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Abe N, Sakiyama A, Suzuki M, Win-Shwe TT, Suzuki T, Kawashima T, Tsukahara S. Ethynylestradiol feminizes gene expression partly in testis developing as ovotestis and disrupts asymmetric Müllerian duct development by eliminating asymmetric gene expression in Japanese quail embryos. Toxicol Sci 2024; 199:210-226. [PMID: 38526210 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfae033] [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] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
In avian embryos, xenoestrogens induce abnormalities in reproductive organs, particularly the testes and Müllerian ducts (MDs). However, the molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. We investigated the effects of ethynylestradiol (EE2) exposure on gene expression associated with reproductive organ development in Japanese quail embryos. Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis revealed that the left testis containing ovary-like tissues following EE2 exposure highly expressed the genes for steroidogenic enzymes (P450scc, P45017α, lyase, and 3β-HSD) and estrogen receptor-β, compared to the right testis. No asymmetry was found in these gene expression without EE2. EE2 induced hypertrophy in female MDs and suppressed atrophy in male MDs on both sides. RNA sequencing analysis of female MDs showed 1,366 differentially expressed genes between developing left MD and atrophied right MD in the absence of EE2, and these genes were enriched in Gene Ontology terms related to organogenesis, including cell proliferation, migration and differentiation, and angiogenesis. However, EE2 reduced asymmetrically expressed genes to 21. RT-qPCR analysis indicated that genes promoting cell cycle progression and oncogenesis were more highly expressed in the left MD than in the right MD, but EE2 eliminated such asymmetric gene expression by increasing levels on the right side. EE2-exposed males showed overexpression of these genes in both MDs. This study reveals part of the molecular basis of xenoestrogen-induced abnormalities in avian reproductive organs, where EE2 may partly feminize gene expression in the left testis, developing as the ovotestis, and induce bilateral MD malformation by canceling asymmetric gene expression underlying MD development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natsuko Abe
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama 338-8570, Japan
| | - Akari Sakiyama
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama 338-8570, Japan
| | - Maho Suzuki
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama 338-8570, Japan
| | - Tin-Tin Win-Shwe
- Health and Environmental Risk Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba 305-8506, Japan
| | - Takehiro Suzuki
- Health and Environmental Risk Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba 305-8506, Japan
| | - Takaharu Kawashima
- Health and Environmental Risk Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba 305-8506, Japan
| | - Shinji Tsukahara
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama 338-8570, Japan
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Win-Shwe TT, Abe N, Sakiyama A, Suzuki M, Sano K, Kawashima T, Tsukahara S. In ovo o,p'-DDT exposure induces malformation of reproductive organs and alters the expression of genes controlling sexual differentiation in Japanese quail embryo. J Appl Toxicol 2024; 44:699-711. [PMID: 38102769 DOI: 10.1002/jat.4571] [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: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
In ovo exposure to o,p'-dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (o,p'-DDT) impairs reproduction by inducing malformation of the reproductive organs in birds, although the mechanism remains unclear. Here, we examined the effects of o,p'-DDT on the development of the reproductive organs, the expression of genes controlling sexual differentiation, and the plasma concentrations of testosterone and estradiol in Japanese quail embryos. o,p'-DDT-containing sesame oil was injected into the yolk sac on Embryonic Day (E) 3 at a dose of 500, 2,000, or 8,000 μg per egg. On E15, the reproductive organs were observed; the gonads and Müllerian ducts (MDs) were sampled to measure the mRNA of steroidogenic enzymes, sex steroid receptors, anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), and AMH receptor 2 (AMHR2); blood samples were collected to assay plasma testosterone and estradiol levels; and the gonads were used for histological analysis. o,p'-DDT dose-dependently increased the prevalence of hypertrophic MDs in females and residual MDs in males. In female MDs, o,p'-DDT dose-dependently decreased estrogen receptor (ER) α, ERβ, and AMHR2 mRNA expression. o,p'-DDT dose-dependently induced left-biased asymmetry of testis size, and ovary-like tissue was found in the left testis after exposure to 8,000 μg per egg o,p'-DDT, although asymmetric gene expression did not occur. o,p'-DDT did not affect ovarian tissue but did decrease 17α-hydroxylase/C17-20 lyase mRNA expression and dose-dependently increased ERβ mRNA expression. o,p'-DDT decreased plasma testosterone concentrations in females. These findings suggest that o,p'-DDT induces hypertrophy of the MDs and ovarian tissue formation in the left testis. Abnormal MD development may be linked to altered gene expression for sensing estrogens and AMH signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tin-Tin Win-Shwe
- Health and Environmental Risk Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Natsuko Abe
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Akari Sakiyama
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Maho Suzuki
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Sano
- Health and Environmental Risk Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Takaharu Kawashima
- Health and Environmental Risk Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Shinji Tsukahara
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama, Japan
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Tan JL, Major AT, Smith CA. Mini review: Asymmetric Müllerian duct development in the chicken embryo. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1347711. [PMID: 38380340 PMCID: PMC10877723 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1347711] [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: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Müllerian ducts are paired embryonic tubes that give rise to the female reproductive tract. In humans, the Müllerian ducts differentiate into the Fallopian tubes, uterus and upper portion of the vagina. In birds and reptiles, the Müllerian ducts develop into homologous structures, the oviducts. The genetic and hormonal regulation of duct development is a model for understanding sexual differentiation. In males, the ducts typically undergo regression during embryonic life, under the influence of testis-derived Anti-Müllerian Hormone, AMH. In females, a lack of AMH during embryogenesis allows the ducts to differentiate into the female reproductive tract. In the chicken embryo, a long-standing model for development and sexual differentiation, Müllerian duct development in females in asymmetric. Only the left duct forms an oviduct, coincident with ovary formation only on the left side of the body. The right duct, together with the right gonad, becomes vestigial. The mechanism of this avian asymmetry has never been fully resolved, but is thought to involve local interplay between AMH and sex steroid hormones. This mini-review re-visits the topic, highlighting questions in the field and proposing a testable model for asymmetric duct development. We argue that current molecular and imaging techniques will shed new light on this curious asymmetry. Information on asymmetric duct development in the chicken model will inform our understanding of sexual differentiation in vertebrates more broadly.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Craig A. Smith
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
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Mizia PC, Rams-Pociecha I, Podmokła E, Piprek RP. Histological analysis of early gonadal development in three bird species reveals gonad asymmetry from the beginning of gonadal ridge formation and a similar course of sex differentiation. Ann Anat 2023; 250:152151. [PMID: 37574173 DOI: 10.1016/j.aanat.2023.152151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
The developing gonads constitute a valuable model for studying developmental mechanisms because the testes and ovaries, while originating from the same primordia, undergo two different patterns of development. So far, gonadal development among birds has been described in detail in chickens, but literature on the earliest stages of gonadogenesis is scarce. This study presents changes in the structure of the gonads in three species of breeding birds (chicken, duck, and pigeon), starting from the first signs of gonadal ridge formation, that is, the thickenings of the coelomic epithelium. It appears that both gonads show asymmetry from the very beginning of gonadal ridge formation in both genetic sexes. The left gonadal ridge is thicker than the right one, and it is invaded by a higher number of primordial germ cells. Undifferentiated gonads, both left and right, consist of the primitive cortex and the medulla. The primitive cortex develops from the thickened coelomic epithelium, while the primitive medulla - by the aggregation of mesenchymal cells. This study also describes the process of sex differentiation of the testes and ovaries, which is initiated at the same embryonic stage in all three studied species. The first sign of gonadal sex differentiation is the decrease in the number of cortical germ cells and a reduction in cortical thickness in the differentiating testes. This is followed by an increase in the number of germ cells in the medulla. The cortical asymmetry and difference in size between the left and right testes diminishes during later development. However, the differentiating left ovary shows an increase in the number of cortical germ cells and cortical thickness. No regression is seen in the right ovary, although its development is slower. The right ovarian cortex undergoes testis-specific reduction, while the medulla undergoes ovary-specific development. The process of gonadogenesis is similar in the three studied species, with only slight differences in gonadal structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina C Mizia
- Department of Comparative Anatomy, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387 Krakow, Poland; Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Izabela Rams-Pociecha
- Department of Comparative Anatomy, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387 Krakow, Poland; Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Edyta Podmokła
- Department of Comparative Anatomy, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387 Krakow, Poland
| | - Rafal P Piprek
- Department of Comparative Anatomy, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387 Krakow, Poland.
