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Zhang C, Li L, Alava JJ, Yan Z, Chen P, Gul Y, Wang L, Xiong D. Female zebrafish (Danio rerio) exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics induces reproductive toxicity in mother and their offspring. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2024; 273:107023. [PMID: 39059103 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2024.107023] [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: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Nanoplastics (NPs) have been commonly detected in aquatic ecosystems, and their negative effects on aquatic organisms have raised concerns in the scientific community and general public. The acute toxicity, neurotoxicity, and metabolic toxicity induced by NPs on fishes have been reported by many studies, although less attention has been focused on how mother exposed to NPs affected their offspring in aquatic organisms. Here, female zebrafish (F0) were exposed to 0, 200 and 2000 μg/L polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs) for 42 d, with their offspring (F1) reared in clear water until sexual maturity. The results showed that PS-NPs were detected in various organs of F0 and F1. PS-NPs exposure significantly decreased gonadal 17-estradiol (E2), while increasing testosterone (T) contents. Lower levels of cyp19a1a, lhr and erα expressions in the 2000 μg/L group were consistent with a reduced number of mature oocytes (MO), but an increase in perinucleolar oocytes (PO). Interestingly, the expression of vtg was only up-regulated by 200 μg/L PS-NPs. After exposure, the egg production was dramatically reduced, but the hatching rate and heartbeat of F1 embryos from treated females were significantly higher than those observed in females from the control group. Maternal PS-NPs exposure significantly decreased the E2 and T levels in F1 adults, while PS-NPs exposure significantly up-regulated the sox9a but down-regulated the foxl2a in F1 larvae of 30 days post fertilization (dpf). This study showed that PS-NPs caused reproductive toxicity by changing the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis-related genes, impairing the reproductive capacity of female zebrafish, affecting the development and disrupting the endocrine function of F1. These results suggested that PS-NPs had adverse effects on fish reproductive system both in the directly exposed generation and in their unexposed offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyun Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Luoxin Li
- Yangtze River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuhan 430223, China
| | - Juan Jose Alava
- Ocean Pollution Research Unit, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries University of British Columbia, AERL 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Zebang Yan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Peng Chen
- Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Fisheries Research Institute, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830000, China
| | - Yasmeen Gul
- Department of Zoology, Government College Women University, Faisalabad 38860, Pakistan
| | - Lixin Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Dongmei Xiong
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
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Wang A, Shi S, Ma Y, Li S, Gui W. Insights into the role of FoxL2 in tebuconazole-induced male- biased sex differentiation of zebrafish. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 947:174543. [PMID: 38977095 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2024] [Revised: 06/30/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Tebuconazole (TEB) is a commonly used fungicide that inhibits the aromatase Cyp19A and downregulates the transcription factor forkhead box L2 (FoxL2), leading to male-biased sex differentiation in zebrafish larvae. However, the specific mechanism by which FoxL2 functions following TEB exposure remains unclear. In this study, the phosphorylation sites and kinase-specific residues in zebrafish FoxL2 protein (zFoxL2) were predicted. Subsequently, recombinant zFoxL2 was prepared via prokaryotic expression, and a polyclonal rabbit-anti-zFoxL2 antibody was generated. Zebrafish fibroblast (ZF4) cells were exposed to 100-μM TEB alone for 8 h, after which changes in the expression of genes involved in the foxl2 regulatory pathway (akt1, pi3k, cyp19a1b, c/ebpb and sox9a) were detected. When co-exposed to 1-μM estradiol and 100-μM TEB, the expression of these key genes tended to be restored. Interestingly, TEB did not affect the expression of the foxl2 gene or protein but it significantly suppressed the phosphorylation of FoxL2 (pFoxL2) at serine 238 (decreased by 43.64 %, p = 0.009). Co-immunoprecipitation assays showed that, following exposure to 100-μM TEB, the total precipitated proteins in ZF4 cells decreased by 17.02 % (p = 0.029) and 31.39 % (p = 0.027) in the anti-zFoxL2 antibody group and anti-pFoxL2 (ser238) antibody group, respectively, indicating that TEB suppressed the capacity of the FoxL2 protein to bind to other proteins via repression of its own phosphorylation. The pull-down assay confirmed this conclusion. This study preliminarily elucidated that the foxl2 gene functions via post-translational regulation through hypophosphorylation of its encoded protein during TEB-induced male-biased sex differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aoxue Wang
- Institute of Pesticide and Environmental Toxicology, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, PR China
| | - Shiyao Shi
- Institute of Pesticide and Environmental Toxicology, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, PR China
| | - Yongfang Ma
- Institute of Pesticide and Environmental Toxicology, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, PR China
| | - Shuying Li
- Institute of Pesticide and Environmental Toxicology, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, PR China; Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, PR China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Lab of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, PR China.
| | - Wenjun Gui
- Institute of Pesticide and Environmental Toxicology, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, PR China; Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, PR China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Lab of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, PR China
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Wilson CA, Batzel P, Postlethwait JH. Direct male development in chromosomally ZZ zebrafish. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1362228. [PMID: 38529407 PMCID: PMC10961373 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1362228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The genetics of sex determination varies across taxa, sometimes even within a species. Major domesticated strains of zebrafish (Danio rerio), including AB and TU, lack a strong genetic sex determining locus, but strains more recently derived from nature, like Nadia (NA), possess a ZZ male/ZW female chromosomal sex-determination system. AB fish pass through a juvenile ovary stage, forming oocytes that survive in fish that become females but die in fish that become males. To understand mechanisms of gonad development in NA zebrafish, we studied histology and single cell transcriptomics in developing ZZ and ZW fish. ZW fish developed oocytes by 22 days post-fertilization (dpf) but ZZ fish directly formed testes, avoiding a juvenile ovary phase. Gonads of some ZW and WW fish, however, developed oocytes that died as the gonad became a testis, mimicking AB fish, suggesting that the gynogenetically derived AB strain is chromosomally WW. Single-cell RNA-seq of 19dpf gonads showed similar cell types in ZZ and ZW fish, including germ cells, precursors of gonadal support cells, steroidogenic cells, interstitial/stromal cells, and immune cells, consistent with a bipotential juvenile gonad. In contrast, scRNA-seq of 30dpf gonads revealed that cells in ZZ gonads had transcriptomes characteristic of testicular Sertoli, Leydig, and germ cells while ZW gonads had granulosa cells, theca cells, and developing oocytes. Hematopoietic and vascular cells were similar in both sex genotypes. These results show that juvenile NA zebrafish initially develop a bipotential gonad; that a factor on the NA W chromosome, or fewer than two Z chromosomes, is essential to initiate oocyte development; and without the W factor, or with two Z doses, NA gonads develop directly into testes without passing through the juvenile ovary stage. Sex determination in AB and TU strains mimics NA ZW and WW zebrafish, suggesting loss of the Z chromosome during domestication. Genetic analysis of the NA strain will facilitate our understanding of the evolution of sex determination mechanisms.
