1
|
Ray M, Conard AM, Urban J, Mahableshwarkar P, Aguilera J, Huang A, Vaidyanathan S, Larschan E. Sex-specific splicing occurs genome-wide during early Drosophila embryogenesis. eLife 2023; 12:e87865. [PMID: 37466240 PMCID: PMC10400075 DOI: 10.7554/elife.87865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex-specific splicing is an essential process that regulates sex determination and drives sexual dimorphism. Yet, how early in development widespread sex-specific transcript diversity occurs was unknown because it had yet to be studied at the genome-wide level. We use the powerful Drosophila model to show that widespread sex-specific transcript diversity occurs early in development, concurrent with zygotic genome activation. We also present a new pipeline called time2Splice to quantify changes in alternative splicing over time. Furthermore, we determine that one of the consequences of losing an essential maternally deposited pioneer factor called CLAMP (chromatin-linked adapter for MSL proteins) is altered sex-specific splicing of genes involved in diverse biological processes that drive development. Overall, we show that sex-specific differences in transcript diversity exist even at the earliest stages of development..
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mukulika Ray
- MCB department, Brown UniversityProvidenceUnited States
| | | | - Jennifer Urban
- Biology department, Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimoreUnited States
| | - Pranav Mahableshwarkar
- MCB department, Brown UniversityProvidenceUnited States
- CCMB department, Brown UniversityProvidenceUnited States
| | | | - Annie Huang
- MCB department, Brown UniversityProvidenceUnited States
| | - Smriti Vaidyanathan
- MCB department, Brown UniversityProvidenceUnited States
- CCMB department, Brown UniversityProvidenceUnited States
| | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Fan YJ, Ding Z, Zhang Y, Su R, Yue JL, Liang AM, Huang QW, Meng YR, Li M, Xue Y, Xu YZ. Sex-lethal regulates back-splicing and generation of the sex-differentially expressed circular RNAs. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:5228-5241. [PMID: 37070178 PMCID: PMC10250224 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Conversely to canonical splicing, back-splicing connects the upstream 3' splice site (SS) with a downstream 5'SS and generates exonic circular RNAs (circRNAs) that are widely identified and have regulatory functions in eukaryotic gene expression. However, sex-specific back-splicing in Drosophila has not been investigated and its regulation remains unclear. Here, we performed multiple RNA analyses of a variety sex-specific Drosophila samples and identified over ten thousand circular RNAs, in which hundreds are sex-differentially and -specifically back-spliced. Intriguingly, we found that expression of SXL, an RNA-binding protein encoded by Sex-lethal (Sxl), the master Drosophila sex-determination gene that is only spliced into functional proteins in females, promoted back-splicing of many female-differential circRNAs in the male S2 cells, whereas expression of a SXL mutant (SXLRRM) did not promote those events. Using a monoclonal antibody, we further obtained the transcriptome-wide RNA-binding sites of SXL through PAR-CLIP. After splicing assay of mini-genes with mutations in the SXL-binding sites, we revealed that SXL-binding on flanking exons and introns of pre-mRNAs facilitates back-splicing, whereas SXL-binding on the circRNA exons inhibits back-splicing. This study provides strong evidence that SXL has a regulatory role in back-splicing to generate sex-specific and -differential circRNAs, as well as in the initiation of sex-determination cascade through canonical forward-splicing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Jie Fan
- The RNA Institute, State Key Laboratory of Virology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Hubei430072, China
| | - Zhan Ding
- The RNA Institute, State Key Laboratory of Virology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Hubei430072, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- The RNA Institute, State Key Laboratory of Virology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Hubei430072, China
| | - Ruibao Su
- Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Jia-Le Yue
- The RNA Institute, State Key Laboratory of Virology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Hubei430072, China
| | - An-Min Liang
- The RNA Institute, State Key Laboratory of Virology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Hubei430072, China
| | - Qi-Wei Huang
- The RNA Institute, State Key Laboratory of Virology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Hubei430072, China
| | - Yan-Ran Meng