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Deviatiiarov R, Nagai H, Ismagulov G, Stupina A, Wada K, Ide S, Toji N, Zhang H, Sukparangsi W, Intarapat S, Gusev O, Sheng G. Dosage compensation of Z sex chromosome genes in avian fibroblast cells. Genome Biol 2023; 24:213. [PMID: 37730643 PMCID: PMC10510239 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-023-03055-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
In birds, sex is genetically determined; however, the molecular mechanism is not well-understood. The avian Z sex chromosome (chrZ) lacks whole chromosome inactivation, in contrast to the mammalian chrX. To investigate chrZ dosage compensation and its role in sex specification, we use a highly quantitative method and analyze transcriptional activities of male and female fibroblast cells from seven bird species. Our data indicate that three fourths of chrZ genes are strictly compensated across Aves, similar to mammalian chrX. We also present a complete list of non-compensated chrZ genes and identify Ribosomal Protein S6 (RPS6) as a conserved sex-dimorphic gene in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruslan Deviatiiarov
- International Research Center for Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
- Regulatory Genomics Research Center, Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russian Federation
- Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan
- Life Improvement by Future Technologies Institute, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Hiroki Nagai
- International Research Center for Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Galym Ismagulov
- International Research Center for Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Anastasia Stupina
- Regulatory Genomics Research Center, Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russian Federation
| | - Kazuhiro Wada
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Shinji Ide
- Kumamoto City Zoo and Botanical Garden, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Noriyuki Toji
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Heng Zhang
- Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Woranop Sukparangsi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Burapha University, Chonburi, Thailand
| | | | - Oleg Gusev
- Regulatory Genomics Research Center, Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russian Federation.
- Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan.
- Life Improvement by Future Technologies Institute, Moscow, Russian Federation.
| | - Guojun Sheng
- International Research Center for Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
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Ran M, Ouyang Q, Li X, Hu S, Hu B, Hu J, Dong D, Li L, He H, Liu H, Wang J. Exploring right ovary degeneration in duck and goose embryos by histology and transcriptome dynamics analysis. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:389. [PMID: 37430218 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09493-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The development of asymmetric chick gonads involves separate developmental programs in the left and right gonads. In contrast to the left ovary developing into a fully functional reproductive organ, the right ovary undergoes gradual degeneration. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the the degeneration of the right ovary remain incompletely understood. In the present study, we investigated the histomorphological and transcriptomic changes in the right ovary of ducks and geese during the the embryonic stage up to post-hatching day 1. RESULT Hematoxylin-eosin stainings revealed that the right ovary developed until embryonic day 20 in ducks (DE20) or embryonic day 22 in geese (GE22), after which it started to regress. Further RNA-seq analyses revealed that both the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in ducks and geese right ovary developmental stage were significantly enriched in cell adhesion-related pathway (ECM-receptor interaction, Focal adhesion pathway) and Cellular senescence pathway. Then during the degeneration stage, the DEGs were primarily enriched in pathways associated with inflammation, including Herpes simplex virus 1 infection, Influenza A, and Toll-like receptor signaling pathway. Moreover, duck-specific DEGs showed enrichment in Steroid hormone biosynthesis, Base excision repair, and the Wnt signaling pathway, while geese-specifically DEGs were found to be enriched in apoptosis and inflammation-related pathways, such as Ferroptosis, Necroptosis, RIG-I-like receptor signaling pathway, and NOD-like receptor signaling pathway. These findings suggest that the degeneration process of the right ovary in ducks occurs at a slower pace compared to that in geese. Additionally, the observation of the left ovary of the geese varying degeneration rates in the right ovary after hatching indicated that the development of the left ovary may be influenced by the degeneration of the right ovary. CONCLUSION The data presented in this study provide valuable insights into the dynamic changes in histological structure and transcriptome during the degeneration of the right ovary in ducks and geese. In addition, through the analysis of shared characteristics in the degeneration process of the right ovary in both ducks and geese, we have uncovered the patterns of degradation and elucidated the molecular mechanisms involved in the regression of the right ovary in poultry. Furthermore, we have also made initial discoveries regarding the relationship between the degeneration of the right ovary and the development of the left ovary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingxia Ran
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Qingyuan Ouyang
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Xuejian Li
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Shenqiang Hu
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Bo Hu
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Jiwei Hu
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Dan Dong
- Yucheng District Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau, Ya'an, 625000, China
| | - Liang Li
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Hua He
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Hehe Liu
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Jiwen Wang
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China.
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Peng Z, Man Q, Meng L, Wang S, Cai H, Zhang C, Li X, Wang H, Zhu G. A PITX2-HTR1B pathway regulates the asymmetric development of female gonads in chickens. PNAS NEXUS 2023; 2:pgad202. [PMID: 37388922 PMCID: PMC10304771 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgad202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
All female vertebrates develop a pair of ovaries except for birds, in which only the left gonad develops into an ovary, whereas the right gonad regresses. Previous studies found that the transcription factor Paired-Like Homeodomain 2 (PITX2), a key mediator for left/right morphogenesis in vertebrates, was also implicated in asymmetric gonadal development in chickens. In this study, we systematically screened and validated the signaling pathways that could be targeted by Pitx2 to control unilateral gonad development. Integrated chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analyses indicated that Pitx2 directly binds to the promoters of genes encoding neurotransmitter receptors and leads to left-biased expression of both serotonin and dopamine receptors. Forcibly activating serotonin receptor 5-Hydroxytryptamine Receptor 1B (HTR1B) signaling could induce ovarian gene expression and cell proliferation to partially rescue the degeneration of the right gonad. In contrast, inhibiting serotonin signaling could block the development of the left gonad. These findings reveal a PITX2-HTR1B genetic pathway that guides the left-specific ovarian growth in chickens. We also provided new evidence showing neurotransmitters stimulate the growth of nonneuronal cells during the early development of reproductive organs well before innervation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Sheng Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 271018, China
| | - Hao Cai
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 271018, China
| | - Chuansheng Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao 066600, China
| | - Xianyao Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 271018, China
| | - Heng Wang
- To whom correspondence should be addressed: (G.Z.); (H.W.)
| | - Guiyu Zhu
- To whom correspondence should be addressed: (G.Z.); (H.W.)
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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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Directional asymmetry in gonad length indicates moray eels (Teleostei, Anguilliformes, Muraenidae) are "right-gonadal". Sci Rep 2023; 13:2963. [PMID: 36807600 PMCID: PMC9941099 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-29218-3] [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: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Directional asymmetry indicates a unidirectional deviation from perfect bilateral symmetry, which was rarely examined in the inner organs of the teleost (Teleostei) compared to external traits. This study examines the directional asymmetry in the gonad length of 20 species of moray eels (Muraenidae) and two outgroup species with 2959 individuals. We tested three hypotheses: (1) moray eel species did not exhibit directional asymmetry in the gonad length; (2) the directional asymmetry pattern was the same for all selected species; (3) the directional asymmetry was not related to the major habitat types, depth and size classes, and taxonomic closeness of the species. Moray eels were generally "right-gonadal", the right gonad length being constantly and significantly longer than the left one in all studied Muraenidae species. The degree of asymmetry varied among species and was not significantly related to taxonomic closeness. The habitat types, depth, and size classes had intermingled effects on observed asymmetry without a clear correspondence. The directional asymmetry in the gonad length is a unique and widely occurring phenomenon in the Family Muraenidae, which was likely a by-product in the evolutionary history without significant disadvantage in survival.