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Qi S, Dai S, Zhou X, Wei X, Chen P, He Y, Kocher TD, Wang D, Li M. Dmrt1 is the only male pathway gene tested indispensable for sex determination and functional testis development in tilapia. PLoS Genet 2024; 20:e1011210. [PMID: 38536778 PMCID: PMC10971778 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Sex is determined by multiple factors derived from somatic and germ cells in vertebrates. We have identified amhy, dmrt1, gsdf as male and foxl2, foxl3, cyp19a1a as female sex determination pathway genes in Nile tilapia. However, the relationship among these genes is largely unclear. Here, we found that the gonads of dmrt1;cyp19a1a double mutants developed as ovaries or underdeveloped testes with no germ cells irrespective of their genetic sex. In addition, the gonads of dmrt1;cyp19a1a;cyp19a1b triple mutants still developed as ovaries. The gonads of foxl3;cyp19a1a double mutants developed as testes, while the gonads of dmrt1;cyp19a1a;foxl3 triple mutants eventually developed as ovaries. In contrast, the gonads of amhy;cyp19a1a, gsdf;cyp19a1a, amhy;foxl2, gsdf;foxl2 double and amhy;cyp19a1a;cyp19a1b, gsdf;cyp19a1a;cyp19a1b triple mutants developed as testes with spermatogenesis via up-regulation of dmrt1 in both somatic and germ cells. The gonads of amhy;foxl3 and gsdf;foxl3 double mutants developed as ovaries but with germ cells in spermatogenesis due to up-regulation of dmrt1. Taking the respective ovary and underdeveloped testis of dmrt1;foxl3 and dmrt1;foxl2 double mutants reported previously into consideration, we demonstrated that once dmrt1 mutated, the gonad could not be rescued to functional testis by mutating any female pathway gene. The sex reversal caused by mutation of male pathway genes other than dmrt1, including its upstream amhy and downstream gsdf, could be rescued by mutating female pathway gene. Overall, our data suggested that dmrt1 is the only male pathway gene tested indispensable for sex determination and functional testis development in tilapia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuangshuang Qi
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, 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, China
| | - Shengfei Dai
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, 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, China
| | - Xin Zhou
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, 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, China
| | - Xueyan Wei
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, 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, China
| | - Ping Chen
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, 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, China
| | - Yuanyuan He
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, 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, China
| | - Thomas D. Kocher
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Deshou Wang
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, 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, China
| | - Minghui Li
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, 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, China
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Nong C, Chen Y, Yang H, Chen N, Tian C, Li S, Chen H. Phenotypic sorting of individual male and female intersex Cherax quadricarinatus and analysis of molecular differences in the gonadal transcriptome. COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY. PART D, GENOMICS & PROTEOMICS 2024; 49:101194. [PMID: 38246110 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbd.2024.101194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/13/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Cherax quadricarinatus exhibit sexual dimorphism, with males outpacing females in size specification and growth rate. However, there is limited understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying sex determination and sex differentiation in crustaceans. To study the differences between intersex individuals and normal individuals, this study counted the proportion of intersex individuals in the natural population, collected the proportion of 7 different phenotypes in 200 intersex individuals, and observed the differences in tissue sections. RNA-seq was used to study the different changes in the transcriptome of normal and intersex gonads. The results showed that: the percentage of intersex in the natural population was 1.5 %, and the percentage of different types of intersex ranged from 0.5 % to 22.5 %; the sections revealed that the development of normal ovaries was stagnant at the primary oocyte stage when intersex individuals with ovaries were present; We screened for pathways and genes that may be associated with gonadal development and sex, including ovarian steroid synthesis, estrogen signaling pathway, oocyte meiosis, progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation, etc. Relevant genes including tra2a, dmrta2, ccnb2, foxl2, and smad4. This study provides an important molecular basis for sex determination, sex-controlled breeding, and unisex breeding in red crayfish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuntai Nong
- Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Biology and Epidemiology for Aquatic Economic Animals, Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Yibin Chen
- Guangdong Evergreen Feed Industry Co., Ltd., Evergreen Tower, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China
| | - Hao Yang
- Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Biology and Epidemiology for Aquatic Economic Animals, Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Nanxiong Chen
- Guangdong Evergreen Feed Industry Co., Ltd., Evergreen Tower, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China
| | - Changxu Tian
- Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Biology and Epidemiology for Aquatic Economic Animals, Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Sedong Li
- Guangdong Evergreen Feed Industry Co., Ltd., Evergreen Tower, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China.; Zhanjiang Ocean and Fishery Development Research Center, Zhanjiang, China.
| | - Huapu Chen
- Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Biology and Epidemiology for Aquatic Economic Animals, Zhanjiang 524088, China; Guangdong Havwii agriculture group Co., Ltd, Zhanjiang 524266, China.
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6
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Gao Y, Wu Q, Wang G, Zhang S, Ma W, Shi X, Liu H, Wu L, Tian X, Li X, Ma X. Histomorphic analysis and expression of mRNA and miRNA in embryonic gonadal differentiation in Chinese soft-shelled turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis). Gene 2024; 893:147913. [PMID: 37866663 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2023.147913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
The Chinese soft-shelled turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis) is extensively cultured in Asia for its nutritional and medical value. Gonadal differentiation is fantastic in turtles, whereas morphologic, mRNA, and miRNA expressions were insufficient in the turtle. In this study, ovaries and testes histomorphology analysis of 14-23 stage embryos were performed, and mRNA and miRNA expression profiles were analyzed. Histomorphology analysis revealed that gonads were undifferentiated at embryonic stage 14. Ovarian morphological differentiation became evident from stage 15, which was characterized by the development of the cortical region and degeneration of the medullary region. Concurrently, testicular morphological differentiation was apparent from stage 15, marked by the development of the medullary region and degeneration of the cortical region. qRT-PCR results showed that Cyp19a1 and Foxl2 exhibited female-specific expression at stage 15 and the expression increased throughout most of the embryonic development. Dmrt1, Amh, and Sox9 displayed male-specific expression at stage 15 and tended to increase substantially at later developmental stages. The expression of miR-8356 and miR-3299 in ZZ gonads were significantly higher than that in ZW gonads at stage 15, 17 and 19, and they had the highest expression at stage 15. While the expression of miR-8085 and miR-7982 had the highest expression at stage 19. Furthermore, chromatin remodeler genes showed differential expression in female and male P. sinensis gonads. These results of master sex-differentiation genes and morphological characteristics would provide a reference for the research of sex differentiation and sex reversal in turtles. Additionally, the expression of chromatin remodeler genes indicated they might be involved in gonadal differentiation of P. sinensis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijie Gao
- College of Fisheries, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China.
| | - Qisheng Wu
- Fisheries Research Institute of Fujian, Xiamen 361000, China.
| | - Guiyu Wang
- College of Fisheries, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China.
| | - Shufang Zhang
- College of Fisheries, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China.
| | - Wenge Ma
- College of Fisheries, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China.
| | - Xi Shi
- College of Fisheries, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China.
| | - Huifen Liu
- College of Fisheries, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China.
| | - Limin Wu
- College of Fisheries, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China.
| | - Xue Tian
- College of Fisheries, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China.
| | - Xuejun Li
- College of Fisheries, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China.
| | - Xiao Ma
- College of Fisheries, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China.
