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Park S, Kim J, Lee J, Jung S, Pack SP, Lee JH, Yoon K, Woo SJ, Han JY, Seo M. RNA sequencing analysis of sexual dimorphism in Japanese quail. Front Vet Sci 2024; 11:1441021. [PMID: 39104546 PMCID: PMC11299063 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1441021] [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: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Japanese quail are of significant economic value, providing protein nutrition to humans through their reproductive activity; however, sexual dimorphism in this species remains relatively unexplored compared with other model species. Method A total of 114 RNA sequencing datasets (18 and 96 samples for quail and chicken, respectively) were collected from existing studies to gain a comprehensive understanding of sexual dimorphism in quail. Cross-species integrated analyses were performed with transcriptome data from evolutionarily close chickens to identify sex-biased genes in the embryonic, adult brain, and gonadal tissues. Results Our findings indicate that the expression patterns of genes involved in sex-determination mechanisms during embryonic development, as well as those of most sex-biased genes in the adult brain and gonads, are identical between quails and chickens. Similar to most birds with a ZW sex determination system, quails lacked global dosage compensation for the Z chromosome, resulting in directional outcomes that supported the hypothesis that sex is determined by the individual dosage of Z-chromosomal genes, including long non-coding RNAs located in the male hypermethylated region. Furthermore, genes, such as WNT4 and VIP, reversed their sex-biased patterns at different points in embryonic development and/or in different adult tissues, suggesting a potential hurdle in breeding and transgenic experiments involving avian sex-related traits. Discussion The findings of this study are expected to enhance our understanding of sexual dimorphism in birds and subsequently facilitate insights into the field of breeding and transgenesis of sex-related traits that economically benefit humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sinwoo Park
- Department of Computer and Information Science, Korea University, Sejong-si, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaeryeong Kim
- Department of Computer and Information Science, Korea University, Sejong-si, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinbaek Lee
- Department of Computer and Information Science, Korea University, Sejong-si, Republic of Korea
| | - Sungyoon Jung
- Department of Computer and Information Science, Korea University, Sejong-si, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Pil Pack
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Korea University, Sejong-si, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Hyup Lee
- Department of Food and Biotechnology, Korea University, Sejong-si, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyungheon Yoon
- Division of Genome Science, Department of Precision Medicine, National Institue of Health, Cheongju-si, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Je Woo
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Yong Han
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Minseok Seo
- Department of Computer and Information Science, Korea University, Sejong-si, Republic of Korea
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Gu Y, Jin CX, Tong ZH, Jiang T, Yao FC, Zhang Y, Huang J, Song FB, Sun JL, Luo J. Expression of genes related to gonadal development and construction of gonadal DNA methylation maps of Trachinotus blochii under hypoxia. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 935:173172. [PMID: 38740210 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Chronic hypoxia can affect the growth and metabolism of fish and potentially impact gonadal development through epigenetic regulation. Trachinotus blochii (Golden pompano) is widely cultured near the coast and is sensitive to low oxygen conditions. We found that hypoxia and reoxygenation processes acted on multiple targets on the HPG axis, leading to endocrine disorders. Changes in the expression of key genes in the brain (gnrh), pituitary (fsh and lh), ovaries (cyp19a1a, foxl2, and er), and testes (dmrt1, ar, sox9, and gsdf) were associated with significant decreases in estrogen and testosterone levels. Hypoxia and reoxygenation lead to changes in DNA methylation levels in the gonads. Hypoxia upregulated the expression of dnmt1, dnmt3a, dnmt3b, tet1, and tet2 in females and dnmt3a and dnmt3b in males, while reoxygenation down-regulated the expression of dnmt1, dnmt3a, dnmt3b, tet1, and tet2 in males. Whole genome methylation sequencing showed that the number of differentially methylated regions was highest on chromosome 10 (5192) and lowest on chromosome 24 (275). Differentially methylated genes in females and males, as well as between males and females, were enriched in the oxytocin signaling pathway, fatty acid metabolism pathway, and HIF-1a pathway. In summary, hypoxia and reoxygenation can induce endocrine disorders, affect the expression of HPG axis genes, change the methylation pattern and modification pattern of gonad DNA, and then have potential effects on gonad development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Gu
- School of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Sanya Nanfan Research Institute of Hainan University, Hainan Aquaculture Breeding Engineering Research Center, Hainan Academician Team Innovation Center, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Chun Xiu Jin
- School of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Sanya Nanfan Research Institute of Hainan University, Hainan Aquaculture Breeding Engineering Research Center, Hainan Academician Team Innovation Center, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Zai Hui Tong
- School of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Sanya Nanfan Research Institute of Hainan University, Hainan Aquaculture Breeding Engineering Research Center, Hainan Academician Team Innovation Center, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Tian Jiang
- School of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Sanya Nanfan Research Institute of Hainan University, Hainan Aquaculture Breeding Engineering Research Center, Hainan Academician Team Innovation Center, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Fu Cheng Yao
- School of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Sanya Nanfan Research Institute of Hainan University, Hainan Aquaculture Breeding Engineering Research Center, Hainan Academician Team Innovation Center, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- School of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Sanya Nanfan Research Institute of Hainan University, Hainan Aquaculture Breeding Engineering Research Center, Hainan Academician Team Innovation Center, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Jie Huang
- School of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Sanya Nanfan Research Institute of Hainan University, Hainan Aquaculture Breeding Engineering Research Center, Hainan Academician Team Innovation Center, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Fei Biao Song
- School of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Sanya Nanfan Research Institute of Hainan University, Hainan Aquaculture Breeding Engineering Research Center, Hainan Academician Team Innovation Center, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Jun Long Sun
- School of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Sanya Nanfan Research Institute of Hainan University, Hainan Aquaculture Breeding Engineering Research Center, Hainan Academician Team Innovation Center, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China.
| | - Jian Luo
- School of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Sanya Nanfan Research Institute of Hainan University, Hainan Aquaculture Breeding Engineering Research Center, Hainan Academician Team Innovation Center, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China.
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Stehlíková Sovadinová S, Mekadim C, Korpimäki E, Mrázek J, Kouba M. Comparison three primer pairs for molecular sex determination in Eurasian pygmy owls (Glaucidium passerinum). Sci Rep 2024; 14:16397. [PMID: 39013969 PMCID: PMC11252122 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65157-3] [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: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Bird sex determination is fundamental in various ecological and biological studies, although many avian species cannot be sexed visually due to their monomorphic and/or monochromatic appearance. Thus, reliable laboratory methods for sexing are a prerequisite. Most avian nestlings lack sex-related signs, including the Eurasian pygmy owl (Glaucidium passerinum). We performed laboratory sex determination analysis of this species using blood samples of 242 juveniles and nine adults. It relied on the qPCR of the specific intron from the chromo-helicase DNA-binding protein 1 gene. We tested three primer sets, the P2/P8, 2550F/2718R, and CHD1F/CHD1R, commonly used for bird laboratory sexing. The outcomes were displayed on an agarose gel electrophoresis and a plot from melt curve analysis, which had not been previously conducted in Eurasian pygmy owls. We found that only primer set CHD1F/CHD1R proved reliable, as the only one determined sex with one and two band/s and peak/s on the electrophoresis and the melt curve plot for males and females, respectively. The other two primer pairs failed and depicted one band/peak in all specimens regardless of their sex. Therefore, we recommend performing Eurasian pygmy owls' laboratory sexing by qPCR with CHD1F/CHD1R primers only.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Stehlíková Sovadinová
- Department of Ethology and Companion Animal Science, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Praha 6 - Suchdol, 165 00, Czechia.