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Clinton M, Zhao D. Avian Sex Determination: A Chicken and Egg Conundrum. Sex Dev 2023; 17:120-133. [PMID: 36796340 PMCID: PMC10659007 DOI: 10.1159/000529754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Primary sex determination is the developmental process that results in the sexual differentiation of the gonads. Vertebrate sex determination is generally considered to follow the model based on the mammalian system, where a sex-specific master regulatory gene activates one of the two different gene networks that underlie testis and ovary differentiation. SUMMARY It is now known that, while many of the molecular components of these pathways are conserved across different vertebrates, a wide variety of different trigger factors are utilized to initiate primary sex determination. In birds, the male is the homogametic sex (ZZ), and significant differences exist between the avian system of sex determination and that of mammals. For example, DMRT1, FOXL2, and estrogen are key factors in gonadogenesis in birds, but none are essential for primary sex determination in mammals. KEY MESSAGE Gonadal sex determination in birds is thought to depend on a dosage-based mechanism involving expression of the Z-linked DMRT1 gene, and it may be that this "mechanism" is simply an extension of the cell autonomous sex identity associated with avian tissues, with no sex-specific trigger required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Clinton
- Roslin Institute Chicken Embryology (RICE) Group, Gene Function and Development, The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Midlothian, UK
| | - Debiao Zhao
- Roslin Institute Chicken Embryology (RICE) Group, Gene Function and Development, The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Midlothian, UK
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11
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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
- grid.22935.3f0000 0004 0530 8290National 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
- grid.22935.3f0000 0004 0530 8290National 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
- grid.22935.3f0000 0004 0530 8290National 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
- grid.22935.3f0000 0004 0530 8290National 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
- grid.22935.3f0000 0004 0530 8290National 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
- grid.22935.3f0000 0004 0530 8290National 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
- grid.22935.3f0000 0004 0530 8290National 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
- grid.22935.3f0000 0004 0530 8290National 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
- grid.22935.3f0000 0004 0530 8290National 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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12
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Qin H, Wang J, Jia X, Zhi Y, Sun L, Zhang J, Wang J, Lu Y. Quantitative proteomics analysis of chicken embryos reveals key proteins that affect right gonadal degeneration in females. Proteomics 2022:e2200428. [PMID: 36574226 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.202200428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
In birds, embryonic gonads of females develop in a way different from mammals, with the left one develops into a functional ovary, while the right one degenerates during embryogenesis. Here, we examined the proteomics profiles of the female and male left and right gonads at embryonic day 6.5 (E6.5) with the label free tandem mass spectrometry proteomics technique. The relative protein abundance of the left and right gonads of female and male embryos was determined to identify their differential proteins. Overall, a total of 7726 proteins were identified, of which 79 and 54 proteins were significantly different in female and male right gonads compared with female left gonads and male left gonads respectively. Bioinformatics analysis showed that the proteins DMRT1, ZFPM2, TSHZ3 were potentially associated with the degeneration of the right gonads in female embryos. The proteomics in this study provide clues for further elucidation of the pathways of sex determination, sex differentiation, and right gonadal degeneration in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haimei Qin
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
- Reproductive Medicine, Guangxi Medical and health key discipline construction project of the Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Guangxi Baise, China
| | - Jingyuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
- Zhang Jiagang Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Station, Zhang Jiagang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaoxuan Jia
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Yifei Zhi
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Lingling Sun
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Jiale Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Junli Wang
- Reproductive Medicine, Guangxi Medical and health key discipline construction project of the Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Guangxi Baise, China
| | - Yangqing Lu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
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13
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Palmer EI, Betty EL, Murphy S, Perrott MR, Smith ANH, Stockin KA. Reproductive biology of female common dolphins ( Delphinus delphis) in New Zealand waters. MARINE BIOLOGY 2022; 169:158. [PMID: 36466079 PMCID: PMC9705467 DOI: 10.1007/s00227-022-04139-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Reproductive biology was assessed in 106 female common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) examined post-mortem from stranding and bycatch events along the New Zealand coastline between 1997 and 2019. The average age (ASM) and length (LSM) at sexual maturity was estimated at 7.5 years and 183.5 cm, respectively. The total number of corpora in mature individuals increased with age and appeared to persist throughout life. Ovarian asymmetry was apparent, with the left ovary displaying higher rates of ovulation, and a maximum of 19 corpora recorded for a 24-year-old female. The estimated ovulation and annual pregnancy rates for mature females were 0.39 year-1 and 30%, respectively. Conception and calving occurred year-round, with a weak seasonal increase observed in late austral spring and early austral summer. As these data did not clearly show whether seasonality was present, the gestation, lactation, and resting periods were calculated as either 12.6 or 12.8 months based on the presence/absence of seasonality, respectively. Similarly, calving interval ranged from 3.15 to 3.2 years, depending upon whether seasonality was considered. The estimated LSM of the New Zealand population aligns with other populations globally, although the estimated ASM is younger by approximately 6 months. Other reproductive parameters align with Northern Hemisphere populations, although demonstrate variation, which may reflect adaptations to local conditions such as water temperature and prey availability. As the species is subject to anthropogenic impacts including pollution and bycatch, we suggest our findings be used as a baseline with which to monitor trends in population parameters. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00227-022-04139-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily I. Palmer
- Cetacean Ecology Research Group, School of Natural Sciences, Massey University, Auckland, 0745 New Zealand
| | - Emma L. Betty
- Cetacean Ecology Research Group, School of Natural Sciences, Massey University, Auckland, 0745 New Zealand
| | - Sinéad Murphy
- Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, Marine and Freshwater Research Centre, School of Science and Computing, Atlantic Technological University, ATU Galway City, Old Dublin Road, Galway, H91 T8NW Ireland
| | - Matthew R. Perrott
- School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Palmerston North, 4472 New Zealand
| | - Adam N. H. Smith
- School of Mathematical and Computational Sciences, Massey University, Auckland, 0745 New Zealand
| | - Karen A. Stockin
- Cetacean Ecology Research Group, School of Natural Sciences, Massey University, Auckland, 0745 New Zealand
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14
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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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15
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Jiang Y, Peng Z, Man Q, Wang S, Huang X, Meng L, Wang H, Zhu G. H3K27ac chromatin acetylation and gene expression analysis reveal sex- and situs-related differences in developing chicken gonads. Biol Sex Differ 2022; 13:6. [PMID: 35135592 PMCID: PMC8822763 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-022-00415-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Birds exhibit a unique asymmetry in terms of gonad development. The female left gonad generates a functional ovary, whereas the right gonad regresses. In males, both left and right gonads would develop into testes. How is this left/right asymmetry established only in females but not in males remains unknown. The epigenetic regulation of gonadal developmental genes may contribute to this sex disparity. The modification of histone tails such as H3K27ac is tightly coupled to chromatin activation and gene expression. To explore whether H3K27ac marked chromatin activation is involved in the asymmetric development of avian gonads, we probed genome-wide H3K27ac occupancy in left and right gonads from both sexes and related chromatin activity profile to the expression of gonadal genes. Furthermore, we validated the effect of chromatin activity on asymmetric gonadal development by manipulating the chromatin histone acetylation levels. METHODS The undifferentiated gonads from both sides of each sex were collected and subjected to RNA-Seq and H3K27ac ChIP-Seq experiments. Integrated analysis of gene expression and active chromatin regions were performed to identify the sex- and situs-specific regulation and expression of gonadal genes. The histone deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin A (TSA) was applied to the undifferentiated female right gonads to assess the effect of chromatin activation on gonadal gene expression and cell proliferation. RESULTS Even before sex differentiation, the gonads already show divergent gene expression between different sexes and between left/right sides in females. The sex-specific H3K27ac chromatin distributions coincide with the higher expression of male/female specification genes in each sex. Unexpectedly, the H3K27ac marked chromatin activation show a dramatic difference between left and right gonads in both sexes, although the left/right asymmetric gonadal development was observed only in females but not in males. In females, the side-specific H3K27ac occupancy instructs the differential expression of developmental genes between the pair of gonads and contributes to the development of left but not right gonad. However, in males, the left/right discrepancy of H3K27ac chromatin distribution does not drive the side-biased gene expression or gonad development. The TSA-induced retention of chromatin acetylation causes up-regulation of ovarian developmental genes and increases cell proliferation in the female right gonad. CONCLUSIONS We revealed that left/right asymmetry in H3K27ac marked chromatin activation exists in both sexes, but this discrepancy gives rise to asymmetric gonadal development only in females. Other mechanisms overriding the chromatin activation would control the symmetric development of male gonads in chicken.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunqi Jiang
- Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, China.,Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, College of Animal Sciences and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhelun Peng
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, College of Animal Sciences and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Qiu Man
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, College of Animal Sciences and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Sheng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, College of Animal Sciences and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaochen Huang
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, College of Animal Sciences and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Lu Meng
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, College of Animal Sciences and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Heng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, College of Animal Sciences and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.
| | - Guiyu Zhu
- Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, China. .,Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, College of Animal Sciences and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.