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Li Y, Li X, Ye D, Zhang R, Liu C, He M, Wang H, Hu W, Sun Y. Endogenous biosynthesis of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) regulates fish oocyte maturation by promoting pregnenolone production. Zool Res 2024; 45:176-188. [PMID: 38199972 PMCID: PMC10839667 DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2023.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs), particularly docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3, DHA), play crucial roles in the reproductive health of vertebrates, including humans. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanism related to this phenomenon remains largely unknown. In this study, we employed two zebrafish genetic models, i.e., elovl2 -/- mutant as an endogenous DHA-deficient model and fat1 (omega-3 desaturase encoding gene) transgenic zebrafish as an endogenous DHA-rich model, to investigate the effects of DHA on oocyte maturation and quality. Results show that the elovl2 -/- mutants had much lower fecundity and poorer oocyte quality than the wild-type controls, while the fat1 zebrafish had higher fecundity and better oocyte quality than wild-type controls. DHA deficiency in elovl2 -/- embryos led to defects in egg activation, poor microtubule stability, and reduced pregnenolone levels. Further study revealed that DHA promoted pregnenolone synthesis by enhancing transcription of cyp11a1, which encodes the cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme, thereby stabilizing microtubule assembly during oogenesis. In turn, the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis was enhanced by DHA. In conclusion, using two unique genetic models, our findings demonstrate that endogenously synthesized DHA promotes oocyte maturation and quality by promoting pregnenolone production via transcriptional regulation of cyp11a1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xuehui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ding Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ru Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Chengjie Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Mudan He
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Houpeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Wei Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Yonghua Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China. E-mail:
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Guirandy N, Simon O, Geffroy B, Daffe G, Daramy F, Houdelet C, Gonzalez P, Pierron F. Gamma irradiation-induced offspring masculinization is associated with epigenetic changes in female zebrafish. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2024; 269:115790. [PMID: 38086259 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115790] [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: 08/19/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Sex ratio variation is a key topic in ecology, because of its direct effects on population dynamics and thus, on animal conservation strategies. Among factors affecting sex ratio, types of sex determination systems have a central role, since some species could have a sex determined by genetic factors, environmental factors or a mix of those two. Yet, most studies on the factors affecting sex determination have focused on temperature or endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), and much less is known regarding other factors. Exposure to gamma irradiation was found to trigger offspring masculinization in zebrafish. Here we aimed at deciphering the potential mechanisms involved, by focusing on stress (i.e. cortisol) and epigenetic regulation of key genes involved in sex differentiation in fish. Cortisol levels in exposed and control (F0) zebrafish females' gonads were similar. However, irradiation increased the DNA methylation level of foxl2a and cyp19a1a in females of the F0 and F1 generation, respectively, while no effects were detected in testis. Overall, our results suggest that parental exposure could alter offspring sex ratio, at least in part by inducing methylation changes in ovaries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noëmie Guirandy
- IRSN/PSE-ENV/SRTE/LECO, Centre de Cadarache-B.P. 3 - Bat 183, 13115 St Paul Lez Durance, France.
| | - Olivier Simon
- IRSN/PSE-ENV/SRTE/LECO, Centre de Cadarache-B.P. 3 - Bat 183, 13115 St Paul Lez Durance, France
| | - Benjamin Geffroy
- MARBEC, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Guillemine Daffe
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, EPOC, UMR 5805, F-33600 Pessac, France
| | - Flore Daramy
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, EPOC, UMR 5805, F-33600 Pessac, France
| | - Camille Houdelet
- MARBEC, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Patrice Gonzalez
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, EPOC, UMR 5805, F-33600 Pessac, France
| | - Fabien Pierron
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, EPOC, UMR 5805, F-33600 Pessac, France
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Li M, Sun L, Zhou L, Wang D. Tilapia, a good model for studying reproductive endocrinology. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2024; 345:114395. [PMID: 37879418 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2023.114395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
The Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), with a system of XX/XY sex determination, is a worldwide farmed fish with a shorter sexual maturation time than that of most cultured fish. Tilapia show a spawning cycle of approximately 14 days and can be artificially propagated in the laboratory all year round to obtain genetically all female (XX) and all male (XY) fry. Its genome sequence has been opened, and a perfect gene editing platform has been established. With a moderate body size, it is convenient for taking enough blood to measure hormone level. In recent years, using tilapia as animal model, we have confirmed that estrogen is crucial for female development because 1) mutation of star2, cyp17a1 or cyp19a1a (encoding aromatase, the key enzyme for estrogen synthesis) results in sex reversal (SR) due to estrogen deficiency in XX tilapia, while mutation of star1, cyp11a1, cyp17a2, cyp19a1b or cyp11c1 affects fertility due to abnormal androgen, cortisol and DHP levels in XY tilapia; 2) when the estrogen receptors (esr2a/esr2b) are mutated, the sex is reversed from female to male, while when the androgen receptors are mutated, the sex cannot be reversed; 3) the differentiated ovary can be transdifferentiated into functional testis by inhibition of estrogen synthesis, and the differentiated testis can be transdifferentiated into ovary by simultaneous addition of exogenous estrogen and androgen synthase inhibitor; 4) loss of male pathway genes amhy, dmrt1, gsdf causes SR with upregulation of cyp19a1a in XY tilapia. Disruption of estrogen synthesis rescues the male to female SR of amhy and gsdf but not dmrt1 mutants; 5) mutation of female pathway genes foxl2 and sf-1 causes SR with downregulation of cyp19a1a in XX tilapia; 6) the germ cell SR of foxl3 mutants fails to be rescued by estrogen treatment, indicating that estrogen determines female germ cell fate through foxl3. This review also summarized the effects of deficiency of other steroid hormones, such as androgen, DHP and cortisol, on fish reproduction. Overall, these studies demonstrate that tilapia is an excellent animal model for studying reproductive endocrinology of fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minghui 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, China
| | - Lina Sun
- 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, China
| | - Linyan Zhou
- 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, China
| | - Deshou Wang
- 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, China.
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Wilson CA, Batzel P, Postlethwait JH. Direct Male Development in Chromosomally ZZ Zebrafish. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.27.573483. [PMID: 38234788 PMCID: PMC10793451 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.27.573483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
The genetics of sex determination varies across taxa, sometimes even within a species. Major domesticated strains of zebrafish ( Danio rerio ), including AB and TU, lack a strong genetic sex determining locus, but strains more recently derived from nature, like Nadia (NA), possess a ZZ male/ZW female chromosomal sex-determination system. AB strain fish pass through a juvenile ovary stage, forming oocytes that survive in fish that become females but die in fish that become males. To understand mechanisms of gonad development in NA zebrafish, we studied histology and single cell transcriptomics in developing ZZ and ZW fish. ZW fish developed oocytes by 22 days post-fertilization (dpf) but ZZ fish directly formed testes, avoiding a juvenile ovary phase. Gonads of some ZW and WW fish, however, developed oocytes that died as the gonad became a testis, mimicking AB fish, suggesting that the gynogenetically derived AB strain is chromosomally WW. Single-cell RNA-seq of 19dpf gonads showed similar cell types in ZZ and ZW fish, including germ cells, precursors of gonadal support cells, steroidogenic cells, interstitial/stromal cells, and immune cells, consistent with a bipotential juvenile gonad. In contrast, scRNA-seq of 30dpf gonads revealed that cells in ZZ gonads had transcriptomes characteristic of testicular Sertoli, Leydig, and germ cells while ZW gonads had granulosa cells, theca cells, and developing oocytes. Hematopoietic and vascular cells were similar in both sex genotypes. These results show that juvenile NA zebrafish initially develop a bipotential gonad; that a factor on the NA W chromosome or fewer than two Z chromosomes is essential to initiate oocyte development; and without the W factor or with two Z doses, NA gonads develop directly into testes without passing through the juvenile ovary stage. Sex determination in AB and TU strains mimics NA ZW and WW zebrafish, suggesting loss of the Z chromosome during domestication. Genetic analysis of the NA strain will facilitate our understanding of the evolution of sex determination mechanisms.
