331 DOI: 10.1159/000513378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The genetic regulatory network governing vertebrate gonadal differentiation appears less conserved than previously thought. Here, we investigated the gonadal development of Astyanax mexicanus Pachón cavefish by looking at primordial germ cells (PGCs) migration and proliferation, gonad histology, and gene expression patterns. We showed that PGCs are first detected at the 80% epiboly stage and then reach the gonadal primordium at 1 day post-fertilization (dpf). However, in contrast to the generally described absence of PGCs proliferation during their migration phase, PGCs number in cavefish doubles between early neurula and 8-9 somites stages. Combining both gonadal histology and vasa (germ cell marker) expression patterns, we observed that ovarian and testicular differentiation occurs around 65 dpf in females and 90 dpf in males, respectively, with an important inter-individual variability. The expression patterns of dmrt1, gsdf, and amh revealed a conserved predominant male expression during cavefish gonadal development, but none of the ovarian differentiation genes, i. e., foxl2a, cyp19a1a, and wnt4b displayed an early sexually dimorphic expression, and surprisingly all these genes exhibited predominant expression in adult testes. Altogether, our results lay the foundation for further research on sex determination and differentiation in A. mexicanus and contribute to the emerging picture that the vertebrate sex differentiation downstream regulatory network is less conserved than previously thought, at least in teleost fishes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boudjema Imarazene
- INRAE, Laboratoire de Physiologie et Génomique des poissons, Rennes, France.,Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Séverine Beille
- INRAE, Laboratoire de Physiologie et Génomique des poissons, Rennes, France
| | - Elodie Jouanno
- INRAE, Laboratoire de Physiologie et Génomique des poissons, Rennes, France
| | - Adéle Branthonne
- INRAE, Laboratoire de Physiologie et Génomique des poissons, Rennes, France
| | - Violette Thermes
- INRAE, Laboratoire de Physiologie et Génomique des poissons, Rennes, France
| | - Manon Thomas
- INRAE, Laboratoire de Physiologie et Génomique des poissons, Rennes, France
| | - Amaury Herpin
- INRAE, Laboratoire de Physiologie et Génomique des poissons, Rennes, France
| | - Sylvie Rétaux
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Yann Guiguen
- INRAE, Laboratoire de Physiologie et Génomique des poissons, Rennes, France,
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24
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Wei YD, Du XM, Yang DH, Ma FL, Yu XW, Zhang MF, Li N, Peng S, Liao MZ, Li GP, Bai CL, Liu WS, Hua JL. Dmrt1 regulates the immune response by repressing the TLR4 signaling pathway in goat male germline stem cells. Zool Res 2021; 42:14-27. [PMID: 33420764 PMCID: PMC7840460 DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2020.186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Double sex and mab-3-related transcription factor 1 (Dmrt1), which is expressed in goat male germline stem cells (mGSCs) and Sertoli cells, is one of the most conserved transcription factors involved in sex determination. In this study, we highlighted the role of Dmrt1 in balancing the innate immune response in goat mGSCs. Dmrt1 recruited promyelocytic leukemia zinc finger (Plzf), also known as zinc finger and BTB domain-containing protein 16 (Zbtb16), to repress the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-dependent inflammatory signaling pathway and nuclear factor (NF)-κB. Knockdown of Dmrt1 in seminiferous tubules resulted in widespread degeneration of germ and somatic cells, while the expression of proinflammatory factors were significantly enhanced. We also demonstrated that Dmrt1 stimulated proliferation of mGSCs, but repressed apoptosis caused by the immune response. Thus, Dmrt1 is sufficient to reduce inflammation in the testes, thereby establishing the stability of spermatogenesis and the testicular microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Dong Wei
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A & F University, Shaanxi Centre of Stem Cells Engineering & Technology, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Xiao-Min Du
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A & F University, Shaanxi Centre of Stem Cells Engineering & Technology, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Dong-Hui Yang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A & F University, Shaanxi Centre of Stem Cells Engineering & Technology, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Fang-Lin Ma
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A & F University, Shaanxi Centre of Stem Cells Engineering & Technology, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Xiu-Wei Yu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A & F University, Shaanxi Centre of Stem Cells Engineering & Technology, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Meng-Fei Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A & F University, Shaanxi Centre of Stem Cells Engineering & Technology, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Na Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A & F University, Shaanxi Centre of Stem Cells Engineering & Technology, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Sha Peng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A & F University, Shaanxi Centre of Stem Cells Engineering & Technology, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Ming-Zhi Liao
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Guang-Peng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Regulation and Breeding of Grassland Livestock, School of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia 010021, China
| | - Chun-Ling Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Regulation and Breeding of Grassland Livestock, School of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia 010021, China. E-mail:
| | - Wei-Shuai Liu
- Department of Pathology, Yangling Demonstration Zone Hospital, Yangling Shaanxi 712100, China. E-mail:
| | - Jin-Lian Hua
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A & F University, Shaanxi Centre of Stem Cells Engineering & Technology, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China. E-mail:
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25
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Wu GC, Dufour S, Chang CF. Molecular and cellular regulation on sex change in hermaphroditic fish, with a special focus on protandrous black porgy, Acanthopagrus schlegelii. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2021; 520:111069. [PMID: 33127483 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2020.111069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
In teleost fish, sex can be determined by genetic factors, environmental factors, or both. Unlike in gonochoristic fish, in which sex is fixed in adults, sex can change in adults of hermaphroditic fish species. Thus, sex is generated during the initial gonadal differentiation stage (primary sex differentiation) and later during sexual fate alternation (secondary sex differentiation) in hermaphroditic fish species. Depending on the species, sex phase alternation can be induced by endogenous cues (such as individual age and body size) or by social cues (such as sex ratio or relative body size within the population). In general, the fluctuation in plasma estradiol-17β (E2) levels is correlated with the sexual fate alternation in hermaphroditic fish. Hormonal treatments can artificially induce sexual phase alternation in sequential hermaphroditic fishes, but in a transient and reversible manner. This is the case for the E2-induced female phase in protandrous black porgy and the methyltestosterone (MT)- or aromatase inhibitor (AI)-induced male phase in protogynous grouper. Recent reviews have focused on the different forms of sex change in fish who undergo sequential sex change, especially in terms of gene expression and the role of hormones. In this review, we use the protandrous black porgy, a nonsocial cue-influenced hermaphroditic species, with digonic gonads (ovarian and testis separated by a connective tissue), as a model to describe our findings and discuss the molecular and cellular regulation of sexual fate determination in hermaphroditic fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guan-Chung Wu
- Department of Aquaculture, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, 20224, Taiwan; Center of Excellence for the Oceans, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, 20224, Taiwan
| | - Sylvie Dufour
- Laboratory Biology of Aquatic Organisms and Ecosystems (BOREA), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, IRD, Sorbonne Université, Université de Caen Normandie, Université des Antilles, 75231, Paris Cedex 05, France
| | - Ching-Fong Chang
- Department of Aquaculture, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, 20224, Taiwan; Center of Excellence for the Oceans, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, 20224, Taiwan.