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16
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Jolivet G, Daniel-Carlier N, Harscoët E, Airaud E, Dewaele A, Pierson C, Giton F, Boulanger L, Daniel N, Mandon-Pépin B, Pannetier M, Pailhoux E. Fetal Estrogens are not Involved in Sex Determination But Critical for Early Ovarian Differentiation in Rabbits. Endocrinology 2022; 163:6382335. [PMID: 34614143 PMCID: PMC8598387 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqab210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
AROMATASE is encoded by the CYP19A1 gene and is the cytochrome enzyme responsible for estrogen synthesis in vertebrates. In most mammals, a peak of CYP19A1 gene expression occurs in the fetal XX gonad when sexual differentiation is initiated. To elucidate the role of this peak, we produced 3 lines of TALEN genetically edited CYP19A1 knockout (KO) rabbits that were devoid of any estradiol production. All the KO XX rabbits developed as females with aberrantly small ovaries in adulthood, an almost empty reserve of primordial follicles, and very few large antrum follicles. Ovulation never occurred. Our histological, immunohistological, and transcriptomic analyses showed that the estradiol surge in the XX fetal rabbit gonad is not essential to its determination as an ovary, or for meiosis. However, it is mandatory for the high proliferation and differentiation of both somatic and germ cells, and consequently for establishment of the ovarian reserve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geneviève Jolivet
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, ENVA, UVSQ, BREED, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
- Correspondence: Geneviève Jolivet, domaine de Vilvert, INRAE, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France.
| | | | - Erwana Harscoët
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, ENVA, UVSQ, BREED, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Eloïse Airaud
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, ENVA, UVSQ, BREED, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Aurélie Dewaele
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, ENVA, UVSQ, BREED, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Cloé Pierson
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, ENVA, UVSQ, BREED, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Frank Giton
- AP-HP, Pôle biologie-Pathologie Henri Mondor, Créteil, France; INSERM IMRB U955, Créteil, France
| | - Laurent Boulanger
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, ENVA, UVSQ, BREED, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Nathalie Daniel
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, ENVA, UVSQ, BREED, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | | | - Maëlle Pannetier
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, ENVA, UVSQ, BREED, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Eric Pailhoux
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, ENVA, UVSQ, BREED, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
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17
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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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18
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Major AT, Estermann MA, Roly ZY, Smith CA. An evo-devo perspective of the female reproductive tract. Biol Reprod 2021; 106:9-23. [PMID: 34494091 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioab166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The vertebrate female reproductive tract has undergone considerable diversification over evolution, having become physiologically adapted to different reproductive strategies. This review considers the female reproductive tract from the perspective of evolutionary developmental biology (evo-devo). Very little is known about how the evolution of this organ system has been driven at the molecular level. In most vertebrates, the female reproductive tract develops from paired embryonic tubes, the Müllerian ducts. We propose that formation of the Müllerian duct is a conserved process that has involved co-option of genes and molecular pathways involved in tubulogenesis in the adjacent mesonephric kidney and Wolffian duct. Downstream of this conservation, genetic regulatory divergence has occurred, generating diversity in duct structure. Plasticity of the Hox gene code and wnt signaling, in particular, may underlie morphological variation of the uterus in mammals, and evolution of the vagina. This developmental plasticity in Hox and Wnt activity may also apply to other vertebrates, generating the morphological diversity of female reproductive tracts evident today.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew T Major
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800. Australia
| | - Martin A Estermann
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800. Australia
| | - Zahida Y Roly
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800. Australia
| | - Craig A Smith
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800. Australia
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19
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Koenig LA, Gallant JR. Sperm competition, sexual selection and the diverse reproductive biology of Osteoglossiformes. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2021; 99:740-754. [PMID: 33973234 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Osteoglossiformes are an order of "bony tongue" fish considered the most primitive living order of teleosts. This review seeks to consolidate known hypotheses and identify gaps in the literature regarding the adaptive significance of diverse reproductive traits and behaviour of osteoglossiforms within the context of sperm competition and the wider lens of sexual selection. Many of the unusual traits observed in osteoglossiforms indicate low levels of sperm competition; most species have unpaired gonads, and mormyroids are the only known vertebrate species with aflagellate sperm. Several osteoglossiform families have reproductive anatomy associated with internal fertilization but perform external fertilization, which may be representative of the evolutionary transition from external to internal fertilization and putative trade-offs between sperm competition and the environment. They also employ every type of parental care seen in vertebrates. Geographically widespread and basally situated within teleosts, osteoglossiforms present an effective study system for understanding how sperm competition and sexual selection have shaped the evolution of teleost reproductive behaviour, sperm and gonad morphology, fertilization strategies, courtship and paternal care, and sexual conflict. The authors suggest that the patterns seen in osteoglossiform reproduction are a microcosm of teleost reproductive diversity, potentially signifying the genetic plasticity that contributed to the adaptive radiation of teleost fishes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A Koenig
- Department of Integrative Biology, Graduate Program in Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Jason R Gallant
- Department of Integrative Biology, Graduate Program in Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
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20
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Estermann MA, Hirst CE, Major AT, Smith CA. The homeobox gene TGIF1 is required for chicken ovarian cortical development and generation of the juxtacortical medulla. Development 2021; 148:dev199646. [PMID: 34387307 PMCID: PMC8406534 DOI: 10.1242/dev.199646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
During early embryogenesis in amniotic vertebrates, the gonads differentiate into either ovaries or testes. The first cell lineage to differentiate gives rise to the supporting cells: Sertoli cells in males and pre-granulosa cells in females. These key cell types direct the differentiation of the other cell types in the gonad, including steroidogenic cells. The gonadal surface epithelium and the interstitial cell populations are less well studied, and little is known about their sexual differentiation programs. Here, we show the requirement of the homeobox transcription factor gene TGIF1 for ovarian development in the chicken embryo. TGIF1 is expressed in the two principal ovarian somatic cell populations: the cortex and the pre-granulosa cells of the medulla. TGIF1 expression is associated with an ovarian phenotype in estrogen-mediated sex reversal experiments. Targeted misexpression and gene knockdown indicate that TGIF1 is required, but not sufficient, for proper ovarian cortex formation. In addition, TGIF1 is identified as the first known regulator of juxtacortical medulla development. These findings provide new insights into chicken ovarian differentiation and development, specifically cortical and juxtacortical medulla formation.
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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
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21
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Shioda K, Odajima J, Kobayashi M, Kobayashi M, Cordazzo B, Isselbacher KJ, Shioda T. Transcriptomic and Epigenetic Preservation of Genetic Sex Identity in Estrogen-feminized Male Chicken Embryonic Gonads. Endocrinology 2021; 162:5973467. [PMID: 33170207 PMCID: PMC7745639 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqaa208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Whereas in ovo exposure of genetically male (ZZ) chicken embryos to exogenous estrogens temporarily feminizes gonads at the time of hatching, the morphologically ovarian ZZ-gonads (FemZZs for feminized ZZ gonads) are masculinized back to testes within 1 year. To identify the feminization-resistant "memory" of genetic male sex, FemZZs showing varying degrees of feminization were subjected to transcriptomic, DNA methylome, and immunofluorescence analyses. Protein-coding genes were classified based on their relative mRNA expression across normal ZZ-testes, genetically female (ZW) ovaries, and FemZZs. We identified a group of 25 genes that were strongly expressed in both ZZ-testes and FemZZs but dramatically suppressed in ZW-ovaries. Interestingly, 84% (21/25) of these feminization-resistant testicular marker genes, including the DMRT1 master masculinizing gene, were located in chromosome Z. Expression of representative marker genes of germline cells (eg, DAZL or DDX4/VASA) was stronger in FemZZs than normal ZZ-testes or ZW-ovaries. We also identified 231 repetitive sequences (RSs) that were strongly expressed in both ZZ-testes and FemZZs, but these RSs were not enriched in chromosome Z. Although 94% (165/176) of RSs exclusively expressed in ZW-ovaries were located in chromosome W, no feminization-inducible RS was detected in FemZZs. DNA methylome analysis distinguished FemZZs from normal ZZ- and ZW-gonads. Immunofluorescence analysis of FemZZ gonads revealed expression of DMRT1 protein in medullary SOX9+ somatic cells and apparent germline cell populations in both medulla and cortex. Taken together, our study provides evidence that both somatic and germline cell populations in morphologically feminized FemZZs maintain significant transcriptomic and epigenetic memories of genetic sex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keiko Shioda
- Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Junko Odajima
- Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Misato Kobayashi
- Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mutsumi Kobayashi
- Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Bianca Cordazzo
- Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kurt J Isselbacher
- Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Toshi Shioda
- Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Correspondence: Toshi Shioda, Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Cancer Research, Building 149 – 7th Floor, 13th Street, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129, USA. E-mail:
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22
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Nagahama Y, Chakraborty T, Paul-Prasanth B, Ohta K, Nakamura M. Sex determination, gonadal sex differentiation, and plasticity in vertebrate species. Physiol Rev 2020; 101:1237-1308. [PMID: 33180655 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00044.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