| | - Chahrazed Mekadim
- Laboratory of Anaerobic Microbiology, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, Praha 4 - Krč, 142 20, Czechia
| | - Erkki Korpimäki
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, 20014, Finland
| | - Jakub Mrázek
- Laboratory of Anaerobic Microbiology, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, Praha 4 - Krč, 142 20, Czechia
| | - Marek Kouba
- Department of Ethology and Companion Animal Science, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Praha 6 - Suchdol, 165 00, Czechia
- Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kámycká 129, Praha 6 - Suchdol, 165 00, Czechia
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Monteiro Belo Santos S, Corion M, De Ketelaere B, Lammertyn J, Spasic D. Allantoic Fluid-Based qPCR for Early Onset In Ovo Sexing. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2024. [PMID: 38613504 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c09418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
The day-old male chick culling remains a welfare issue in the poultry industry. Several governments have prohibited this practice, pushing hatcheries to seek alternatives. Although different solutions exist for solving this problem, sex determination during the embryo's incubation (in ovo sexing) is considered the most suitable one among the consumers and industry. However, to be industrialized, in ovo sexing technologies must meet several requirements: compatibility with all egg colors and early developmental stages while maintaining a high hatchability rate and accuracy at low cost and high throughput. To meet these requirements, we studied the use of the sexual genes HINTW (female-specific) and DMRT-1 (both sexes) at incubation days 6-9. By utilizing the quantitative polymerase chain reaction in allantoic fluid (AF) samples, our study confirmed female-specific HINTW detection on all days without any significant detrimental effects on embryo development. We achieved 95% sexing accuracy using the HINTW cycle threshold (Ct) alone and 100% accuracy rate when using Δλ values (difference between the HINTW and DMRT-1 Ct). In conclusion, the developed assay can provide information about AF as a sample for in ovo sexing and open new industrial possibilities for faster and cheaper assays.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matthias Corion
- Department of Biosystems─Biosensors Group, KU Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bart De Ketelaere
- Department of Biosystems─Biosensors Group, KU Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jeroen Lammertyn
- Department of Biosystems─Biosensors Group, KU Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dragana Spasic
- Department of Biosystems─Biosensors Group, KU Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
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Corion M, Santos S, De Ketelaere B, Spasic D, Hertog M, Lammertyn J. Trends in in ovo sexing technologies: insights and interpretation from papers and patents. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2023; 14:102. [PMID: 37452378 PMCID: PMC10347793 DOI: 10.1186/s40104-023-00898-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Numerous researchers and institutions have been developing in ovo sexing technologies to improve animal welfare by identifying male embryos in an early embryonic stage and disposing of them before pain perception. This review gives a complete overview of the technological approaches reported in papers and patents by performing a thorough search using Web of Science and Patstat/Espacenet databases for papers and patents, respectively. Based on a total of 49 papers and 115 patent families reported until May 2023 worldwide, 11 technology categories were defined: 6 non-optical and 5 optical techniques. Every category was described for its characteristics while assessing its potential for application. Next, the dynamics of the publications of in ovo sexing techniques in both paper and patent fields were described through growth curves, and the interest or actual status was visualized using the number of paper citations and the actual legal status of the patents. When comparing the reported technologies in papers to those in patents, scientific gaps were observed, as some of the patented technologies were not reported in the scientific literature, e.g., ion mobility and mass spectrometry approaches. Generally, more diverse approaches in all categories were found in patents, although they do require more scientific evidence through papers or industrial adoption to prove their robustness. Moreover, although there is a recent trend for non-invasive techniques, invasive methods like analyzing DNA through PCR or hormones through immunosensing are still being reported (and might continue to be) in papers and patents. It was also observed that none of the technologies complies with all the industry requirements, although 5 companies already entered the market. On the one hand, more research and harmony between consumers, industry, and governments is necessary. On the other hand, close monitoring of the market performance of the currently available techniques will offer valuable insights into the potential and expectations of in ovo sexing techniques in the poultry industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Corion
- KU Leuven, BIOSYST-MeBioS Biosensors Group, Willem de Croylaan 42, Leuven, B-3001, Belgium
| | - Simão Santos
- KU Leuven, BIOSYST-MeBioS Biosensors Group, Willem de Croylaan 42, Leuven, B-3001, Belgium
| | - Bart De Ketelaere
- KU Leuven, BIOSYST-MeBioS Biostatistics Group, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, Leuven, B-3001, Belgium.
| | - Dragana Spasic
- KU Leuven, BIOSYST-MeBioS Biosensors Group, Willem de Croylaan 42, Leuven, B-3001, Belgium
| | - Maarten Hertog
- KU Leuven, BIOSYST-MeBioS Postharvest Group, Willem de Croylaan 42, Leuven, B-3001, Belgium
| | - Jeroen Lammertyn
- KU Leuven, BIOSYST-MeBioS Biosensors Group, Willem de Croylaan 42, Leuven, B-3001, Belgium
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Zhang X, Li J, Chen S, Yang N, Zheng J. Overview of Avian Sex Reversal. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24098284. [PMID: 37175998 PMCID: PMC10179413 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24098284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex determination and differentiation are processes by which a bipotential gonad adopts either a testicular or ovarian cell fate, and secondary sexual characteristics adopt either male or female developmental patterns. In birds, although genetic factors control the sex determination program, sex differentiation is sensitive to hormones, which can induce sex reversal when disturbed. Although these sex-reversed birds can form phenotypes opposite to their genotypes, none can experience complete sex reversal or produce offspring under natural conditions. Promising evidence indicates that the incomplete sex reversal is associated with cell autonomous sex identity (CASI) of avian cells, which is controlled by genetic factors. However, studies cannot clearly describe the regulatory mechanism of avian CASI and sex development at present, and these factors require further exploration. In spite of this, the abundant findings of avian sex research have provided theoretical bases for the progress of gender control technologies, which are being improved through interdisciplinary co-operation and will ultimately be employed in poultry production. In this review, we provide an overview of avian sex determination and differentiation and comprehensively summarize the research progress on sex reversal in birds, especially chickens. Importantly, we describe key issues faced by applying gender control systems in poultry production and chronologically summarize the development of avian sex control methods. In conclusion, this review provides unique perspectives for avian sex studies and helps scientists develop more advanced systems for sex regulation in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuan Zhang
- Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jianbo Li
- Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Sirui Chen
- Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Ning Yang
- Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jiangxia Zheng
- Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
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Sun C, Jin K, Zhou J, Zuo Q, Song J, Yani Z, Chen G, Li B. Role and function of the Hintw in early sex differentiation in chicken ( Gallus gallus) embryo. Anim Biotechnol 2023; 34:56-66. [PMID: 34153202 DOI: 10.1080/10495398.2021.1935981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Mono-Sex culturing is an important methodology for intensive livestock and poultry production. Here, Hintw was identified as a potential key gene in sex-determination process in chickens via RNA-seq. Then we developed an effective method to interfere or overexpress Hintw in chicken embryos through the intravascular injection. QRT-PCR, ELISA and H&E staining were used to detect the effects of Hintw on gonadal development of chicken embryos. Results showed that Hintw exhibited a female-biased expression pattern in the early stage of PGCs (primordial germ cells) in embryonic gonads. The qRT-PCR analysis showed that Foxl2, Cyp19a1 in females were upregulated under the overexpression of Hintw, while Sox9 and Dmrt1 were downregulated Hintw. Overexpression of Hintw can promote the development of gonadal cortex, while interference with Hintw show the opposite result. Additionally, we found that overexpression of the Hintw in male chicken embryos could inhibit androgen levels and increase estrogen levels. On the other hand, interfering with Hintw in female chicken embryos decreased estrogen levels and increased androgen levels. In conclusion, this work sets the basis for the understanding of the molecular regulatory network for the sex-determination process in chicken embryos as well as providing the theoretical basis for mono-sex culturing of poultry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changhua Sun
- Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Department of Food technology, College of Biochemical Engineering, Yangzhou Polytechnic College, Yangzhou, China.,Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Kai Jin
- Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Jing Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Qisheng Zuo
- Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Jiuzhou Song
- Animal & Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Zhang Yani
- Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Guohong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Bichun Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding Reproduction and Molecular Design for Jiangsu Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
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Zhang X, Li J, Wang X, Jie Y, Sun C, Zheng J, Li J, Yang N, Chen S. ATAC-seq and RNA-seq analysis unravel the mechanism of sex differentiation and infertility in sex reversal chicken. Epigenetics Chromatin 2023; 16:2. [PMID: 36617567 PMCID: PMC9827654 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-022-00476-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sex determination and differentiation are complex and delicate processes. In female chickens, the process of sex differentiation is sensitive and prone to be affected by the administration of aromatase inhibitors, which result in chicken sex reversal and infertility. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying sex differentiation and infertility in chicken sex reversal remain unclear. Therefore, we established a sex-reversed chicken flock by injecting an aromatase inhibitor, fadrozole, and constructed relatively high-resolution profiles of the gene expression and chromatin accessibility of embryonic gonads. RESULTS We revealed that fadrozole affected the transcriptional activities of several genes, such as DMRT1, SOX9, FOXL2, and CYP19A1, related to sex determination and differentiation, and the expression of a set of gonadal development-related genes, such as FGFR3 and TOX3, by regulating nearby open chromatin regions in sex-reversed chicken embryos. After sexual maturity, the sex-reversed chickens were confirmed to be infertile, and the possible causes of this infertility were further investigated. We found that the structure of the gonads and sperm were greatly deformed, and we identified several promising genes related to spermatogenesis and infertility, such as SPEF2, DNAI1, and TACR3, through RNA-seq. CONCLUSIONS This study provides clear insights into the exploration of potential molecular basis underlying sex differentiation and infertility in sex-reversed chickens and lays a foundation for further research into the sex development of birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuan Zhang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Jianbo Li
