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Huang H, Liu Y, Wang Q, Dong C, Dong L, Zhang J, Yang Y, Hao X, Li W, Rosa IF, Doretto LB, Cao X, Shao C. Molecular and Physiological Effects of 17α-methyltestosterone on Sex Differentiation of Black Rockfish, Sebastes schlegelii. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:605. [PMID: 38790234 PMCID: PMC11120931 DOI: 10.3390/genes15050605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
It is widely known that all-female fish production holds economic value for aquaculture. Sebastes schlegelii, a preeminent economic species, exhibits a sex dimorphism, with females surpassing males in growth. In this regard, achieving all-female black rockfish production could significantly enhance breeding profitability. In this study, we utilized the widely used male sex-regulating hormone, 17α-methyltestosterone (MT) at three different concentrations (20, 40, and 60 ppm), to produce pseudomales of S. schlegelii for subsequent all-female offspring breeding. Long-term MT administration severely inhibits the growth of S. schlegelii, while short term had no significant impact. Histological analysis confirmed sex reversal at all MT concentrations; however, both medium and higher MT concentrations impaired testis development. MT also influenced sex steroid hormone levels in pseudomales, suppressing E2 while increasing T and 11-KT levels. In addition, a transcriptome analysis revealed that MT down-regulated ovarian-related genes (cyp19a1a and foxl2) while up-regulating male-related genes (amh) in pseudomales. Furthermore, MT modulated the TGF-β signaling and steroid hormone biosynthesis pathways, indicating its crucial role in S. schlegelii sex differentiation. Therefore, the current study provides a method for achieving sexual reversal using MT in S. schlegelii and offers an initial insight into the underlying mechanism of sexual reversal in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haijun Huang
- College of Fisheries and Life Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China;
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Biobreeding and Sustainable Goods, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (Y.L.); (Q.W.); (C.D.); (L.D.); (J.Z.); (Y.Y.); (X.H.); (W.L.); (L.B.D.)
| | - Yuyan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Biobreeding and Sustainable Goods, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (Y.L.); (Q.W.); (C.D.); (L.D.); (J.Z.); (Y.Y.); (X.H.); (W.L.); (L.B.D.)
| | - Qian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Biobreeding and Sustainable Goods, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (Y.L.); (Q.W.); (C.D.); (L.D.); (J.Z.); (Y.Y.); (X.H.); (W.L.); (L.B.D.)
| | - Caichao Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Biobreeding and Sustainable Goods, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (Y.L.); (Q.W.); (C.D.); (L.D.); (J.Z.); (Y.Y.); (X.H.); (W.L.); (L.B.D.)
| | - Le Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Biobreeding and Sustainable Goods, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (Y.L.); (Q.W.); (C.D.); (L.D.); (J.Z.); (Y.Y.); (X.H.); (W.L.); (L.B.D.)
| | - Jingjing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Biobreeding and Sustainable Goods, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (Y.L.); (Q.W.); (C.D.); (L.D.); (J.Z.); (Y.Y.); (X.H.); (W.L.); (L.B.D.)
| | - Yu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Biobreeding and Sustainable Goods, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (Y.L.); (Q.W.); (C.D.); (L.D.); (J.Z.); (Y.Y.); (X.H.); (W.L.); (L.B.D.)
| | - Xiancai Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Biobreeding and Sustainable Goods, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (Y.L.); (Q.W.); (C.D.); (L.D.); (J.Z.); (Y.Y.); (X.H.); (W.L.); (L.B.D.)
| | - Weijing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Biobreeding and Sustainable Goods, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (Y.L.); (Q.W.); (C.D.); (L.D.); (J.Z.); (Y.Y.); (X.H.); (W.L.); (L.B.D.)
| | - Ivana F. Rosa
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu 01049-010, Brazil;
| | - Lucas B. Doretto
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Biobreeding and Sustainable Goods, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (Y.L.); (Q.W.); (C.D.); (L.D.); (J.Z.); (Y.Y.); (X.H.); (W.L.); (L.B.D.)
| | - Xuebin Cao
- School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China;
| | - Changwei Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Biobreeding and Sustainable Goods, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (Y.L.); (Q.W.); (C.D.); (L.D.); (J.Z.); (Y.Y.); (X.H.); (W.L.); (L.B.D.)
- Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao 266237, China
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Gasparini C, Iori S, Pietropoli E, Bonato M, Giantin M, Barbarossa A, Bardhi A, Pilastro A, Dacasto M, Pauletto M. Sub-acute exposure of male guppies (Poecilia reticulata) to environmentally relevant concentrations of PFOA and GenX induces significant changes in the testis transcriptome and reproductive traits. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 187:108703. [PMID: 38705092 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are frequently detected in the environment and are linked to adverse reproductive health outcomes in humans. Although legacy PFAS have been phased out due to their toxicity, alternative PFAS are increasingly used despite the fact that information on their toxic effects on reproductive traits is particularly scarce. Here, we exposed male guppies (Poecilia reticulata) for a short period (21 days) to an environmentally realistic concentration (1 ppb) of PFOA, a legacy PFAS, and its replacement compound, GenX, to assess their impact on reproductive traits and gene expression. Exposure to PFAS did not impair survival but instead caused sublethal effects. Overall, PFAS exposure caused changes in male sexual behaviour and had detrimental effects on sperm motility. Sublethal variations were also seen at the transcriptional level, with the modulation of genes involved in immune regulation, spermatogenesis, and oxidative stress. We also observed bioaccumulation of PFAS, which was higher for PFOA than for GenX. Our results offer a comprehensive comparison of these two PFAS and shed light on the toxicity of a newly emerging alternative to legacy PFAS. It is therefore evident that even at low concentrations and with short exposure, PFAS can have subtle yet significant effects on behaviour, fertility, and immunity. These findings underscore the potential ramifications of pollution under natural conditions and their impact on fish populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Gasparini
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via U. Bassi 58/B, I-35131, Padova, Italy; National Biodiversity Future Center, Piazza Marina 61, I-90133 Palermo, Italy
| | - S Iori
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padova, viale dell'Università 16, I-35020 Agripolis Legnaro (Padova), Italy
| | - E Pietropoli
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padova, viale dell'Università 16, I-35020 Agripolis Legnaro (Padova), Italy
| | - M Bonato
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via U. Bassi 58/B, I-35131, Padova, Italy
| | - M Giantin
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padova, viale dell'Università 16, I-35020 Agripolis Legnaro (Padova), Italy
| | - A Barbarossa
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, via Tolara di Sopra 50, I-40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia (Bologna), Italy; Health Sciences and Technologies-Interdepartmental Centre for Industrial Research (CIRI-SDV), Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, I-40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia (Bologna), Italy
| | - A Bardhi
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, via Tolara di Sopra 50, I-40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia (Bologna), Italy
| | - A Pilastro
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via U. Bassi 58/B, I-35131, Padova, Italy; National Biodiversity Future Center, Piazza Marina 61, I-90133 Palermo, Italy
| | - M Dacasto
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padova, viale dell'Università 16, I-35020 Agripolis Legnaro (Padova), Italy
| | - M Pauletto
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padova, viale dell'Università 16, I-35020 Agripolis Legnaro (Padova), Italy.
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Liu Q, Hu J, Lin Y, Wu X, Feng Y, Ye J, Zhang K, Zheng S. Effects of exogenous steroid hormones on growth, body color, and gonadal development in the Opsariichthys bidens. FISH PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY 2024; 50:449-461. [PMID: 38079050 DOI: 10.1007/s10695-023-01275-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
To investigate the effects of exogenous steroid hormones on growth, body color, and gonadal development in the Opsariichthys bidens (O. bidens), synthetic methyltestosterone (MT) and 17β-estradiol (E2) were used for 28 days' treatment of 4-month-old O. bidens before the breeding season. Our results suggested that MT had a significant growth-promoting effect (P < 0.05), whereas E2 played an inhibitory role. On the body surface, the females in the MT group showed gray stripes, and the fish in other groups showed no obvious stripes. The males with MT treatment displayed brighter blue-green stripes compared to the CK and E2 groups. The histological analysis showed that the MT significantly promoted testes development in males, blocked oocyte development, and caused massive apoptosis in females, whereas the E2 group promoted ovarian development and inhibited testes development. Based on qRT-PCR analysis, in females, the expression of igf-1, dmrt1, and cyp19a1a genes revealed that E2 treatment resulted in down-regulation of igf-1 expression and up-regulation of cyp19a1a expression. In males, igf-1 and dmrt1 were significantly up-regulated after MT treatment, and E2 treatment led to down-regulation of igf-1. Therefore, this study demonstrates that MT and E2 play an important role in reversing the morphological sex characteristics of females and males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingyuan Liu
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Room 203, 10 teaching buildings, 688 Yingbin Avenue, Jinhua, 321004, China
| | - Jinchun Hu
- Quzhou Aquatic Technology Promotion Station, Quzhou, China
| | - Yurui Lin
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Room 203, 10 teaching buildings, 688 Yingbin Avenue, Jinhua, 321004, China
| | - Xinrui Wu
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Room 203, 10 teaching buildings, 688 Yingbin Avenue, Jinhua, 321004, China
| | - Yujun Feng
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Room 203, 10 teaching buildings, 688 Yingbin Avenue, Jinhua, 321004, China
| | - Jiazheng Ye
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Room 203, 10 teaching buildings, 688 Yingbin Avenue, Jinhua, 321004, China
| | - Kai Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Room 203, 10 teaching buildings, 688 Yingbin Avenue, Jinhua, 321004, China
| | - Shanjian Zheng
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Room 203, 10 teaching buildings, 688 Yingbin Avenue, Jinhua, 321004, China.