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Huang J, Zhu W, Peng M, Yang C, Chen X, Wu T, Zeng D, Zhao Y, Chen X. Cloning, Identification, and Functional Analysis of the Foxl2 Gene in Procambarus clarkii. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:2190. [PMID: 38137012 PMCID: PMC10743188 DOI: 10.3390/genes14122190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Revised: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Procambarus clarkii is the most widely distributed freshwater shrimp in China, with important economic value and great potential for development. The forkheadboxL2 (Foxl2) gene has been found to be involved in the reproductive development of many crustaceans. To understand the role of the Foxl2 gene in the gonad development of P. clarkii, we designed CDS-specific primers for the P. clarkii Foxl2 (PcFoxl2) gene and cloned its CDS sequence using RT-PCR. The nucleotide and protein sequence information was then analyzed through bioinformatics analysis. The expression and subcellular localization of PcFoxl2 in various tissues were detected using qRT-PCR and in situ hybridization. The effects of PcFoxl2 knockdown on gonad development were investigated using RNA interference. The results showed that the CDS length of the PcFoxl2 gene was 1614 bp and encoded 537 amino acids. Protein sequence comparison and phylogenetic analysis showed that PcFoxl2 was the closest relative to Crayfish. qRT-PCR analysis indicated that the expression level of PcFoxl2 in the testis was significantly higher (>40 fold) than that in the ovary (p < 0.01). The in situ hybridization results showed that PcFoxl2 was expressed in both the cytoplasm and the nucleus of egg cells, and that the expression was strongest in egg cells at the early stage of yolk synthesis, while weak in the secondary oocytes. The positive signal was strongest in the spermatocyte nucleolus, while only a trace signal was observed in the cytoplasm. After interfering with the PcFoxl2 gene using dsRNA, the expression of PcFoxl2 in the RNA interference group was significantly lower than that in the control group, and this interference effect lasted for one week. Moreover, the gonad index of the experimental group was significantly lower than that of the control group (p < 0.05) after 10 days of P. clarkii cultivation following PcFoxl2 knockdown. The expression levels of the nanos and S3a genes, which are related to gonad development, decreased significantly after PcFoxl2 gene interference. The results suggest that the Foxl2 gene is involved in the growth and development of gonads, particularly in the development of testis, and is related to the early development of oocytes. This study provides a theoretical basis for the artificial breeding of P. clarkii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Huang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Aquatic Genetic Breeding and Healthy Aquaculture, Guangxi Academy of Fishery Science, Nanning 530021, China; (J.H.); (M.P.); (C.Y.); (X.C.); (T.W.); (D.Z.); (Y.Z.)
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530005, China
| | - Weilin Zhu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Aquatic Genetic Breeding and Healthy Aquaculture, Guangxi Academy of Fishery Science, Nanning 530021, China; (J.H.); (M.P.); (C.Y.); (X.C.); (T.W.); (D.Z.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Min Peng
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Aquatic Genetic Breeding and Healthy Aquaculture, Guangxi Academy of Fishery Science, Nanning 530021, China; (J.H.); (M.P.); (C.Y.); (X.C.); (T.W.); (D.Z.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Chunling Yang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Aquatic Genetic Breeding and Healthy Aquaculture, Guangxi Academy of Fishery Science, Nanning 530021, China; (J.H.); (M.P.); (C.Y.); (X.C.); (T.W.); (D.Z.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Xiaohan Chen
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Aquatic Genetic Breeding and Healthy Aquaculture, Guangxi Academy of Fishery Science, Nanning 530021, China; (J.H.); (M.P.); (C.Y.); (X.C.); (T.W.); (D.Z.); (Y.Z.)
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530005, China
| | - Tiejun Wu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Aquatic Genetic Breeding and Healthy Aquaculture, Guangxi Academy of Fishery Science, Nanning 530021, China; (J.H.); (M.P.); (C.Y.); (X.C.); (T.W.); (D.Z.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Digang Zeng
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Aquatic Genetic Breeding and Healthy Aquaculture, Guangxi Academy of Fishery Science, Nanning 530021, China; (J.H.); (M.P.); (C.Y.); (X.C.); (T.W.); (D.Z.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Yongzhen Zhao
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Aquatic Genetic Breeding and Healthy Aquaculture, Guangxi Academy of Fishery Science, Nanning 530021, China; (J.H.); (M.P.); (C.Y.); (X.C.); (T.W.); (D.Z.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Xiuli Chen
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Aquatic Genetic Breeding and Healthy Aquaculture, Guangxi Academy of Fishery Science, Nanning 530021, China; (J.H.); (M.P.); (C.Y.); (X.C.); (T.W.); (D.Z.); (Y.Z.)
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12
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Pierron F, Daramy F, Heroin D, Daffe G, Barré A, Bouchez O, Nikolski M. Sex-specific DNA methylation and transcription of zbtb38 and effects of gene-environment interactions on its natural antisense transcript in zebrafish. Epigenetics 2023; 18:2260963. [PMID: 37782752 PMCID: PMC10547075 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2023.2260963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
There is increasing evidence for the involvement of epigenetics in sex determination, maintenance, and plasticity, from plants to humans. In our previous work, we reported a transgenerational feminization of a zebrafish population for which the first generation was exposed to cadmium, a metal with endocrine disrupting effects. In this study, starting from the previously performed whole methylome analysis, we focused on the zbtb38 gene and hypothesized that it could be involved in sex differentiation and Cd-induced offspring feminization. We observed sex-specific patterns of both DNA methylation and RNA transcription levels of zbtb38. We also discovered that the non-coding exon 3 of zbtb38 encodes for a natural antisense transcript (NAT). The activity of this NAT was found to be influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Furthermore, increasing transcription levels of this NAT in parental gametes was highly correlated with offspring sex ratios. Since zbtb38 itself encodes for a transcription factor that binds methylated DNA, our results support a non-negligible role of zbtb38 not only in orchestrating the sex-specific transcriptome (i.e., sex differentiation) but also, via its NAT, offspring sex ratios.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Flore Daramy
- Univ Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, Pessac, France
| | | | | | - Aurélien Barré
- Univ Bordeaux, Bordeaux Bioinformatics Center, Bordeaux, France
| | - Olivier Bouchez
- INRAE, US 1426, GeT-PlaGe, Genotoul, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Macha Nikolski
- Univ Bordeaux, Bordeaux Bioinformatics Center, Bordeaux, France
- Univ Bordeaux, CNRS, IBGC, Bordeaux, France
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13
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Zhao C, Wang S, Liu Y, Chu P, Han B, Ning X, Wang T, Yin S. Acute cold stress leads to zebrafish ovarian dysfunction by regulating miRNA and mRNA. COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY. PART D, GENOMICS & PROTEOMICS 2023; 48:101139. [PMID: 37683358 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbd.2023.101139] [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: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Temperature is a critical factor that regulates the reproduction processes in teleost. However, the gonadal response mechanism to cold stress in fish remains largely unknown. In the present study, female zebrafish were exposed to different extents of low temperatures at 18 °C and 10 °C for 48 h. The ovarian histology was remarkably damaged after cold stress exposure. Integrated analysis of miRNA-mRNA was used to investigate the ovarian response to acute cold stress. A large number of mRNAs and miRNAs were altered by cold stress, which are involved in extensive biological processes. It is indicated that the signal transduction of MAPK and Calcium signaling pathway is highly engaged in zebrafish ovary to adapt to cold stress. The immune system was dysregulated by cold stress while the ovarian autophagy was activated. Remarkably increased gene number related to reproductive functions was identified in the cold stress at 10 °C compared to the control. The cold stress-induced dysregulated reproductive genes include star, hsd3b1, hsd17b1, inha, insl3, amh, nanos1 and foxl2. Combined with the dysregulated insulin, IGF and progesterone signaling, it is suggested that cold stress affects ovarian function in multiple aspects, including oocyte meiosis, folliculogenesis, final maturation and ovarian maintenance. On the other hand, the ovarian miRNA-mRNA regulatory network response to cold stress was also constructed. Overall, our result revealed the ovarian response to cold stress in zebrafish and provided insight into the fish adaptation mechanism to acute temperature change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Zhao
- College of Life Science, College of Marine Science and Engineering, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center for Aquatic Animals Breeding and Green Efficient Aquacultural Technology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China; Co-Innovation Center for Marine Bio-Industry Technology, Lian Yungang, China
| | - Sijin Wang
- College of Life Science, College of Marine Science and Engineering, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center for Aquatic Animals Breeding and Green Efficient Aquacultural Technology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuxi Liu
- College of Life Science, College of Marine Science and Engineering, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center for Aquatic Animals Breeding and Green Efficient Aquacultural Technology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Peng Chu
- College of Life Science, College of Marine Science and Engineering, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center for Aquatic Animals Breeding and Green Efficient Aquacultural Technology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Bing Han
- College of Life Science, College of Marine Science and Engineering, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center for Aquatic Animals Breeding and Green Efficient Aquacultural Technology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xianhui Ning
- College of Life Science, College of Marine Science and Engineering, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center for Aquatic Animals Breeding and Green Efficient Aquacultural Technology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China; Co-Innovation Center for Marine Bio-Industry Technology, Lian Yungang, China
| | - Tao Wang
- College of Life Science, College of Marine Science and Engineering, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center for Aquatic Animals Breeding and Green Efficient Aquacultural Technology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China; Co-Innovation Center for Marine Bio-Industry Technology, Lian Yungang, China.