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiqiong Wang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuchen Jie
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Congjiao Sun
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Jiangxia Zheng
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Junying Li
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Ning Yang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Sirui Chen
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
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Xiang X, Yu Z, Liu Y, Huang Y, Wang J, Chen L, Ma M. Differential proteomics between unhatched male and female egg yolks reveal the molecular mechanisms of sex-allocation and sex-determination in chicken. Poult Sci 2022; 101:101906. [PMID: 35696754 PMCID: PMC9198474 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2022.101906] [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: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
There is a huge demand to identify the sex of unhatched fertilized eggs for laying industry and to understand the differences between male and female eggs as early as possible. Then the molecular mechanisms of sex determination and sex allocation in chicken were revealed. Therefore, TMT proteomic was applied to characterize the variation of molecular matrix between unhatched male and female egg yolks. A total of 411 proteins were identified and 35 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs), including 375332005, 015809562, 763550308 (upregulated, UPs) and 1337178851, 89000557, 89000581 (downregulated, DPs), etc. were confirmed between them. Gene ontology analyses showed that DEPs were mainly involved in response to stimulus, distributed in the extracellular region and participated in binding; KEGG analyses showed that few DPs were participated in cell growth and death, transport and catabolism, signaling molecules, interaction and were enriched in ubiquitin mediated proteolysis, endocytosis, ferroptosis, etc. metabolic pathways. Moreover, most of the DEPs and related metabolic pathways were associated with sex hormones. More importantly, this study supports maternal sex-allocation theory and extends our understanding of the molecular mechanism of sex determination and differentiation in avian. Which also provides a powerful evidence for ovo sexing of unhatched fertilized domestic chicken eggs by nondestructive approach and will be of great significance to eggs processing and production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaole Xiang
- School of Food Science and Bioengineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha, Hunan, China; National Research and Development Center for Egg Processing, College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Zhuosi Yu
- School of Food Science and Bioengineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yongle Liu
- School of Food Science and Bioengineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yiqun Huang
- School of Food Science and Bioengineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Jingjing Wang
- Department of Food Science, Foshan University, Foshan, 528000, China
| | - Lei Chen
- College of Food Science and Technology, Guangdong Ocean University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Product Processing and Safety, Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Marine Biological Products, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Seafood, Key Laboratory of Advanced Processing of Aquatic Product of Guangdong Higher Education Institution, Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Meihu Ma
- National Research and Development Center for Egg Processing, College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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10
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Li J, Sun C, Zheng J, Li J, Yi G, Yang N. Time-Course Transcriptional and Chromatin Accessibility Profiling Reveals Genes Associated With Asymmetrical Gonadal Development in Chicken Embryos. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:832132. [PMID: 35345851 PMCID: PMC8957256 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.832132] [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: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
In birds, male gonads form on both sides whereas most females develop asymmetric gonads. Multiple early lines of evidence suggested that the right gonad fails to develop into a functional ovary, mainly due to differential expression of PITX2 in the gonadal epithelium. Despite some advances in recent years, the molecular mechanisms underlying asymmetric gonadal development remain unclear. Here, using bulk analysis of whole gonads, we established a relatively detailed profile of four representative stages of chicken gonadal development at the transcriptional and chromatin levels. We revealed that many candidate genes were significantly enriched in morphogenesis, meiosis and subcellular structure formation, which may be responsible for asymmetric gonadal development. Further chromatin accessibility analysis suggested that the transcriptional activities of the candidate genes might be regulated by nearby open chromatin regions, which may act as transcription factor (TF) binding sites and potential cis-regulatory elements. We found that LHX9 was a promising TF that bound to the left-biased peaks of many cell cycle-related genes. In summary, this study provides distinctive insights into the potential molecular basis underlying the asymmetric development of chicken gonads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianbo Li
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Congjiao Sun
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Jiangxia Zheng
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Junying Li
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Guoqiang Yi
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ning Yang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
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11
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Trujillo N, Martínez-Pacheco M, Soldatini C, Ancona S, Young RC, Albores-Barajas YV, Orta AH, Rodríguez C, Székely T, Drummond H, Urrutia AO, Cortez D. Lack of age-related mosaic loss of W chromosome in long-lived birds. Biol Lett 2022; 18:20210553. [PMID: 35193370 PMCID: PMC8864339 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2021.0553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Females and males often exhibit different survival in nature, and it has been hypothesized that sex chromosomes may play a role in driving differential survival rates. For instance, the Y chromosome in mammals and the W chromosome in birds are often degenerated, with reduced numbers of genes, and loss of the Y chromosome in old men is associated with shorter life expectancy. However, mosaic loss of sex chromosomes has not been investigated in any non-human species. Here, we tested whether mosaic loss of the W chromosome (LOW) occurs with ageing in wild birds as a natural consequence of cellular senescence. Using loci-specific PCR and a target sequencing approach we estimated LOW in both young and adult individuals of two long-lived bird species and showed that the copy number of W chromosomes remains constant across age groups. Our results suggest that LOW is not a consequence of cellular ageing in birds. We concluded that the inheritance of the W chromosome in birds, unlike the Y chromosome in mammals, is more stable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy Trujillo
- Centro de Ciencias Genómicas, UNAM, CP62210, Cuernavaca, México
| | - Mónica Martínez-Pacheco
- Laboratorio de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, CP76010, Querétaro, México
| | - Cecilia Soldatini
- Centro de Investigación Científica y Educación Superior de Ensenada - Unidad La Paz, Calle Miraflores 334, CP23050, La Paz, Baja California Sur, México
| | - Sergio Ancona
- Instituto de Ecología, UNAM, Ciudad Universitaria, CP04510, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Rebecca C Young
- Instituto de Ecología, UNAM, Ciudad Universitaria, CP04510, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Yuri V Albores-Barajas
- CONACYT. Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, Av. Insurgentes Sur 1582, Col. Crédito Constructor. Alcaldía Benito Juárez, CP03940, Ciudad de México, México.,Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur., Km. 5.5 Carr. 1. La Paz, Baja California Sur, México
| | - Alberto H Orta
- Centro de Ciencias Genómicas, UNAM, CP62210, Cuernavaca, México
| | - Cristina Rodríguez
- Instituto de Ecología, UNAM, Ciudad Universitaria, CP04510, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Tamas Székely
- Milner Centre for Evolution, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK.,Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen H-4032, Hungary
| | - Hugh Drummond
- Instituto de Ecología, UNAM, Ciudad Universitaria, CP04510, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Araxi O Urrutia
- Instituto de Ecología, UNAM, Ciudad Universitaria, CP04510, Ciudad de México, México.,Milner Centre for Evolution, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK
| | - Diego Cortez
- Centro de Ciencias Genómicas, UNAM, CP62210, Cuernavaca, México
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12
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Dissanayake DSB, Holleley CE, Georges A. Effects of natural nest temperatures on sex reversal and sex ratios in an Australian alpine skink. Sci Rep 2021; 11:20093. [PMID: 34635741 PMCID: PMC8505511 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-99702-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Altered climate regimes have the capacity to affect the physiology, development, ecology and behaviour of organisms dramatically, with consequential changes in individual fitness and so the ability of populations to persist under climatic change. More directly, extreme temperatures can directly skew the population sex ratio in some species, with substantial demographic consequences that influence the rate of population decline and recovery rates. In contrast, this is particularly true for species whose sex is determined entirely by temperature (TSD). The recent discovery of sex reversal in species with genotypic sex determination (GSD) due to extreme environmental temperatures in the wild broadens the range of species vulnerable to changing environmental temperatures through an influence on primary sex ratio. Here we document the levels of sex reversal in nests of the Australian alpine three-lined skink (Bassiana duperreyi), a species with sex chromosomes and sex reversal at temperatures below 20 °C and variation in rates of sex reversal with elevation. The frequency of sex reversal in nests of B. duperreyi ranged from 28.6% at the highest, coolest locations to zero at the lowest, warmest locations. Sex reversal in this alpine skink makes it a sensitive indicator of climate change, both in terms of changes in average temperatures and in terms of climatic variability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duminda S B Dissanayake
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia.,Australian National Wildlife Collection, CSIRO, Canberra, ACT, 2911, Australia
| | - Clare E Holleley
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia.,Australian National Wildlife Collection, CSIRO, Canberra, ACT, 2911, Australia
| | - Arthur Georges
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia.