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Huang GY, Fang GZ, Shi WJ, Li XP, Wang CS, Chen HX, Xie L, Ying GG. Interaction of 17α-ethinylestradiol and methyltestosterone in western mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) across two generations. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2024; 268:106854. [PMID: 38309221 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2024.106854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
The interactions between estrogen and androgen in aquatic animals remain largely unknown. In this study, two generations (F0 and F1) of western mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) were continuously exposed to 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2, 10 ng/L), methyltestosterone (MT, 10 ng/L (MTL); 50 ng/L (MTH)), and mixtures (EE2+MTL and EE2+MTH). Various endpoints, including sex ratio (phenotypic and genetic), secondary sex characteristics, gonadal histology, and transcriptional profile of genes, were examined. The results showed that G. affinis exposed to MTH and EE2+MTH had a > 89.7 % of phenotypic males in F1 generation, with 34.5 and 50.0 % of these males originated from genetic females, respectively. Moreover, females from F0 and F1 generations exposed to MTH and EE2+MTH exhibited masculinized anal fins and skeletons. The combined effect of MT and EE2 on most endpoints was dependent on MT. Furthermore, significant transcriptional alterations in certain target genes were observed in both the F0 and F1 generations by EE2 and MT alone and by mixtures, showing some degree of interactions. These findings that the effects of EE2+MTH were primarily on the phenotypic sex of G. affinis in offspring generation suggest that G. affinis under chronic exposure to the binary mixture contaminated water could have sex-biased populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guo-Yong Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, SCNU Environmental Research Institute, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Gui-Zhen Fang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, SCNU Environmental Research Institute, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Wen-Jun Shi
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, SCNU Environmental Research Institute, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xiao-Pei Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, SCNU Environmental Research Institute, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Chen-Si Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, SCNU Environmental Research Institute, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Hong-Xing Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, SCNU Environmental Research Institute, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Lingtian Xie
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, SCNU Environmental Research Institute, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Guang-Guo Ying
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, SCNU Environmental Research Institute, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China
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Ndandala CB, Zhou Q, Li Z, Guo Y, Li G, Chen H. Identification of Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF) Family Genes in the Golden Pompano, Trachinotus ovatus: Molecular Cloning, Characterization and Gene Expression. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2499. [PMID: 38473747 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052499] [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: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are hormones that primarily stimulate and regulate animal physiological processes. In this study, we cloned and identified the open reading frame (ORF) cDNA sequences of IGF family genes: the insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2), and insulin-like growth factor 3 (IGF3). We found that IGF1, IGF2, and IGF3 have a total length of 558, 648, and 585 base pairs (bp), which encoded a predicted protein with 185, 215, and 194 amino acids (aa), respectively. Multiple sequences and phylogenetic tree analysis showed that the mature golden pompano IGFs had been conserved and showed high similarities with other teleosts. The tissue distribution experiment showed that IGF1 and IGF2 mRNA levels were highly expressed in the liver of female and male fish. In contrast, IGF3 was highly expressed in the gonads and livers of male and female fish, suggesting a high influence on fish reproduction. The effect of fasting showed that IGF1 and mRNA expression had no significant difference in the liver but significantly decreased after long-term (7 days) fasting in the muscles and started to recover after refeeding. IGF2 mRNA expression showed no significant difference in the liver but had a significant difference in muscles for short-term (2 days) and long-term fasting, which started to recover after refeeding, suggesting muscles are more susceptible to both short-term and long-term fasting. In vitro incubation of 17β-estradiol (E2) was observed to decrease the IGF1 and IGF3 mRNA expression level in a dose- (0.1, 1, and 10 μM) and time- (3, 6, and 12 h) dependent manner. In addition, E2 had no effect on IGF2 mRNA expression levels in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The effect of 17α-methyltestosterone (MT) in vitro incubation was observed to significantly increase the IGF3 mRNA expression level in a time- and dose-dependent manner. MT had no effect on IGF2 mRNA but was observed to decrease the IGF1 mRNA expression in the liver. Taken together, these data indicate that E2 and MT may either increase or decrease IGF expression in fish; this study provides basic knowledge and understanding of the expression and regulation of IGF family genes in relation to the nutritional status, somatic growth, and reproductive endocrinology of golden pompano for aquaculture development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Brighton Ndandala
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Biology and Epidemiology for Aquatic Economic Animals, Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhanjiang), Zhanjiang 524025, China
| | - Qi Zhou
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Biology and Epidemiology for Aquatic Economic Animals, Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Zhiyuan Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Biology and Epidemiology for Aquatic Economic Animals, Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Yuwen Guo
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Biology and Epidemiology for Aquatic Economic Animals, Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Guangli Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Biology and Epidemiology for Aquatic Economic Animals, Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Huapu Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Biology and Epidemiology for Aquatic Economic Animals, Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhanjiang), Zhanjiang 524025, China
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Valdivieso A, Caballero-Huertas M, Moraleda-Prados J, Piferrer F, Ribas L. Exploring the Effects of Rearing Densities on Epigenetic Modifications in the Zebrafish Gonads. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16002. [PMID: 37958987 PMCID: PMC10647740 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242116002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Rearing density directly impacts fish welfare, which, in turn, affects productivity in aquaculture. Previous studies have indicated that high-density rearing during sexual development in fish can induce stress, resulting in a tendency towards male-biased sex ratios in the populations. In recent years, research has defined the relevance of the interactions between the environment and epigenetics playing a key role in the final phenotype. However, the underlying epigenetic mechanisms of individuals exposed to confinement remain elucidated. By using zebrafish (Danio rerio), the DNA methylation promotor region and the gene expression patterns of six genes, namely dnmt1, cyp19a1a, dmrt1, cyp11c1, hsd17b1, and hsd11b2, involved in the DNA maintenance methylation, reproduction, and stress were assessed. Zebrafish larvae were subjected to two high-density conditions (9 and 66 fish/L) during two periods of overlapping sex differentiation of this species (7 to 18 and 18 to 45 days post-fertilization, dpf). Results showed a significant masculinization in the populations of fish subjected to high densities from 18 to 45 dpf. In adulthood, the dnmt1 gene was differentially hypomethylated in ovaries and its expression was significantly downregulated in the testes of fish exposed to high-density. Further, the cyp19a1a gene showed downregulation of gene expression in the ovaries of fish subjected to elevated density, as previously observed in other studies. We proposed dnmt1 as a potential testicular epimarker and the expression of ovarian cyp19a1a as a potential biomarker for predicting stress originated from high densities during the early stages of development. These findings highlight the importance of rearing densities by long-lasting effects in adulthood conveying cautions for stocking protocols in fish hatcheries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Valdivieso
- IHPE, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IFREMER, Université de Perpignan Via Domitia, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Marta Caballero-Huertas
- CIRAD, UMR ISEM, 34398 Montpellier, France;
- ISEM, Université de Montpellier, CIRAD, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Javier Moraleda-Prados
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ICM-CSIC), 08003 Barcelona, Spain; (J.M.-P.); (F.P.)
| | - Francesc Piferrer
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ICM-CSIC), 08003 Barcelona, Spain; (J.M.-P.); (F.P.)
| | - Laia Ribas
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ICM-CSIC), 08003 Barcelona, Spain; (J.M.-P.); (F.P.)
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Sposato AL, Llewellyn DR, Weber JM, Hollins HL, Schrock MN, Farrell JA, Gagnon JA. Germ cells do not progress through spermatogenesis in the infertile zebrafish testis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.05.556432. [PMID: 37732254 PMCID: PMC10508784 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.05.556432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Vertebrate spermatogonial stem cells maintain sperm production over the lifetime of an animal but fertility declines with age. While morphological studies have greatly informed our understanding of typical spermatogenesis, the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying spermatogenesis are not yet understood, particularly with respect to the onset of fertility. We used single-cell RNA sequencing to generate a developmental atlas of the zebrafish testis. Using 5 timepoints across the adult life of a zebrafish, we described cellular profiles in the testis during and after fertility. While all germ cell stages of spermatogenesis are detected in testes from fertile adult zebrafish, testes from older infertile males only contained spermatogonia and a reduced population of spermatocytes. These remaining germ cells are transcriptionally distinct from fertile spermatogonia. Immune cells including macrophages and lymphocytes drastically increase in abundance in infertile testes. Our developmental atlas reveals the cellular changes as the testis ages and defines a molecular roadmap for the regulation of male fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea L. Sposato
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
| | | | - Jenna M. Weber
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
| | - Hailey L. Hollins
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
| | - Madison N. Schrock
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
| | - Jeffrey A. Farrell
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20814
| | - James A. Gagnon
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
- Henry Eyring Center for Cell and Genome Science, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
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Comparative Analysis of miRNA-mRNA Regulation in the Testes of Gobiocypris rarus following 17α-Methyltestosterone Exposure. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24044239. [PMID: 36835651 PMCID: PMC9968023 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24044239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
17α-Methyltestosterone (17MT), a synthetic organic compound commonly found in sewage waters, can affect reproduction in aquatic animals, such as tilapia and yellow catfish. In the present study, male Gobiocypris rarus were exposed to 25, 50, and 100 ng/L of 17α-methyltestosterone (17MT) for 7 days. We first analyzed miRNA- and RNA-seq results to determine miRNA-target gene pairs and then developed miRNA-mRNA interactive networks after 17MT administration. Total weights, total lengths, and body lengths were not significantly different between the test groups and control groups. The paraffin slice method was applied to testes of G. rarus in the MT exposure and control groups. We found that there were more mature sperm (S) and fewer secondary spermatocytes (SSs) and spermatogonia (SGs) in the testes of control groups. As 17MT concentration increased, fewer and fewer mature sperm (S) were observed in the testes of male G. rarus. The results showed that FSH, 11-KT, and E2 were significantly higher in individuals exposed to 25 ng/L 17MT compared with the control groups. VTG, FSH, LH, 11-KT, and E2 were significantly lower in the 50 ng/L 17MT exposure groups compared to the control groups. VTG, FSH, LH, 11-KT, E2, and T were significantly lower in the groups exposed to 100 ng/L 17MT. High-throughput sequencing revealed 73,449 unigenes, 1205 known mature miRNAs, and 939 novel miRNAs in the gonads of G. rarus. With miRNA-seq, 49 (MT25-M vs. Con-M), 66 (MT50-M vs. Con-M), and 49 (MT100-M vs. Con-M) DEMs were identified in the treatment groups. Five mature miRNAs (miR-122-x, miR-574-x, miR-430-y, lin-4-x, and miR-7-y), as well as seven differentially expressed genes (soat2, inhbb, ihhb, gatm, faxdc2, ebp, and cyp1a1), which may be associated with testicular development, metabolism, apoptosis, and disease response, were assayed using qRT-PCR. Furthermore, miR-122-x (related to lipid metabolism), miR-430-y (embryonic development), lin-4-x (apoptosis), and miR-7-y (disease) were differentially expressed in the testes of 17MT-exposed G. rarus. This study highlights the role of miRNA-mRNA pairs in the regulation of testicular development and immune response to disease and will facilitate future studies on the miRNA-RNA-associated regulation of teleost reproduction.
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Yamamoto M, Kanazawa N, Nomura M, Horie Y, Okamura H. Bisphenol A alters sexual dimorphism and gene expression in marine medaka Oryzias melastigma. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:25691-25700. [PMID: 36346516 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-23863-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine disruptor that is present in freshwater and marine environments. However, conclusive evidence for the toxicity of chronic BPA exposure to marine fishes remains lacking. Therefore, we investigated the influence of BPA on male marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma). BPA exposure induced formation of testis-ova at 2610 µg/L, and male-type anal fins became more female type in a concentration-dependent manner. Some males with female-type anal fins had normal testes, indicating that anal fin shape is more sensitive to BPA. Gonadal soma-derived factor (gsdf) expression decreased after BPA exposure in the 746 and 2610 µg/L exposure groups, although the changes were not statistically significant. Additionally, liver vitellogenin (vtg) expression increased in a dose-dependent manner and was significantly higher in all exposure groups. vtg and gsdf are likely to be useful biomarkers for the impact of estrogenic endocrine disrupters in O. melastigma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitsushi Yamamoto
- Division of Ocean Safety Systems Science, Faculty of Maritime Sciences, Kobe University, 5-1-1 Fukaeminami, Higashinada, Kobe, 658-0022, Japan
| | - Nobuhiro Kanazawa
- Faculty of Bioresource Sciences, Akita Prefectural University, 241-438 Kaidobata-Nishi, Nakano Shimoshinjo, Akita, 010-0195, Japan
| | - Miho Nomura
- Graduate School of Maritime Science, Kobe University, Fukaeminami-machi, Higashinada-ku, Kobe, Japan
| | - Yoshifumi Horie
- Research Center for Inland Sea (KURCIS), Kobe University, 5-1-1 Fukaeminami, Higashinada, Kobe, 658-0022, Japan.