- The RNA Institute, State Key Laboratory of Virology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Hubei430072, China
| | - Muwang Li
- College of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Jiangsu 212018, China
| | - Yuanchao Xue
- Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yong-Zhen Xu
- The RNA Institute, State Key Laboratory of Virology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Hubei430072, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Lin WY, Liu CH, Cheng J, Liu HP. Alterations of RNA-binding protein found in neurons in Drosophila neurons and glia influence synaptic transmission and lifespan. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:1006455. [DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.1006455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The found in neurons (fne), a paralog of the RNA-binding protein ELAV gene family in Drosophila, is required for post-transcriptional regulation of neuronal development and differentiation. Previous explorations into the functions of the FNE protein have been limited to neurons. The function of fne in Drosophila glia remains unclear. We induced the knockdown or overexpression of fne in Drosophila neurons and glia to determine how fne affects different types of behaviors, neuronal transmission and the lifespan. Our data indicate that changes in fne expression impair associative learning, thermal nociception, and phototransduction. Examination of synaptic transmission at presynaptic and postsynaptic terminals of the larval neuromuscular junction (NMJ) revealed that loss of fne in motor neurons and glia significantly decreased excitatory junction currents (EJCs) and quantal content, while flies with glial fne knockdown facilitated short-term synaptic plasticity. In muscle cells, overexpression of fne reduced both EJC and quantal content and increased short-term synaptic facilitation. In both genders, the lifespan could be extended by the knockdown of fne in neurons and glia; the overexpression of fne shortened the lifespan. Our results demonstrate that disturbances of fne in neurons and glia influence the function of the Drosophila nervous system. Further explorations into the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying neuronal and glial fne and elucidation of how fne affects neuronal activity may clarify certain brain functions.
Collapse
|
4
|
Chen CB, Li J, Deng X, Liu LL, Deng J, Zha XF. Effects of Serine/Arginine Enriched Protein BmUP on the Development of Male Silkworm Reproductive Organs. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2022; 44:928-941. [PMID: 35723346 PMCID: PMC8929119 DOI: 10.3390/cimb44020061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Serine/arginine-rich proteins are a class of highly conserved splicing factor proteins involved in constitutive and alternative splicing. We screened a low molecular weight serine/arginine rich protein from silkworms and named it BmUP. Temporal and spatial expression analysis indicated that the BmUP gene was specifically expressed in the silkworm testis, and the highest expression occurred in the pre-pupa stage from the fifth instar to the moth stages. Here, we generated BmUP knockout individuals with the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Both the internal and external genitalia of knockout individuals were abnormal in knockout compared with wild-type male silkworms. In transgenic silkworms overexpressing BmUP, male silkworms showed a phenotype similar to that of the knockout individuals, whereas female individuals showed no significant differences from the wild type. In addition, by conducting promoter analysis, we identified Bmachi, a transcription factor that regulates the BmUP gene. Gel migration experiments revealed that BmAchi specifically binds the BmUP promoter. Quantitative real-time PCR showed that an increase in Bmachi expression up-regulated the expression of BmUP. In contrast, when the expression of Bmachi decreased, the expression of BmUP also downregulated in the experimental group compared with the control group. These results provide new insights for studying the effects of serine/arginine-rich proteins on the development of silkworm genitals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Bing Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Institute of Sericulture and Systems Biology, College of Sericulture, Textile and Biomass Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (C.-B.C.); (J.L.); (X.D.); (L.-L.L.); (J.D.)
| | - Juan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Institute of Sericulture and Systems Biology, College of Sericulture, Textile and Biomass Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (C.-B.C.); (J.L.); (X.D.); (L.-L.L.); (J.D.)