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13
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Estermann MA, Major AT, Smith CA. Genetic Regulation of Avian Testis Development. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:1459. [PMID: 34573441 PMCID: PMC8470383 DOI: 10.3390/genes12091459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
As in other vertebrates, avian testes are the site of spermatogenesis and androgen production. The paired testes of birds differentiate during embryogenesis, first marked by the development of pre-Sertoli cells in the gonadal primordium and their condensation into seminiferous cords. Germ cells become enclosed in these cords and enter mitotic arrest, while steroidogenic Leydig cells subsequently differentiate around the cords. This review describes our current understanding of avian testis development at the cell biology and genetic levels. Most of this knowledge has come from studies on the chicken embryo, though other species are increasingly being examined. In chicken, testis development is governed by the Z-chromosome-linked DMRT1 gene, which directly or indirectly activates the male factors, HEMGN, SOX9 and AMH. Recent single cell RNA-seq has defined cell lineage specification during chicken testis development, while comparative studies point to deep conservation of avian testis formation. Lastly, we identify areas of future research on the genetics of avian testis development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Craig Allen Smith
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; (M.A.E.); (A.T.M.)
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14
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de Haas EN, Oliemans E, van Gerwen MAAM. The Need for an Alternative to Culling Day-Old Male Layer Chicks: A Survey on Awareness, Alternatives, and the Willingness to Pay for Alternatives in a Selected Population of Dutch Citizens. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:662197. [PMID: 34222395 PMCID: PMC8248538 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.662197] [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: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
A concerning by-product of producing laying hen chicks are the hatched male layer chicks. As a consequence of their inability to lay eggs, these male chicks are culled as day-old chicks in the hatchery. To find an alternative for this ethical dilemma (generally), three alternatives are under study, namely, in ovo sex determination, using dual-purpose breeds, and the rearing of layer cockerels. In order to assess the awareness of this practice and preference for one of the alternatives, we conducted an online survey of the Dutch public. Most of the 259 respondents completing the survey were highly educated woman (HEW, n = 143) versus others (REST, n = 86). The questionnaire was divided into six topics: (1) general knowledge of the poultry industry, (2) awareness of culling male layer chicks (CMC), and (3) its acceptability, (4) alternatives to CMC, (5) willingness to pay (WTP) for eggs without CMC, and (6) WTP for cockerel meat. Awareness about CMC was 52%, and its acceptability was rejected by 78% (HEW) and 67% (REST). The level of acceptability increased when more salient facts were given, and almost all respondents agreed that an alternative was needed (90% HEW, 84% REST). For both groups of respondents, more than 50% preferred in ovo sex determination over keeping the current practice or using dual-purpose breeds or male layers. Furthermore, the majority of respondents were willing to pay more than double the price for eggs without CMC being involved. Roughly 40% would not buy processed cockerel meat burgers, most likely due to their vegan or vegetarian diet. Of the remaining respondents, half were willing to pay the current price or 1 euro more for processed cockerel meat burgers. The most important factors when buying poultry meat or eggs without CMC were food safety, animal friendliness (welfare), and the environment; price was the least important factor. Despite the skewed respondents' background, the results of our survey show that consumers are willing to pay more for poultry products that do not require culling day-old male chicks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elske N de Haas
- Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands.,Department of Animal Welfare, Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Melle, Belgium
| | - Eva Oliemans
- Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Maite A A M van Gerwen
- Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands.,Centre for Sustainable Animal Stewardship (CenSAS), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
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15
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High elevation increases the risk of Y chromosome loss in Alpine skink populations with sex reversal. Heredity (Edinb) 2021; 126:805-816. [PMID: 33526811 PMCID: PMC8102603 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-021-00406-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The view that has genotypic sex determination and environmental sex determination as mutually exclusive states in fishes and reptiles has been contradicted by the discovery that chromosomal sex and environmental influences can co-exist within the same species, hinting at a continuum of intermediate states. Systems where genes and the environment interact to determine sex present the opportunity for sex reversal to occur, where the phenotypic sex is the opposite of that predicted by their sex chromosome complement. The skink Bassiana duperreyi has XX/XY sex chromosomes with sex reversal of the XX genotype to a male phenotype, in laboratory experiments, and in field nests, in response to exposure to cold incubation temperatures. Here we studied the frequency of sex reversal in adult populations of B. duperreyi in response to climatic variation, using elevation as a surrogate for environmental temperatures. We demonstrate sex reversal in the wild for the first time in adults of a reptile species with XX/XY sex determination. The highest frequency of sex reversal occurred at the highest coolest elevation location, Mt Ginini (18.46%) and decreased in frequency to zero with decreasing elevation. We model the impact of this under Fisher's frequency-dependent selection to show that, at the highest elevations, populations risk the loss of the Y chromosome and a transition to temperature-dependent sex determination. This study contributes to our understanding of the risks of extinction from climate change in species subject to sex reversal by temperature, and will provide focus for future research to test on-the-ground management strategies to mitigate the effects of climate in local populations.
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16
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Estermann MA, Williams S, Hirst CE, Roly ZY, Serralbo O, Adhikari D, Powell D, Major AT, Smith CA. Insights into Gonadal Sex Differentiation Provided by Single-Cell Transcriptomics in the Chicken Embryo. Cell Rep 2021; 31:107491. [PMID: 32268081 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.03.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the genetic triggers for gonadal sex differentiation vary across species, the cell biology of gonadal development was long thought to be largely conserved. Here, we present a comprehensive analysis of gonadal sex differentiation, using single-cell sequencing in the embryonic chicken gonad during sexual differentiation. The data show that chicken embryonic-supporting cells do not derive from the coelomic epithelium, in contrast to other vertebrates studied. Instead, they derive from a DMRT1+/PAX2+/WNT4+/OSR1+ mesenchymal cell population. We find a greater complexity of gonadal cell types than previously thought, including the identification of two distinct sub-populations of Sertoli cells in developing testes and derivation of embryonic steroidogenic cells from a differentiated supporting-cell lineage. Altogether, these results indicate that, just as the genetic trigger for sex differs across vertebrate groups, cell lineage specification in the gonad may also vary substantially.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Andres Estermann
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Sarah Williams
- Monash Bioinformatics Platform, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Claire Elizabeth Hirst
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute (ARMI), Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Zahida Yesmin Roly
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Olivier Serralbo
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute (ARMI), Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Deepak Adhikari
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - David Powell
- Monash Bioinformatics Platform, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Andrew Thomas Major
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Craig Allen Smith
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia.