| | - Hideo Okamura
- Research Center for Inland Sea (KURCIS), Kobe University, 5-1-1 Fukaeminami, Higashinada, Kobe, 658-0022, Japan
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10
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Matthews JL, Murphy J, Nasiadka A, Varga ZM. A Simple Method for Inducing Masculinization of Zebrafish Stocks Using 17α-Methyltestosterone. Zebrafish 2022; 19:241-244. [PMID: 36318811 PMCID: PMC9810344 DOI: 10.1089/zeb.2022.0029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Severely skewed sex ratios in zebrafish stocks can pose significant hurdles for line propagation and sperm cryopreservation. To overcome female-biased sex ratios in stocks derived from imported sperm samples, the Zebrafish International Resource Center has implemented routine supplementation of larval food with 17α-methyltestosterone to skew gonadal sex differentiation toward masculinization. Resulting stocks averaged 80% males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L. Matthews
- Zebrafish International Resource Center, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, USA
| | - Joy Murphy
- Zebrafish International Resource Center, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, USA
| | - Andrzej Nasiadka
- Zebrafish International Resource Center, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, USA
| | - Zoltan M. Varga
- Zebrafish International Resource Center, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, USA
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Valdivieso A, Wilson CA, Amores A, da Silva Rodrigues M, Nóbrega RH, Ribas L, Postlethwait JH, Piferrer F. Environmentally-induced sex reversal in fish with chromosomal vs. polygenic sex determination. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 213:113549. [PMID: 35618011 PMCID: PMC9620983 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Sex ratio depends on sex determination mechanisms and is a key demographic parameter determining population viability and resilience to natural and anthropogenic stressors. There is increasing evidence that the environment can alter sex ratio even in genetically sex-determined species (GSD), as elevated temperature can cause female-to-male sex reversal (neomales). Alarmingly, neomales are being discovered in natural populations of several fish, amphibian and reptile species worldwide. Understanding the basis of neomale development is important for conservation biology. Among GSD species, it is unknown whether those with chromosomal sex determination (CSD), the most common system, will better resist the influence of high temperature than those with polygenic sex determination (PSD). Here, we compared the effects of elevated temperature in two wild zebrafish strains, Nadia (NA) and Ekkwill (EKW), which have CSD with a ZZ/ZW system, against the AB laboratory strain, which has PSD. First, we uncovered novel sex genotypes and the results showed that, at control temperature, the masculinization rate roughly doubled with the addition of each Z chromosome, while some ZW and WW fish of the wild strains became neomales. Surprisingly, we found that at elevated temperatures WW fish were just as likely as ZW fish to become neomales and that all strains were equally susceptible to masculinization. These results demonstrate that the Z chromosome is not essential for male development and that the dose of W buffers masculinization at the control temperature but not at elevated temperature. Furthermore, at the elevated temperature the testes of neomales, but not of normal males, contained more spermatozoa than at the control temperature. Our results show in an unprecedented way that, in a global warming scenario, CSD species may not necessarily be better protected against the masculinizing effect of elevated temperature than PSD species, and reveal genotype-by-temperature interactions in male sex determination and spermatogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Valdivieso
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Angel Amores
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
| | - Maira da Silva Rodrigues
- Reproductive and Molecular Biology Group, Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rafael Henrique Nóbrega
- Reproductive and Molecular Biology Group, Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Laia Ribas
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Francesc Piferrer
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Barcelona, Spain.
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12
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Horie Y, Kanazawa N, Takahashi C, Tatarazako N, Iguchi T. Gonadal Soma-Derived Factor Expression is a Potential Biomarker for Predicting the Effects of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals on Gonadal Differentiation in Japanese Medaka (Oryzias Latipes). ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2022; 41:1875-1884. [PMID: 35502944 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Chemicals with androgenic or estrogenic activity induce the sex reversal and/or intersex condition in various teleost fish species. Previously, we reported that exposure to 17α-methyltestosterone, bisphenol A, or 4-nonylphenol induces changes in expression of the gonadal soma-derived factor (gsdf) gene accompanied by disruption of gonadal differentiation in Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes). These findings suggest that gsdf expression might be a useful biomarker for predicting the potential effect of chemicals on gonadal differentiation. We examined the gsdf expression in Japanese medaka exposed to chemicals with estrogenic or androgenic activity. Exposure to the androgenic steroid 17β-trenbolone at 0.5-22.1 μg/L induced the development of ovotestis (presence of ovarian tissue with testicular tissue) and female-to-male sex reversal in XX embryos, and exposure at 6.32 and 22.1 μg/L significantly increased gsdf expression in XX embryos compared with controls at developmental stage 38 (1 day before hatching). In the present study, no statistically significant difference in gsdf mRNA expression was observed after exposure to 17β-estradiol, 17α-ethinylestradiol, and 4-t-octylphenol, which have estrogenic activity. In addition, antiandrogenic chemicals or chemicals without endocrine-disrupting activity did not induce changes in gsdf expression in XX or XY embryos. Thus, an increase in gsdf expression after androgen exposure was observed in XX embryos. Together, these findings indicate that gsdf expression might be useful for predicting the adverse effect of chemicals on gonadal differentiation. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:1875-1884. © 2022 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshifumi Horie
- Faculty of Bioresource Sciences, Akita Prefectural University, Nakano Simoshinjo, Akita, Japan
- Research Center for Inland Seas, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
| | - Nobuhiro Kanazawa
- Faculty of Systems Science and Technology, Akita Prefectural University, Akita, Japan
| | - Chiho Takahashi
- Faculty of Bioresource Sciences, Akita Prefectural University, Nakano Simoshinjo, Akita, Japan
| | - Norihisa Tatarazako
- Department of Science and Technology for Biological Resources and Environment, Graduate School of Agriculture, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
| | - Taisen Iguchi
- Department of Nanobioscience, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan
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Hosseini S, Trakooljul N, Hirschfeld M, Wimmers K, Simianer H, Tetens J, Sharifi AR, Brenig B. Epigenetic Regulation of Phenotypic Sexual Plasticity Inducing Skewed Sex Ratio in Zebrafish. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:880779. [PMID: 35912111 PMCID: PMC9334531 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.880779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The plasticity of sexual phenotype in response to environmental conditions results in biased sex ratios, and their variation has an effect on population dynamics. Epigenetic modifications can modulate sex ratio variation in species, where sex is determined by genetic and environmental factors. However, the role of epigenetic mechanisms underlying skewed sex ratios is far from being clear and is still an object of debate in evolutionary developmental biology. In this study, we used zebrafish as a model animal to investigate the effect of DNA methylation on sex ratio variation in sex-biased families in response to environmental temperature. Two sex-biased families with a significant difference in sex ratio were selected for genome-wide DNA methylation analysis using reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS). The results showed significant genome-wide methylation differences between male-biased and female-biased families, with a greater number of methylated CpG sites in testes than ovaries. Likewise, pronounced differences between testes and ovaries were identified within both families, where the male-biased family exhibited a higher number of methylated sites than the female-biased family. The effect of temperature showed more methylated positions in the high incubation temperature than the control temperature. We found differential methylation of many reproduction-related genes (e.g., sox9a, nr5a2, lhx8a, gata4) and genes involved in epigenetic mechanisms (e.g., dnmt3bb.1, dimt1l, hdac11, h1m) in both families. We conclude that epigenetic modifications can influence the sex ratio variation in zebrafish families and may generate skewed sex ratios, which could have a negative consequence for population fitness in species with genotype-environment interaction sex-determining system under rapid environmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahrbanou Hosseini
- Molecular Biology of Livestock and Molecular Diagnostics Group, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Functional Breeding Group, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Center for Integrated Breeding Research (CiBreed), University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
- *Correspondence: Shahrbanou Hosseini, ; Nares Trakooljul,
| | - Nares Trakooljul
- Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Institute of Genome Biology, Genomics Unit, Dummerstorf, Germany
- *Correspondence: Shahrbanou Hosseini, ; Nares Trakooljul,
| | - Marc Hirschfeld
- Molecular Biology of Livestock and Molecular Diagnostics Group, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Klaus Wimmers
- Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Institute of Genome Biology, Genomics Unit, Dummerstorf, Germany
| | - Henner Simianer
- Center for Integrated Breeding Research (CiBreed), University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Animal Breeding and Genetics Group, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jens Tetens
- Functional Breeding Group, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Center for Integrated Breeding Research (CiBreed), University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ahmad Reza Sharifi
- Center for Integrated Breeding Research (CiBreed), University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Animal Breeding and Genetics Group, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Bertram Brenig
- Molecular Biology of Livestock and Molecular Diagnostics Group, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Center for Integrated Breeding Research (CiBreed), University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
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Mustapha UF, Assan D, Huang YQ, Li GL, Jiang DN. High Polymorphism in the Dmrt2a Gene Is Incompletely Sex-Linked in Spotted Scat, Scatophagus argus. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12050613. [PMID: 35268179 PMCID: PMC8909180 DOI: 10.3390/ani12050613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Unlike mammals and birds, many fishes have young sex chromosomes, providing excellent models to study sex chromosome differentiation at early stages. Previous studies showed that spotted scat possesses an XX-XY sex determination system. The X has a complete Dmrt3 copy (termed normal) and a truncated copy of Dmrt1 (called Dmrt1b), while the Y has the opposite (normal Dmrt1, which is male-specific, and a truncated Dmrt3 called Dmrt3△-Y). Dmrt1 is the candidate sex determination gene, while the differentiation of other sex-linked genes remains unknown. The spotted scat has proven to be a good model to study the evolution of sex chromosomes in vertebrates. Herein, we sequenced a neighbor gene of this family, Dmrt2, positioned farther from Dmrt1 and closer to Dmrt3 in the spotted scat, and analyzed its sequence variation and expression profiles. The physical locations of the three genes span across an estimated size of >40 kb. The open reading frames of Dmrt2a and its paralog Dmrt2b are 1578 bp and 1311 bp, encoding peptides of 525 and 436 amino acid residues, respectively. Dmrt2a is positioned close to Dmrt3 but farther from Dmrt1 on the same chromosome, while Dmrt2b is not. Sequence analysis revealed several mutations; insertions, and deletions (indels) on Dmrt2a non-coding regions and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the Dmrt2a transcript. These indels and SNPs are sex-linked and showed high male heterogeneity but do not affect gene translation. The markers designed to span the mutation sites tested on four different populations showed varied concordance with the genetic sexes. Dmrt2a is transcribed solely in the gonads and gills, while Dmrt2b exists in the gonads, hypothalamus, gills, heart, and spleen. The Dmrt2a and Dmrt2b transcripts are profoundly expressed in the male gonads. Analyses of the transcriptome data from five other fish species (Hainan medaka (Oryzias curvinotus), silver sillago (Sillago sihama), Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), Hong Kong catfish (Clarias fuscus), and spot-fin porcupine fish (Diodon hystrix)) revealed testes-biased expression of Dmrt1 in all, similar to spotted scat. Additionally, the expression of Dmrt2a is higher in the testes than the ovaries in spotted scat and Hainan medaka. The Dmrt2a transcript was not altered in the coding regions as found in Dmrt1 and Dmrt3 in spotted scat. This could be due to the functional importance of Dmrt2a in development. Another possibility is that because Dmrt2a is positioned farther from Dmrt1 and the chromosome is still young, meaning it is only a matter of time before it differentiates. This study undeniably will aid in understanding the functional divergence of the sex-linked genes in fish.
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Ma DD, Jiang YX, Zhang JG, Fang GZ, Huang GY, Shi WJ, Ying GG. Transgenerational effects of androstadienedione and androstenedione at environmentally relevant concentrations in zebrafish (Danio rerio). JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 423:127261. [PMID: 34844370 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Androgens androstadienedione (ADD) and androstenedione (AED) are predominant steroid hormones in surface water, and can disrupt the endocrine system in fish. However, little is known about the transgenerational effects of ADD and AED in fish. In the present study, F0 generation was exposed to ADD and AED from 21 to 144 days post-fertilization (dpf) at nominal concentrations of 5 (L), 50 (M) and 500 (H) ng L-1, and F1 generation was domesticated in clear water for 144 dpf. The sex ratio, histology and transcription in F0 and F1 generations were examined. In the F0 generation, ADD and AED tended to be estrogenic in zebrafish, resulting in female biased zebrafish populations. In the F1 generation, ADD at the H level caused 63.5% females, while AED at the H level resulted in 78.7% males. In brain, ADD and AED had similar effects on circadian rhythm in the F0 and F1 generations. In the F1 eleutheroembryos, transcriptomic analysis indicated that neuromast hair cell related biological processes (BPs) were overlapped in the ADD and AED groups. Taken together, ADD and AED at environmentally relevant concentrations had transgenerational effects on sex differentiation and transcription in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong-Dong Ma
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yu-Xia Jiang
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510535, China
| | - Jin-Ge Zhang
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Gui-Zhen Fang
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Guo-Yong Huang
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Wen-Jun Shi
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Guang-Guo Ying
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China.