- School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Xuan Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Institute of Sericulture and Systems Biology, College of Sericulture, Textile and Biomass Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (C.-B.C.); (J.L.); (X.D.); (L.-L.L.); (J.D.)
| | - Lian-Lian Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Institute of Sericulture and Systems Biology, College of Sericulture, Textile and Biomass Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (C.-B.C.); (J.L.); (X.D.); (L.-L.L.); (J.D.)
| | - Jing Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Institute of Sericulture and Systems Biology, College of Sericulture, Textile and Biomass Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (C.-B.C.); (J.L.); (X.D.); (L.-L.L.); (J.D.)
| | - Xing-Fu Zha
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Institute of Sericulture and Systems Biology, College of Sericulture, Textile and Biomass Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; (C.-B.C.); (J.L.); (X.D.); (L.-L.L.); (J.D.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-23-68251573
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Noncanonical function of the Sex lethal gene controls the protogyny phenotype in Drosophila melanogaster. Sci Rep 2022; 12:1455. [PMID: 35087103 PMCID: PMC8795210 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-05147-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Drosophila melanogaster females eclose on average 4 h faster than males owing to sexual differences in the pupal period, referred to as the protogyny phenotype. Here, to elucidate the mechanism underlying the protogyny phenotype, we used our newly developed Drosophila Individual Activity Monitoring and Detecting System (DIAMonDS) that detects the precise timing of both pupariation and eclosion in individual flies. Although sex transformation induced by tra-2, tra alteration, or msl-2 knockdown-mediated disruption of dosage compensation showed no effect on the protogyny phenotype, stage-specific whole-body knockdown and mutation of the Drosophila master sex switch gene, Sxl, was found to disrupt the protogyny phenotype. Thus, Sxl establishes the protogyny phenotype through a noncanonical pathway in D. melanogaster.
Collapse
|
6
|
Galouzis CC, Prud'homme B. Transvection regulates the sex-biased expression of a fly X-linked gene. Science 2021; 371:396-400. [PMID: 33479152 DOI: 10.1126/science.abc2745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Sexual dimorphism in animals results from sex-biased gene expression patterns. These patterns are controlled by genetic sex determination hierarchies that establish the sex of an individual. Here we show that the male-biased wing expression pattern of the Drosophila biarmipes gene yellow, located on the X chromosome, is independent of the fly sex determination hierarchy. Instead, we find that a regulatory interaction between yellow alleles on homologous chromosomes (a process known as transvection) silences the activity of a yellow enhancer functioning in the wing. Therefore, this enhancer can be active in males (XY) but not in females (XX). This transvection-dependent enhancer silencing requires the yellow intron and the chromatin architecture protein Mod(mdg4). Our results suggest that transvection can contribute more generally to the sex-biased expression of X-linked genes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Charalampos Chrysovalantis Galouzis
- Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille (IBDM), Campus de Luminy Case 907, 13288 Marseille Cedex 9, France
| | - Benjamin Prud'homme
- Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille (IBDM), Campus de Luminy Case 907, 13288 Marseille Cedex 9, France.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Sun X, Zhang K, Gu J, Yang J, Huang Q, Yan R, Qin S, Hou C, Zhang G, Wang S, Li M. The biological characters of Bmelav-like genes in the development of Bombyx mori. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 30:9-17. [PMID: 32940384 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12668] [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: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 09/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The ELAV/Hu family is a conserved multigene family of pan-neuronal RNA-binding protein involved in post-transcriptional regulation in metazoans. In Drosophila, three members of this family, ELAV, RBP9 and FNE, are involved in neuronal differentiation, gene expression regulation and so on. This family is less well characterized in Bombyx mori. Two orthologs BmELAV-like-1 (BmEL-1) and BmELAV-like-2 (BmEL-2) share 55%-71% and 47%-62% identity with that of in Drosophila and humans, respectively. Bmel-1 is ubiquitously expressed while Bmel-2 is expressed in the head and ovaries specifically. Proteins encoded by both genes are localized in nuclear and cytoplasm. The weight of body, cocoon, pupae and cocoon shell are differently affected in Bmel-1- /-2- mutants created using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. Mutations of both genes increase the expression of four silk protein genes, Fib-L, Fib-H, P25 and Ser-1. In addition, the oviposition ability of Bmel-2- females is decreased. This study not only provides valuable insights into the functional roles of Bmelav-like genes in the growth, cocoon characters and regulation of silk protein genes expression, but also provides useful information for silkworm variety breeding.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- X Sun