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17
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Repeat Sequence Mapping Shows Different W Chromosome Evolutionary Pathways in Two Caprimulgiformes Families. BIRDS 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/birds1010004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Although birds belonging to order Caprimulgiformes show extensive karyotype variation, data concerning their genomic organization is still scarce, as most studies have presented only results obtained from conventional staining analyses. Nevertheless, some interesting findings have been observed, such as the W chromosome of the Common Potoo, Nyctibius griseus (2n = 86), which has the same morphology and size of the Z chromosome, a rare feature in Neognathae birds. Hence, we aimed to investigate the process by which the W chromosome of this species was enlarged. For that, we analyzed comparatively the chromosome organization of the Common Potoo and the Scissor-tailed Nightjar, Hydropsalis torquata (2n = 74), which presents the regular differentiated sex chromosomes, by applying C-banding, G-banding and mapping of repetitive DNAs (microsatellite repeats and 18S rDNA). Our results showed an accumulation of constitutive heterochromatin in the W chromosome of both species. However, 9 out of 11 microsatellite sequences hybridized in the large W chromosome in the Common Potoo, while none of them hybridized in the W chromosome of the Scissor-tailed Nightjar. Therefore, we can conclude that the accumulation of microsatellite sequences, and consequent increase in constitutive heterochromatin, was responsible for the enlargement of the W chromosome in the Common Potoo. Based on these results, we conclude that even though these two species belong to the same order, their W chromosomes have gone through different evolutionary histories, with an extra step of accumulation of repetitive sequences in the Common Potoo.
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18
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Oh KP, Aldridge CL, Forbey JS, Dadabay CY, Oyler-McCance SJ. Conservation Genomics in the Sagebrush Sea: Population Divergence, Demographic History, and Local Adaptation in Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus spp.). Genome Biol Evol 2020; 11:2023-2034. [PMID: 31135036 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evz112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Sage-grouse are two closely related iconic species of the North American West, with historically broad distributions across sagebrush-steppe habitat. Both species are dietary specialists on sagebrush during winter, with presumed adaptations to tolerate the high concentrations of toxic secondary metabolites that function as plant chemical defenses. Marked range contraction and declining population sizes since European settlement have motivated efforts to identify distinct population genetic variation, particularly that which might be associated with local genetic adaptation and dietary specialization of sage-grouse. We assembled a reference genome and performed whole-genome sequencing across sage-grouse from six populations, encompassing both species and including several populations on the periphery of the species ranges. Population genomic analyses reaffirmed genome-wide differentiation between greater and Gunnison sage-grouse, revealed pronounced intraspecific population structure, and highlighted important differentiation of a small isolated population of greater sage-grouse in the northwest of the range. Patterns of genome-wide differentiation were largely consistent with a hypothesized role of genetic drift due to limited gene flow among populations. Inferred ancient population demography suggested persistent declines in effective population sizes that have likely contributed to differentiation within and among species. Several genomic regions with single-nucleotide polymorphisms exhibiting extreme population differentiation were associated with candidate genes linked to metabolism of xenobiotic compounds. In vitro activity of enzymes isolated from sage-grouse livers supported a role for these genes in detoxification of sagebrush, suggesting that the observed interpopulation variation may underlie important local dietary adaptations, warranting close consideration for conservation strategies that link sage-grouse to the chemistry of local sagebrush.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin P Oh
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Cameron L Aldridge
- Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory and Department of Ecosystem Sciences, Colorado State University in cooperation with U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, Colorado
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19
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Hajihoseini Z, Eghbalsaied S. Simultaneous effects of IGF1 and Fadrozole on parthenogenesis and pluripotency markers in chicken embryo. Theriogenology 2018; 114:317-323. [DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2018.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2018] [Revised: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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20
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Krautwald-Junghanns ME, Cramer K, Fischer B, Förster A, Galli R, Kremer F, Mapesa EU, Meissner S, Preisinger R, Preusse G, Schnabel C, Steiner G, Bartels T. Current approaches to avoid the culling of day-old male chicks in the layer industry, with special reference to spectroscopic methods. Poult Sci 2018; 97:749-757. [DOI: 10.3382/ps/pex389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2017] [Accepted: 11/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
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21
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Roly ZY, Backhouse B, Cutting A, Tan TY, Sinclair AH, Ayers KL, Major AT, Smith CA. The cell biology and molecular genetics of Müllerian duct development. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2018; 7:e310. [DOI: 10.1002/wdev.310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2017] [Revised: 11/06/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zahida Yesmin Roly
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Anatomy and Development BiologyMonash UniversityClaytonVictoriaAustralia
| | - Brendan Backhouse
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute and Department of PaediatricsUniversity of Melbourne, Royal Children's HospitalMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Andrew Cutting
- Biology Laboratory, Faculty of ScienceThe University of MelbourneMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Tiong Yang Tan
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute and Department of PaediatricsUniversity of Melbourne, Royal Children's HospitalMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Andrew H. Sinclair
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute and Department of PaediatricsUniversity of Melbourne, Royal Children's HospitalMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Katie L. Ayers
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute and Department of PaediatricsUniversity of Melbourne, Royal Children's HospitalMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Andrew T. Major
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Anatomy and Development BiologyMonash UniversityClaytonVictoriaAustralia
| | - Craig A. Smith
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Anatomy and Development BiologyMonash UniversityClaytonVictoriaAustralia
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22
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Piprek RP, Kloc M, Tassan JP, Kubiak JZ. Development of Xenopus laevis bipotential gonads into testis or ovary is driven by sex-specific cell-cell interactions, proliferation rate, cell migration and deposition of extracellular matrix. Dev Biol 2017; 432:298-310. [PMID: 29080791 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2017.10.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2017] [Revised: 10/21/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Information on the mechanisms orchestrating sexual differentiation of the bipotential gonads into testes or ovaries in amphibians is limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the development of Xenopus laevis gonad, to identify the earliest signs of sexual differentiation, and to describe mechanisms driving these processes. We used light and electron microscopy, immunofluorescence and cell tracing. In order to identify the earliest signs of sexual differentiation the sex of each tadpole was determined using genotyping with the sex markers. Our analysis revealed a series of events participating in the gonadal development, including cell proliferation, migration, cell adhesion, stroma penetration, and basal lamina formation. We found that during the period of sexual differentiation the sites of intensive cell proliferation and migration differ between male and female gonads. In the differentiating ovaries the germ cells remain associated with the gonadal surface epithelium (cortex) and a sterile medulla forms in the ovarian center, whereas in the differentiating testes the germ cells detach from the surface epithelium, disperse, and the cortex and medulla fuse. Cell junctions that are more abundant in the ovarian cortex possibly can favor the persistence of germ cells in the cortex. Also the stroma penetrates the female and male gonads differently. These finding indicate that the crosstalk between the stroma and the coelomic epithelium-derived cells is crucial for development of male and female gonad.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafal P Piprek
- Department of Comparative Anatomy, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387 Krakow, Poland.