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16
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Tian H, Liu R, Zhang S, Wei S, Wang W, Ru S. 17β-Trenbolone binds to androgen receptor, decreases number of primordial germ cells, modulates expression of genes related to sexual differentiation, and affects sexual differentiation in zebrafish (Danio rerio). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 806:150959. [PMID: 34662611 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 10/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to 17β-trenbolone caused a skewed sex ratio in fish. However, the molecular initiating event and key molecular event(s) remain unknown. In this study, zebrafish were exposed to 17β-trenbolone at nominal concentrations of 2 ng/L, 20 ng/L, 200 ng/L, and 2000 ng/L from fertilization to 60 days post fertilization (dpf). First, the sex ratio at 60 dpf was calculated to evaluate adverse outcomes on sexual differentiation. 17β-Trenbolone caused a skewed sex ratio toward males, with intersex individuals observed in the 20 ng/L group and all-male populations found in the 200 ng/L and 2000 ng/L groups. Then, the distribution and number of primordial germ cells, the expression of sex differentiation-related genes, and plasma vitellogenin concentrations were detected in wild-type zebrafish and the EGFP-nanos-3'UTR transgenic line using whole-mount in situ hybridization, real-time PCR, EGFP fluorescence quantification, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The results indicated that 17β-trenbolone exposure decreased the number of primordial germ cells at 1 dpf and 3 dpf, decreased expression of ovarian differentiation-related genes foxl2 and cyp19a1a at 60 dpf, increased expression of testis differentiation-related genes dmrt1, sox9a, and amh at 60 dpf, and decreased plasma vitellogenin levels at 60 dpf, revealing the key molecular events at different time points involved in affected sexual differentiation by 17β-trenbolone. Finally, molecular docking showed that 17β-trenbolone docked into ligand-binding domain of zebrafish androgen receptor with high binding energy (-3.72 kcal/mol), suggesting that binding to androgen receptor is the molecular initiating event affecting sexual differentiation by 17β-trenbolone. We found that 17β-trenbolone can bind to the zebrafish androgen receptor, decrease the number of primordial germ cells during the early embryonic stage, modulate the expression of genes related to sexual differentiation during gonadal differentiation, and eventually cause a skewed sex ratio toward males in adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Tian
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, Shandong Province, China
| | - Rui Liu
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, Shandong Province, China
| | - Suqiu Zhang
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, Shandong Province, China
| | - Shuhui Wei
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, Shandong Province, China
| | - Wei Wang
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, Shandong Province, China..
| | - Shaoguo Ru
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, Shandong Province, China
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17
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Yan H, Shen X, Jiang J, Zhang L, Yuan Z, Wu Y, Liu Q, Liu Y. Gene Expression of Takifugu rubripes Gonads During AI- or MT-induced Masculinization and E2-induced Feminization. Endocrinology 2021; 162:6218011. [PMID: 33831176 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqab068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Elucidating the global molecular changes that occur during aromatase inhibitor (AI)- or 17α-methyltestosterone (MT)-induced masculinization and estradiol-17β (E2)-induced feminization is critical to understanding the roles that endocrine and genetic factors play in regulating the process of sex differentiation in fish. Here, fugu larvae were treated with AI (letrozole), MT, or E2 from 25 to 80 days after hatching (dah), and gonadal transcriptomic analysis at 80 dah was performed. The expression of dmrt1, gsdf, foxl2, and other key genes (star, hsd3b1, cyp11c1, cyp19a1a, etc.) involved in the steroid hormone biosynthesis pathway were found be altered. The expression of dmrt1, gsdf, cyp19a1a, and foxl2 was further verified by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. In the control group, the expression of dmrt1 and gsdf was significantly higher in XY larvae than in XX larvae, while the expression of foxl2 and cyp19a1a was significantly higher in XX larvae than in XY larvae (P < .05). AI treatment suppressed the expression of foxl2 and cyp19a1a, and induced the expression of dmrt1 and gsdf in XX larvae. MT treatment suppressed the expression of foxl2, cyp19a1a, dmrt1, and gsdf in XX larvae. E2 treatment suppressed the expression of dmrt1 and gsdf, but did not restore the expression of foxl2 and cyp19a1a in XY larvae. The shared response following AI, MT, and E2 treatment suggested that these genes are essential for sex differentiation. This finding offers some insight into AI or MT-induced masculinization, and E2-induced femininization in fugu.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongwei Yan
- College of Fisheries and Life Science, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, China
| | - Xufang Shen
- Key Laboratory of Environment Controlled Aquaculture, Ministry of Education, 116023, Dalian, China
- College of Life Sciences, Liaoning Normal university, Dalian, Liaoning 116000, China
| | - Jieming Jiang
- College of Fisheries and Life Science, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, China
- Key Laboratory of Environment Controlled Aquaculture, Ministry of Education, 116023, Dalian, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Environment Controlled Aquaculture, Ministry of Education, 116023, Dalian, China
- College of Marine Science and Environment Engineering, Dalian Ocean University, 116023, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Zhen Yuan
- College of Fisheries and Life Science, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, China
- Key Laboratory of Environment Controlled Aquaculture, Ministry of Education, 116023, Dalian, China
| | - Yumeng Wu
- College of Fisheries and Life Science, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, China
- Key Laboratory of Environment Controlled Aquaculture, Ministry of Education, 116023, Dalian, China
| | - Qi Liu
- Key Laboratory of Environment Controlled Aquaculture, Ministry of Education, 116023, Dalian, China
- College of Marine Science and Environment Engineering, Dalian Ocean University, 116023, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Ying Liu
- Key Laboratory of Environment Controlled Aquaculture, Ministry of Education, 116023, Dalian, China
- College of Marine Science and Environment Engineering, Dalian Ocean University, 116023, Dalian, Liaoning, China
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18
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Liu S, Yang Q, Chen Y, Liu Q, Wang W, Song J, Zheng Y, Liu W. Integrated Analysis of mRNA- and miRNA-Seq in the Ovary of Rare Minnow Gobiocypris rarus in Response to 17α-Methyltestosterone. Front Genet 2021; 12:695699. [PMID: 34421998 PMCID: PMC8375321 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.695699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
17α-Methyltestosterone (MT) is a synthetic androgen. The objective of this study was to explore the effects of exogenous MT on the growth and gonadal development of female rare minnow Gobiocypris rarus. Female G. rarus groups were exposed to 25–100 ng/L of MT for 7 days. After exposure for 7 days, the total weight and body length were significantly decreased in the 50-ng/L MT groups. The major oocytes in the ovaries of the control group were vitellogenic oocytes (Voc) and cortical alveolus stage oocytes (Coc). In the MT exposure groups, some fish had mature ovaries with a relatively lower proportion of mature oocytes, and the diameter of the perinucleolar oocytes (Poc) was decreased compared with those of the control group. Ovarian VTG, FSH, LH, 11-KT, E2, and T were significantly increased after exposure to 50 ng/L of MT for 7 days. Unigenes (73,449), 24 known mature microRNAs (miRNAs), and 897 novel miRNAs in the gonads of G. rarus were found using high-throughput sequencing. Six mature miRNAs (miR-19, miR-183, miR-203, miR-204, miR-205, and miR-96) as well as six differentially expressed genes (fabp3, mfap4, abca1, foxo3, tgfb1, and zfp36l1) that may be associated with ovarian development and innate immune response were assayed using qPCR. Furthermore, the miR-183 cluster and miR-203 were differentially expressed in MT-exposed ovaries of the different G. rarus groups. This study provides some information about the role of miRNA–mRNA pairs in the regulation of ovarian development and innate immune system, which will facilitate future studies of the miRNA–RNA-associated regulation of teleost reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaozhen Liu
- College of Animal Science, Shanxi Agriculture University, Jinzhong, China
| | - Qiong Yang
- College of Animal Science, Shanxi Agriculture University, Jinzhong, China
| | - Yue Chen
- College of Animal Science, Shanxi Agriculture University, Jinzhong, China
| | - Qing Liu
- College of Animal Science, Shanxi Agriculture University, Jinzhong, China
| | - Weiwei Wang
- College of Animal Science, Shanxi Agriculture University, Jinzhong, China
| | - Jing Song
- College of Animal Science, Shanxi Agriculture University, Jinzhong, China
| | - Yao Zheng
- Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi, China
| | - Wenzhong Liu
- College of Animal Science, Shanxi Agriculture University, Jinzhong, China
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Zhang Y, Jiang S, Qiao H, Xiong Y, Fu H, Zhang W, Gong Y, Jin S, Wu Y. Transcriptome analysis of five ovarian stages reveals gonad maturation in female Macrobrachium nipponense. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:510. [PMID: 34229608 PMCID: PMC8262026 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07737-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Macrobrachium nipponense is an economically important species of freshwater shrimp in China. Unlike other marine shrimps, the ovaries in adult female M. nipponense can mature rapidly and periodically during the reproductive period, but the resulting high stocking densities and environmental deterioration can negatively impact the harvest yield and economic benefits. To better understand ovary development in female M. nipponense, we performed systematic transcriptome sequencing of five different stages of ovarian maturation. Results We obtained 255,966 Gb of high quality transcriptome data from 15 samples. Of the 105,082 unigenes that were selected, 30,878 were successfully annotated. From these unigenes, we identified 17 differentially expressed genes and identified three distinct gene expression patterns related to different biological processes. We found that cathepins, legumains, and cystatin were enriched in the lysosome pathway, and they are related to vitellogenin hydrolysis. Additionally, we found that myosin heavy chain 67 participated in oocyte excretion. Conclusions We provide the first detailed transcriptome data relating to the ovarian maturation cycle in M. nipponense. Our results provide important reference information about the genomics, molecular biology, physiology, and population genetics of M. nipponense and other crustaceans. It is conducive to further solve the problem of M. nipponense rapid ovarian maturation from the aspects of energy supply and cell division. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-021-07737-5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuning Zhang
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, 214081, Wuxi, China
| | - Sufei Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, 214081, Wuxi, China
| | - Hui Qiao
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, 214081, Wuxi, China
| | - Yiwei Xiong
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, 214081, Wuxi, China
| | - Hongtuo Fu
- Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, 214081, Wuxi, China. .,Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, 214081, Wuxi, China.
| | - Wenyi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, 214081, Wuxi, China
| | - Yongsheng Gong
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, 214081, Wuxi, China
| | - Shubo Jin
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, 214081, Wuxi, China
| | - Yan Wu
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fisheries and Germplasm Resources Utilization, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, 214081, Wuxi, China
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20
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Pan Z, Zhu C, Chang G, Wu N, Ding H, Wang H. Differential expression analysis and identification of sex-related genes by gonad transcriptome sequencing in estradiol-treated and non-treated Ussuri catfish Pseudobagrus ussuriensis. FISH PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY 2021; 47:565-581. [PMID: 33523351 DOI: 10.1007/s10695-021-00932-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The Ussuri catfish (Pseudobagrus ussuriensis) has an XX/XY sex determination system but its sex determination gene(s) remain unknown. To better understand the molecular sex determination mechanism, transcriptome analysis was conducted to obtain sex-related gene expression profiles. Transcriptome analyses were made of male and female developing/differentiating gonads by high-throughput RNA sequencing, including gonads from fish given an estradiol-induced sex reversal treatment. A total of 81,569 unigenes were assembled and 39,904 were significantly matched to known unique proteins by comparison with public databases. Twenty specifically expressed and 142 differentially expressed sex-related genes were extracted from annotated data by comparing the treatment groups. These genes are involved in spermatogenesis (e.g., Dnali1, nectin3, klhl10, mybl1, Katnal1, Eno4, Mns1, Spag6, Tsga10, Septin7), oogenesis (e.g., Lagr5, Fmn2, Npm2, zar1, Fbxo5, Fbxo43, Prdx4, Nrip1, Lfng, Atrip), gonadal development/differentiation (e.g., Cxcr4b, Hmgb2, Cftr, Ch25h, brip1, Prdm9, Tdrd1, Star, dmrt1, Tut4, Hsd17b12a, gdf9, dnd, arf1, Spata22), and estradiol response (e.g., Mmp14, Lhcgr, vtg1, vtg2, esr2b, Piwil1, Aifm1, Hsf1, gdf9). Dmrt1 and gdf9 may play an essential role in sex determination in P. ussuriensis. The expression patterns of six random genes were validated by quantitative real-time PCR, which confirmed the reliability and accuracy of the RNA-seq results. These data provide a valuable resource for future studies of gene expression and for understanding the molecular mechanism of sex determination/differentiation and gonadal development/differentiation (including hormone-induced sexual reversal) in Ussuri catfish. This has the potential to assist in producing monosex Ussuri catfish to increase aquacultural productivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- ZhengJun Pan
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory for Breeding of Special Aquatic Organisms, Huaiyin Normal University, Huaian, 223300, China.