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26
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Dong J, Li J, Hu J, Sun C, Tian Y, Li W, Yan N, Sun C, Sheng X, Yang S, Shi Q, Ye X. Comparative Genomics Studies on the dmrt Gene Family in Fish. Front Genet 2020; 11:563947. [PMID: 33281869 PMCID: PMC7689362 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.563947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Doublesex and mab-3-related transcription factor (dmrt) genes are widely distributed across various biological groups and play critical roles in sex determination and neural development. Here, we applied bioinformatics methods to exam cross-species changes in the dmrt family members and evolutionary relationships of the dmrt genes based on genomes of 17 fish species. All the examined fish species have dmrt1-5 while only five species contained dmrt6. Most fish harbored two dmrt2 paralogs (dmrt2a and dmrt2b), with dmrt2b being unique to fish. In the phylogenetic tree, 147 DMRT are categorized into eight groups (DMRT1-DMRT8) and then clustered in three main groups. Selective evolutionary pressure analysis indicated purifying selections on dmrt1-3 genes and the dmrt1-3-2(2a) gene cluster. Similar genomic conservation patterns of the dmrt1-dmrt3-dmrt2(2a) gene cluster with 20-kb upstream/downstream regions in fish with various sex-determination systems were observed except for three regions with remarkable diversity. Synteny analysis revealed that dmrt1, dmrt2a, dmrt2b, and dmrt3-5 were relatively conserved in fish during the evolutionary process. While dmrt6 was lost in most species during evolution. The high conservation of the dmrt1-dmrt3-dmrt2(2a) gene cluster in various fish genomes suggests their crucial biological functions while various dmrt family members and sequences across fish species suggest different biological roles during evolution. This study provides a molecular basis for fish dmrt functional analysis and may serve as a reference for in-depth phylogenomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junjian Dong
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fisheries Resources Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jia Li
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, BGI Academy of Marine Sciences, BGI Marine, BGI Group, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jie Hu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fisheries Resources Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chengfei Sun
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fisheries Resources Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuanyuan Tian
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fisheries Resources Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wuhui Li
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fisheries Resources Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ningning Yan
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fisheries Resources Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chengxi Sun
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xihui Sheng
- Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Song Yang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qiong Shi
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, BGI Academy of Marine Sciences, BGI Marine, BGI Group, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xing Ye
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fisheries Resources Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, China
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27
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Rahdari A, Khoshkholgh M, Yarmohammadi M, Ortiz-Zarragoitia M, Lokman PM, Akhavan SR, de Cerio OD, Cancio I, Falahatkar B. The effects of 11-ketotestosterone implants on transcript levels of gonadotropin receptors, and foxl2 and dmrt1 genes in the Previtellogenic ovary of cultured beluga (Huso huso). JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2020; 97:374-382. [PMID: 32388872 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2019] [Revised: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The in vivo effect of 11-ketotestosterone (11KT) on transcript levels of the gonadotropin receptors (fshr and lhr) and sex differentiation-related genes (dmrt1 and foxl2) was examined in the ovaries of immature female beluga. For this purpose, six fish were treated with implants containing 2.5 mg 11KT and a placebo group of six females of the same age and gametogenic stage were given a blank implant. The implants were intraperitoneally inserted into 4-year-old females at the previtellogenic stage (mean body weight 5580 ± 165 g) and maintained under culture conditions for 8 weeks. Ovary samples for gene expression analysis of lhr, fshr, dmrt1 and foxl2 were collected by biopsy at 3 and 8 weeks post implantation. Diameters of oocytes increased in response to 11KT treatment, both at 3 and at 8 weeks post implantation, but no obvious changes were evident in cytology. Three weeks of 11KT treatment did not affect target gene expression, but a tendency for a time-dependent decrease of lhr and dmrt1 mRNA levels was observed in both treatment and placebo groups. By 8 weeks of treatment, however, 11KT implants provoked the upregulation of fshr and foxl2 transcript levels. Furthermore, lhr and dmrt1 transcript abundances recovered by 8 weeks of exposure in both blank- and 11KT-implanted beluga. These results suggest that 11KT, either directly or indirectly, may affect gametogenesis and regulate some key components of the reproductive axis in female beluga.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdolali Rahdari
- Fisheries Department, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Guilan, Sowmeh Sara, Iran
- Department of Fisheries, Hamoun International Wetland Research Institute, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran
| | - Majidreza Khoshkholgh
- Fisheries Department, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Guilan, Sowmeh Sara, Iran
| | - Mahtab Yarmohammadi
- International Sturgeon Research Institute, Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization, Rasht, Iran
| | - Maren Ortiz-Zarragoitia
- Cell Biology in Environmental Toxicology Research Group, Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology and Research Centre for Experimental Marine Biology and Biotechnology, University of the Basque Country, Basque Country, Spain
| | | | - Sobhan R Akhavan
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Oihane Diaz de Cerio
- Cell Biology in Environmental Toxicology Research Group, Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology and Research Centre for Experimental Marine Biology and Biotechnology, University of the Basque Country, Basque Country, Spain
| | - Ibon Cancio
- Cell Biology in Environmental Toxicology Research Group, Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology and Research Centre for Experimental Marine Biology and Biotechnology, University of the Basque Country, Basque Country, Spain
| | - Bahram Falahatkar
- Fisheries Department, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Guilan, Sowmeh Sara, Iran
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28
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He Y, Wu X, Zhu Y, Yang D. Expression Profiles of dmrt1 in Schizothorax kozlovi, and Their Relation to CpG Methylation of Its Promoter and Temperature. Zoolog Sci 2020; 37:140-147. [PMID: 32282145 DOI: 10.2108/zs190054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
To elucidate the role of dmrt1 in sex differentiation of a teleost fish Schizothorax kozlovi, the full-length sequences of its cDNA and promoter were cloned by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) and genome walking. The relative mRNA expression levels were determined by quantitative real-time PCR (RT-PCR). The 1095-bp dmrt1 cDNA was predicted to encode a protein of 264 amino acids. It was expressed only in the gonads, and the expression was 17-times higher in the testis than in the ovary. The 1215-bp promoter sequence of dmrt1 was cloned and analyzed to detect sex-related differences in its methylation levels. A significant negative relationship between the dmrt1 expression and CpG methylation of its promoter were found in the testes and ovaries of S. kozlovi. Significant differences in dmrt1 expression levels were also found between the larval and juvenile stages. No significant differences in expression were found during the entire larval stage, and in the individuals among three different temperature groups (10°C, 14°C, and 18°C). Considering that the sex of sampled larval fish cannot be distinguished, correlations between dmrt1 expression and effects of temperature on sex differentiation in S. kozlovi need further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongfeng He
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Biodiversity Conservation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, Yangtze River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, No. 8, Donghu Hi-Tech Development Zone, Wuhan, Hubei 430223, China
| | - Xingbing Wu
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Biodiversity Conservation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, Yangtze River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, No. 8, Donghu Hi-Tech Development Zone, Wuhan, Hubei 430223, China
| | - Yongjiu Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Biodiversity Conservation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, Yangtze River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, No. 8, Donghu Hi-Tech Development Zone, Wuhan, Hubei 430223, China
| | - Deguo Yang
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Biodiversity Conservation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, Yangtze River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, No. 8, Donghu Hi-Tech Development Zone, Wuhan, Hubei 430223, China,
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29
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Qu M, Ding S, Schartl M, Adolfi MC. Spatial and temporal expression pattern of sex-related genes in ovo-testis of the self-fertilizing mangrove killifish (Kryptolebias marmoratus). Gene 2020; 742:144581. [PMID: 32173540 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2020.144581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Revised: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
In vertebrates, sex determination and differentiation comprehend a fine balance between female and male factors, leading the bipotential anlage to develop towards ovary or testis, respectively. Nevertheless, the mangrove killifish, (Kryptolebias marmoratus) a simultaneous hermaphroditic species, could overcome those antagonistic pathways and evolved to develop and maintain reproductively active ovarian and testicular tissues in the same organ. Morphological and mRNA localization analyzes of developing and adult gonads demonstrate that genes related to testis (dmrt1 and amh) and ovary differentiation (foxl2 and sox9a) follow the same expression pattern observed in gonochoristic species, thus functioning as two independent organs. In addition, Amh expression patterns make it a strong candidate for initiation of the formation and maintenance of the testicular tissue in the hermaphroditic gonad. Differently from described so far, foxl3 seems to have an important role in oogenesis as well as spermatogenesis and gonadal structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Qu
- University of Wuerzburg, Physiological Chemistry, Biocenter, Am Hubland, D-97074 Wuerzburg, Germany; State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Guangzhou 510220, China
| | - Shaoxiong Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Manfred Schartl
- University of Wuerzburg, Physiological Chemistry, Biocenter, Am Hubland, D-97074 Wuerzburg, Germany; University of Wuerzburg, Developmental Biochemistry, Biocenter, Am Hubland, D-97074 Wuerzburg, Germany; The Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, USA
| | - Mateus Contar Adolfi
- University of Wuerzburg, Physiological Chemistry, Biocenter, Am Hubland, D-97074 Wuerzburg, Germany; University of Wuerzburg, Developmental Biochemistry, Biocenter, Am Hubland, D-97074 Wuerzburg, Germany.