A diverse array of sex determination (SD) mechanisms, encompassing environmental to genetic, have been found to exist among vertebrates, covering a spectrum from fixed SD mechanisms (mammals) to functional sex change in fishes (sequential hermaphroditic fishes). A major landmark in vertebrate SD was the discovery of the SRY gene in 1990. Since that time, many attempts to clone an SRY ortholog from nonmammalian vertebrates remained unsuccessful, until 2002, when DMY/dmrt1by was discovered as the SD gene of a small fish, medaka. Surprisingly, however, DMY/dmrt1by was found in only 2 species among more than 20 species of medaka, suggesting a large diversity of SD genes among vertebrates. Considerable progress has been made over the last 3 decades, such that it is now possible to formulate reasonable paradigms of how SD and gonadal sex differentiation may work in some model vertebrate species. This review outlines our current understanding of vertebrate SD and gonadal sex differentiation, with a focus on the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved. An impressive number of genes and factors have been discovered that play important roles in testicular and ovarian differentiation. An antagonism between the male and female pathway genes exists in gonads during both sex differentiation and, surprisingly, even as adults, suggesting that, in addition to sex-changing fishes, gonochoristic vertebrates including mice maintain some degree of gonadal sexual plasticity into adulthood. Importantly, a review of various SD mechanisms among vertebrates suggests that this is the ideal biological event that can make us understand the evolutionary conundrums underlying speciation and species diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshitaka Nagahama
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Japan.,South Ehime Fisheries Research Center, Ehime University, Ainan, Japan.,Faculty of Biological Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Tapas Chakraborty
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Japan.,South Ehime Fisheries Research Center, Ehime University, Ainan, Japan.,Laboratory of Marine Biology, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukouka, Japan.,Karatsu Satellite of Aqua-Bioresource Innovation Center, Kyushu University, Karatsu, Japan
| | - Bindhu Paul-Prasanth
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Japan.,Centre for Nanosciences and Molecular Medicine, Amrita Vishwa Vidapeetham, Kochi, Kerala, India
| | - Kohei Ohta
- Laboratory of Marine Biology, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukouka, Japan
| | - Masaru Nakamura
- Sesoko Station, Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan.,Research Center, Okinawa Churashima Foundation, Okinawa, Japan
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23
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Delage CI, Cornil CA. Estrogen‐dependent sex difference in microglia in the developing brain of Japanese quail (
Coturnix japonica
). Dev Neurobiol 2020; 80:239-262. [DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Charlotte Anne Cornil
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology GIGA Neurosciences University of Liège Liège Belgium
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24
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Itani N, Skeffington KL, Beck C, Niu Y, Katzilieris‐Petras G, Smith N, Giussani DA. Protective effects of pravastatin on the embryonic cardiovascular system during hypoxic development. FASEB J 2020; 34:16504-16515. [DOI: 10.1096/fj.202001743r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Nozomi Itani
- Department of Physiology, Development & Neuroscience University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
| | - Katie L. Skeffington
- Department of Physiology, Development & Neuroscience University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
| | - Christian Beck
- Department of Physiology, Development & Neuroscience University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
| | - Youguo Niu
- Department of Physiology, Development & Neuroscience University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
| | | | - Nicola Smith
- Department of Physiology, Development & Neuroscience University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
| | - Dino A. Giussani
- Department of Physiology, Development & Neuroscience University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
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25
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Teulings NEWD, Garrud TAC, Niu Y, Skeffington KL, Beck C, Itani N, Conlon FG, Botting KJ, Nicholas LM, Ashmore TJ, Blackmore HL, Tong W, Camm EJ, Derks JB, Logan A, Murphy MP, Ozanne SE, Giussani DA. Isolating adverse effects of glucocorticoids on the embryonic cardiovascular system. FASEB J 2020; 34:9664-9677. [PMID: 32502311 PMCID: PMC7611332 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202000697r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Revised: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 05/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Antenatal glucocorticoid therapy reduces mortality in the preterm infant, but evidence suggests off-target adverse effects on the developing cardiovascular system. Whether deleterious effects are direct on the offspring or secondary to alterations in uteroplacental physiology is unclear. Here, we isolated direct effects of glucocorticoids using the chicken embryo, a model system in which the effects on the developing heart and circulation of therapy can be investigated, independent of effects on the mother and/or the placenta. Fertilized chicken eggs were incubated and divided randomly into control (C) or dexamethasone (Dex) treatment at day 14 out of the 21-day incubation period. Combining functional experiments at the isolated organ, cellular and molecular levels, embryos were then studied close to term. Chicken embryos exposed to dexamethasone were growth restricted and showed systolic and diastolic dysfunction, with an increase in cardiomyocyte volume but decreased cardiomyocyte nuclear density in the left ventricle. Underlying mechanisms included a premature switch from tissue accretion to differentiation, increased oxidative stress, and activated signaling of cellular senescence. These findings, therefore, demonstrate that dexamethasone treatment can have direct detrimental off-target effects on the cardiovascular system in the developing embryo, which are independent of effects on the mother and/or placenta.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noor E. W. D. Teulings
- Institute of Metabolic Science-Metabolic Research Laboratories, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Tessa A. C. Garrud
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Youguo Niu
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Katie L. Skeffington
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Christian Beck
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Nozomi Itani
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Fiona G. Conlon
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Kimberley J. Botting
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Lisa M. Nicholas
- Institute of Metabolic Science-Metabolic Research Laboratories, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Thomas J. Ashmore
- Institute of Metabolic Science-Metabolic Research Laboratories, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Heather L. Blackmore
- Institute of Metabolic Science-Metabolic Research Laboratories, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Wen Tong
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Emily J. Camm
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jan B. Derks
- Department of Perinatal Medicine, University Medical Centre, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Angela Logan
- Medical Research Council Mitochondrial Biology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Michael P. Murphy
- Medical Research Council Mitochondrial Biology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Susan E. Ozanne
- Institute of Metabolic Science-Metabolic Research Laboratories, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Dino A. Giussani
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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26
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Hu S, Yang S, Lu Y, Deng Y, Li L, Zhu J, Zhang Y, Hu B, Hu J, Xia L, He H, Han C, Liu H, Kang B, Li L, Wang J. Dynamics of the Transcriptome and Accessible Chromatin Landscapes During Early Goose Ovarian Development. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:196. [PMID: 32309280 PMCID: PMC7145905 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In contrast to the situation in mammals, very little is known about the molecular mechanisms regulating early avian ovarian development. This study aimed to investigate the dynamic changes in the histomorphology as well as the genome-wide transcriptome and chromatin accessibility landscapes of the goose ovary during late embryonic and early post-hatching stages. Results from hematoxylin-eosin, periodic acid-Schiff, and anti-CVH immunohistochemical stainings demonstrated that programmed oocyte loss, oocyte nest breakdown and primordial follicle formation, and the primordial-to-secondary follicle transition occur during the periods from embryonic day 15 (E15) to post-hatching day 0 (P0), from P0 to P4, and from P4 to P28, respectively. RNA-seq and ATAC-seq analyses revealed dynamic changes in both the ovarian transcriptome and accessible chromatin landscapes during early ovarian development, exhibiting the most extensive changes during peri-hatching oocyte loss, and moreover, differences were also identified in the genomic distribution of the differential ATAC-seq peaks between different developmental stages, suggesting that chromatin-level regulation of gene expression is facilitated by modulating the accessibility of different functional genomic regions to transcription factors. Motif analysis of developmental stage-selective peak regions identified hundreds of potential cis-regulatory elements that contain binding sites for many transcription factors, including SF1, NR5A2, ESRRβ, NF1, and THRβ, as well as members of the GATA, SMAD, and LHX families, whose expression fluctuated throughout early goose ovarian development. Integrated ATAC-seq and RNA-seq analysis suggested that the number and genomic distribution of the newly appeared and disappeared peaks differed according to developmental stage, and in combination with qRT-PCR validation potentiated the critical actions of the DEGs enriched in cell cycle, MAPK signaling, and FoxO signaling pathways during peri-hatching oocyte loss and those in ligand-receptor interaction, tissue remodeling, lipid metabolism, and Wnt signaling during primordial follicle formation and development. In conclusion, our study provides a framework for understanding the transcriptome and accessible chromatin dynamics during early avian ovarian development and a new avenue to unravel the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms that facilitate the occurrence of relevant molecular events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shenqiang Hu
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Shuang Yang
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yao Lu
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yan Deng
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Li Li
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiaran Zhu
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuan Zhang
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Bo Hu
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiwei Hu
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lu Xia
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hua He
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Chunchun Han
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hehe Liu
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Bo Kang
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Liang Li
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiwen Wang
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
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27
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Guioli S, Zhao D, Nandi S, Clinton M, Lovell-Badge R. Oestrogen in the chick embryo can induce chromosomally male ZZ left gonad epithelial cells to form an ovarian cortex that can support oogenesis. Development 2020; 147:dev181693. [PMID: 32001442 PMCID: PMC7055392 DOI: 10.1242/dev.181693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