| | - ChuanKun Zhu
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory for Breeding of Special Aquatic Organisms, Huaiyin Normal University, Huaian, 223300, China
| | - GuoLiang Chang
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory for Breeding of Special Aquatic Organisms, Huaiyin Normal University, Huaian, 223300, China
| | - Nan Wu
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory for Breeding of Special Aquatic Organisms, Huaiyin Normal University, Huaian, 223300, China
| | - HuaiYu Ding
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory for Breeding of Special Aquatic Organisms, Huaiyin Normal University, Huaian, 223300, China
| | - Hui Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory for Breeding of Special Aquatic Organisms, Huaiyin Normal University, Huaian, 223300, China
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21
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Transcriptomic and metabolomic insights into the variety of sperm storage in oviduct of egg layers. Poult Sci 2021; 100:101087. [PMID: 33887680 PMCID: PMC8082553 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2021.101087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In birds, the sperm storage tubules (SST) are dispersed in uterovaginal junction (UVJ) and highly correlated with differential capacity of sperm storage (SS) in and among species with unspecified mechanisms. Here, the SS duration of 252 egg layer breeders was evaluated in 5 rounds with 3 phenotypic traits to screen high- and low-SS individuals, respectively, followed with transcriptome of UVJ tissues and metabolome of serum (high-SS vs. low-SS) to decipher the candidate genes and biochemical markers correlated with differential SS capacity. Histological characterization suggested slightly higher density of SST in UVJ (high-SS vs. low-SS). Transcriptome analyses identified 596 differentially expressed genes (336 upregulated vs. 260 downregulated), which were mainly enriched in gene ontology terms of homeostasis, steroid and lipid metabolism and hormone activity, and 12 significant pathways (P < 0.05) represented by calcium, steroid, and lipid metabolism. Immunohistochemical staining of GNAQ, ST6GAL1, ADFP, and PCNA showed similar distribution in UVJ tissues between 2 groups. Several candidates (HSD11B2, DIO2, AQP3, GNAQ, NANS, ST6GAL1) combined with 4 (11β-prostaglandin F2α, prostaglandin B1, 7α-hydroxytestosterone, and N-acetylneuraminic acid) of 40 differential metabolites enriched in serum metabolome were considered as regulators and biomarkers of SS duration in egg layer breeders. The integrated transcriptome and metabolome analyses of chicken breeder hens will provide novel insights for exploration and improvement of differential SS capacity in birds.
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22
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Li J, Zhou Y, Zhou Z, Lin C, Wei J, Qin Y, Xiang Z, Ma H, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Yu Z. Comparative transcriptome analysis of three gonadal development stages reveals potential genes involved in gametogenesis of the fluted giant clam (Tridacna squamosa). BMC Genomics 2020; 21:872. [PMID: 33287701 PMCID: PMC7720611 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-07276-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gonad development and differentiation is an essential function for all sexually reproducing species, and many aspects of these developmental processes are highly conserved among the metazoa. However, the mechanisms underlying gonad development and gametogenesis remain unclear in Tridacna squamosa, a large-size bivalve of great ecological value. They are protandrous simultaneous hermaphrodites, with the male gonad maturing first, eventually followed by the female gonads. In this study, nine gonad libraries representing resting, male and hermaphrodite stages in T. squamosa were performed to identify the molecular mechanisms. RESULTS Sixteen thousand four hundred ninety-one unigenes were annotated in the NCBI non-redundant protein database. Among the annotated unigenes, 5091 and 7328 unigenes were assigned to Gene Ontology categories and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) Pathway database, respectively. A total of 4763 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by comparing male to resting gonads, consisting of 3499 which were comparatively upregulated in males and 1264 which were downregulated in males. Six hundred-ninteen DEGs between male and hermaphroditic gonads were identified, with 518 DEGs more strongly expressed in hermaphrodites and 101 more strongly expressed in males. GO (Gene Ontology) and KEGG pathway analyses revealed that various biological functions and processes, including functions related to the endocrine system, oocyte meiosis, carbon metabolism, and the cell cycle, were involved in regulating gonadal development and gametogenesis in T. squamosa. Testis-specific serine/threonine kinases 1 (TSSK1), TSSK4, TSSK5, Doublesex- and mab-3-related transcription factor 1 (DMRT1), SOX, Sperm surface protein 17 (SP17) and other genes were involved in male gonadal development in Tridacna squamosal. Both spermatogenesis- (TSSK4, spermatogenesis-associated protein 17, spermatogenesis-associated protein 8, sperm motility kinase X, SP17) and oogenesis-related genes (zona pellucida protein, Forkhead Box L2, Vitellogenin, Vitellogenin receptor, 5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor) were simultaneously highly expressed in the hermaphroditic gonad to maintain the hermaphroditism of T. squamosa. CONCLUSION All these results from our study will facilitate better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying giant clam gonad development and gametogenesis, which can provided a base on obtaining excellent gametes during the seed production process for giant clams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Li
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Science, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology, Sanya Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, 572024, China
- Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China
| | - Yinyin Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Science, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology, Sanya Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, 572024, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Zihua Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Science, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology, Sanya Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, 572024, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Chuanxu Lin
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Science, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou, 510301, China
| | - Jinkuan Wei
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Science, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology, Sanya Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, 572024, China
| | - Yanpin Qin
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Science, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology, Sanya Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, 572024, China
| | - Zhiming Xiang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Science, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology, Sanya Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, 572024, China
| | - Haitao Ma
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Science, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology, Sanya Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, 572024, China
| | - Yang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Science, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology, Sanya Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, 572024, China
| | - Yuehuan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Science, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou, 510301, China.
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 510301, China.
- Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology, Sanya Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, 572024, China.
- Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China.
| | - Ziniu Yu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Science, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou, 510301, China.
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 510301, China.
- Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology, Sanya Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, 572024, China.
- Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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Martínez R, Codina AE, Barata C, Tauler R, Piña B, Navarro-Martín L. Transcriptomic effects of tributyltin (TBT) in zebrafish eleutheroembryos. A functional benchmark dose analysis. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2020; 398:122881. [PMID: 32474318 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.122881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Revised: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to the antifouling tributyltin (TBT) has been related to imposex in mollusks and to obesogenicity, adipogenesis and masculinization in fish. To understand the underlying molecular mechanisms, we evaluated dose-response effects of TBT (1.7-56 nM) in zebrafish eleutheroembryos transcriptome exposed from 2 to 5 days post-fertilization. RNA-sequencing analysis identified 3238 differentially expressed transcripts in eleutheroembryos exposed to TBT. Benchmark dose analyses (BMD) showed that the point of departure (PoD) for transcriptomic effects (9.28 nM) was similar to the metabolomic PoD (11.5 nM) and about one order of magnitude lower than the morphometric PoD (67.9 nM) or the median lethal concentration (LC50: 93.6 nM). Functional analysis of BMD transcriptomic data identified steroid metabolism and cholesterol and vitamin D3 biosynthesis as the most sensitive pathways to TBT (<50% PoD). Conversely, transcripts related to general stress and DNA damage became affected only at doses above the PoD. Therefore, our results indicate that transcriptomes can act as early molecular indicators of pollutant exposure, and illustrates their usefulness for the mechanistic identification of the initial toxic events. As the estimated molecular PoDs are close to environmental levels, we concluded that TBT may represent a substantial risk in some natural environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubén Martínez
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona, Catalunya, 08034, Spain; Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Catalunya 08007, Spain.
| | - Anna E Codina
- CNAG-CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona 08028, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona 08003, Spain.
| | - Carlos Barata
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona, Catalunya, 08034, Spain.
| | - Romà Tauler
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona, Catalunya, 08034, Spain.
| | - Benjamin Piña
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona, Catalunya, 08034, Spain.
| | - Laia Navarro-Martín
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona, Catalunya, 08034, Spain.
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Wang W, Liang S, Zou Y, Wu Z, Wang L, Liu Y, You F. Amh dominant expression in Sertoli cells during the testicular differentiation and development stages in the olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus. Gene 2020; 755:144906. [PMID: 32554048 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2020.144906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Revised: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus, an important marine fish, shows gender differences in growth. The mechanism on its gonadal differentiation direction affected with exogenous factors still needs to be clarified. The anti-Müllerian hormone (amh) gene is involved in fish testicular differentiation and maintenance. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of the flounder amh in tissues and the gonads. The quantitative expression analysis results showed that it was highly expressed in the testis, especially in the testis at stages I - IV (P < 0.05). Also, amh was detected in Sertoli cells surrounding spermatogonia and peripheral seminiferous lobule of the testis with in situ hybridization (ISH) and immunohistochemistry (IHC). During the differentiation period, the amh expression in the testis of the tamoxifen treatment group (100 ppm) was higher than that in the ovary of the 17β-estradiol (E2, 5 ppm) group, and the expression levels of amh during process of the male differentiation in the tamoxifen group were higher than those in the 17ɑ-methyltestosterone (MT, 5 ppm) group (P < 0.05). ISH results also exhibited that amh was expressed in the somatic cells that surrounded the germ cells of juvenile flounder similar to adult ones. Furthermore, the flounder gonads in the tamoxifen group maintained more germ cells and somatic cells than those in the MT group from 20 to 80 mm total length (TL). Especially, at 60 and 80 mm TL, the numbers of germ and somatic cells in the tamoxifen group were significantly higher than those in the MT group (P < 0.05). In summary, amh might initiate the process of testicular differentiation, and is involved in the early development and maintenance of testis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenxiang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, PR China; Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao 266237, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - Shaoshuai Liang
- Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, PR China; Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao 266237, PR China
| | - Yuxia Zou
- Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, PR China; Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao 266237, PR China
| | - Zhihao Wu
- Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, PR China; Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao 266237, PR China
| | - Lijuan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, PR China; Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao 266237, PR China
| | - Yan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, PR China; Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao 266237, PR China
| | - Feng You
- Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, PR China; Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao 266237, PR China.