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30
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Wu K, Song W, Zhang Z, Ge W. Disruption of dmrt1 rescues the all-male phenotype of the cyp19a1a mutant in zebrafish - a novel insight into the roles of aromatase/estrogens in gonadal differentiation and early folliculogenesis. Development 2020; 147:dev.182758. [PMID: 32001440 DOI: 10.1242/dev.182758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Sex determination and differentiation are complex processes controlled by many different factors; however, the relationships among these factors are poorly understood. Zebrafish gonadal differentiation exhibits high plasticity involving multiple factors and pathways, which provides an excellent model for investigating the interactions between them. Ovarian aromatase (cyp19a1a) and dmrt1 are key factors in directing vertebrate ovary and testis differentiation, respectively. Knockout of zebrafish cyp19a1a leads to all-male offspring, whereas the loss of dmrt1 results in a female-biased sex ratio. In the present study, we established dmrt1-/- ;cyp19a1a-/- double mutant zebrafish and discovered that the introduction of the dmrt1 mutation into the cyp19a1a mutant could rescue the all-male phenotype of the latter. Interestingly, despite the lack of aromatase/estrogens, the follicles in the ovary of the rescued cyp19a1a mutant could develop normally up to the previtellogenic stage. Further evidence suggested the ovarian aromatase directed ovarian differentiation by suppressing dmrt1 expression via nuclear estrogen receptors (nERs). Our results provide solid evidence for an interaction between cyp19a1a and dmrt1 in zebrafish gonadal differentiation, and for the dispensability of estrogens in controlling early folliculogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Wu
- Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging (CRDA), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau 999078, China
| | - Weiyi Song
- Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging (CRDA), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau 999078, China
| | - Zhiwei Zhang
- Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging (CRDA), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau 999078, China
| | - Wei Ge
- Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging (CRDA), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau 999078, China
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Sahoo L, Sahoo S, Mohanty M, Sankar M, Dixit S, Das P, Rasal KD, Rather MA, Sundaray JK. Molecular characterization, computational analysis and expression profiling of Dmrt1 gene in Indian major carp, Labeo rohita (Hamilton 1822). Anim Biotechnol 2019; 32:413-426. [PMID: 31880491 DOI: 10.1080/10495398.2019.1707683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Sexual dimorphism of fish morphology, physiology and behavior is diverse and complex in nature. Doublesex and mab-3 related transcription factor (Dmrt) is a large protein family whose function is sexual development and differentiation in vertebrates. Here, we report a full-length cDNA sequence of Labeo rohita (rohu) Dmrt1 of 907 bp length having 798 bp of open reading frame encoding 265 amino acids. The molecular weight of rohu DMRT1 protein was found to be 28.74 KDa and isoelectric point was 7.53. DMRT1 protein contains 23 positively and 24 negatively charged amino acids with a GRAVY score of -0.618. A characteristic DM domain was found in DMRT1 protein, which is a novel DNA-binding domain. Phylogenetic analysis showed maximum similarity with Cyprinus carpio when compared with DMRT1 of other vertebrates. Molecular docking study identified active sites to be targeted for drug designing. Rohu DMRT1 was observed to interact with other proteins such as FOXL2, CYP19a1a, AMH and SOX9a. Differential expression study revealed higher expression in testis tissue implying its role in male sex differentiation and testicular development. The information generated in the present work could facilitate further research to resolve the issues related to gonadal maturation and reproduction of commercially important aquaculture species.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Sahoo
- Fish Genetics and Biotechnology Division, ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - S Sahoo
- Fish Genetics and Biotechnology Division, ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - M Mohanty
- Fish Genetics and Biotechnology Division, ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - M Sankar
- ICAR-Central Marine Research Institute, Mandapam Regional Centre, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - S Dixit
- Fish Genetics and Biotechnology Division, ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - P Das
- Fish Genetics and Biotechnology Division, ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - K D Rasal
- Fish Genetics and Biotechnology Division, ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - M A Rather
- Division of Fish genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Fisheries, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Kashmir, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India
| | - J K Sundaray
- Fish Genetics and Biotechnology Division, ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
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32
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Phillips BC, Rodrigues N, Jansen van Rensburg A, Perrin N. Phylogeography, more than elevation, accounts for sex chromosome differentiation in Swiss populations of the common frog (Rana temporaria). Evolution 2019; 74:644-654. [PMID: 31596503 DOI: 10.1111/evo.13860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Sex chromosomes in vertebrates range from highly heteromorphic (as in most birds and mammals) to strictly homomorphic (as in many fishes, amphibians, and nonavian reptiles). Reasons for these contrasted evolutionary trajectories remain unclear, but species such as common frogs with polymorphism in the extent of sex chromosome differentiation may potentially deliver important clues. By investigating 92 common frog populations from a wide range of elevations throughout Switzerland, we show that sex chromosome differentiation strongly correlates with alleles at the candidate sex-determining gene Dmrt1. Y-specific Dmrt1 haplotypes cluster into two main haplogroups, YA and YB , with a phylogeographic signal that parallels mtDNA haplotypes: YA populations, with mostly well-differentiated sex chromosomes, occur primarily south of the main alpine ridge that bisects Switzerland, whereas YB populations, with mostly undifferentiated (proto-)sex chromosomes, occur north of this ridge. Elevation has only a marginal effect, opposing previous suggestions of a major role for climate on sex chromosome differentiation. The Y-haplotype effect might result from differences in the penetrance of alleles at the sex-determining locus (such that sex reversal and ensuing X-Y recombination are more frequent in YB populations), and/or fixation of an inversion on YA (as supported by the empirical observation that YA haplotypes might not recombine in XYA females).
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Affiliation(s)
- Barret C Phillips
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Rodrigues
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Nicolas Perrin
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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He FX, Jiang DN, Huang YQ, Mustapha UF, Yang W, Cui XF, Tian CX, Chen HP, Shi HJ, Deng SP, Li GL, Zhu CH. Comparative transcriptome analysis of male and female gonads reveals sex-biased genes in spotted scat (Scatophagus argus). FISH PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY 2019; 45:1963-1980. [PMID: 31399918 DOI: 10.1007/s10695-019-00693-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Scatophagus argus is a new emerging aquaculture fish in East and Southeast Asia. To date, research on reproductive development and regulation in S. argus is lacking. Additionally, genetic and genomic information about reproduction, such as gonadal transcriptome data, is also lacking. Herein, we report the first gonadal transcriptomes of S. argus and identify genes potentially involved in reproduction and gonadal development. A total of 136,561 unigenes were obtained by sequencing of testes (n = 3) and ovaries (n = 3) at stage III. Genes upregulated in males and females known to be involved in gonadal development and gametogenesis were identified, including male-biased dmrt1, amh, gsdf, wt1a, sox9b, and nanos2, and female-biased foxl2, gdf9, bmp15, sox3, zar1, and figla. Serum estradiol-17β and 11-ketotestosterone levels were biased in female and male fish, respectively. Sexual dimorphism of serum steroid hormone levels were interpreted after expression analysis of 20 steroidogenesis-related genes, including cyp19a1a and cyp11b2. This gonadal transcript dataset will help investigate functional genes related to reproduction in S. argus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei-Xiang He
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Key Laboratory of Aquaculture in South China Sea for Aquatic Economic Animal of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, China
| | - Dong-Neng Jiang
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Key Laboratory of Aquaculture in South China Sea for Aquatic Economic Animal of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, China
| | - Yuan-Qing Huang
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Key Laboratory of Aquaculture in South China Sea for Aquatic Economic Animal of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, China
| | - Umar Farouk Mustapha
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Key Laboratory of Aquaculture in South China Sea for Aquatic Economic Animal of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, China
| | - Wei Yang
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Key Laboratory of Aquaculture in South China Sea for Aquatic Economic Animal of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, China
| | - Xue-Fan Cui
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Key Laboratory of Aquaculture in South China Sea for Aquatic Economic Animal of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, China
| | - Chang-Xu Tian
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Key Laboratory of Aquaculture in South China Sea for Aquatic Economic Animal of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, China
| | - Hua-Pu Chen
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Key Laboratory of Aquaculture in South China Sea for Aquatic Economic Animal of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, China
| | - Hong-Juan Shi
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Key Laboratory of Aquaculture in South China Sea for Aquatic Economic Animal of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, China
| | - Si-Ping Deng
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Key Laboratory of Aquaculture in South China Sea for Aquatic Economic Animal of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, China
| | - Guang-Li Li
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Key Laboratory of Aquaculture in South China Sea for Aquatic Economic Animal of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, China
| | - Chun-Hua Zhu
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Key Laboratory of Aquaculture in South China Sea for Aquatic Economic Animal of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, China.