In chickens, the embryonic ovary differentiates into two distinct domains before meiosis: a steroidogenic core (the female medulla), overlain by the germ cell niche (the cortex). The differentiation of the medulla is a cell-autonomous process based on chromosomal sex identity (CASI). In order to address the extent to which cortex differentiation depends on intrinsic or extrinsic factors, we generated models of gonadal intersex by mixing ZW (female) and ZZ (male) cells in gonadal chimeras, or by altering oestrogen levels of ZW and ZZ embryos. We found that CASI does not apply to the embryonic cortex. Both ZW and ZZ cells can form the cortex and this can happen independently of the phenotypic sex of the medulla as long as oestrogen is provided. We also show that the cortex-promoting activity of oestrogen signalling is mediated via estrogen receptor alpha within the left gonad epithelium. However, the presence of a medulla with an 'intersex' or male phenotype may compromise germ cell progression into meiosis, causing cortical germ cells to remain in an immature state in the embryo.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Debiao Zhao
- The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, Gene Function and Development, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Sunil Nandi
- The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, Gene Function and Development, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Michael Clinton
- The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, Gene Function and Development, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH25 9RG, UK
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28
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Jung KM, Kim YM, Keyte AL, Biegler MT, Rengaraj D, Lee HJ, Mello CV, Velho TAF, Fedrigo O, Haase B, Jarvis ED, Han JY. Identification and characterization of primordial germ cells in a vocal learning Neoaves species, the zebra finch. FASEB J 2019; 33:13825-13836. [DOI: 10.1096/fj.201900760rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kyung Min Jung
- Department of Agricultural BiotechnologyResearch Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life SciencesSeoul National UniversitySeoulSouth Korea
| | - Young Min Kim
- Department of Agricultural BiotechnologyResearch Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life SciencesSeoul National UniversitySeoulSouth Korea
| | - Anna L. Keyte
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics of LanguageThe Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Matthew T. Biegler
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics of LanguageThe Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
- Department of NeurobiologyDuke University Medical CenterDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Deivendran Rengaraj
- Department of Agricultural BiotechnologyResearch Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life SciencesSeoul National UniversitySeoulSouth Korea
| | - Hong Jo Lee
- Department of Agricultural BiotechnologyResearch Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life SciencesSeoul National UniversitySeoulSouth Korea
| | - Claudio V. Mello
- Department Behavioral NeuroscienceOregon Health and Science UniversityPortlandOregonUSA
| | - Tarciso A. F. Velho
- The Division of Biology and Biological EngineeringCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCaliforniaUSA
- Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do NorteNatalBrazil
| | - Olivier Fedrigo
- Laboratory of Vertebrate GenomesThe Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Bettina Haase
- Laboratory of Vertebrate GenomesThe Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Erich D. Jarvis
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics of LanguageThe Rockefeller UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
- Department of NeurobiologyDuke University Medical CenterDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA
- Howard Hughes Medical InstituteChevy ChaseMarylandUSA
| | - Jae Yong Han
- Department of Agricultural BiotechnologyResearch Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life SciencesSeoul National UniversitySeoulSouth Korea
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29
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Mulley JF. Greater Loss of Female Embryos During Human Pregnancy: A Novel Mechanism. Bioessays 2019; 41:e1900063. [DOI: 10.1002/bies.201900063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Revised: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- John F. Mulley
- School of Natural SciencesBangor University Deiniol Road Bangor LL57 2UW UK
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30
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Nirmali WKR, Warnakula L, Cooray R, Hapuarachchi NS, Magamage MPS. Determination of testicular estrogen receptor alpha expression of male chickens ( Gallus domesticus) with age. Vet World 2019; 12:994-997. [PMID: 31528023 PMCID: PMC6702574 DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2019.994-997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and Aim: Estrogen activity, a central component of reproductive growth, is regulated by the receptor proteins, estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), and ER beta (ERβ) in chickens as in many other species. ERα expresses predominantly in gonads. Although the expression of ERα in embryonic gonads has been studied in detail, the expression of ERα in post-hatching male gonads has not been studied adequately. Therefore, the current research was conducted to determine the post-hatching changes in the expression of ERα in the left gonads of male chickens with age. Materials and Methods: Shaver Brown male chickens were raised and cared for according to the management guide and sacrificed at the intervals of 1, 4, and 8 weeks of age. The total RNA was extracted from the left gonads using the Trizol method and reverse transcribed using a pair of gene-specific primers. Following polymerase chain reaction amplification, the expression of ERα was quantified relative to the expression of the reference gene GAPDH. Results: The results showed that ERα expression significantly increases with age at p=0.0032. However, the increment of ERα expression from week 1 to week 4 was 2.04-fold and from week 4 to week 8 was 1.39-fold, with the later age reflecting a diminishing pattern in the increment. Conclusion: These results differentiate the post-hatching ERα expression of the left gonads of male chickens increase with age but with a diminishing gradient that may support their reproductive functions in later stages of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- W K Ramesha Nirmali
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology and Animal Biotechnology, Department of Livestock Production, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, Belihuloya, Sri Lanka.,Section of Genetics, Institute for Research and Development, Colombo, Sri Lanka
| | - Lakshan Warnakula
- Section of Genetics, Institute for Research and Development, Colombo, Sri Lanka
| | - Ruwini Cooray
- Section of Genetics, Institute for Research and Development, Colombo, Sri Lanka
| | | | - Manjula P S Magamage
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology and Animal Biotechnology, Department of Livestock Production, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, Belihuloya, Sri Lanka
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31
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Sarida M, Hattori RS, Zhang Y, Yamamoto Y, Strüssmann CA. Spatiotemporal Correlations between amh and cyp19a1a Transcript Expression and Apoptosis during Gonadal Sex Differentiation of Pejerrey, Odontesthes bonariensis. Sex Dev 2019; 13:99-108. [DOI: 10.1159/000498997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
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32
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Koyama H, Shi D, Fujimori T. Biophysics in oviduct: Planar cell polarity, cilia, epithelial fold and tube morphogenesis, egg dynamics. Biophys Physicobiol 2019; 16:89-107. [PMID: 30923666 PMCID: PMC6435019 DOI: 10.2142/biophysico.16.0_89] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 01/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Organs and tissues in multi-cellular organisms exhibit various morphologies. Tubular organs have multi-scale morphological features which are closely related to their functions. Here we discuss morphogenesis and the mechanical functions of the vertebrate oviduct in the female reproductive tract, also known as the fallopian tube. The oviduct functions to convey eggs from the ovary to the uterus. In the luminal side of the oviduct, the epithelium forms multiple folds (or ridges) well-aligned along the longitudinal direction of the tube. In the epithelial cells, cilia are formed orienting toward the downstream of the oviduct. The cilia and the folds are supposed to be involved in egg transportation. Planar cell polarity (PCP) is developed in the epithelium, and the disruption of the Celsr1 gene, a PCP related-gene, causes randomization of both cilia and fold orientations, discontinuity of the tube, inefficient egg transportation, and infertility. In this review article, we briefly introduce various biophysical and biomechanical issues in the oviduct, including physical mechanisms of formation of PCP and organized cilia orientation, epithelial cell shape regulation, fold pattern formation generated by mechanical buckling, tubulogenesis, and egg transportation regulated by fluid flow. We also mention about possible roles of the oviducts in egg shape formation and embryogenesis, sinuous patterns of tubes, and fold and tube patterns observed in other tubular organs such as the gut, airways, etc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Koyama
- Division of Embryology, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan
- SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan
| | - Dongbo Shi
- Division of Embryology, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Centre for Organismal Studies, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Toshihiko Fujimori
- Division of Embryology, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan
- SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan
- CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
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33
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Dominoni DM, de Jong M, Bellingham M, O'Shaughnessy P, van Oers K, Robinson J, Smith B, Visser ME, Helm B. Dose-response effects of light at night on the reproductive physiology of great tits (Parus major): Integrating morphological analyses with candidate gene expression. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2018; 329:473-487. [PMID: 30058288 PMCID: PMC6220976 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2018] [Revised: 06/04/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Artificial light at night (ALAN) is increasingly recognized as a potential threat to wildlife and ecosystem health. Among the ecological effects of ALAN, changes in reproductive timing are frequently reported, but the mechanisms underlying this relationship are still poorly understood. Here, we experimentally investigated these mechanisms by assessing dose‐dependent photoperiodic responses to ALAN in the great tit (Parus major). We individually exposed photosensitive male birds to one of three nocturnal light levels (0.5, 1.5, and 5 lux), or to a dark control. Subsequent histological and molecular analyses on their testes indicated a dose‐dependent reproductive response to ALAN. Specifically, different stages of gonadal growth were activated after exposure to different levels of light at night. mRNA transcript levels of genes linked to the development of germ cells (stra8 and spo11) were increased under 0.5 lux compared to the dark control. The 0.5 and 1.5 lux groups showed slight increases in testis size and transcript levels associated with steroid synthesis (lhr and hsd3b1) and spermatogenesis (fshr, wt1, sox9, and cldn11), although spermatogenesis was not detected in histological analysis. In contrast, all birds under 5 lux had 10 to 30 times larger testes than birds in all other groups, with a parallel strong increase in mRNA transcript levels and clear signs of spermatogenesis. Across treatments, the volume of the testes was generally a good predictor of testicular transcript levels. Overall, our findings indicate that even small changes in nocturnal light intensity can increase, or decrease, effects on the reproductive physiology of wild organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide M Dominoni
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.,Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Maaike de Jong
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Michelle Bellingham
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Peter O'Shaughnessy
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Kees van Oers
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jane Robinson