| | - Malgorzata Kloc
- The Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Surgery, The Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, USA; University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jean-Pierre Tassan
- CNRS, UMR 6290, Institute of Genetics and Development of Rennes, Cell Cycle Group, 35043 Rennes, France; Université Rennes 1, Faculty of Medicine, 35043 Rennes, France
| | - Jacek Z Kubiak
- CNRS, UMR 6290, Institute of Genetics and Development of Rennes, Cell Cycle Group, 35043 Rennes, France; Université Rennes 1, Faculty of Medicine, 35043 Rennes, France; Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (WIHE), Warsaw, Poland
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23
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Hirst CE, Major AT, Ayers KL, Brown RJ, Mariette M, Sackton TB, Smith CA. Sex Reversal and Comparative Data Undermine the W Chromosome and Support Z-linked DMRT1 as the Regulator of Gonadal Sex Differentiation in Birds. Endocrinology 2017; 158:2970-2987. [PMID: 28911174 DOI: 10.1210/en.2017-00316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The exact genetic mechanism regulating avian gonadal sex differentiation has not been completely resolved. The most likely scenario involves a dosage mechanism, whereby the Z-linked DMRT1 gene triggers testis development. However, the possibility still exists that the female-specific W chromosome may harbor an ovarian determining factor. In this study, we provide evidence that the universal gene regulating gonadal sex differentiation in birds is Z-linked DMRT1 and not a W-linked (ovarian) factor. Three candidate W-linked ovarian determinants are HINTW, female-expressed transcript 1 (FET1), and female-associated factor (FAF). To test the association of these genes with ovarian differentiation in the chicken, we examined their expression following experimentally induced female-to-male sex reversal using the aromatase inhibitor fadrozole (FAD). Administration of FAD on day 3 of embryogenesis induced a significant loss of aromatase enzyme activity in female gonads and masculinization. However, expression levels of HINTW, FAF, and FET1 were unaltered after experimental masculinization. Furthermore, comparative analysis showed that FAF and FET1 expression could not be detected in zebra finch gonads. Additionally, an antibody raised against the predicted HINTW protein failed to detect it endogenously. These data do not support a universal role for these genes or for the W sex chromosome in ovarian development in birds. We found that DMRT1 (but not the recently identified Z-linked HEMGN gene) is male upregulated in embryonic zebra finch and emu gonads, as in the chicken. As chicken, zebra finch, and emu exemplify the major evolutionary clades of birds, we propose that Z-linked DMRT1, and not the W sex chromosome, regulates gonadal sex differentiation in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire E Hirst
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Andrew T Major
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Katie L Ayers
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, Royal Children's Hospital, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Rosie J Brown
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Mylene Mariette
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria 3216, Australia
| | - Timothy B Sackton
- Informatics Group, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
| | - Craig A Smith
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
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Otsuka M, Miyashita O, Shibata M, Sato F, Naito M. A novel method for sexing day-old chicks using endoscope system. Poult Sci 2016; 95:2685-2689. [PMID: 27389060 DOI: 10.3382/ps/pew211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexing day-old chicks is important for layer and broiler production. A novel method for sexing day-old chicks was developed using an endoscope system. The probe of the endoscope was inserted from the cloaca into the intestine of a chick, and the presence of testes or ovary was observed through the wall of the intestine. The picture image was displayed on the monitor. Sexing was performed in White Leghorn (WL) and Rhode Island Red (RIR) chicks using this new system. The accuracy of sexing was 91.1% in WL chicks and 88.3% in RIR chicks, confirmed by observing gonads after laparotomy or appearances at 80 d of age. Accuracy of sexing male chicks (95.0%) was higher than that of female chicks (86.0%). The overall accuracy of sexing was 90.2% in the present study, and the accuracy would be improved by continuous training in the handling of the endoscope. The endoscope system devised in this study requires no specific skills and anyone can perform sexing of chicks after short-term training.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makoto Otsuka
- NARO Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, 2 Ikenodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0901, Japan
| | - Osamu Miyashita
- NARO Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, 2 Ikenodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0901, Japan
| | - Mitsuru Shibata
- NARO Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, 2 Ikenodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0901, Japan
| | - Fujiyuki Sato
- NARO Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, 2 Ikenodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0901, Japan
| | - Mitsuru Naito
- National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, 2-1-2 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8602, Japan
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Fazli N, Hassanabadi A, Mottaghitalab M, Hajati H. Manipulation of broiler chickens sex differentiation by in ovo injection of aromatase inhibitors, and garlic and tomato extracts. Poult Sci 2015; 94:2778-83. [PMID: 26362979 DOI: 10.3382/ps/pev236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The influence of in ovo administration of aromatase inhibitors, clomiphen citrate, tomoxifen, and garlic and tomato extracts on sex differentiation in broiler chickens were investigated in 2 experiments. Five hundred, and 1,000 fertile eggs from Ross 308 strain were used in experiments 1 and 2, respectively. In both experiments, eggs were divided into 5 groups: control group (DW, 0.1 mL/egg), tomoxifen (0.05 mg/egg), clomiphene citrate (0.05 mg/egg), garlic and tomato extracts (0.1 mL/egg). Eggs were sanitized and prepared for incubation in a regular automatic hatchery. Experimental preparations were injected into eggs at day 5 of the incubation period. Injection sites on the eggs were cleaned with 70% ethylic alcohol, bored by a needle, and aromatase inhibitors were injected into the white from the thin end of the eggs by insulin syringe and then sealed by melted paraffin. In experiment 1, hatched one-day-old chicks (mixed-sex) were raised till 42 days of age in 25 floor pens with a completely randomized design. Experiment 2 was designed to investigate the effects of sex and treatments on the feed-to-gain ratio of broiler chicks. In experiment 2, hatched one-day-old chicks were feather sexed and raised till 42 days of age in 50 floor pens. A completely randomized design with a 2 × 5 factorial arrangement of treatments (sex×treatment) was used. Gonads of the chicks were checked to determine their sex on day 42 by optic microscope to make sure feather sexing was correct. At the end of both experiments, on day 42, one bird from each pen was slaughtered for carcass analysis. In experiment 1, hatchability and the one-day-old weight of chicks showed no significant differences among treatments (P > 0.05). However, in ovo administration of garlic and tomato extracts caused the highest percentage of male chicks (P < 0.05). Also, the percentage of thighs and wings of the males were significantly higher than those of females (P < 0.05). In experiment 2, feed-to-gain ratio of male and female broiler chicks showed no significant differences among treatments (P > 0.05).
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Affiliation(s)
- Nahid Fazli
- Department of Animal Science, University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran
| | - Ahmad Hassanabadi
- Department of Animal Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, PO Box 91775-1163, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Majid Mottaghitalab
- Department of Animal Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, PO Box 91775-1163, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Hosna Hajati
- Department of Animal Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, PO Box 91775-1163, Mashhad, Iran
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Shen ZG, Wang HP. Molecular players involved in temperature-dependent sex determination and sex differentiation in Teleost fish. Genet Sel Evol 2014; 46:26. [PMID: 24735220 PMCID: PMC4108122 DOI: 10.1186/1297-9686-46-26] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2013] [Accepted: 03/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The molecular mechanisms that underlie sex determination and differentiation are conserved and diversified. In fish species, temperature-dependent sex determination and differentiation seem to be ubiquitous and molecular players involved in these mechanisms may be conserved. Although how the ambient temperature transduces signals to the undifferentiated gonads remains to be elucidated, the genes downstream in the sex differentiation pathway are shared between sex-determining mechanisms. In this paper, we review recent advances on the molecular players that participate in the sex determination and differentiation in fish species, by putting emphasis on temperature-dependent sex determination and differentiation, which include temperature-dependent sex determination and genetic sex determination plus temperature effects. Application of temperature-dependent sex differentiation in farmed fish and the consequences of temperature-induced sex reversal are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Han-Ping Wang
- Aquaculture Genetics and Breeding Laboratory, The Ohio State University South Centers, Piketon, Ohio 45661, USA.