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Piazza CE, Mattos JJ, de Toledo-Silva G, Flores-Nunes F, Tadra-Sfeir MZ, Trevisan R, Bittencourt AC, Bícego MC, Taniguchi S, Marques MRF, Dafré AL, Bianchini A, Souza EMD, Bainy ACD. Transcriptional effects in the estuarine guppy Poecilia vivipara exposed to sanitary sewage in laboratory and in situ. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2019; 182:109411. [PMID: 31299475 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2019.109411] [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: 03/18/2019] [Revised: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The urban growth has increased sanitary sewage discharges in coastal ecosystems, negatively affecting the aquatic biota. Mangroves, one of the most human-affected coastal biomes, are areas for reproduction and nursing of several species. In order to evaluate the effects of sanitary sewage effluents in mangrove species, this study assessed the hepatic transcriptional responses of guppy fish Poecilia vivipara exposed to sanitary sewage 33% (v:v), using suppressive subtraction hybridization (SSH), high throughput sequencing of RNA (Ion-proton) and quantification of transcript levels by qPCR of some identified genes in fish kept in a sewage-contaminated environment. Genes identified are related predominantly to xenobiotic biotransformation, immune system and sexual differentiation. The qPCR results confirmed the induction of cytochrome P450 1A (CYP1A), glutathione S transferase A-like (GST A-like) methyltransferase (MET) and UDP glycosyltransferase 1A (UDPGT1A), and repression of complement component C3 (C3), doublesex and mab-3 related transcription factor 1 (DMRT1), and transferrin (TF) in the laboratory experiment. In the field exposure, the transcript levels of CYP1A, DMRT1, MET, GST A-like and UDPGT1A were higher in fishes exposed at the contaminated sites compared to the reference site. Chemical analysis in fish from the laboratory and in situ experiments, and surface sediment from the sewage-contaminated sites revealed relevant levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs) and linear alkylbenzenes (LABs). These data reinforce the use of P. vivipara as a sentinel for monitoring environmental contamination in coastal regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clei Endrigo Piazza
- Laboratory of Biomarkers of Aquatic Contamination and Immunochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, UFSC, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Jacó Joaquim Mattos
- Aquaculture Pathology Research, NEPAQ, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Guilherme de Toledo-Silva
- Bioinformatics Laboratory, Cell Biology, Embriology and Genetics Department, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Fabrício Flores-Nunes
- Laboratory of Biomarkers of Aquatic Contamination and Immunochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, UFSC, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | | | - Rafael Trevisan
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Arnaldo Cechinel Bittencourt
- Laboratory of Biomarkers of Aquatic Contamination and Immunochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, UFSC, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Márcia Caruso Bícego
- Laboratory of Marine Organic Chemistry, Oceanographic Institute, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Satie Taniguchi
- Laboratory of Marine Organic Chemistry, Oceanographic Institute, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Maria Risoleta Freire Marques
- Laboratory of Biomarkers of Aquatic Contamination and Immunochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, UFSC, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Alcir Luiz Dafré
- Laboratory of Cellular Defenses, Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Adalto Bianchini
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande Foundation, Rio Grande, Brazil
| | | | - Afonso Celso Dias Bainy
- Laboratory of Biomarkers of Aquatic Contamination and Immunochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, UFSC, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
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Piferrer F, Anastasiadi D, Valdivieso A, Sánchez-Baizán N, Moraleda-Prados J, Ribas L. The Model of the Conserved Epigenetic Regulation of Sex. Front Genet 2019; 10:857. [PMID: 31616469 PMCID: PMC6775248 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.00857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetics integrates genomic and environmental information to produce a given phenotype. Here, the model of Conserved Epigenetic Regulation of Sex (CERS) is discussed. This model is based on our knowledge on genes involved in sexual development and on epigenetic regulation of gene expression activation and silencing. This model was recently postulated to be applied to the sexual development of fish, and it states that epigenetic and gene expression patterns are more associated with the development of a particular gonadal phenotype, e.g., testis differentiation, rather than with the intrinsic or extrinsic causes that lead to the development of this phenotype. This requires the existence of genes with different epigenetic modifications, for example, changes in DNA methylation levels associated with the development of a particular sex. Focusing on DNA methylation, the identification of CpGs, the methylation of which is linked to sex, constitutes the basis for the identification of Essential Epigenetic Marks (EEM). EEMs are defined as the number and identity of informative epigenetic marks that are strictly necessary, albeit perhaps not sufficient, to bring about a specific, measurable, phenotype of interest. Here, we provide a summary of the genes where DNA methylation has been investigated so far, focusing on fish. We found that cyp19a1a and dmrt1, two key genes for ovary and testis development, respectively, consistently show an inverse relationship between their DNA methylation and expression levels, thus following CERS predictions. However, in foxl2a, a pro-female gene, and amh, a pro-male gene, such relationship is not clear. The available data of other genes related to sexual development such as sox9, gsdf, and amhr2 are also discussed. Next, we discuss the use of CERS to make testable predictions of how sex is epigenetically regulated and to better understand sexual development, as well as the use of EEMs as tools for the diagnosis and prognosis of sex. We argue that CERS can aid in focusing research on the epigenetic regulation of sexual development not only in fish but also in vertebrates in general, particularly in reptiles with temperature sex-determination, and can be the basis for possible practical applications including sex control in aquaculture and also in conservation biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesc Piferrer
- Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
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36
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Ortega-Recalde O, Goikoetxea A, Hore TA, Todd EV, Gemmell NJ. The Genetics and Epigenetics of Sex Change in Fish. Annu Rev Anim Biosci 2019; 8:47-69. [PMID: 31525067 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-animal-021419-083634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Fish show extraordinary sexual plasticity, changing sex naturally as part of their life cycle or reversing sex because of environmental stressors. This plasticity shows that sexual fate is not an irreversible process but the result of an ongoing tug-of-war for supremacy between male and female signaling networks. The behavioral, gonadal, and morphological changes involved in this process are well described, yet the molecular events that underpin those changes remain poorly understood. Epigenetic modifications emerge as a critical link between environmental stimuli, the onset of sex change, and subsequent maintenance of sexual phenotype. Here we synthesize current knowledge of sex change, focusing on the genetic and epigenetic processes that are likely involved in the initiation and regulation of sex change. We anticipate that better understanding of sex change in fish will shed new light on sex determination and development in vertebrates and on how environmental perturbations affect sexual fate.