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Palma P, Nocillado J, Superio J, Ayson EGDJ, Ayson F, Bar I, Elizur A. Gonadal response of juvenile protogynous grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus) to long-term recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone administration†. Biol Reprod 2020; 100:798-809. [PMID: 30371741 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioy228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2018] [Revised: 10/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in the gonadal development of protogynous hermaphroditic grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus) was investigated. Recombinant giant grouper (E. lanceolatus) FSH (rggFSH) was produced in yeast. Its receptor-binding capacity and steroidogenic potency were confirmed in vitro. Weekly injections of rggFSH to juvenile tiger grouper for 8 weeks (100 μg/kg body weight, BW) resulted in significantly larger and more advanced oocytes (cortical alveolar stage vs primary growth stage in control). Sustained treatment with rggFSH (20 to 38 weeks at 200 μg/kg BW) resulted in significant reduction in gonad size, degeneration of oocytes, and proliferation of spermatogonial cells, indicative of female to male sex change. Gene expression analysis showed that, while initiating female to male sex change, the rggFSH significantly suppressed the steroidogenic genes cyp11b, cyp19a1a, and foxl2 which restrained the endogenous production of sex steroid hormones and thus prevented the differentiation of spermatogonial cells. Expression profile of sex markers dmrt1, amh, figla, and bmp15 suggests that the observed sex change was restricted at the initiation stage. Based on these results, we propose that the process of female to male sex change in the protogynous grouper is initiated by FSH, rather than sex steroids, and likely involves steroid-independent pathway. The cortical alveolar stage in oocyte development is the critical point after which FSH-induced sex change is possible in grouper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Palma
- Genecology Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore DC, Queensland, Australia.,Aquaculture Department, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center, Tigbauan, Iloilo, Philippines
| | - Josephine Nocillado
- Genecology Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore DC, Queensland, Australia
| | - Joshua Superio
- Aquaculture Department, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center, Tigbauan, Iloilo, Philippines
| | | | - Felix Ayson
- Aquaculture Department, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center, Tigbauan, Iloilo, Philippines
| | - Ido Bar
- Genecology Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore DC, Queensland, Australia.,Environmental Futures Research Institute, School of Natural Sciences and Environment, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia
| | - Abigail Elizur
- Genecology Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore DC, Queensland, Australia
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Rutherford R, Lister A, Bosker T, Blewett T, Gillio Meina E, Chehade I, Kanagasabesan T, MacLatchy D. Mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus) are less sensitive to 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE 2) than other common model teleosts: A comparative review of reproductive effects. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2020; 289:113378. [PMID: 31899193 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2019.113378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Revised: 12/08/2019] [Accepted: 12/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The environmental estrogen 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) will depress or completely inhibit egg production in many common model teleosts at low concentrations (≤0.5 ng/L; Runnalls et al., 2015). This inhibition is not seen in the estuarine killifish, or mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus), even when exposed to 100 ng/L EE2. This relative insensitivity to EE2 exposure indicates species-specific mechanisms for compensating for exogenous estrogenic exposure. This review compares various reproductive responses elicited by EE2 in mummichog to other common model teleosts, such as zebrafish (Danio rerio) and fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas), identifying key endpoints where mummichog differ from other studied fish. For example, EE2 accumulates primarily in the liver/gall bladder of mummichog, which is different than zebrafish and fathead minnow in which accumulation is predominantly in the carcass. Despite causing species-specific differences in fecundity, EE2 has been shown to consistently induce hepatic vitellogenin in males and cause feminization/sex reversal during gonadal differentiation in larval mummichog, similar to other species. In addition, while gonadal steroidogenesis and plasma steroid levels respond to exogenous EE2, it is generally at higher concentrations than observed in other species. In mummichog, production of 17β-estradiol (E2) by full grown ovarian follicles remains high; unlike other teleost models where E2 synthesis decreases as 17α,20β-dihydroxy-4-prenen-3-on levels increase to induce oocyte maturation. New evidence in mummichog indicates some dissimilarity in gonadal steroidogenic gene expression responses compared to gene expression responses in zebrafish and fathead minnow exposed to EE2. The role of ovarian physiology continues to warrant investigation regarding the tolerance of mummichog to exogenous EE2 exposure. Here we present a comprehensive review, highlighting key biological differences in response to EE2 exposure between mummichog and other commonly used model teleosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Rutherford
- Wilfrid Laurier University, 75 University Ave W, Waterloo, ON N2L 3C5, Canada.
| | - Andrea Lister
- Wilfrid Laurier University, 75 University Ave W, Waterloo, ON N2L 3C5, Canada.
| | - Thijs Bosker
- Leiden University College/Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, P.O. Box 13228, 2501 EE, The Hague, the Netherlands.
| | - Tamzin Blewett
- University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, 116 St & 85 Ave, T6G 2R3, Canada.
| | | | - Ibrahim Chehade
- New York University Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, P.O. Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
| | | | - Deborah MacLatchy
- Wilfrid Laurier University, 75 University Ave W, Waterloo, ON N2L 3C5, Canada.
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27
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Caballero-Huertas M, Moraleda-Prados J, Joly S, Ribas L. Immune genes, IL1β and Casp9, show sexual dimorphic methylation patterns in zebrafish gonads. FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2020; 97:648-655. [PMID: 31830572 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2019.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Revised: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 12/08/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
There is crosstalk between the immune and reproductive systems in which sexual dimorphism is a common pattern in vertebrates. In recent years, epigenetics has emerged as a way to study the molecular mechanisms involved in gonadal development, those responsible for integrating environmental information that contribute to assigning a specific sexual phenotype (either an ovary or a testis). The knowledge of epigenetic mechanisms in certain molecular processes allows the development of epigenetic markers. In fish gonads, the existence of reproduction-immune system interactions is known, although the epigenetic mechanisms involved are far from clear. Here, we used the zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model to study the DNA methylation patterns in gonads of two well-known innate immune genes: IL1β and Casp9. DNA methylation levels were studied by a candidate gene approach at single nucleotide resolution and gene expression analyses were also carried out. Results showed that there was clear sexual dimorphism in the DNA methylation levels of the two immune genes studied, being significantly higher in the testes when compared to the ovaries. In summary, and although further research is needed, this paper presents sexual dimorphic methylation patterns of two immune-related genes, thus sex-biased differences in methylation profiles should considered when analyzing immune responses in fish. Data showed here can help to develop epimarkers with forthcoming applications in livestock and fish farming production, for example, in immune fish diseases or sexual control programs as epigenetic molecular tools to predict environmental pressure in the gonads.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Caballero-Huertas
- Institute of Marine Sciences, Spanish National Research Council (ICM-CSIC), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - J Moraleda-Prados
- Institute of Marine Sciences, Spanish National Research Council (ICM-CSIC), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - S Joly
- Institute of Marine Sciences, Spanish National Research Council (ICM-CSIC), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - L Ribas
- Institute of Marine Sciences, Spanish National Research Council (ICM-CSIC), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain.
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Zhang Y, Wang J, Lu L, Li Y, Wei Y, Cheng Y, Zhang X, Tian H, Wang W, Ru S. Genotoxic biomarkers and histological changes in marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma) exposed to 17α-ethynylestradiol and 17β-trenbolone. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2020; 150:110601. [PMID: 31706722 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.110601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2019] [Revised: 09/01/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Endocrine-disrupting pollutants in marine environments have aroused great concern for their adverse effects on the reproduction of marine organisms. This study aimed to seek promising biomarkers for estrogenic/androgenic chemicals. First, two possible male-specific genes, SRY-box containing gene 9a2 (sox9a2) and gonadal soma-derived factor (gsdf), were cloned from marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma). Then the responses of sox9a2, gsdf, choriogenin (chgH and chgL), vitellogenin (vtg1 and vtg2), and cytochrome P450 aromatase (cyp19a and cyp19b) were investigated after exposure to 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2) and 17β-trenbolone (TB) at 2, 10, and 50 ng/L. The results showed that gsdf was specifically expressed in the testes and easily induced in the ovaries after TB exposure, indicating that gsdf was a potential biomarker of environmental androgens. ChgL was a useful biomarker of weak estrogen pollution for its high sensitivity to low levels of EE2. In addition, both EE2 and TB exposure damaged gonadal structures and inhibited gonadal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yabin Zhang
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Jun Wang
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China.
| | - Lin Lu
- School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266021, China
| | - Yuejiao Li
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Yanyan Wei
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Yuqi Cheng
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Xiaona Zhang
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Hua Tian
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Wei Wang
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Shaoguo Ru
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China.
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29
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Lee SLJ, Horsfield JA, Black MA, Rutherford K, Gemmell NJ. Identification of sex differences in zebrafish (Danio rerio) brains during early sexual differentiation and masculinization using 17α-methyltestoterone. Biol Reprod 2019; 99:446-460. [PMID: 29272338 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/iox175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2017] [Accepted: 12/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual behavior in teleost fish is highly plastic. It can be attributed to the relatively few sex differences found in adult brain transcriptomes. Environmental and hormonal factors can influence sex-specific behavior. Androgen treatment stimulates behavioral masculinization. Sex dimorphic gene expression in developing teleost brains and the molecular basis for androgen-induced behavioral masculinization are poorly understood. In this study, juvenile zebrafish (Danio rerio) were treated with 100 ng/L of 17 alpha-methyltestosterone (MT) during sexual development from 20 days post fertilization to 40 days and 60 days post fertilization. We compared brain gene expression patterns in MT-treated zebrafish with control males and females using RNA-Seq to shed light on the dynamic changes in brain gene expression during sexual development and how androgens affect brain gene expression leading to behavior masculinization. We found modest differences in gene expression between juvenile male and female zebrafish brains. Brain aromatase (cyp19a1b), prostaglandin 3a synthase (ptges3a), and prostaglandin reductase 1 (ptgr1) were among the genes with sexually dimorphic expression patterns. MT treatment significantly altered gene expression relative to both male and female brains. Fewer differences were found among MT-treated brains and male brains compared to female brains, particularly at 60 dpf. MT treatment upregulated the expression of hydroxysteroid 11-beta dehydrogenase 2 (hsd11b2), deiodinase, iodothyronine, type II (dio2), and gonadotrophin releasing hormones (GnRH) 2 and 3 (gnrh2 and gnrh3) suggesting local synthesis of 11-ketotestosterone, triiodothyronine, and GnRHs in zebrafish brains which are influenced by androgens. Androgen, estrogen, prostaglandin, thyroid hormone, and GnRH signaling pathways likely interact to modulate teleost sexual behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie L J Lee
- Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand
| | - Julia A Horsfield
- Department of Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand
| | - Michael A Black
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand
| | - Kim Rutherford
- Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand
| | - Neil J Gemmell
- Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand
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Yan YL, Batzel P, Titus T, Sydes J, Desvignes T, BreMiller R, Draper B, Postlethwait JH. A Hormone That Lost Its Receptor: Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) in Zebrafish Gonad Development and Sex Determination. Genetics 2019; 213:529-553. [PMID: 31399485 PMCID: PMC6781894 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.119.302365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2019] [Accepted: 08/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal mammalian testes secrete Anti-Müllerian hormone (Amh), which inhibits female reproductive tract (Müllerian duct) development. Amh also derives from mature mammalian ovarian follicles, which marks oocyte reserve and characterizes polycystic ovarian syndrome. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) lacks Müllerian ducts and the Amh receptor gene amhr2 but, curiously, retains amh To discover the roles of Amh in the absence of Müllerian ducts and the ancestral receptor gene, we made amh null alleles in zebrafish. Results showed that normal amh prevents female-biased sex ratios. Adult male amh mutants had enormous testes, half of which contained immature oocytes, demonstrating that Amh regulates male germ cell accumulation and inhibits oocyte development or survival. Mutant males formed sperm ducts and some produced a few offspring. Young female mutants laid a few fertile eggs, so they also had functional sex ducts. Older amh mutants accumulated nonvitellogenic follicles in exceedingly large but sterile ovaries, showing that Amh helps control ovarian follicle maturation and proliferation. RNA-sequencing data partitioned juveniles at 21 days postfertilization (dpf) into two groups that each contained mutant and wild-type fish. Group21-1 upregulated ovary genes compared to Group21-2, which were likely developing as males. By 35 dpf, transcriptomes distinguished males from females and, within each sex, mutants from wild types. In adult mutants, ovaries greatly underexpressed granulosa and theca genes, and testes underexpressed Leydig cell genes. These results show that ancestral Amh functions included development of the gonadal soma in ovaries and testes and regulation of gamete proliferation and maturation. A major gap in our understanding is the identity of the gene encoding a zebrafish Amh receptor; we show here that the loss of amhr2 is associated with the breakpoint of a chromosome rearrangement shared among cyprinid fishes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Lin Yan
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403
| | - Peter Batzel
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403
| | - Tom Titus
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403
| | - Jason Sydes
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403
| | - Thomas Desvignes
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403
| | - Ruth BreMiller
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403
| | - Bruce Draper
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, California 95616
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31
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Martínez R, Herrero-Nogareda L, Van Antro M, Campos MP, Casado M, Barata C, Piña B, Navarro-Martín L. Morphometric signatures of exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals in zebrafish eleutheroembryos. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2019; 214:105232. [PMID: 31271907 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2019.105232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Revised: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the mode of action of the different pollutants in human and wildlife health is a key step in environmental risk assessment. The aim of this study was to determine signatures that could link morphological phenotypes to the toxicity mechanisms of four Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs): bisphenol A (BPA), perfluorooctanesulfonate potassium salt (PFOS), tributyltin chloride (TBT), and 17-ß-estradiol (E2). Zebrafish (Danio rerio) eleutheroembryos were exposed from 2 to 5 dpf to a wide range of BPA, PFOS, TBT and E2 concentrations. At the end of the exposures several morphometric features were assessed. Common and non-specific effects on larvae pigmentation or swim bladder area were observed after exposures to all compounds. BPA specifically induced yolk sac malabsorption syndrome and altered craniofacial parameters, whereas PFOS had specific effects on the notochord formation presenting higher rates of scoliosis and kyphosis. The main effect of E2 was an increase in the body length of the exposed eleutheroembryos. In the case of TBT, main alterations on the morphological traits were related to developmental delays. When integrating all morphometrical parameters, BPA showed the highest rates of malformations in terms of equilethality, followed by PFOS and, distantly, by TBT and E2. In the case of BPA and PFOS, we were able to relate our results with effects on the transcriptome and metabolome, previously reported. We propose that methodized morphometric analyses in zebrafish embryo model can be used as an inexpensive and easy screening tool to predict modes of action of a wide-range number of contaminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubén Martínez
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona, Catalunya, 08034, Spain; Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Catalunya, 08007, Spain.