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Kruger DJ. Social and Environmental Conditions Intensifying Male Competition for Resources, Status, and Mates Lead to Increased Male Mortality. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-0314-6_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
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29
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Intarapat S, Stern CD. Sexually dimorphic and sex-independent left-right asymmetries in chicken embryonic gonads. PLoS One 2013; 8:e69893. [PMID: 23894556 PMCID: PMC3716703 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0069893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2013] [Accepted: 06/12/2013] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Female birds develop asymmetric gonads: a functional ovary develops on the left, whereas the right gonad regresses. In males, however, testes develop on both sides. We examined the distribution of germ cells using Vasa/Cvh as a marker. Expression is asymmetric in both sexes: at stage 35 the left gonad contains significantly more germ cells than the right. A similar expression pattern is seen for expression of ERNI (Ens1), a gene expressed in chick embryonic stem cells while they self-renew, but downregulated upon differentiation. Other pluripotency-associated markers (PouV/Oct3/4, Nanog and Sox2) also show asymmetric expression (more expressing cells on the left) in both sexes, but this asymmetry is at least partly due to expression in stromal cells of the developing gonad, and the pattern is different for all the genes. Therefore germ cell and pluripotency-associated genes show both sex-dependent and independent left-right asymmetry and a complex pattern of expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sittipon Intarapat
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology and UCL Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Claudio D. Stern
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology and UCL Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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Bear A, Monteiro A. Both cell-autonomous mechanisms and hormones contribute to sexual development in vertebrates and insects. Bioessays 2013; 35:725-32. [PMID: 23804281 DOI: 10.1002/bies.201300009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The differentiation of male and female characteristics in vertebrates and insects has long been thought to proceed via different mechanisms. Traditionally, vertebrate sexual development was thought to occur in two phases: a primary and a secondary phase, the primary phase involving the differentiation of the gonads, and the secondary phase involving the differentiation of other sexual traits via the influence of sex hormones secreted by the gonads. In contrast, insect sexual development was thought to depend exclusively on cell-autonomous expression of sex-specific genes. Recently, however, new evidence indicates that both vertebrates and insects rely on sex hormones as well as cell-autonomous mechanisms to develop sexual traits. Collectively, these new data challenge the traditional vertebrate definitions of primary and secondary sexual development, call for a redefinition of these terms, and indicate the need for research aimed at explaining the relative dependence on cell-autonomous versus hormonally guided sexual development in animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Bear
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
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31
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Cutting A, Chue J, Smith CA. Just how conserved is vertebrate sex determination? Dev Dyn 2013; 242:380-7. [PMID: 23390004 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.23944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2012] [Revised: 12/20/2012] [Accepted: 12/21/2012] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sex determination in vertebrate embryos has long been equated with gonadal differentiation into testes or ovaries. This view has been challenged over the years by reports of somatic sexual dimorphisms pre-dating gonadal sex differentiation. The recent finding that sex determination in birds is likely to be partly cell autonomous has again called for a broader definition of sex determination. Inherent sexual differentiation in each and every cell may apply widely among vertebrates, and may involve more than one "master sex gene" on a sex chromosome. At the gonadal level, key genes required for proper sexual differentiation are conserved among vertebrates, but their relative positions in the ovarian and testicular cascades differ. RESULTS We illustrate these differences by comparing key sex genes in fishes versus birds and mammals, with emphasis on DM domain genes and the SOX9-AMH pathway in the testis and the FOXL2-Aromatase pathway in the ovary. Such comparisons facilitate the identification of ancient versus derived genes involved in gonadal sex determination. CONCLUSIONS The data indicate that vertebrate sex-determining cascades are not as conserved as once thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Cutting
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Childrens Hospital, Parkville, Australia
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Kikuchi K, Hamaguchi S. Novel sex-determining genes in fish and sex chromosome evolution. Dev Dyn 2013; 242:339-53. [PMID: 23335327 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.23927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 159] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2012] [Revised: 12/25/2012] [Accepted: 12/26/2012] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the molecular mechanisms underlying many developmental events are conserved across vertebrate taxa, the lability at the top of the sex-determining (SD) cascade has been evident from the fact that four master SD genes have been identified: mammalian Sry; chicken DMRT1; medaka Dmy; and Xenopus laevis DM-W. This diversity is thought to be associated with the turnover of sex chromosomes, which is likely to be more frequent in fishes and other poikilotherms than in therian mammals and birds. Recently, four novel candidates for vertebrate SD genes were reported, all of them in fishes. These include amhy in the Patagonian pejerrey, Gsdf in Oryzias luzonensis, Amhr2 in fugu and sdY in rainbow trout. These studies provide a good opportunity to infer patterns from the seemingly chaotic picture of sex determination systems. Here, we review recent advances in our understanding of the master SD genes in fishes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiyoshi Kikuchi
- Fisheries Laboratory, University of Tokyo, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan.
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33
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Ellis HL, Shioda K, Rosenthal NF, Coser KR, Shioda T. Masculine epigenetic sex marks of the CYP19A1/aromatase promoter in genetically male chicken embryonic gonads are resistant to estrogen-induced phenotypic sex conversion. Biol Reprod 2012; 87:23, 1-12. [PMID: 22539680 DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod.112.099747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex of birds is genetically determined through inheritance of the ZW sex chromosomes (ZZ males and ZW females). Although the mechanisms of avian sex determination remains unknown, the genetic sex is experimentally reversible by in ovo exposure to exogenous estrogens (ZZ-male feminization) or aromatase inhibitors (ZW-female masculinization). Expression of various testis- and ovary-specific marker genes during the normal and reversed gonadal sex differentiation in chicken embryos has been extensively studied, but the roles of sex-specific epigenetic marks in sex differentiation are unknown. In this study, we show that a 170-nt region in the promoter of CYP19A1/aromatase, a key gene required for ovarian estrogen biosynthesis and feminization of chicken embryonic gonads, contains highly quantitative, nucleotide base-level epigenetic marks that reflect phenotypic gonadal sex differentiation. We developed a protocol to feminize ZZ-male chicken embryonic gonads in a highly quantitative manner by direct injection of emulsified ethynylestradiol into yolk at various developmental stages. Taking advantage of this experimental sex reversal model, we show that the epigenetic sex marks in the CYP19A1/aromatase promoter involving DNA methylation and histone lysine methylation are feminized significantly but only partially in sex-converted gonads even when morphological and transcriptional marks of sex differentiation show complete feminization, being indistinguishable from gonads of normal ZW females. Our study suggests that the epigenetic sex of chicken embryonic gonads is more stable than the morphologically or transcriptionally characterized sex differentiation, suggesting the importance of the nucleotide base-level epigenetic sex in gonadal sex differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haley L Ellis
- Molecular Profiling Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Cancer Research and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
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34
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[Mechanism of avian sex determination and differentiation]. YI CHUAN = HEREDITAS 2012; 34:407-11. [PMID: 22522157 DOI: 10.3724/sp.j.1005.2012.00407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Avian sex is determined by genes on the sex chromosomes (ZZ for male and ZW for female). In avian embryo stage, genes on one or two chromosomes control the sex differentiation. Gonad develops to testis in ZZ male and to ovary in ZW female. To date, DMRT1 (Doublesex and mab-3 related transcription factor 1) is considered to be the best candidate gene in controlling the avian gonad differentiation. However, recent study showed that avian sex might be determined by cell autonomous independent of sex hormone signal. Therefore, sex determination gene does not only control the gonadal differentiation, but also control body cells. From this sense, DMRT1 is not the switch gene of avian sex determination. What is the switch factor of avian sex determination, and what is the mechanism of avian sex determination? This review discussed the current progresses on avian sex determination and differentiation from three aspects: W chromosome and ovary development, Z chromosome and testis development, and avian sex determination and cell autonomous.
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Uller T, Helanterä H. From the origin of sex-determining factors to the evolution of sex-determining systems. QUARTERLY REVIEW OF BIOLOGY 2011; 86:163-80. [PMID: 21954700 DOI: 10.1086/661118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Sex determination is typically classified as either genotypic or environmental. However, this dichotomy obscures the developmental origin and evolutionary modification of determinants of sex, and therefore hinders an understanding of the processes that generates diversity in sex-determining systems. Recent research on reptiles and fish emphasizes that sex determination is a multifactorial regulatory process that is best understood as a threshold dichotomy rather than as the result of genetically inherited triggers of development. Here we critically assess the relationship between the developmental origin of sex-determining factors and evolutionary transitions in sex-determining systems. Our perspective emphasizes the importance of both genetic and nongenetic causes in evolution of sex determination and may help to generate predictions with respect to the evolutionary patterns of sex-determining systems and the underlying diversity of developmental and genetic regulatory networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Uller
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford Oxford OX1 3PS United Kingdom.