| | - Shaowu Yin
- College of Life Science, College of Marine Science and Engineering, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center for Aquatic Animals Breeding and Green Efficient Aquacultural Technology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China; Co-Innovation Center for Marine Bio-Industry Technology, Lian Yungang, China.
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14
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Yu Y, Chen M, Shen ZG. Molecular biological, physiological, cytological, and epigenetic mechanisms of environmental sex differentiation in teleosts: A systematic review. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2023; 267:115654. [PMID: 37918334 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115654] [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: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Human activities have been exerting widespread stress and environmental risks in aquatic ecosystems. Environmental stress, including temperature rise, acidification, hypoxia, light pollution, and crowding, had a considerable negative impact on the life histology of aquatic animals, especially on sex differentiation (SDi) and the resulting sex ratios. Understanding how the sex of fish responds to stressful environments is of great importance for understanding the origin and maintenance of sex, the dynamics of the natural population in the changing world, and the precise application of sex control in aquaculture. This review conducted an exhaustive search of the available literature on the influence of environmental stress (ES) on SDi. Evidence has shown that all types of ES can affect SDi and universally result in an increase in males or masculinization, which has been reported in 100 fish species and 121 cases. Then, this comprehensive review aimed to summarize the molecular biology, physiology, cytology, and epigenetic mechanisms through which ES contributes to male development or masculinization. The relationship between ES and fish SDi from multiple aspects was analyzed, and it was found that environmental sex differentiation (ESDi) is the result of the combined effects of genetic and epigenetic factors, self-physiological regulation, and response to environmental signals, which involves a sophisticated network of various hormones and numerous genes at multiple levels and multiple gradations in bipotential gonads. In both normal male differentiation and ES-induced masculinization, the stress pathway and epigenetic regulation play important roles; however, how they co-regulate SDi is unclear. Evidence suggests that the universal emergence or increase in males in aquatic animals is an adaptation to moderate ES. ES-induced sex reversal should be fully investigated in more fish species and extensively in the wild. The potential aquaculture applications and difficulties associated with ESDi have also been addressed. Finally, the knowledge gaps in the ESDi are presented, which will guide the priorities of future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Yu
- College of Fisheries, Engineering Research Center of Green development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, PR China
| | - Min Chen
- College of Fisheries, Engineering Research Center of Green development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, PR China
| | - Zhi-Gang Shen
- College of Fisheries, Engineering Research Center of Green development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, PR China.
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15
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Du X, Yu H, Wang Y, Liu J, Zhang Q. Comparative Studies on Duplicated foxl2 Paralogs in Spotted Knifejaw Oplegnathus punctatus Show Functional Diversification. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1847. [PMID: 37895196 PMCID: PMC10606028 DOI: 10.3390/genes14101847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
As a member of the forkhead box L gene family, foxl2 plays a significant role in gonadal development and the regulation of reproduction. During the evolution of deuterostome, whole genome duplication (WGD)-enriched lineage diversifications and regulation mechanisms occurs. However, only limited research exists on foxl2 duplication in teleost or other vertebrate species. In this study, two foxl2 paralogs, foxl2 and foxl2l, were identified in the transcriptome of spotted knifejaw (Oplegnathus punctatus), which had varying expressions in the gonads. The foxl2 was expressed higher in the ovary, while foxl2l was expressed higher in the testis. Phylogenetic reconstruction, synteny analysis, and the molecular evolution test confirmed that foxl2 and foxl2l likely originated from the first two WGD. The expression patterns test using qRT-PCR and ISH as well as motif scan analysis revealed evidence of potentially functional divergence between the foxl2 and foxl2l paralogs in spotted knifejaw. Our results indicate that foxl2 and foxl2l may originate from the first two WGD, be active in transcription, and have undergone functional divergence. These results shed new light on the evolutionary trajectories of foxl2 and foxl2l and highlights the need for further detailed functional analysis of these two duplicated paralogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinxin Du
- School of Life Science and Bioengineering, Jining University, Jining 273155, China; (X.D.); (H.Y.)
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, No. 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, China; (Y.W.); (J.L.)
| | - Haiyang Yu
- School of Life Science and Bioengineering, Jining University, Jining 273155, China; (X.D.); (H.Y.)
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, No. 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, China; (Y.W.); (J.L.)
| | - Yujue Wang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, No. 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, China; (Y.W.); (J.L.)
| | - Jinxiang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, No. 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, China; (Y.W.); (J.L.)
| | - Quanqi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, No. 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, China; (Y.W.); (J.L.)