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Jeng SR, Wu GC, Yueh WS, Kuo SF, Dufour S, Chang CF. Dmrt1 (doublesex and mab-3-related transcription factor 1) expression during gonadal development and spermatogenesis in the Japanese eel. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2019; 279:154-163. [PMID: 30902612 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2019.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Revised: 03/17/2019] [Accepted: 03/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Dmrt1, doublesex- and mab-3-related transcription factor-1, has been suggested to play critical roles in male gonadogenesis, testicular differentiation and development, including spermatogenesis, among different vertebrates. Vasa is a putative molecular marker of germ cells in vertebrates. In this study, we cloned the full-length dmrt1 cDNA from Japanese eel, and the protein comprised 290 amino acids and presented an extremely conserved Doublesex and Mab-3 (DM) domain. Vasa proteins were expressed in gonadal germ cells in a stage-specific manner, and were expressed at high levels in PGC and spermatogonia, low levels in spermatocytes, and were absent in spermatids and spermatozoa of Japanese eels. Dmrt1 proteins were abundantly expressed in spermatogonia B cells, spermatocytes, spermatids, but not in spermatozoa, spermatogonia A and Sertoli cells. To our knowledge, this study is the first to show a restricted expression pattern for the Dmrt1 protein in spermatogonia B cells, but not spermatogonia A cells, of teleosts. Therefore, Dmrt1 might play vital roles at the specific stages during spermatogenesis from spermatogonia B cells to spermatids in the Japanese eel. Moreover, the Dmrt1 protein exhibited a restricted localization in differentiating oogonia in the early differentiating gonad (ovary-like structure) of male Japanese eels and in E2-induced feminized Japanese eels. We proposed that dmrt1 may be not only required for spermatogenesis but might also play a role in oogenesis in the Japanese eel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan-Ru Jeng
- Department of Aquaculture, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung 811, Taiwan
| | - Guan-Chung Wu
- Department of Aquaculture, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 202, Taiwan; Center of Excellence for the Oceans, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 202, Taiwan.
| | - Wen-Shiun Yueh
- Department of Aquaculture, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung 811, Taiwan
| | - Shu-Fen Kuo
- Department of Aquaculture, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung 811, Taiwan
| | - Sylvie Dufour
- Laboratory Biology of Aquatic Organisms and Ecosystems (BOREA), Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, IRD, Sorbonne Université, Université de Caen Normandie, Université des Antilles, 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France
| | - Ching-Fong Chang
- Department of Aquaculture, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 202, Taiwan; Center of Excellence for the Oceans, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 202, Taiwan.
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38
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Thomas JT, Todd EV, Muncaster S, Lokman PM, Damsteegt EL, Liu H, Soyano K, Gléonnec F, Lamm MS, Godwin JR, Gemmell NJ. Conservation and diversity in expression of candidate genes regulating socially-induced female-male sex change in wrasses. PeerJ 2019; 7:e7032. [PMID: 31218121 PMCID: PMC6568253 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2018] [Accepted: 04/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Fishes exhibit remarkably diverse, and plastic, patterns of sexual development, most striking of which is sequential hermaphroditism, where individuals readily reverse sex in adulthood. How this stunning example of phenotypic plasticity is controlled at a genetic level remains poorly understood. Several genes have been implicated in regulating sex change, yet the degree to which a conserved genetic machinery orchestrates this process has not yet been addressed. Using captive and in-the-field social manipulations to initiate sex change, combined with a comparative qPCR approach, we compared expression patterns of four candidate regulatory genes among three species of wrasses (Labridae)-a large and diverse teleost family where female-to-male sex change is pervasive, socially-cued, and likely ancestral. Expression in brain and gonadal tissues were compared among the iconic tropical bluehead wrasse (Thalassoma bifasciatum) and the temperate spotty (Notolabrus celidotus) and kyusen (Parajulus poecilepterus) wrasses. In all three species, gonadal sex change was preceded by downregulation of cyp19a1a (encoding gonadal aromatase that converts androgens to oestrogens) and accompanied by upregulation of amh (encoding anti-müllerian hormone that primarily regulates male germ cell development), and these genes may act concurrently to orchestrate ovary-testis transformation. In the brain, our data argue against a role for brain aromatase (cyp19a1b) in initiating behavioural sex change, as its expression trailed behavioural changes. However, we find that isotocin (it, that regulates teleost socio-sexual behaviours) expression correlated with dominant male-specific behaviours in the bluehead wrasse, suggesting it upregulation mediates the rapid behavioural sex change characteristic of blueheads and other tropical wrasses. However, it expression was not sex-biased in temperate spotty and kyusen wrasses, where sex change is more protracted and social groups may be less tightly-structured. Together, these findings suggest that while key components of the molecular machinery controlling gonadal sex change are phylogenetically conserved among wrasses, neural pathways governing behavioural sex change may be more variable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jodi T. Thomas
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand
| | - Erica V. Todd
- Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand
| | - Simon Muncaster
- Faculty of Primary Industries, Environment and Science, Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand
| | - P Mark Lokman
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand
| | - Erin L. Damsteegt
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand
| | - Hui Liu
- Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand
| | - Kiyoshi Soyano
- Institute for East China Sea Research, Organization for Marine Science and Technology, Nagasaki University, Taira-machi, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Florence Gléonnec
- Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand
- BIOSIT - Structure Fédérative de Recherche en Biologie-Santé de Rennes, Université Rennes I, Rennes, France
| | - Melissa S. Lamm
- Department of Biological Sciences and WM Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States of America
| | - John R. Godwin
- Department of Biological Sciences and WM Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States of America
| | - Neil J. Gemmell
- Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand
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Ribas L, Crespo B, Sánchez-Baizán N, Xavier D, Kuhl H, Rodríguez JM, Díaz N, Boltañá S, MacKenzie S, Morán F, Zanuy S, Gómez A, Piferrer F. Characterization of the European Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) Gonadal Transcriptome During Sexual Development. MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2019; 21:359-373. [PMID: 30919121 DOI: 10.1007/s10126-019-09886-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Accepted: 02/18/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The European sea bass is one of the most important cultured fish in Europe and has a marked sexual growth dimorphism in favor of females. It is a gonochoristic species with polygenic sex determination, where a combination between still undifferentiated genetic factors and environmental temperature determines sex ratios. The molecular mechanisms responsible for gonadal sex differentiation are still unknown. Here, we sampled fish during the gonadal developmental period (110 to 350 days post fertilization, dpf), and performed a comprehensive transcriptomic study by using a species-specific microarray. This analysis uncovered sex-specific gonadal transcriptomic profiles at each stage of development, identifying larger number of differentially expressed genes in ovaries when compared to testis. The expression patterns of 54 reproduction-related genes were analyzed. We found that hsd17β10 is a reliable marker of early ovarian differentiation. Further, three genes, pdgfb, snx1, and nfy, not previously related to fish sex differentiation, were tightly associated with testis development in the sea bass. Regarding signaling pathways, lysine degradation, bladder cancer, and NOD-like receptor signaling were enriched for ovarian development while eight pathways including basal transcription factors and steroid biosynthesis were enriched for testis development. Analysis of the transcription factor abundance showed an earlier increase in females than in males. Our results show that, although many players in the sex differentiation pathways are conserved among species, there are peculiarities in gene expression worth exploring. The genes identified in this study illustrate the diversity of players involved in fish sex differentiation and can become potential biomarkers for the management of sex ratios in the European sea bass and perhaps other cultured species.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Ribas
- Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - B Crespo
- Institute of Aquaculture of Torre de la Sal (IATS-CSIC), Ribera de Cabanes s/n. Torre la Sal, 12595, Castellón, Spain
- UCL GOS Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - N Sánchez-Baizán
- Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - D Xavier
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
| | - H Kuhl
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Ecophysiology and Aquaculture, Leibniz Institute for Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany
| | - J M Rodríguez
- Spanish National Bioinformatics Institute, Madrid, Spain
- Cardiovascular Proteomics Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - N Díaz
- Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Muenster, Germany
| | - S Boltañá
- Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Interdisciplinary Center for Aquaculture Research (INCAR), Department of Oceanography, Biotechnology Center, University of Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - S MacKenzie
- Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland, UK
| | - F Morán
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
| | - S Zanuy
- Institute of Aquaculture of Torre de la Sal (IATS-CSIC), Ribera de Cabanes s/n. Torre la Sal, 12595, Castellón, Spain
| | - A Gómez
- Institute of Aquaculture of Torre de la Sal (IATS-CSIC), Ribera de Cabanes s/n. Torre la Sal, 12595, Castellón, Spain.