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
- The Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - K Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - J Gu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - J Yang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Q Huang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - R Yan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - S Qin
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
- The Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - C Hou
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
- The Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - G Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
- The Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - S Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
- The Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - M Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
- The Key Laboratory of Silkworm and Mulberry Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Sericultural Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Xu HJ, Chen YL, Wang YM, Luo JY, Li JW, Shen SQ, Yang JS, Ma WM. Full Functional Sex Reversal Achieved Through Silencing of MroDmrt11E Gene in Macrobrachium rosenbergii: Production of All-Male Monosex Freshwater Prawn. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:772498. [PMID: 35370930 PMCID: PMC8970045 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.772498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii is one kind of important economic aquaculture species and displays remarkable sexual dimorphism. The molecular mechanism of sexual differentiation in M. rosenbergii has been primarily unraveled through the research efforts of the androgenic gland and its related genes. However, the understanding of conserved genes involved in the molecular mechanism underpinning sex determination and sexual differentiation of M. rosenbergii is still fragmentary. MroDmrt11E is a member of the doublesex and mab-3-related transcription factor (Dmrt) gene family and is prominently expressed in the testis. In the present study, in vivo knockdown of MroDmrt11E at the postlarva stage in male prawn induced a complete and functional sex reversal and achieved the production of an all-male monosex population. Furthermore, a great deal of new information of upregulated and downregulated transcriptions involved in sexual differentiation of MroDmrt11E knockdown was enriched by comparative transcriptomic analysis. The effects of RNAi-mediated gene knockdown of MroDmrt11E on the differentially expressed and sex-related candidate genes, such as transformer, fruitless, feminization, insulin-like androgenic gland gene, Dmrt gene family, were primarily focused on, and their possible molecular regulatory relationships in sexual differentiation were analyzed. Meanwhile, the response of primary Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) biological pathways was investigated to expound the potential roles of MroDmrt11E in male sexual differentiation, which provided a deeper understanding of the molecular regulatory network underlying sexual differentiation of M. rosenbergii. The finding provided a novel sexual manipulation technique through silencing of Dmrt gene family for achieving a complete and functional sex reversal and offered a new insight regarding the mechanism of the Dmrt gene family in the sexual differentiation of crustaceans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Jing Xu
- College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo, China
| | - Yi-Lai Chen
- College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo, China
| | - Yong-Mei Wang
- College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo, China
| | - Jing-Yu Luo
- College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo, China
| | - Jian-Wen Li
- College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo, China
| | - Shuai-Qi Shen
- College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo, China
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jin-Shu Yang
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wen-Ming Ma
- College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo, China
- *Correspondence: Wen-Ming Ma,
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Abstract