| | - Laia Herrero-Nogareda
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona, Catalunya, 08034, Spain.
| | - Morgane Van Antro
- Laboratory of Evolutionary and Adaptive Physiology, Institute of Life, Earth and Environment, University of Namur, 61 Rue de Bruxelles, B5000, Namur, Belgium.
| | - Maria Pilar Campos
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona, Catalunya, 08034, Spain.
| | - Marta Casado
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona, Catalunya, 08034, Spain.
| | - Carlos Barata
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona, Catalunya, 08034, Spain.
| | - Benjamin Piña
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona, Catalunya, 08034, Spain.
| | - Laia Navarro-Martín
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona, Catalunya, 08034, Spain.
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Ortega-Recalde O, Day RC, Gemmell NJ, Hore TA. Zebrafish preserve global germline DNA methylation while sex-linked rDNA is amplified and demethylated during feminisation. Nat Commun 2019; 10:3053. [PMID: 31311924 PMCID: PMC6635516 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-10894-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 05/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The germline is the only cellular lineage capable of transferring genetic information from one generation to the next. Intergenerational transmission of epigenetic memory through the germline, in the form of DNA methylation, has been proposed; however, in mammals this is largely prevented by extensive epigenetic erasure during germline definition. Here we report that, unlike mammals, the continuously-defined ‘preformed’ germline of zebrafish does not undergo genome-wide erasure of DNA methylation during development. Our analysis also uncovers oocyte-specific germline amplification and demethylation of an 11.5-kb repeat region encoding 45S ribosomal RNA (fem-rDNA). The peak of fem-rDNA amplification coincides with the initial expansion of stage IB oocytes, the poly-nucleolar cell type responsible for zebrafish feminisation. Given that fem-rDNA overlaps with the only zebrafish locus identified thus far as sex-linked, we hypothesise fem-rDNA expansion could be intrinsic to sex determination in this species. Germline cells transfer genetic information to offspring, and in zebrafish, drive sex determination. Here the authors report that, unlike mammals, the germline of zebrafish does not undergo genome-wide DNA methylation erasure, while amplifying and demethylating sex-linked rDNA during feminisation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Robert C Day
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand
| | - Neil J Gemmell
- Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand
| | - Timothy A Hore
- Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand.
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Li S, Sun Q, Wu Q, Gui W, Zhu G, Schlenk D. Endocrine disrupting effects of tebuconazole on different life stages of zebrafish (Danio rerio). ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2019; 249:1049-1059. [PMID: 31146311 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.03.067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2019] [Revised: 02/23/2019] [Accepted: 03/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Tebuconazole is a widely used fungicide that has been detected in water ecosystems, of which the concentrations may affect the endocrine function of aquatic organisms. At present study, tissue-specific bioaccumulation of tebuconazole was found in ovary of adult zebrafish, indicating a potential risk of endocrine disruption. In order to evaluate the potential endocrine disrupting effects, three life stages (2 hpf (hours post-fertilization) -60 dpf (days post-fertilization), Stage I; 60-120 dpf, Stage II; 180-208 dpf, Stage III) of zebrafish (Danio rerio) were chronically exposed to tebuconazole at the concentrations ranging from 0.05 mg/L to 1.84 mg/L. Result showed that exposed to tebuconazole could lead to a male-biased sex differentiation in juvenile zebrafish and significant decrease of the percentage of germ cells in sexually-mature zebrafish. Egg production was significantly inhibited by 57.8% and 19.2% after Stage II- and Stage III-exposures, respectively. The contents of 17β-estradiol in gonad decreased by 63.5% when exposed to 0.20 mg/L tebuconazole at Stage II and by 49.5% after exposed to 0.18 mg/L tebuconazole at Stage III, respectively. For all stages exposure, reductions in 17β-estradiol/testosterone ratio were observed, indicating an imbalance in steroids synthesis. Additionally, tebuconazole reduced the expression of cyp19a, which was consistent with the decrease of E2 level. In overall, the present findings indicated that, playing as an anti-estrogen-like chemical, tebuconazole inhibited the expression of Cyp19, thereby impairing steroid hormones biosynthesis, leading to a diminished fecundity of zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuying Li
- Institute of Pesticide and Environmental Toxicology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, PR, China; Department of Environmental Sciences, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, United States
| | - Qianqian Sun
- Institute of Pesticide and Environmental Toxicology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, PR, China
| | - Qiong Wu
- Institute of Pesticide and Environmental Toxicology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, PR, China
| | - Wenjun Gui
- Institute of Pesticide and Environmental Toxicology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, PR, China.
| | - Guonian Zhu
- Institute of Pesticide and Environmental Toxicology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, PR, China
| | - Daniel Schlenk
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, United States
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Liu Y, Zhu H, Liu Y, Qu J, Han M, Jin C, Zhang Q, Liu J. Molecular characterization and expression profiles provide new insights into GATA5 functions in tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis). Gene 2019; 708:21-29. [PMID: 31082502 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2019.05.024] [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: 12/24/2018] [Revised: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
GATA5 is a member of the GATA transcription factor family, which serves essential roles in varieties of cellular functions and biological processes. In this study, we have accomplished the molecular cloning, bioinformatic analysis and preliminary function study of C. semilaevis GATA5. The full-length cDNA nucleotide sequence is 1955 bp, with a coding sequence of 1167 bp, which encodes a polypeptide of 388 amino acids. Homology, phylogenetic, gene structure and synteny analysis showed that C. semilaevis GATA5 was highly conserved among vertebrates. Tissue distribution pattern exhibited that C. semilaevis GATA5 was significantly expressed in heart, intestine, liver, kidney and gonad, with a sexual dimorphic feature observed in testis and ovary. Embryonic development expression profiles showed that C. semilaevis GATA5 transcripts increased at the blastula stage, and peaked at the heat-beating period. Strong signals were detected at spermatids of male testis and stage III oocytes of female ovary by ISH. The expression of C. semilaevis GATA5 was regulated by 17α-MT and E2 after hormone stimulation to the ovary. Together, all the results pointed out that GATA5 might play a vital role during gonadal maturation and the reproductive cycle of C. semilaevis. This study lays the foundation for further researches on the sex control breeding in tongue sole.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxiang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, 266003 Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - He Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, 266003 Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Yuezhong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, 266003 Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Jiangbo Qu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, 266003 Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Miao Han
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, 266003 Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Chaofan Jin
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, 266003 Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Quanqi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, 266003 Qingdao, Shandong, China; Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, 266237 Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Jinxiang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, 266003 Qingdao, Shandong, China; Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, 266237 Qingdao, Shandong, China.
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Hosseini S, Ha NT, Simianer H, Falker-Gieske C, Brenig B, Franke A, Hörstgen-Schwark G, Tetens J, Herzog S, Sharifi AR. Genetic mechanism underlying sexual plasticity and its association with colour patterning in zebrafish (Danio rerio). BMC Genomics 2019; 20:341. [PMID: 31060508 PMCID: PMC6503382 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-5722-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2018] [Accepted: 04/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Elevated water temperature, as is expected through climate change, leads to masculinization in fish species with sexual plasticity, resulting in changes in population dynamics. These changes are one important ecological consequence, contributing to the risk of extinction in small and inbred fish populations under natural conditions, due to male-biased sex ratio. Here we investigated the effect of elevated water temperature during embryogenesis on sex ratio and sex-biased gene expression profiles between two different tissues, namely gonad and caudal fin of adult zebrafish males and females, to gain new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying sex determination (SD) and colour patterning related to sexual attractiveness. RESULTS Our study demonstrated sex ratio imbalances with 25.5% more males under high-temperature condition, resulting from gonadal masculinization. The result of transcriptome analysis showed a significantly upregulated expression of male SD genes (e.g. dmrt1, amh, cyp11c1 and sept8b) and downregulation of female SD genes (e.g. zp2.1, vtg1, cyp19a1a and bmp15) in male gonads compared to female gonads. Contrary to expectations, we found highly differential expression of colour pattern (CP) genes in the gonads, suggesting the 'neofunctionalisation' of those genes in the zebrafish reproduction system. However, in the caudal fin, no differential expression of CP genes was identified, suggesting the observed differences in colouration between males and females in adult fish may be due to post-transcriptional regulation of key enzymes involved in pigment synthesis and distribution. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrates male-biased sex ratio under high temperature condition and support a polygenic SD (PSD) system in laboratory zebrafish. We identify a subset of pathways (tight junction, gap junction and apoptosis), enriched for SD and CP genes, which appear to be co-regulated in the same pathway, providing evidence for involvement of those genes in the regulation of phenotypic sexual dimorphism in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahrbanou Hosseini
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany. .,Center for Integrated Breeding Research, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.