| | - F Piferrer
- Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
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40
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Yan N, Hu J, Li J, Dong J, Sun C, Ye X. Genomic organization and sexually dimorphic expression of the Dmrt1 gene in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2019; 234:68-77. [PMID: 31078703 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2019.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Revised: 04/28/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Doublesex and Mab-3 related transcription factor (Dmrt) genes play important roles in the process of sex determination and differentiation. In this study, a Dmrt1 gene open reading frame sequence was obtained from the gonadal transcriptome data of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), and identified by cloning and sequencing. The ORF of Dmrt1 is 900 bp long, encodes 298 amino acids, and contains the DM region which is characteristic of Dmrt1. Full gDNA sequence of Dmrt1 was composed of five exons and four introns. RT-PCR and Q-PCR analysis of Dmrt1 were conducted in eight tissues and three developmental stages of mature male and female individuals. In situ hybridization was used to locate the expression of Dmrt1 in the testis and ovary of largemouth bass. The results showed that Dmrt1 was highly expressed in the testis of mature fish, but only weakly expressed in other tissues such as heart, liver, and brain, and exhibited gender dimorphism in the gonads of male and female fish at different stages. Furthermore, the expression level in female fish was very low and decreased gradually with ovary maturation. In situ hybridization indicated positive signals were found in early oocytes, but not in mature oocytes, while strong positive signals were found in all types of mature testis cells. The study showed that the sequence and structure of Dmrt1 were highly conserved and exhibited significant gender dimorphism in largemouth bass, as in other fish species. It is suggested that Dmrt1 plays an important role in sex determination and differentiation in largemouth bass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ningning Yan
- Key Laboratory of Tropical & Subtropical Fisheries Resource Application & Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture, Pearl River Fisheries Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510380, China; College of Fisheries and Life Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Jie Hu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical & Subtropical Fisheries Resource Application & Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture, Pearl River Fisheries Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510380, China
| | - Jia Li
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Junjian Dong
- Key Laboratory of Tropical & Subtropical Fisheries Resource Application & Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture, Pearl River Fisheries Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510380, China
| | - Chengfei Sun
- Key Laboratory of Tropical & Subtropical Fisheries Resource Application & Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture, Pearl River Fisheries Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510380, China; College of Fisheries and Life Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Xing Ye
- Key Laboratory of Tropical & Subtropical Fisheries Resource Application & Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture, Pearl River Fisheries Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510380, China; College of Fisheries and Life Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China.
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Herpin A, Schmidt C, Kneitz S, Gobé C, Regensburger M, Le Cam A, Montfort J, Adolfi MC, Lillesaar C, Wilhelm D, Kraeussling M, Mourot B, Porcon B, Pannetier M, Pailhoux E, Ettwiller L, Dolle D, Guiguen Y, Schartl M. A novel evolutionary conserved mechanism of RNA stability regulates synexpression of primordial germ cell-specific genes prior to the sex-determination stage in medaka. PLoS Biol 2019; 17:e3000185. [PMID: 30947255 PMCID: PMC6448818 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Dmrt1 is a highly conserved transcription factor, which is critically involved in regulation of gonad development of vertebrates. In medaka, a duplicate of dmrt1-acting as master sex-determining gene-has a tightly timely and spatially controlled gonadal expression pattern. In addition to transcriptional regulation, a sequence motif in the 3' UTR (D3U-box) mediates transcript stability of dmrt1 mRNAs from medaka and other vertebrates. We show here that in medaka, two RNA-binding proteins with antagonizing properties target this D3U-box, promoting either RNA stabilization in germ cells or degradation in the soma. The D3U-box is also conserved in other germ-cell transcripts, making them responsive to the same RNA binding proteins. The evolutionary conservation of the D3U-box motif within dmrt1 genes of metazoans-together with preserved expression patterns of the targeting RNA binding proteins in subsets of germ cells-suggest that this new mechanism for controlling RNA stability is not restricted to fishes but might also apply to other vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amaury Herpin
- INRA, UR1037 Fish Physiology and Genomics, Rennes, France
- University of Wuerzburg, Physiological Chemistry, Biocenter, Wuerzburg, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Cornelia Schmidt
- University of Wuerzburg, Physiological Chemistry, Biocenter, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Susanne Kneitz
- University of Wuerzburg, Physiological Chemistry, Biocenter, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Clara Gobé
- UMR BDR, INRA, ENVA, Université Paris Saclay, Jouy en Josas, France
| | | | - Aurélie Le Cam
- INRA, UR1037 Fish Physiology and Genomics, Rennes, France
| | | | - Mateus C. Adolfi
- University of Wuerzburg, Physiological Chemistry, Biocenter, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Christina Lillesaar
- University of Wuerzburg, Physiological Chemistry, Biocenter, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Dagmar Wilhelm
- University of Melbourne, Department of Anatomy & Neuroscience, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michael Kraeussling
- University of Wuerzburg, Physiological Chemistry, Biocenter, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Maëlle Pannetier
- UMR BDR, INRA, ENVA, Université Paris Saclay, Jouy en Josas, France
| | - Eric Pailhoux
- UMR BDR, INRA, ENVA, Université Paris Saclay, Jouy en Josas, France
| | - Laurence Ettwiller
- University of Heidelberg, Centre for Organismal Studies (COS), Department of Developmental Biology, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dirk Dolle
- University of Heidelberg, Centre for Organismal Studies (COS), Department of Developmental Biology, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Yann Guiguen
- INRA, UR1037 Fish Physiology and Genomics, Rennes, France
| | - Manfred Schartl
- University of Wuerzburg, Physiological Chemistry, Biocenter, Wuerzburg, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken, University Hospital, Wuerzburg, Germany
- Hagler Institute for Advanced Study and Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
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Rodrigues N, Studer T, Dufresnes C, Perrin N. Sex-Chromosome Recombination in Common Frogs Brings Water to the Fountain-of-Youth. Mol Biol Evol 2019; 35:942-948. [PMID: 29394416 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msy008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
According to the canonical model of sex-chromosome evolution, the degeneration of Y or W chromosomes (as observed in mammals and birds, respectively) results from an arrest of recombination in the heterogametic sex, driven by the fixation of sexually antagonistic mutations. However, sex chromosomes have remained homomorphic in many lineages of fishes, amphibians, and nonavian reptiles. According to the "fountain-of-youth" model, this homomorphy results from occasional events of sex reversal. If recombination arrest in males is controlled by maleness per se (and not by genotype), then Y chromosomes are expected to recombine in XY females, preventing their long-term degeneration. Here, we provide field support for the fountain-of-youth, by showing that sex-chromosome recombination in Rana temporaria only depends on phenotypic sex: naturally occurring XX males show the same restriction of recombination as XY males (average map length ∼2 cM), while XY females recombine as much as XX females (average map length ∼150 cM). Our results challenge several common assumptions regarding the evolution of sex chromosomes, including the role of sexually antagonistic genes as drivers of recombination arrest, and that of chromosomal inversions as underlying mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Rodrigues
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Tania Studer
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie, Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christophe Dufresnes
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Perrin
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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Jia Y, Zheng J, Chi M, Liu S, Jiang W, Cheng S, Gu Z, Chen L. Molecular identification of dmrt1 and its promoter CpG methylation in correlation with gene expression during gonad development in Culter alburnus. FISH PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY 2019; 45:245-252. [PMID: 30276577 DOI: 10.1007/s10695-018-0558-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2018] [Accepted: 08/14/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Dmrt1, a member of the Dmrt family, is an important transcription regulator of gender determination. To study the biological function of dmrt1 in sexual differentiation and its potential implication in breeding technology, we obtained the full-length cDNA and proximal promoter sequence of dmrt1 in Culter alburnus, and analyzed the impact of promoter CpG methylation on the gene expression pattern of dmrt1 during gonad development. Dmrt1 was 922 bp in length and consisted a 150 bp 5'-UTR, a 28 bp 3'-UTR, and a 744 bp open reading frame (ORF). Based on the coding sequence of the dmrt1 gene, the deduced amino acid sequence was detected, and the protein structure of this gene was predicted in C. alburnus. The results indicate that the structure and function of dmrt1 were highly conservative compared to other vertebrates. The expression level of dmrt1 mRNA in different tissues was explored by qRT-PCR, which was only highly expressed in the testes and almost undetectable in other tissues. The CpG methylation pattern of the dmrt1 promoter was studied using DNA sequencing of sodium bisulfite in adult testes and ovaries, and it was found that dmrt1 promoter CpGs were not methylated in the testes, whereas hypermethylated in the ovaries. These findings demonstrate that DNA methylation can regulate sexual dimorphic expression of dmrt1, and therefore epigenetic modifications may play a critical role in the gonad differentiation of C. alburnus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongyi Jia
- School of Life Science, East China Normal University, ShangHai, 200000, China
- Key Laboratory of Genetics and Breeding, Zhejiang Institute of Freshwater Fisheries, Huzhou, 313000, China
| | - Jianbo Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Genetics and Breeding, Zhejiang Institute of Freshwater Fisheries, Huzhou, 313000, China
| | - Meili Chi
- Key Laboratory of Genetics and Breeding, Zhejiang Institute of Freshwater Fisheries, Huzhou, 313000, China
| | - Shili Liu
- Key Laboratory of Genetics and Breeding, Zhejiang Institute of Freshwater Fisheries, Huzhou, 313000, China
| | - Wenping Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Genetics and Breeding, Zhejiang Institute of Freshwater Fisheries, Huzhou, 313000, China
| | - Shun Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Genetics and Breeding, Zhejiang Institute of Freshwater Fisheries, Huzhou, 313000, China
| | - Zhimi Gu
- Key Laboratory of Genetics and Breeding, Zhejiang Institute of Freshwater Fisheries, Huzhou, 313000, China.