Sexual size dimorphism (SSD), a sex difference in body size, is widespread throughout the animal kingdom, raising the question of how sex influences existing growth regulatory pathways to bring about SSD. In insects, somatic sexual differentiation has long been considered to be controlled strictly cell-autonomously. Here, we discuss our surprising finding that in Drosophila larvae, the sex determination gene Sex-lethal (Sxl) functions in neurons to non-autonomously specify SSD. We found that Sxl is required in specific neuronal subsets to upregulate female body growth, including in the neurosecretory insulin producing cells, even though insulin-like peptides themselves appear not to be involved. SSD regulation by neuronal Sxl is also independent of its known splicing targets, transformer and msl-2, suggesting that it involves a new molecular mechanism. Interestingly, SSD control by neuronal Sxl is selective for larval, not imaginal tissue types, and operates in addition to cell-autonomous effects of Sxl and Tra, which are present in both larval and imaginal tissues. Overall, our findings add to a small but growing number of studies reporting non-autonomous, likely hormonal, control of sex differences in Drosophila, and suggest that the principles of sexual differentiation in insects and mammals may be more similar than previously thought.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Annick Sawala
- a Physiology & Metabolism Laboratory , The Francis Crick Institute , London , UK
| | - Alex P Gould
- a Physiology & Metabolism Laboratory , The Francis Crick Institute , London , UK
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Grmai L, Hudry B, Miguel-Aliaga I, Bach EA. Chinmo prevents transformer alternative splicing to maintain male sex identity. PLoS Genet 2018; 14:e1007203. [PMID: 29389999 PMCID: PMC5811060 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2017] [Revised: 02/13/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Reproduction in sexually dimorphic animals relies on successful gamete production, executed by the germline and aided by somatic support cells. Somatic sex identity in Drosophila is instructed by sex-specific isoforms of the DMRT1 ortholog Doublesex (Dsx). Female-specific expression of Sex-lethal (Sxl) causes alternative splicing of transformer (tra) to the female isoform traF. In turn, TraF alternatively splices dsx to the female isoform dsxF. Loss of the transcriptional repressor Chinmo in male somatic stem cells (CySCs) of the testis causes them to "feminize", resembling female somatic stem cells in the ovary. This somatic sex transformation causes a collapse of germline differentiation and male infertility. We demonstrate this feminization occurs by transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of traF. We find that chinmo-deficient CySCs upregulate tra mRNA as well as transcripts encoding tra-splice factors Virilizer (Vir) and Female lethal (2)d (Fl(2)d). traF splicing in chinmo-deficient CySCs leads to the production of DsxF at the expense of the male isoform DsxM, and both TraF and DsxF are required for CySC sex transformation. Surprisingly, CySC feminization upon loss of chinmo does not require Sxl but does require Vir and Fl(2)d. Consistent with this, we show that both Vir and Fl(2)d are required for tra alternative splicing in the female somatic gonad. Our work reveals the need for transcriptional regulation of tra in adult male stem cells and highlights a previously unobserved Sxl-independent mechanism of traF production in vivo. In sum, transcriptional control of the sex determination hierarchy by Chinmo is critical for sex maintenance in sexually dimorphic tissues and is vital in the preservation of fertility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lydia Grmai
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Bruno Hudry
- MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Irene Miguel-Aliaga
- MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Erika A. Bach
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
- Kimmel Stem Cell Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Sawala A, Gould AP. The sex of specific neurons controls female body growth in Drosophila. PLoS Biol 2017; 15:e2002252. [PMID: 28976974 PMCID: PMC5627897 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2002252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2017] [Accepted: 09/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual dimorphisms in body size are widespread throughout the animal kingdom but their underlying mechanisms are not well characterized. Most models for how sex chromosome genes specify size dimorphism have emphasized the importance of gonadal hormones and cell-autonomous influences in mammals versus strictly cell-autonomous mechanisms in Drosophila melanogaster. Here, we use tissue-specific genetics to investigate how sexual size dimorphism (SSD) is established in Drosophila. We find that the larger body size characteristic of Drosophila females is established very early in larval development via an increase in the growth rate per unit of body mass. We demonstrate that the female sex determination gene, Sex-lethal (Sxl), functions in central nervous system (CNS) neurons as part of a relay that specifies the early sex-specific growth trajectories of larval but not imaginal tissues. Neuronal Sxl acts additively in 2 neuronal subpopulations, one of which corresponds to 7 median neurosecretory cells: the insulin-producing cells (IPCs). Surprisingly, however, male-female differences in the production of insulin-like peptides (Ilps) from the IPCs do not appear to be involved in establishing SSD in early larvae, although they may play a later role. These findings support a relay model in which Sxl in neurons and Sxl in local tissues act together to specify the female-specific growth of the larval body. They also reveal that, even though the sex determination pathways in Drosophila and mammals are different, they both modulate body growth via a combination of tissue-autonomous and nonautonomous inputs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Alex P. Gould