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Liaqat A, Salisu IB, Bakhsh A, Ali Q, Imran A, Ali MA, Farooq AM, Rao AQ, Shahid AA. A sub-chronic feeding study of dual toxin insect-resistant transgenic maize (CEMB-413) on Wistar rats. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0285090. [PMID: 37556453 PMCID: PMC10411795 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetically modified (GM) crops expressing insecticidal crystal proteins are widely accepted worldwide, but their commercial utilization demands comprehensive risk assessment studies. A 90-day risk assessment study was conducted on Wistar rats fed with GM maize (CEMB-413) expressing binary insect-resistant genes (cry1Ac and cry2Ab) at low (30%) and high (50%) dose along with a control diet group. The study used fifty Wistar rats randomly distributed in five treatment groups. Our study revealed that compared to controls, GM diet had no adverse effects on animal's health, including body weight, food consumption, clinical pathological parameters, serum hormone levels and histological parameters of testes and ovaries of rats. Differences were observed in transcripts levels of fertility related genes, but these were independent of treatment with GM diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayesha Liaqat
- Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Ibrahim Bala Salisu
- Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Federal University Dutse, Dutse, Jigawa State, Nigeria
| | - Allah Bakhsh
- Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Qasim Ali
- Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Ayesha Imran
- Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Azam Ali
- Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
- Department of Molecular Biology, Virtual University of Pakistan, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Abdul Munim Farooq
- Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Abdul Qayyum Rao
- Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Ahmad Ali Shahid
- Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
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King AC, Zenker AK. Sex blind: bridging the gap between drug exposure and sex-related gene expression in Danio rerio using next-generation sequencing (NGS) data and a literature review to find the missing links in pharmaceutical and environmental toxicology studies. FRONTIERS IN TOXICOLOGY 2023; 5:1187302. [PMID: 37398910 PMCID: PMC10312089 DOI: 10.3389/ftox.2023.1187302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The sex of both humans and Danio rerio has previously been shown to affect the way individuals respond to drug exposure. Genes which allow identification of sex in juvenile zebrafish show potential to reveal these confounding variables between sex in toxicological and preclinical trials but the link between these is so far missing. These sex-specific, early expressed genes where expression is not altered by drug exposure must be carefully selected for this purpose. We aimed to discover genes which can be used in pharmaceutical trials and environmental toxicology studies to uncover sex-related variations in gene expression with drug application using the model organism Danio rerio. Previously published early sex determining genes from King et al. were evaluated as well as additional genes selected from our zebrafish Next-generation sequencing (NGS) data which are known from previously published works not to be susceptible to changes in expression with drug exposure. NGS revealed a further ten female-specific genes (vtg1, cyp17a1, cyp19a1a, igf3, ftz-f1, gdf9, foxl2a, Nr0b1, ipo4, lhcgr) and five male related candidate genes (FKBP5, apobb1, hbaa1, dmrt1, spata6) which are also expressed in juvenile zebrafish, 28 days post fertilisation (dpf). Following this, a literature review was performed to classify which of these early-expressed sex specific genes are already known to be affected by drug exposure in order to determine candidate genes to be used in pharmaceutical trials or environmental toxicology testing studies. Discovery of these early sex-determining genes in Danio rerio will allow identification of sex-related responses to drug testing to improve sex-specific healthcare and the medical treatment of human patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Armin K. Zenker
- University of Applied Sciences and Arts North-Western Switzerland (FHNW), Muttenz, Switzerland
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Lu K, Wu J, Tang S, Jia X, Liang XF. Knockout of sws2a and sws2b in Medaka ( Oryzias latipes) Reveals Their Roles in Regulating Vision-Guided Behavior and Eye Development. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24108786. [PMID: 37240129 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24108786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The medaka (Oryzias latipes) is an excellent vertebrate model for studying the development of the retina. Its genome database is complete, and the number of opsin genes is relatively small compared to zebrafish. Short wavelength sensitive 2 (sws2), a G-protein-coupled receptor expressed in the retina, has been lost in mammals, but its role in eye development in fish is still poorly understood. In this study, we established a sws2a and sws2b knockout medaka model by CRISPR/Cas9 technology. We discovered that medaka sws2a and sws2b are mainly expressed in the eyes and may be regulated by growth differentiation factor 6a (gdf6a). Compared with the WT, sws2a-/- and sws2b-/- mutant larvae displayed an increase in swimming speed during the changes from light to dark. We also observed that sws2a-/- and sws2b-/- larvae both swam faster than WT in the first 10 s of the 2 min light period. The enhanced vision-guided behavior in sws2a-/- and sws2b-/- medaka larvae may be related to the upregulation of phototransduction-related genes. Additionally, we also found that sws2b affects the expression of eye development genes, while sws2a is unaffected. Together, these findings indicate that sws2a and sws2b knockouts increase vision-guided behavior and phototransduction, but on the other hand, sws2b plays an important role in regulating eye development genes. This study provides data for further understanding of the role of sws2a and sws2b in medaka retina development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Lu
- College of Fisheries, Chinese Perch Research Center, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Engineering Research Center of Green Development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Jiaqi Wu
- College of Fisheries, Chinese Perch Research Center, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Engineering Research Center of Green Development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Shulin Tang
- College of Fisheries, Chinese Perch Research Center, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Engineering Research Center of Green Development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Xiaodan Jia
- College of Fisheries, Chinese Perch Research Center, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Engineering Research Center of Green Development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Xu-Fang Liang
- College of Fisheries, Chinese Perch Research Center, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Engineering Research Center of Green Development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, China
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19
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Wei WY, Gong Y, Guo XF, Liu M, Zhou YL, Li Z, Zhou L, Wang ZW, Gui JF. Gonadal transcriptomes reveal sex-biased expression genes associated with sex determination and differentiation in red-tail catfish (Hemibagrus wyckioides). BMC Genomics 2023; 24:183. [PMID: 37024792 PMCID: PMC10077648 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09264-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Red-tail catfish (Hemibagrus wyckioides) is an important commercially farmed catfish in southern China. Males of red-tail catfish grow faster than females, suggesting that all-male catfish will produce more significant economic benefits in aquaculture practice. However, little research has been reported on sex determination and gonadal development in red-tail catfish. RESULTS In this study, we performed the first transcriptomic analysis of male and female gonads at four developmental stages at 10, 18, 30, and 48 days post hatching (dph) using RNA-seq technology. A total of 23,588 genes were screened in 24 sequenced samples, of which 28, 213, 636, and 1381 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected at four developmental stages, respectively. Seven candidate genes of sex determination and differentiation were further identified. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) further confirmed that anti-Mullerian hormone (amh), growth differentiation factor 6a (gdf6a), testis-specific gene antigen 10 (tsga10), and cytochrome P450 family 17 subfamily A (cyp17a) were highly expressed mainly in the male, while cytochrome P450 family 19 subfamily A polypeptide 1b (cyp19a1b), forkhead box L2 (foxl2), and hydroxysteroid 17-beta dehydrogenase 1 (hsd17b1) were highly expressed in the female. The KEGG pathway enrichment data showed that these identified DEGs were mainly involved in steroid hormone biosynthesis and TGF-β signaling pathways. CONCLUSIONS Based on RNA-seq data of gonads at the early developmental stages, seven DEGs shared by the four developmental stages were identified, among which amh and gdf6a may be the male-biased expression genes, while foxl2, cyp19a1b and hsd17b1 may be the female-biased expression genes in red-tail catfish. Our study will provide crucial genetic information for the research on sex control in red-tail catfish, as well as for exploring the evolutionary processes of sex determination mechanisms in fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Yu Wei
- College of Fisheries and Life Science, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, 116023, China
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Yi Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xin-Fen Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Min Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yu-Lin Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Zhi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Li Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Zhong-Wei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Jian-Fang Gui
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
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20
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Xie QP, Zhan W, Shi JZ, Liu F, Niu BL, He X, Liu M, Wang J, Liang QQ, Xie Y, Xu P, Wang X, Lou B. Whole-genome assembly and annotation for the little yellow croaker (Larimichthys polyactis) provide insights into the evolution of hermaphroditism and gonochorism. Mol Ecol Resour 2023; 23:632-658. [PMID: 36330680 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2021] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The evolutionary direction of gonochorism and hermaphroditism is an intriguing mystery to be solved. The special transient hermaphroditic stage makes the little yellow croaker (Larimichthys polyactis) an appealing model for studying hermaphrodite formation. However, the origin and evolutionary relationship between of L. polyactis and Larimichthys crocea, the most famous commercial fish species in East Asia, remain unclear. Here, we report the sequence of the L. polyactis genome, which we found is ~706 Mb long (contig N50 = 1.21 Mb and scaffold N50 = 4.52 Mb) and contains 25,233 protein-coding genes. Phylogenomic analysis suggested that L. polyactis diverged from the common ancestor, L. crocea, approximately 25.4 million years ago. Our high-quality genome assembly enabled comparative genomic analysis, which revealed several within-chromosome rearrangements and translocations, without major chromosome fission or fusion events between the two species. The dmrt1 gene was identified as the male-specific gene in L. polyactis. Transcriptome analysis showed that the expression of dmrt1 and its upstream regulatory gene (rnf183) were both sexually dimorphic. Rnf183, unlike its two paralogues rnf223 and rnf225, is only present in Larimichthys and Lates but not in other teleost species, suggesting that it originated from lineage-specific duplication or was lost in other teleosts. Phylogenetic analysis shows that the hermaphrodite stage in male L. polyactis may be explained by the sequence evolution of dmrt1. Decoding the L. polyactis genome not only provides insight into the genetic underpinnings of hermaphrodite evolution, but also provides valuable information for enhancing fish aquaculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing-Ping Xie