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Bethany Smith
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Marcel E Visser
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Barbara Helm
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.,GELIFES, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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34
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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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Shaikat AH, Namekawa S, Ahmadi S, Takeda M, Ohkubo T. Gene expression profiling in embryonic chicken ovary during asymmetric development. Anim Sci J 2017; 89:688-694. [PMID: 29282806 DOI: 10.1111/asj.12979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2017] [Accepted: 11/12/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The reproductive system in female birds arises as bilateral asymmetrical anlagen, excluding the birds of prey. Earlier, histological and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression profile studies of several genes related to gonadal sex differentiation in chicken embryos tried to elucidate the query of this asymmetry in a scattered manner. To understand the matter precisely, we have focused on mRNA expression of a cohort of genes (FSHR, CYP19A1, caspase 3, caspase 8) in second half of the embryonic days (E10-E18). The established role of leptin in development of the embryo and its expression in the embryonic ovary also drove us to check leptin receptor (LEPR) expression in the ovary. Increased expression of FSHR and CYP19A1 in the left ovary compared with that in the right ovary was identified (P < 0.05), promoting preferential left ovarian development and functionality. Significant high expression (P < 0.05) of the apoptotic genes in the right ovary were also involved here. Leptin probably has no direct influence on ovarian asymmetry as no significant variation in gonadal mRNA expression of LEPR was observed within the same experimental days. We propose that asymmetric expression of this cohort of genes (FSHR, CYP19A1, caspase 3, caspase 8) leads to the development of dimorphic gonads during embryogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Hossan Shaikat
- College of Agriculture, Ibaraki University, Ami, Ibaraki, Japan.,United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shoko Namekawa
- College of Agriculture, Ibaraki University, Ami, Ibaraki, Japan
| | | | - Misa Takeda
- College of Agriculture, Ibaraki University, Ami, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Takeshi Ohkubo
- College of Agriculture, Ibaraki University, Ami, Ibaraki, Japan.,United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan
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36
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Wan Z, Lu Y, Rui L, Yu X, Yang F, Tu C, Li Z. Gene Expression Profiling Reveals Potential Players of Left-Right Asymmetry in Female Chicken Gonads. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:E1299. [PMID: 28632173 PMCID: PMC5486120 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18061299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2017] [Revised: 06/09/2017] [Accepted: 06/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Most female birds develop only a left ovary, whereas males develop bilateral testes. The mechanism underlying this process is still not completely understood. Here, we provide a comprehensive transcriptional analysis of female chicken gonads and identify novel candidate side-biased genes. RNA-Seq analysis was carried out on total RNA harvested from the left and right gonads on embryonic day 6 (E6), E12, and post-hatching day 1 (D1). By comparing the gene expression profiles between the left and right gonads, 347 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained on E6, 3730 were obtained on E12, and 2787 were obtained on D1. Side-specific genes were primarily derived from the autosome rather than the sex chromosome. Gene ontology and pathway analysis showed that the DEGs were most enriched in the Piwi-interactiing RNA (piRNA) metabolic process, germ plasm, chromatoid body, P granule, neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, microbial metabolism in diverse environments, and methane metabolism. A total of 111 DEGs, five gene ontology (GO) terms, and three pathways were significantly different between the left and right gonads among all the development stages. We also present the gene number and the percentage within eight development-dependent expression patterns of DEGs in the left and right gonads of female chicken.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyi Wan
- State key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
| | - Yanan Lu
- State key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
| | - Lei Rui
- State key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
| | - Xiaoxue Yu
- State key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
| | - Fang Yang
- College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
| | - Chengfang Tu
- Annoroad Gene Technology Co., Ltd., Beijing 100176, China.
| | - Zandong Li
- State key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
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37
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Li DR, Ye HL, Yang JS, Yang F, Wang MR, De Vos S, Vuylsteke M, Sorgeloos P, Van Stappen G, Bossier P, Yang WJ. Identification and characterization of a Masculinizer (Masc) gene involved in sex differentiation in Artemia. Gene 2017; 614:56-64. [PMID: 28300613 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2017.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2016] [Revised: 02/17/2017] [Accepted: 03/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The sex of relatively primitive animals such as invertebrates is mostly determined by environmental factors and chromosome ploidy. Heteromorphic chromosomes may also play an important role, as in the ZW system in lepidopterans. However, the mechanisms of these various sex determination systems are still largely undefined. In the present study, a Masculinizer gene (Ar-Masc) was identified in the crustacean Artemia franciscana Kellogg 1906. Sequence analysis revealed that the 1140-bp full-length open reading frame of Ar-Masc encodes a 380-aa protein containing two CCCH-type zinc finger domains having a high degree of shared identities with the MASC protein characterized in the silkworm Bombyx mori, which has been determined to participate in the production of male-specific splice variants. Furthermore, although Ar-Masc could be detected in almost all stages in both sexual and parthenogenetic Artemia, there were significant variations in expression between these two reproductive modes. Firstly, qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis showed that levels of both Ar-Masc mRNA and protein in sexual nauplii were much higher than in parthenogenetic nauplii throughout the hatching process. Secondly, both sexual and parthenogenetic Artemia had decreased levels of Ar-Masc along with the embryonic developmental stages, while the sexual ones had a relatively higher and more stable expression than those of parthenogenetic ones. Thirdly, immunofluorescence analysis determined that sexual individuals had higher levels of Ar-MASC protein than parthenogenetic individuals during embryonic development. Lastly, RNA interference with dsRNA showed that gene silencing of Ar-Masc in sexual A. franciscana caused the female-male ratio of progeny to be 2.19:1. These data suggest that Ar-Masc participates in the process of sex determination in A. franciscana, and provide insight into the evolution of sex determination in sexual organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong-Rui Li
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui-Li Ye
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, People's Republic of China
| | - Jin-Shu Yang
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, People's Republic of China
| | - Fan Yang
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, People's Republic of China
| | - Mo-Ran Wang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Aqua-Ecology and Aquaculture, Department of Fisheries Science, Tianjin Agricultural University, People's Republic of China
| | - Stephanie De Vos
- Laboratory of Aquaculture &Artemia Reference center, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Marnik Vuylsteke
- Laboratory of Aquaculture &Artemia Reference center, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Patrick Sorgeloos
- Laboratory of Aquaculture &Artemia Reference center, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Gilbert Van Stappen
- Laboratory of Aquaculture &Artemia Reference center, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Peter Bossier
- Laboratory of Aquaculture &Artemia Reference center, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Wei-Jun Yang
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, People's Republic of China.
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38
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Omotehara T, Minami K, Mantani Y, Umemura Y, Nishida M, Hirano T, Yoshioka H, Kitagawa H, Yokoyama T, Hoshi N. Contribution of the coelomic epithelial cells specific to the left testis in the chicken embryo. Dev Dyn 2017; 246:148-156. [DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2016] [Revised: 09/23/2016] [Accepted: 10/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Takuya Omotehara
- Laboratory of Molecular Morphology, Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science; Kobe University; Kobe Hyogo Japan
| | - Kiichi Minami
- Laboratory of Molecular Morphology, Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science; Kobe University; Kobe Hyogo Japan
| | - Youhei Mantani
- Laboratory of Histophysiology, Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science; Kobe University; Kobe Hyogo Japan
| | - Yuria Umemura
- Laboratory of Molecular Morphology, Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science; Kobe University; Kobe Hyogo Japan
| | - Miho Nishida
- Laboratory of Histophysiology, Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science; Kobe University; Kobe Hyogo Japan
| | - Tetsushi Hirano
- Laboratory of Molecular Morphology, Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science; Kobe University; Kobe Hyogo Japan
| | - Hidefumi Yoshioka
- Laboratory of Biology, Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Graduate School of Teacher Education; Hyogo University of Teacher Education; Katoh Hyogo Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kitagawa
- Laboratory of Histophysiology, Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science; Kobe University; Kobe Hyogo Japan
| | - Toshifumi Yokoyama
- Laboratory of Molecular Morphology, Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science; Kobe University; Kobe Hyogo Japan
| | - Nobuhiko Hoshi
- Laboratory of Molecular Morphology, Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science; Kobe University; Kobe Hyogo Japan
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39
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Hirst CE, Serralbo O, Ayers KL, Roeszler KN, Smith CA. Genetic Manipulation of the Avian Urogenital System Using In Ovo Electroporation. Methods Mol Biol 2017; 1650:177-190. [PMID: 28809021 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7216-6_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
One of the advantages of the avian embryo as an experimental model is its in ovo development and hence accessibility for genetic manipulation. Electroporation has been used extensively in the past to study gene function in chicken and quail embryos . Readily accessible tissues such as the neural tube, somites, and limb bud, in particular, have been targeted. However, more inaccessible tissues, such as the embryonic urogenital system , have proven more challenging to study. Here, we describe the use of in ovo electroporation of TOL2 vectors or RCASBP avian viral vectors for the rapid functional analysis of genes involved in avian sex determination and urogenital development . In the context of the developing urogenital system , these vectors have inherent advantages and disadvantages, which will be considered here. Either vector can both be used for mis-expressing a gene and for targeting endogenous gene knockdown via expression of short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs). Both of these vectors integrate into the genome and are hence spread throughout developing tissues. Going forward, electroporation could be combined with CRISPR/Cas9 technology for targeted genome editing in the avian urogenital system .