| | - Liqiao Chen
- School of Life Science, East China Normal University, ShangHai, 200000, China.
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44
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Abstract
Sexual fate can no longer be considered an irreversible deterministic process that once established during early embryonic development, plays out unchanged across an organism's life. Rather, it appears to be a dynamic process, with sexual phenotype determined through an ongoing battle for supremacy between antagonistic male and female developmental pathways. That sexual fate is not final and is actively regulated via the suppression or activation of opposing genetic networks creates the potential for flexibility in sexual phenotype in adulthood. Such flexibility is seen in many fish, where sex change is a usual and adaptive part of the life cycle. Many fish are sequential hermaphrodites, beginning life as one sex and changing sometime later to the other. Sequential hermaphrodites include species capable of female-to-male (protogynous), male-to-female (protandrous), or bidirectional (serial) sex change. These natural forms of sex change involve coordinated transformations across multiple biological systems, including behavioral, anatomical, neuroendocrine and molecular axes. Here we review the biological processes underlying this amazing transformation, focusing particularly on the molecular aspects, where new genomic technologies are beginning to help us understand how sex change is initiated and regulated at the molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil J Gemmell
- Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
| | - Erica V Todd
- Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | | | | | - Timothy A Hore
- Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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45
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Tsakogiannis A, Manousaki T, Lagnel J, Papanikolaou N, Papandroulakis N, Mylonas CC, Tsigenopoulos CS. The Gene Toolkit Implicated in Functional Sex in Sparidae Hermaphrodites: Inferences From Comparative Transcriptomics. Front Genet 2019; 9:749. [PMID: 30713551 PMCID: PMC6345689 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2018.00749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 12/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandros Tsakogiannis
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, Heraklion, Greece
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Tereza Manousaki
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Jacques Lagnel
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, Heraklion, Greece
| | | | - Nikos Papandroulakis
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Constantinos C. Mylonas
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Costas S. Tsigenopoulos
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, Heraklion, Greece
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46
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Castro JP, Hattori RS, Yoshinaga TT, Silva DMZDA, Foresti F, Santos MH, Almeida MC, Artoni RF. Differential Expression of dmrt1 in Astyanax scabripinnis (Teleostei, Characidade) Is Correlated with B Chromosome Occurrence. Zebrafish 2018; 16:182-188. [PMID: 30562152 DOI: 10.1089/zeb.2018.1650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Astyanax is an abundant fish genus in South America. Some species of this group are characterized by the presence of B chromosomes and absence of morphologically differentiated sex chromosomes. In this study, we used quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction to characterize mRNA expression of dmrt1 in Astyanax scabripinnis gonads. Maturing gonads of males with the B chromosome overexpressed dmrt1. Our findings suggest that B chromosomes may have an adaptive role in A. scabripinnis sex determination and maintenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Pena Castro
- 1 Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Evolutiva e Genética Molecular, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Shohei Hattori
- 2 Estação Experimental de Salmonicultura de Campos do Jordão, UPD-CJ (APTA/SAA), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Túlio Teruo Yoshinaga
- 3 Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia da Universidade de São Paulo, Departamento de Cirurgia, Universidade de São Paulo, Butantã, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Fausto Foresti
- 4 Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Botucatu, Brazil
| | - Mateus Henrique Santos
- 5 Departamento de Biologia Estrutural, Molecular e Genética, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Evolutiva, Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa, Ponta Grossa, Brazil
| | - Mara Cristina Almeida
- 5 Departamento de Biologia Estrutural, Molecular e Genética, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Evolutiva, Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa, Ponta Grossa, Brazil
| | - Roberto Ferreira Artoni
- 1 Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Evolutiva e Genética Molecular, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil.,5 Departamento de Biologia Estrutural, Molecular e Genética, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Evolutiva, Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa, Ponta Grossa, Brazil
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Zhang K, Xu J, Zhang Z, Huang Y, Ruan Z, Chen S, Zhu F, You X, Jia C, Meng Q, Gu R, Lin X, Xu J, Xu P, Zhang Z, Shi Q. A comparative transcriptomic study on developmental gonads provides novel insights into sex change in the protandrous black porgy (Acanthopagrus schlegelii). Genomics 2018; 111:277-283. [PMID: 30439483 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2018.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2018] [Revised: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Protandrous black porgy (Acanthopagrus schlegelii) is a popular and valuable commercial marine fish in China and East Asian countries. Controlling and managing its breeding has been an imperative step towards obtaining a sustainable supply of this fish in aquaculture production systems. Therefore, study on the molecular mechanisms of sex change in black porgy has both scientific and commercial importance. Previously, we identified some candidate genes related to sex determination and differentiation from a high-quality genome assembly of the black porgy. In the present study, transcriptome sequencing of developmental gonads (including testis, ovotestis and ovary) of black porgy was performed to further investigate the sex-change mechanisms. Our results showed that the highly expressed male-related genes (dmrt1, piwi1, piwi2, sox9, sox30 and amh) at the male phase were significantly down-regulated to a substantial degree at the intersexual stage, and the female-related genes (jnk1, vasa, wnt4, figla and foxl2) were distinctly up-regulated when the fish grows into a female adult, suggesting the potential roles of these genes in sex change of the black porgy. These data also support a previous hypothesis that the femaleness will be switched on when the testis is entering the degenerated stage through the diminished dmrt1 expression. Our transcriptome data provide a very useful genomic resource for future studies on sex change and practical aquaculture in the black porgy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Zhang
- School of Animal and Technology, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China; Shenzhen Key Lab of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, BGI Academy of Marine Sciences, BGI Marine, BGI, Shenzhen 518083, China.
| | - Jin Xu
- Jiangsu Marine Fishery Research Institute, Nantong, Jiangsu 226007, China
| | - Zhiwei Zhang
- Jiangsu Marine Fishery Research Institute, Nantong, Jiangsu 226007, China
| | - Yu Huang
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, BGI Academy of Marine Sciences, BGI Marine, BGI, Shenzhen 518083, China.
| | - Zhiqiang Ruan
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, BGI Academy of Marine Sciences, BGI Marine, BGI, Shenzhen 518083, China.