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Hydrobiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wei Zhan
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Hydrobiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jian-Zhi Shi
- Novogene Bioinformatics Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Feng Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Hydrobiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bao-Long Niu
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Hydrobiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xue He
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Hydrobiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Meng Liu
- Novogene Bioinformatics Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Novogene Bioinformatics Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Qi-Qi Liang
- Novogene Bioinformatics Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Yue Xie
- Novogene Bioinformatics Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Peng Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Xu Wang
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA.,Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, Auburn, Alabama, USA.,The HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, Alabama, USA
| | - Bao Lou
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Hydrobiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
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21
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Sheng Y, Wan H, Zhang Z, Li S, Wang Y. A new insight into potential roles of Spfoxl-2 in the testicular development of Scylla paramamosain by RNAi and transcriptome analysis. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2023; 280:111410. [PMID: 36842753 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2023.111410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2023]
Abstract
In our previous study, we found that the Spfoxl-2 transcript was highly expressed in gonads and explored its potential target genes in the ovary of Scylla paramamosain. In the current study, we primally analyzed its potential target genes in the testis through RNAi and RNA-Seq technology and compared with that in the ovary. The results showed that a total of 7892 unigenes were differentially expressed after Spfoxl-2 silencing in the testis, including plenty of conserved genes involved in testicular development, such as Dmrt family genes, Sox family genes, Caspase family genes, Cdk family genes, Kinesin family genes, Fox family genes and other genes. Further analysis revealed that these differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were enriched in crucial pathways involved in spermatogenesis, such as DNA replication, Cell cycle, Spliceosome, Homologous recombination, Meiosis and Apoptosis. The comparison results of potential target genes in the ovary and testis reveal 135 common potential target genes, including some genes involved in the immune response. According to our knowledge, the present work was the first to disclose the functions of foxl-2 in the testis of crustacean species using transcriptome analysis. It not only identifies key genes and pathways involved in the testicular development of S. paramamosain, but also reveals a new molecular-level understanding of the function of foxl-2 in testicular development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinzhen Sheng
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, China; Fujian Engineering Research Center of Aquatic Breeding and Healthy Aquaculture, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Haifu Wan
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, China; Fujian Engineering Research Center of Aquatic Breeding and Healthy Aquaculture, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Ziping Zhang
- College of Marine Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Shengkang Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Biology, Shantou University, Shantou 515003, China
| | - Yilei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, China; Fujian Engineering Research Center of Aquatic Breeding and Healthy Aquaculture, Xiamen 361021, China.
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22
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Li W, Liu W, Mo C, Yi M, Gui J. Two Novel lncRNAs Regulate Primordial Germ Cell Development in Zebrafish. Cells 2023; 12:cells12040672. [PMID: 36831339 PMCID: PMC9954370 DOI: 10.3390/cells12040672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are regulatory transcripts in various biological processes. However, the role of lncRNAs in germline development remains poorly understood, especially for fish primordial germ cell (PGC) development. In this study, the lncRNA profile of zebrafish PGC was revealed by single cell RNA-sequencing and bioinformatic prediction. We established the regulation network of lncRNA-mRNA associated with PGC development, from which we identified three novel lncRNAs-lnc172, lnc196, and lnc304-highly expressing in PGCs and gonads. Fluorescent in situ hybridization indicated germline-specific localization of lnc196 and lnc304 in the cytoplasm and nucleus of spermatogonia, spermatocyte, and occyte, and they were co-localized with vasa in the cytoplasm of the spermatogonia. By contrast, lnc172 was localized in the cytoplasm of male germline, myoid cells and ovarian somatic cells. Loss- and gain-of-function experiments demonstrated that knockdown and PGC-specific overexpression of lnc304 as well as universal overexpression of lnc172 significantly disrupted PGC development. In summary, the present study revealed the lncRNA profile of zebrafish PGC and identified two novel lncRNAs associated with PGC development, providing new insights for understanding the regulatory mechanism of PGC development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjing Li
- School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519082, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai 519082, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Resources and Coastal Engineering, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Wei Liu
- School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519082, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai 519082, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Resources and Coastal Engineering, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Chengyu Mo
- School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519082, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai 519082, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Resources and Coastal Engineering, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Meisheng Yi
- School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519082, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai 519082, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Resources and Coastal Engineering, Guangzhou 510275, China
- Correspondence: (M.Y.); (J.G.)
| | - Jianfang Gui
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 420072, China
- Correspondence: (M.Y.); (J.G.)
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23
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Valdivieso A, Anastasiadi D, Ribas L, Piferrer F. Development of epigenetic biomarkers for the identification of sex and thermal stress in fish using DNA methylation analysis and machine learning procedures. Mol Ecol Resour 2023; 23:453-470. [PMID: 36305237 PMCID: PMC10098837 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The sex ratio is a key ecological demographic parameter crucial for population viability. However, the epigenetic mechanisms operating during gonadal development regulating gene expression and the sex ratio remain poorly understood. Moreover, there is interest in the development of epigenetic markers associated with a particular phenotype or as sentinels of environmental effects. Here, we profiled DNA methylation and gene expression of 10 key genes related to sex development and stress, including steroidogenic enzymes, and growth and transcription factors. We provide novel information on the sex-related differences and on the influence of elevated temperature on these genes in zebrafish, a species with mixed genetic and environmental influences on sex ratios. We identified both positive (e.g., amh, cyp11c and hsd11b2) and negative (e.g., cyp11a1 and dmrt1) correlations in unexposed males, and negative correlation (amh) in exposed females between DNA methylation and gene expression levels. Further, we combined DNA methylation analysis with machine learning procedures and found a series of informative CpGs capable not only of correctly identifying sex (based on cyp19a1a DNA methylation levels) but also of identifying whether males and females had been exposed to abnormally elevated temperature when young (based on amh and foxl2a DNA methylation levels, respectively). This was achieved in the absence of conspicuous morphological alterations of the gonads. These DNA methylation-based epigenetic biomarkers represent molecular resources that can correctly recapitulate past thermal history and pave the way for similar findings in other species to assess potential ecological effects of environmental disturbances in the context of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Valdivieso
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Barcelona, Spain.,IHPE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, IFREMER, Univ Perpignan Via Domitia, Montpellier, France
| | - Dafni Anastasiadi
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Barcelona, Spain.,The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Nelson, New Zealand
| | - Laia Ribas
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Francesc Piferrer
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
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24
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Jin L, Sun W, Bao H, Liang X, Li P, Shi S, Wang Z, Qian G, Ge C. The forkhead factor Foxl2 participates in the ovarian differentiation of Chinese soft-shelled turtle Pelodiscus sinensis. Dev Biol 2022; 492:101-110. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2022.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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25
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Zhang J, Sun ZH, Liu BZ, Su WY, Chang YQ. Sexually dimorphic expression of foxl2 in the sea urchin (Mesocentrotus nudus). Gene Expr Patterns 2022; 46:119280. [PMID: 36202345 DOI: 10.1016/j.gep.2022.119280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Sea urchin (Mesocentrotus nudus) is an important economically mariculture species in several Asian countries, and gonads are the sole edible parts for people. In addition to commercial value, it is an excellent model for studying gonadal development, sex determination and sex differentiation. Identify sex-related genes is an effective way to reveal the molecular mechanism of gonadal development. In the present study, the foxl2 homologous gene was identified in M. nudus. Foxl2 is not a maternal factor, and is detected for the first time in two-arm stages. Additionally, the expression of foxl2 in the testis is higher than in the ovaries at the same developmental stages. The foxl2 transcripts were specifically enriched in the cytoplasm of germ cellsboth in the ovary and testis, but their proteins were more concentrated in the area near the oocyte nucleus. Overall, this study contributes to our understanding of the dynamic and sexually dimorphic expression pattern of foxl2 and provide a useful germ cell marker during gametogenesis in sea urchin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Zhang
- School of Life Science, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, 116029, China; Key Laboratory of Mariculture & Stock Enhancement in North China's Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Fisheries and Life Science, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Zhi-Hui Sun
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture & Stock Enhancement in North China's Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Fisheries and Life Science, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, 116023, China.