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire E Hirst
- Department of Anatomy and Development Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, USA
| | - Olivier Serralbo
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute (ARMI), Monash University, Clayton, VIC, USA
| | - Katie L Ayers
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, Royal Children's Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Kelly N Roeszler
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, Royal Children's Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Craig A Smith
- Department of Anatomy and Development Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, USA.
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40
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Yang X, Deng J, Zheng J, Xia L, Yang Z, Qu L, Chen S, Xu G, Jiang H, Clinton M, Yang N. A Window of MHM Demethylation Correlates with Key Events in Gonadal Differentiation in the Chicken. Sex Dev 2016; 10:152-8. [DOI: 10.1159/000447659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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42
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de Melo Bernardo A, Heeren AM, van Iperen L, Fernandes MG, He N, Anjie S, Noce T, Ramos ES, de Sousa Lopes SMC. Meiotic wave adds extra asymmetry to the development of female chicken gonads. Mol Reprod Dev 2015; 82:774-86. [PMID: 26096940 PMCID: PMC5034815 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.22516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2014] [Accepted: 06/14/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Development of female gonads in the chicken is asymmetric. This asymmetry affects gene expression, morphology, and germ cell development; consequently only the left ovary develops into a functional organ, whereas the right ovary remains vestigial. In males, on the other hand, both gonads develop into functional testes. Here, we revisited the development of asymmetric traits in female (and male) chicken gonads between Hamburger Hamilton stage 16 (HH16) and hatching. At HH16, primordial germ cells migrated preferentially to the left gonad, accumulating in the left coelomic hinge between the gut mesentery and developing gonad in both males and females. Using the meiotic markers SYCP3 and phosphorylated H2AFX, we identified a previously undescribed, pronounced asymmetryc meiotic progression in the germ cells located in the central, lateral, and extreme cortical regions of the left female gonad from HH38 until hatching. Moreover, we observed that--in contrast to the current view--medullary germ cells are not apoptotic, but remain arrested in pre-leptotene until hatching. In addition to the systematic analysis of the asymmetric distribution of germ cells in female chicken gonads, we propose an updated model suggesting that the localization of germ cells--in the left or right gonad; in the cortex or medulla of the left gonad; and in the central part or the extremities of the left cortex--has direct consequences for their development and participation in adult reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana de Melo Bernardo
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - A Marijne Heeren
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Liesbeth van Iperen
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Maria Gomes Fernandes
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Nannan He
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Stafford Anjie
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Toshiaki Noce
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ester Silveira Ramos
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Susana M Chuva de Sousa Lopes
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands.,Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
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43
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Schmid M, Smith J, Burt DW, Aken BL, Antin PB, Archibald AL, Ashwell C, Blackshear PJ, Boschiero C, Brown CT, Burgess SC, Cheng HH, Chow W, Coble DJ, Cooksey A, Crooijmans RPMA, Damas J, Davis RVN, de Koning DJ, Delany ME, Derrien T, Desta TT, Dunn IC, Dunn M, Ellegren H, Eöry L, Erb I, Farré M, Fasold M, Fleming D, Flicek P, Fowler KE, Frésard L, Froman DP, Garceau V, Gardner PP, Gheyas AA, Griffin DK, Groenen MAM, Haaf T, Hanotte O, Hart A, Häsler J, Hedges SB, Hertel J, Howe K, Hubbard A, Hume DA, Kaiser P, Kedra D, Kemp SJ, Klopp C, Kniel KE, Kuo R, Lagarrigue S, Lamont SJ, Larkin DM, Lawal RA, Markland SM, McCarthy F, McCormack HA, McPherson MC, Motegi A, Muljo SA, Münsterberg A, Nag R, Nanda I, Neuberger M, Nitsche A, Notredame C, Noyes H, O'Connor R, O'Hare EA, Oler AJ, Ommeh SC, Pais H, Persia M, Pitel F, Preeyanon L, Prieto Barja P, Pritchett EM, Rhoads DD, Robinson CM, Romanov MN, Rothschild M, Roux PF, Schmidt CJ, Schneider AS, Schwartz MG, Searle SM, Skinner MA, Smith CA, Stadler PF, Steeves TE, Steinlein C, Sun L, Takata M, Ulitsky I, Wang Q, Wang Y, Warren WC, Wood JMD, Wragg D, Zhou H. Third Report on Chicken Genes and Chromosomes 2015. Cytogenet Genome Res 2015; 145:78-179. [PMID: 26282327 PMCID: PMC5120589 DOI: 10.1159/000430927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Schmid
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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DMRT1 is required for Müllerian duct formation in the chicken embryo. Dev Biol 2015; 400:224-36. [PMID: 25684667 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2015.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2014] [Revised: 01/29/2015] [Accepted: 02/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
DMRT1 is a conserved transcription factor with a central role in gonadal sex differentiation. In all vertebrates studied, DMRT1 plays an essential function in testis development and/or maintenance. No studies have reported a role for DMRT1 outside the gonads. Here, we show that DMRT1 is expressed in the paired Müllerian ducts in the chicken embryo, where it is required for duct formation. DMRT1 mRNA and protein are expressed in the early forming Müllerian ridge, and in cells undergoing an epithelial to mesenchyme transition during duct morphogenesis. RNAi-mediated knockdown of DMRT1 in ovo causes a greatly reduced mesenchymal layer, which blocks caudal extension of the duct luminal epithelium. Critical markers of Müllerian duct formation in mammals, Pax2 in the duct epithelium and Wnt4 in the mesenchyme, are conserved in chicken and their expression disrupted in DMRT1 knockdown ducts. We conclude that DMRT1 is required for the early steps of Müllerian duct development. DMRT1 regulates Müllerian ridge and mesenchyme formation and its loss blocks caudal extension of the duct. While DMRT1 plays an important role during testis development and maintenance in many vertebrate species, this is the first report showing a requirement for DMRT1 in Müllerian duct development.
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Stephen LA, Johnson EJ, Davis GM, McTeir L, Pinkham J, Jaberi N, Davey MG. The chicken left right organizer has nonmotile cilia which are lost in a stage-dependent manner in the talpid(3) ciliopathy. Genesis 2014; 52:600-13. [PMID: 24700455 PMCID: PMC4314677 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.22775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2013] [Revised: 03/23/2014] [Accepted: 03/29/2014] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Motile cilia are an essential component of the mouse, zebrafish, and Xenopus laevis Left Right Organizers, generating nodal flow and allowing the reception and transduction of mechanosensory signals. Nonmotile primary cilia are also an important component of the Left Right Organizer's chemosensory mechanism. It has been proposed in the chicken that signaling in Hensen's node, the Left Right Organizer of the chicken, is independent of cilia, based on a lack of evidence of motile cilia or nodal flow. It is speculated that the talpid3 chicken mutant, which has normal left–right patterning despite lacking cilia at many stages of development, is proof of this hypothesis. Here, we examine the evidence for cilia in Hensen's node and find that although cilia are present; they are likely to be immotile and incapable of generating nodal flow. Furthermore, we find that early planar cell polarity patterning and ciliogenesis is normal in early talpid3 chicken embryos. We conclude that patterning and development of the early talpid3 chicken is normal, but not necessarily independent of cilia. Although it appears that Hensen's node does not require motile cilia or the generation of motile flow, there may remain a requirement for cilia in the transduction of SHH signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise A Stephen
- Division of Developmental Biology, The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, United Kingdom
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