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Chen H, Xiao G, Chai X, Lin X, Fang J, Teng S. Transcriptome analysis of sex-related genes in the blood clam Tegillarca granosa. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0184584. [PMID: 28934256 PMCID: PMC5608214 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0184584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2017] [Accepted: 08/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Blood clams (Tegillarca granosa) are one of the most commercial shellfish in China and South Asia with wide distribution in Indo-Pacific tropical to temperate estuaries. However, recent data indicate a decline in the germplasm of this species. Furthermore, the molecular mechanisms underpinning reproductive regulation remain unclear and information regarding genetic diversity is limited. Understanding the reproductive biology of shellfish is important in interpreting their embryology development, reproduction and population structure. Transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) rapidly obtains genetic sequence information from almost all transcripts of a particular tissue and currently represents the most prevalent and effective method for constructing genetic expression profiles. RESULTS Non-reference RNA-seq, an Illumina HiSeq2500 Solexa system, and de novo assembly were used to construct a gonadal expression profile of the blood clam. A total of 63.75 Gb of clean data, with at least 89.46% of Quality30 (Q30), were generated which was then combined into 214,440 transcripts and 125,673 unigenes with a mean length of 1,122.63 and 781.30 base pairs (bp). In total, 27,325 genes were annotated by comparison with public databases. Of these, 2,140 and 2,070 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained (T05 T08 vs T01 T02 T04, T06 T07 vs T01 T02 T04; in which T01-T04 and T05-T08 represent biological replicates of individual female and male clams, respectively) and classified into two groups according to the evaluation of biological replicates. Then 35 DEGs and 5 sex-related unigenes, in other similar species, were investigated using qRT-PCR, the results of which were confirmed to data arising from RNA-seq. Among the DEGs, sex-related genes were identified, including forkhead box L2 (Foxl2), sex determining region Y-box (Sox), beta-catenin (β-catenin), chromobox homolog (CBX) and Sex-lethal (Sxl). In addition, 6,283 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) and 614,710 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified from the RNA-seq results. CONCLUSIONS This study provided the first complete gonadal transcriptome data for the blood clam and allowed us to search many aspects of gene sequence information, not limited to gender. This data will improve our understanding of the transcriptomics and reproductive biology of the blood clam. Furthermore, molecular markers such as SSRs and SNPs will be useful in the analysis of genetic evolution, bulked segregant analysis (BSA) and genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Our transcriptome data will therefore provide important genetic information for the breeding and conservation of germplasm.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heng Chen
- Zhejiang Mariculture Research Institute, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Exploitation and Preservation of Coastal Bio-resource, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Engineering Research Center for Marine Bivalves, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Guoqiang Xiao
- Zhejiang Mariculture Research Institute, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Exploitation and Preservation of Coastal Bio-resource, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Engineering Research Center for Marine Bivalves, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xueliang Chai
- Zhejiang Mariculture Research Institute, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Exploitation and Preservation of Coastal Bio-resource, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Engineering Research Center for Marine Bivalves, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xingguan Lin
- Zhejiang Mariculture Research Institute, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Exploitation and Preservation of Coastal Bio-resource, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Engineering Research Center for Marine Bivalves, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jun Fang
- Zhejiang Mariculture Research Institute, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Exploitation and Preservation of Coastal Bio-resource, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Engineering Research Center for Marine Bivalves, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Shuangshuang Teng
- Zhejiang Mariculture Research Institute, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Exploitation and Preservation of Coastal Bio-resource, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Engineering Research Center for Marine Bivalves, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|