| | - Shuyin Chen
- Jiangsu Marine Fishery Research Institute, Nantong, Jiangsu 226007, China
| | - Fei Zhu
- Jiangsu Marine Fishery Research Institute, Nantong, Jiangsu 226007, China
| | - Xinxin You
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, BGI Academy of Marine Sciences, BGI Marine, BGI, Shenzhen 518083, China.
| | - Chaofeng Jia
- Jiangsu Marine Fishery Research Institute, Nantong, Jiangsu 226007, China
| | - Qian Meng
- Jiangsu Marine Fishery Research Institute, Nantong, Jiangsu 226007, China
| | - Ruobo Gu
- BGI-Zhenjiang Institute of Hydrobiology, BGI Marine, Zhenjiang 212000, China.
| | - Xueqiang Lin
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, BGI Academy of Marine Sciences, BGI Marine, BGI, Shenzhen 518083, China; Hainan BGI Marine Science and Technology Co. Ltd., BGI Marine, Wenchang 571327, China.
| | - Junmin Xu
- BGI-Zhenjiang Institute of Hydrobiology, BGI Marine, Zhenjiang 212000, China; School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, Ebetsu 069-8501, Japan.
| | - Pao Xu
- Freshwater Fishery Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214081, China.
| | - Zhiyong Zhang
- Jiangsu Marine Fishery Research Institute, Nantong, Jiangsu 226007, China.
| | - Qiong Shi
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, BGI Academy of Marine Sciences, BGI Marine, BGI, Shenzhen 518083, China; BGI-Zhenjiang Institute of Hydrobiology, BGI Marine, Zhenjiang 212000, China.
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48
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Yan H, Shen X, Cui X, Wu Y, Wang L, Zhang L, Liu Q, Jiang Y. Identification of genes involved in gonadal sex differentiation and the dimorphic expression pattern in Takifugu rubripes gonad at the early stage of sex differentiation. FISH PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY 2018; 44:1275-1290. [PMID: 29777416 DOI: 10.1007/s10695-018-0519-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Quantifying the expression of mRNAs in the gonads at the critical stage of molecular sex differentiation stage might help to clarify the regulatory network during early sex differentiation and provide new information on the role of sex-related genes in gonadal function. In this study, transcriptomic analysis of sex-related genes expression profiles in fugu gonads at 60 and 90 days after hatching (dah) was conducted firstly, and a total of 112,504,991 clean reads, encompassing 28.35 Gb of sequences were retrieved. Twenty-three thousand eight hundred ten genes were found to be expressed in juvenile fugu gonads, and we mainly focused on the differentially expressed genes that have the potential to be involved in the gonadal sex differentiation. For 60-dah juveniles, we identified 1014 genes that were upregulated in the ovary and 1570 that were upregulated in the testis. For 90-dah juveniles, we identified 1287 genes that were upregulated in the ovary and 1500 that were upregulated in the testis. The dimorphic expression patterns of 15 genes in gonads at 30 and 40 dah were further investigate using qPCR. Cyp11b and star were expressed at higher levels in XY than in XX, while cyp11a1 and cyp19a1a were expressed at higher levels in XX than in XY at 30 dah. At 40 dah, the levels of gsdf, dmrt1, dmrt3, cyp11c1, star, and hsd3b expression were higher in XY, while the levels of foxl2, cyp19a1a, wnt9b, and foxD4 expression were higher in XX. Sox9, cyp11a1, cyp17a1, cyp17a2, and nr5a2 were expressed at similar levels in XX and XY at 40 dah. This is the first report of gonadal transcriptome of fugu at early sex differentiation stage, and our results provide an archive for further study on molecular mechanism underlying sex differentiation in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongwei Yan
- College of Fisheries and life Science, Dalian Ocean University, No. 52 Heishijiao Street, Shahekou District, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Xufang Shen
- College of Fisheries and life Science, Dalian Ocean University, No. 52 Heishijiao Street, Shahekou District, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Xin Cui
- College of Fisheries and life Science, Dalian Ocean University, No. 52 Heishijiao Street, Shahekou District, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Yumeng Wu
- College of Fisheries and life Science, Dalian Ocean University, No. 52 Heishijiao Street, Shahekou District, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Lianshun Wang
- College of Fisheries and life Science, Dalian Ocean University, No. 52 Heishijiao Street, Shahekou District, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- College of Marine Science and Environment Engineering, Dalian Ocean University, No. 52 Heishijiao Street, Shahekou District, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Qi Liu
- College of Marine Science and Environment Engineering, Dalian Ocean University, No. 52 Heishijiao Street, Shahekou District, Dalian, 116023, China.
| | - Yusheng Jiang
- College of Fisheries and life Science, Dalian Ocean University, No. 52 Heishijiao Street, Shahekou District, Dalian, 116023, China
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Qiu F, Qu M, Zhang X, Wang H, Ding S. Hypothalamus and pituitary transcriptome profiling of male and female Hong Kong grouper (Epinephelus akaara). Gene 2018; 656:73-79. [PMID: 29481846 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2018.02.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2017] [Revised: 02/04/2018] [Accepted: 02/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Hong Kong grouper (Epinephelus akaara) is an important commercially cultured marine fish in Asia, and a protogynous hermaphrodite with the "diandry" pattern. In order to explore the gene expression patterns of hypothalamus and pituitary between male and female Hong Kong grouper, we used RNA-seq technology to investigate transcriptomes of both tissues in immature and mature male and female adults. This produced 227,227,148 and 215,858,948 high quality reads from hypothalamus and pituitary, which were jointly assembled into 199,203 unigenes. Among them, 30,786 unigenes were mapped to known genes. Differential expression analysis revealed 275 unigenes that were differentially expressed between immature male and female adults and 561 between mature male and female adults. According to annotation and KEGG information, these differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were involved in development, metabolism, and regulation of transcription. One DEG, amino-terminal enhancer of split (AES), a member of the Groucho/transducin-like enhancer of split family of transcriptional regulators that played important roles in neurogenesis, segmentation, and sex determination, was significantly upregulated in male individuals in both immature and mature adult comparisons, indicating it may be involved in male reproductive function during development. Our report, for the first time, uses RNA-seq technology to investigate transcriptomes of both hypothalamus and pituitary in teleost fish, and provides a basis for further studies of molecular mechanism of sex determination and development in Hong Kong grouper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361101, China; Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Meng Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361101, China
| | - Xiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361101, China
| | - Huan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361101, China
| | - Shaoxiong Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361101, China; Fujian Collaborative Innovation Center for Exploitation and Utilization of Marine Biological Resources, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361012, China.
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50
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Wu GC, Chang CF. Primary males guide the femaleness through the regulation of testicular Dmrt1 and ovarian Cyp19a1a in protandrous black porgy. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2018; 261:198-202. [PMID: 28188743 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2017.01.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2016] [Revised: 01/24/2017] [Accepted: 01/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Controlling the development of the sexes is critically important for the broodstock management in aquaculture. Sex steroids are widely used for sex control of fish. However, hermaphroditic fish have a plastic sex, and a stable sex is difficult to maintain with sex steroids. We used the black porgy (Acanthopagrus schlegelii) as a model to understand the possible mechanism of sexual fate decision. Low exogenous estradiol (E2) induced male development. In contrast, high exogenous E2 induced the regression of the testis and the development of the ovary and resulted in an unstable expression of femaleness (passive femaleness, with ovaries containing only the primary oocytes). The removal of testicular tissue by surgery resulted in the early development of vitellogenic oocytes and active femaleness. Our data also demonstrated that the male-to-female sex change is blocked by the maintenance of male function with gonadotropin-induced dmrt1 expression in the testis. Furthermore, our data also indicated that ovarian cyp19a1a expression is regulated by the testis through epigenetic modifications. Therefore, the primary male guides the femaleness in the protandrous black porgy and the transition of sexual fate from male to female is determined by the status of the testicular tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guan-Chung Wu
- Department of Aquaculture, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 20224, Taiwan; Center of Excellence for the Ocean, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 20224, Taiwan.
| | - Ching-Fong Chang
- Department of Aquaculture, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 20224, Taiwan; Center of Excellence for the Ocean, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 20224, Taiwan.
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