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36
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37
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Tong SK, Hsu HJ, Chung BC. Zebrafish monosex population reveals female dominance in sex determination and earliest events of gonad differentiation. Dev Biol 2010; 344:849-56. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2010.05.515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2010] [Revised: 05/28/2010] [Accepted: 05/31/2010] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Rosenthal N, Ellis H, Shioda K, Mahoney C, Coser K, Shioda T. High-throughput applicable genomic sex typing of chicken by TaqMan real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Poult Sci 2010; 89:1451-6. [DOI: 10.3382/ps.2010-00638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
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39
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Morphological Characteristics of Symmetrically Developed Ovaries in a 17-day Incubated Chicken Embryo. J Poult Sci 2010. [DOI: 10.2141/jpsa.009043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
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40
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The avian Z-linked gene DMRT1 is required for male sex determination in the chicken. Nature 2009; 461:267-71. [DOI: 10.1038/nature08298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 599] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2009] [Accepted: 07/21/2009] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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41
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Balthazart J, Cornil CA, Charlier TD, Taziaux M, Ball GF. Estradiol, a key endocrine signal in the sexual differentiation and activation of reproductive behavior in quail. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009; 311:323-45. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
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42
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Bannister SC, Tizard MLV, Doran TJ, Sinclair AH, Smith CA. Sexually dimorphic microRNA expression during chicken embryonic gonadal development. Biol Reprod 2009; 81:165-76. [PMID: 19357368 DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod.108.074005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs are a highly conserved class of small RNAs that function in a sequence-specific manner to posttranscriptionally regulate gene expression. Tissue-specific miRNA expression studies have discovered numerous functions for miRNAs in various aspects of embryogenesis, but a role for miRNAs in gonadal development and sex differentiation has not yet been reported. Using the chicken embryo as a model, microarrays were used to profile the expression of chicken miRNAs prior to, during, and after the time of gonadal sex differentiation (Embryonic Day 5.5 [E5.5], E6.5, and E9.5). Sexually dimorphic miRNAs were identified, and the expression patterns of several were subjected to further validation by in situ hybridization and Northern blot analysis. Expression of one chicken miRNA, MIR202*, was observed to be sexually dimorphic, with upregulation in the developing testis from the onset of sexual differentiation. Additional data from deep sequencing of male and female embryonic gonad RNA samples also indicated upregulation of MIR202* in male gonads. These findings provide the first evidence of sexually dimorphic miRNA expression during vertebrate gonadal sex differentiation and suggest that MIR202* may function in regulating testicular development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie C Bannister
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation Livestock Industries, Australian Animal Health Laboratory, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
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43
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Alekseevich LA, Lukina NA, Nikitin NS, Nekrasova AA, Smirnov AF. Problems of sex determination in birds exemplified by Gallus gallus domesticus. RUSS J GENET+ 2009. [DOI: 10.1134/s1022795409030016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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44
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Preferential Migration of Transferred Primordial Germ Cells to Left Germinal Ridge of Recipient Embryos in Chickens. J Poult Sci 2009. [DOI: 10.2141/jpsa.46.40] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
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45
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Arnold AP, Itoh Y, Melamed E. A bird's-eye view of sex chromosome dosage compensation. Annu Rev Genomics Hum Genet 2008; 9:109-27. [PMID: 18489256 DOI: 10.1146/annurev.genom.9.081307.164220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Intensive study of a few genetically tractable species with XX/XY sex chromosomes has produced generalizations about the process of sex chromosome dosage compensation that do not fare well when applied to ZZ/ZW sex chromosome systems, such as those in birds. The inherent sexual imbalance in dose of sex chromosome genes has led to the evolution of sex-chromosome-wide mechanisms for balancing gene dosage between the sexes and relative to autosomal genes. Recent advances in our knowledge of avian genomes have led to a reexamination of sex-specific dosage compensation (SSDC) in birds, which is less effective than in known XX/XY systems. Insights about the mechanisms of SSDC in birds also suggest similarities to and differences from those in XX/XY species. Birds are thus offering new opportunities for studying dosage compensation in a ZZ/ZW system, which should shed light on the evolution of SSDC more broadly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur P Arnold
- Department of Physiological Science and Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology of the Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA.
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46
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Evolution of "determinants" in sex-determination: a novel hypothesis for the origin of environmental contingencies in avian sex-bias. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2008; 20:304-12. [PMID: 19073270 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2008.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2008] [Revised: 11/18/2008] [Accepted: 11/19/2008] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Sex-determination is commonly categorized as either "genetic" or "environmental"-a classification that obscures the origin of this dichotomy and the evolution of sex-determining factors. The current focus on static outcomes of sex-determination provides little insight into the dynamic developmental processes by which some mechanisms acquire the role of sex determinants. Systems that combine "genetic" pathways of sex-determination (i.e., sex chromosomes) with "environmental" pathways (e.g., epigenetically induced segregation distortion) provide an opportunity to examine the evolutionary relationships between the two classes of processes and, ultimately, illuminate the evolution of sex-determining systems. Taxa with sex chromosomes typically undergo an evolutionary reduction in size of one of the sex chromosomes due to suppressed recombination, resulting in pronounced dimorphism of the sex chromosomes, and setting the stage for emergence of epigenetic compensatory mechanisms regulating meiotic segregation of heteromorphic sex chromosomes. Here we propose that these dispersed and redundant regulatory mechanisms enable environmental contingency in genetic sex-determination in birds and account for frequently documented context-dependence in avian sex-determination. We examine the evolution of directionality in such sex-determination as a result of exposure of epigenetic regulators of meiosis to natural selection and identify a central role of hormones in integrating female reproductive homeostasis, resource allocation to oocytes, and offspring sex. This approach clarifies the evolutionary relationship between sex-specific molecular genetic mechanisms of sex-determination and non-sex-specific epigenetic regulators of meiosis and demonstrates that both can determine sex. Our perspective shows how non-sex-specific mechanisms can acquire sex-determining function and, by establishing the explicit link between physiological integration of oogenesis and sex-determination, opens new avenues to the studies of adaptive sex-bias and sex-specific resource allocation in species with genetic sex-determination.
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All dosage compensation is local: Gene-by-gene regulation of sex-biased expression on the chicken Z chromosome. Heredity (Edinb) 2008; 102:312-20. [DOI: 10.1038/hdy.2008.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
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Maruo K, Suda M, Yokoyama S, Oshima Y, Nakamura M. Steroidogenic gene expression during sex determination in the frog Rana rugosa. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2008; 158:87-94. [PMID: 18550057 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2008.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2008] [Revised: 04/05/2008] [Accepted: 04/30/2008] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Rana rugosa is unique among frog species in that it has two distinct types of sex chromosomes in two separate forms (XX/XY and ZZ/ZW). Treatment with sex steroids can reverse its gender from female to male or male to female. This phenomenon makes it a novel model for studying gonadal differentiation. The physiological role of sex steroids in sex differentiation in amphibians is yet unclear, however. To address this issue, we cloned the cDNAs of 17betaHSD types 8 (17betaHSD8) and 12 (17betaHSD12), 5alpha-reductase type 1 (5alphaRed1), and the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein known as StAR in the steroidogenic pathway. Then, we measured the mRNA levels of these genes during sex differentiation by real-time RT-PCR. The levels of CYP11A1, 3betaHSD, CYP17 and CYP19 mRNA were also measured by real-time RT-PCR. As a result, we detected transcripts of all such genes except for that of 17betaHSD8 in the indifferent gonad before the onset of sex determination. The expression of CYP17 occurred in indifferent gonads in both sexes; and its transcript levels were much higher in the male gonads. By contrast, the levels for CYP19 were much higher in the female gonads. CYP11A1, 3betaHSD, 17betaHSD12, 5alphaRed1 and StAR showed no sexually dimorphic expression during gonadal sex differentiation. Taken together, the results suggest that CYP17 has a major influence on testis development and that CYP19 plays a similar role in ovary development. However, the factors that up-regulate their expression remain to be identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koichi Maruo
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Education and Integrated Arts and Sciences, Waseda University, 1-6-1 Nishi-Waseda, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8050, Japan
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Smith C. Sex Determination in Birds: HINTs from the W Sex Chromosome? Sex Dev 2008; 1:279-85. [DOI: 10.1159/000108934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2007] [Accepted: 08/17/2007] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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Expression of P450arom, AMH and ER.ALPHA. mRNA in Gonads of Turkey, Duck and Goose within One Week of Age. J Poult Sci 2008. [DOI: 10.2141/jpsa.45.220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
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