| | - Ngoc-Thuy Ha
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.,Center for Integrated Breeding Research, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Henner Simianer
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.,Center for Integrated Breeding Research, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Clemens Falker-Gieske
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.,Center for Integrated Breeding Research, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Bertram Brenig
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.,Center for Integrated Breeding Research, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.,Institute of Veterinary Medicine, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Andre Franke
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian-Albrechts-University, Kiel, Germany
| | | | - Jens Tetens
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.,Center for Integrated Breeding Research, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Sebastian Herzog
- Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Goettingen, Germany.,Department for Computational Neuroscience, 3rd Physics Institute-Biophysics, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Ahmad Reza Sharifi
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.,Center for Integrated Breeding Research, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
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Jiang DN, Mustapha UF, Shi HJ, Huang YQ, Si-Tu JX, Wang M, Deng SP, Chen HP, Tian CX, Zhu CH, Li MH, Li GL. Expression and transcriptional regulation of gsdf in spotted scat (Scatophagus argus). Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2019; 233:35-45. [PMID: 30980893 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2019.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Revised: 03/31/2019] [Accepted: 04/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Gonadal soma-derived factor (Gsdf) is critical for testicular differentiation and early germ cell development in teleosts. The spotted scat (Scatophagus argus), with a stable XX-XY sex-determination system and the candidate sex determination gene dmrt1, provides a good model for understanding the mechanism of sex determination and differentiation in teleosts. In this study, we analyzed spotted scat gsdf tissue distribution and gene expression patterns in gonads, as well as further analysis of transcriptional regulation. Tissue distribution analysis showed that gsdf was only expressed in testis and ovary. Real-time PCR showed that both gsdf and dmrt1 were expressed significantly higher in testes at different phases (phase III, IV and V) compared to ovaries at phase II, III and IV, while gsdf was expressed significantly higher in phase II ovaries than those of phase III and IV. Western blot analysis also showed that Gsdf was more highly expressed in the testis than ovary. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that Gsdf was expressed in Sertoli cells surrounding spermatogonia in the testis, while it was expressed in the somatic cells surrounding the oogonia of the ovary. Approximately 2.7 kb of the 5' upstream region of gsdf was cloned from the spotted scat genomic DNA and in silico promoter analysis revealed the putative transcription factor binding sites of Dmrt1 and Sf1. The luciferase reporter assay, using the human embryonic kidney cells, demonstrated that Dmrt1 activated gsdf expression in a dose-dependent manner in the presence of Sf1 in spotted scat. These results suggest that Gsdf could play a role in regulating the development of spermatogonia and oogonia, and also participate in male sex differentiation by acting as a downstream gene of Dmrt1 in spotted scat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong-Neng Jiang
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Aquaculture Environment of Zhanjiang, Key Laboratory of Aquaculture in South China Sea for Aquatic Economic Animal of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Umar Farouk Mustapha
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Aquaculture Environment of Zhanjiang, Key Laboratory of Aquaculture in South China Sea for Aquatic Economic Animal of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Hong-Juan Shi
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Aquaculture Environment of Zhanjiang, Key Laboratory of Aquaculture in South China Sea for Aquatic Economic Animal of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Yuan-Qing Huang
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Aquaculture Environment of Zhanjiang, Key Laboratory of Aquaculture in South China Sea for Aquatic Economic Animal of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Jia-Xin Si-Tu
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Aquaculture Environment of Zhanjiang, Key Laboratory of Aquaculture in South China Sea for Aquatic Economic Animal of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Mei Wang
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Aquaculture Environment of Zhanjiang, Key Laboratory of Aquaculture in South China Sea for Aquatic Economic Animal of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Si-Ping Deng
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Aquaculture Environment of Zhanjiang, Key Laboratory of Aquaculture in South China Sea for Aquatic Economic Animal of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Hua-Pu Chen
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Aquaculture Environment of Zhanjiang, Key Laboratory of Aquaculture in South China Sea for Aquatic Economic Animal of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Chang-Xu Tian
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Aquaculture Environment of Zhanjiang, Key Laboratory of Aquaculture in South China Sea for Aquatic Economic Animal of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Chun-Hua Zhu
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Aquaculture Environment of Zhanjiang, Key Laboratory of Aquaculture in South China Sea for Aquatic Economic Animal of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Ming-Hui Li
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development (Ministry of Education), Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science of Chongqing, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
| | - Guang-Li Li
- Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Aquaculture Environment of Zhanjiang, Key Laboratory of Aquaculture in South China Sea for Aquatic Economic Animal of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China.
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Zheng Y, Yuan J, Meng S, Chen J, Gu Z. Testicular transcriptome alterations in zebrafish (Danio rerio) exposure to 17β-estradiol. CHEMOSPHERE 2019; 218:14-25. [PMID: 30465971 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.11.092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2018] [Revised: 11/11/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The hormone 17β-estradiol (E2) can be found in rivers, effluents, and even drinking water. Researches have demonstrated that E2 affects various metabolic pathways through gene activation and may cause reproductive toxicity in fish. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate E2-induced toxicity via testicular transcriptome of zebrafish (Danio rerio) exposed to different concentrations (10 ng L-1, and 100 ng L-1) of E2. A total of >600 significant differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were enriched among the three treatments. Short time-series expression miner analysis revealed five KEGG pathways including drug metabolism, other enzymes, calcium signaling pathway, ECM-receptor interaction, gap junction, and cell adhesion molecules. Twenty genes were selected to verify the accuracy of RNA-Seq. Other reported genes related to sex differentiation, development, energy metabolism, and other processes were found. One set of genes significantly increased/decreased/fluctuated over time, especially 12 h after E2 exposure. Genes associated with ovaries (zp3c), and development (bmp15, gdf9, and sycp2l) were significantly upregulated with increasing E2 concentration. E2 and testosterone was significantly decreased by 10 (except for T) and 100 ng L-1 E2 exposure at 12 h. The current study demonstrated that sex differentiation, development, energy metabolism, immunity, and ribosome biogenesis in male zebrafish were all significantly affected by 17β-estradiol exposure through transcriptional alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Zheng
- Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences/Fishery Eco-Environment Monitoring Center of Lower Reaches of Yangtze River/Wuxi Fishery College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Ministry of Agriculture/Laboratory of Quality & Safety Risk Assessment for Aquatic Products on Environmental Factors(Wuxi), Ministry of Agriculture, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214081, China
| | - Julin Yuan
- Agriculture Ministry Key Laboratory of Healthy Freshwater Aquaculture, Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquaculture Genetic and Breeding of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Institute of Freshwater Fisheries, Huzhou, 313001, China
| | - Shunlong Meng
- Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences/Fishery Eco-Environment Monitoring Center of Lower Reaches of Yangtze River/Wuxi Fishery College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Ministry of Agriculture/Laboratory of Quality & Safety Risk Assessment for Aquatic Products on Environmental Factors(Wuxi), Ministry of Agriculture, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214081, China
| | - Jiazhang Chen
- Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences/Fishery Eco-Environment Monitoring Center of Lower Reaches of Yangtze River/Wuxi Fishery College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Ministry of Agriculture/Laboratory of Quality & Safety Risk Assessment for Aquatic Products on Environmental Factors(Wuxi), Ministry of Agriculture, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214081, China; Key Laboratory of Control of Quality and Safety for Aquatic Products, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, 100039, China.
| | - Zhimin Gu
- Agriculture Ministry Key Laboratory of Healthy Freshwater Aquaculture, Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquaculture Genetic and Breeding of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Institute of Freshwater Fisheries, Huzhou, 313001, China.
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Abstract
Sexual fate can no longer be considered an irreversible deterministic process that once established during early embryonic development, plays out unchanged across an organism's life. Rather, it appears to be a dynamic process, with sexual phenotype determined through an ongoing battle for supremacy between antagonistic male and female developmental pathways. That sexual fate is not final and is actively regulated via the suppression or activation of opposing genetic networks creates the potential for flexibility in sexual phenotype in adulthood. Such flexibility is seen in many fish, where sex change is a usual and adaptive part of the life cycle. Many fish are sequential hermaphrodites, beginning life as one sex and changing sometime later to the other. Sequential hermaphrodites include species capable of female-to-male (protogynous), male-to-female (protandrous), or bidirectional (serial) sex change. These natural forms of sex change involve coordinated transformations across multiple biological systems, including behavioral, anatomical, neuroendocrine and molecular axes. Here we review the biological processes underlying this amazing transformation, focusing particularly on the molecular aspects, where new genomic technologies are beginning to help us understand how sex change is initiated and regulated at the molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil J Gemmell
- Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
| | - Erica V Todd
- Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | | | | | - Timothy A Hore
- Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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Hosseini S, Brenig B, Tetens J, Sharifi AR. Phenotypic plasticity induced using high ambient temperature during embryogenesis in domesticated zebrafish, Danio rerio. Reprod Domest Anim 2018; 54:435-444. [PMID: 30472784 PMCID: PMC7379563 DOI: 10.1111/rda.13382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Ambient temperature during early stages of life has a substantial effect on physiological processes, eliciting phenotypic plasticity during zebrafish developmental stages. Zebrafish are known to possess a noteworthy ability to modify their phenotype in dependence of environmental factors. However, there is a poor understanding of the effects of temperature during embryogenesis, which influences the biological functions such as survival ability and masculinization in later developmental stages. Since the middle embryonic phase (pharyngula period) is genetically the most conserved stage in embryogenesis, it is very susceptible to embryonic lethality in developmental processes of vertebrates. Here, we tested the effect of transient perturbations (heat shock) during early development (5–24 hr post‐fertilization; hpf) at 35°C compared to control group at 28°C, on survival ability of zebrafish to study the embryonic and post‐embryonic mortality. We studied the variation of heat‐induced masculinization among and across the families in response to high temperature. Furthermore, morphometric traits of adult zebrafish at different developmental time points were measured in order to estimate the temperature × sex interaction effect. We found the highest embryonic mortality around the gastrula and segmentation periods in both experimental groups, with significantly lower survival ability in the temperature‐treated group (73.30% ± 0.58% vs. 70.19% ± 0.57%, respectively). A higher hatching success was observed in the control group (71.08% ± 0.61%) compared to the heat‐induced group (67.95% ± 0.60%). A distinct reduction in survival ability was also observed in both experimental groups during the first two weeks after hatching, followed by a reduced level of changes thereafter. We found sex ratio imbalances across all families, with 25.2% more males under temperature treatment. Our study on growth performance has shown a positive effect of increased temperature on growth plasticity, with a greater impact on female fish in response to high ambient temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahrbanou Hosseini
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.,Center for Integrated Breeding Research, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Bertram Brenig
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.,Center for Integrated Breeding Research, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.,Institute of Veterinary Medicine, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Jens Tetens
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.,Center for Integrated Breeding Research, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Ahmad Reza Sharifi
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.,Center for Integrated Breeding Research, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
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40
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Roles of Two Sox9 Genes during Gonadal Development in Japanese Flounder: Sex Differentiation, Spermatogenesis and Gonadal Function Maintenance. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19020512. [PMID: 29419762 PMCID: PMC5855734 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19020512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2017] [Revised: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 01/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The transcription factor sox9 has been implicated in cartilage formation and testis determination in mammals. Here, two duplicates of sox9 were found in Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) named Posox9a and Posox9b, respectively. Phylogenetic and gene structure analyses revealed that Posox9a and Posox9b were homologous to that of teleosts and tetrapods. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) showed that both Posox9a and Posox9b expressed higher in testis than in ovary of adult tissues. The in situ hybridization (ISH) analysis of gonads showed that Posox9a and Posox9b mRNA were both detected in oocytes, Sertoli cells and spermatocytes. During sex differentiation, the expression of Posox9a exhibited obvious sexual dimorphic expression from 60 days after hatch (dah) with higher expression in male preferred individuals than female preferred individuals and increased gradually from 30 to 100 dah. A similar pattern was detected in Posox9b expression. After injection of androgen (17α-methyltestosterone) of different concentrations, the expression level of Posox9b increased significantly, whereas Posox9a did not change obviously. These results indicated that the two sox9 genes of Japanese flounder had converse functions in sex differentiation, whereas their differences in 17α-methyltestosterone administration were obvious and worthwhile for exploring evolutionary and adaptive significance. This study provided a foundation for further exploration of the roles of Posox9 genes during the sex determination and differentiation, spermatogenesis and gonadal function maintenance of Japanese flounder.
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