| | - Bing-Zheng Liu
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture & Stock Enhancement in North China's Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Fisheries and Life Science, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Wei-Yi Su
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture & Stock Enhancement in North China's Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Fisheries and Life Science, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Ya-Qing Chang
- School of Life Science, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, 116029, China; Key Laboratory of Mariculture & Stock Enhancement in North China's Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Fisheries and Life Science, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, 116023, China.
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26
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Zhou J, Yang YJ, Gan RH, Wang Y, Li Z, Zhang XJ, Gui JF, Zhou L. Foxl2a and Foxl2b are involved in midbrain-hindbrain boundary development in zebrafish. Gene Expr Patterns 2022; 46:119286. [PMID: 36341978 DOI: 10.1016/j.gep.2022.119286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Foxl2 plays conserved central function in ovarian differentiation and maintenance in several fish species. However, its expression pattern and function in fish embryogenesis are still largely unknown. In this study, we first presented a sequential expression pattern of zebrafish foxl2a and foxl2b during embryo development. They were predominantly expressed in the cranial paraxial mesoderm (CPM) and cranial venous vasculature (CVV) during somitogenesis and subsequently expressed in the pharyngeal arches after 48 h post-fertilization (hpf). Then, we compared the brain structures among zebrafish wildtype (WT) and three homozygous foxl2 mutants (foxl2a-/-, foxl2b-/- and foxl2a-/-;foxl2b-/-) and found the reduction of the fourth ventricle in the three foxl2 mutants, especially in foxl2a-/-;foxl2b-/- mutant. Finally, we detected several key transcription factors involved in the gene regulatory network of midbrain-hindbrain boundary (MHB) patterning, such as wnt1, en1b and pax2a. Their expression levels were obviously downregulated in MHB of foxl2a-/- and foxl2a-/-;foxl2b-/- mutants. Thus, we suggest that Foxl2a and Foxl2b are involved in MHB and the fourth ventricle development in zebrafish. The current study provides insights into the molecular mechanism underlying development of brain ventricular system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yan-Jing Yang
- College of Fisheries, Tianjin Agricultural University, China
| | - Rui-Hai Gan
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Juan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jian-Fang Gui
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Li Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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27
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Molecular cloning and expression patterns of a sex-biased transcriptional factor Foxl2 in the giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii). Mol Biol Rep 2022; 50:3581-3591. [PMID: 36422756 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-022-07526-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUD Macrobrachium rosenbergii is an economically important species that is widely cultivated in some Asian nations. Foxl2 is a transcriptional regulator of ovarian differentiation and development. The aim of this study was to study the bioinformatics features and expression patterns of M. rosenbergii Foxl2 (MrFoxl2). METHODS In this study, all experimental animals were mature M. rosenbergii (9-12 cm) individuals. The foxl2 gene was identified and characterized in the genome of M. rosenbergii using molecular cloning, bioinformatic analysis, in situ hybridization, and quantitative analysis. RESULTS The identified cDNA encoded a putative 489-amino-acid MrFoxl2 protein. Bioinformatics analysis revealed a low identity of MrFoxl2 to other crustacean orthologues. The closest phylogenetic relationship was to Foxl2 of Eriocheir sinensis. The result of in situ hybridization demonstrated that transcripts of MrFoxl2 in M. rosenbergii were identified in spermatocytes, oocytes, and secretory epithelial cells of the vas deferens. The result of q-PCR suggested that a high expression of MrFoxl2 was identified in the testis, vas deferens, and ovaries. During ovarian development, MrFoxl2 expression was the highest in stage I. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that MrFoxl2 may play a role in gonadal development in both female and male M. rosenbergii.
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Wang C, Yang L, Xiao T, Li J, Liu Q, Xiong S. Identification and expression analysis of zebrafish gnaq in the hypothalamic–Pituitary–Gonadal axis. Front Genet 2022; 13:1015796. [DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1015796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The G proteins have emerged as essential molecular switches in a wide variety of signal transduction pathways. Gαq, encoded by G protein subunit alpha q (gnaq), is a member of the G proteins and participates in regulating important biological activities in mammals; however, its function and regulatory mechanism in teleost remain largely unclear. In the current study, we cloned the cDNA of gnaq from zebrafish (Danio rerio) and investigated the expression characteristics of Gαq/gnaq in reproductive tissues. RT-PCR and WISH analyses showed that gnaq was widely expressed in zebrafish tissues, with high expression in the brain, olfactory brain, and hypothalamus. During the embryonic development stage, the gnaq was mainly distributed in the hypothalamus after 72 h post-fertilization. In addition, immunohistochemistry analysis revealed that the Gαq protein was highly expressed in the diffuse nucleus of the inferior hypothalamic lobe (DIL), ventral zone of the periventricular hypothalamus (Hv), and caudal zone of the periventricular hypothalamus (Hc) in adult zebrafish. Furthermore, in the gonads, the Gαq protein was found in oocytes of all stages, except spermatids. Lastly, the gnaq mRNA exhibited relatively low expression in gonads on Day 4 during the reproductive cycle, while increasing drastically in the hypothalamus and pituitary afterward. Altogether, our results suggest that gnaq/Gαq might be important in fish reproduction.
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Nicol B, Estermann MA, Yao HHC, Mellouk N. Becoming female: Ovarian differentiation from an evolutionary perspective. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:944776. [PMID: 36158204 PMCID: PMC9490121 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.944776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Differentiation of the bipotential gonadal primordium into ovaries and testes is a common process among vertebrate species. While vertebrate ovaries eventually share the same functions of producing oocytes and estrogens, ovarian differentiation relies on different morphogenetic, cellular, and molecular cues depending on species. The aim of this review is to highlight the conserved and divergent features of ovarian differentiation through an evolutionary perspective. From teleosts to mammals, each clade or species has a different story to tell. For this purpose, this review focuses on three specific aspects of ovarian differentiation: ovarian morphogenesis, the evolution of the role of estrogens on ovarian differentiation and the molecular pathways involved in granulosa cell determination and maintenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Nicol
- Reproductive and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States,*Correspondence: Barbara Nicol,
| | - Martin A. Estermann
- Reproductive and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - Humphrey H-C Yao
- Reproductive and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - Namya Mellouk
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, INRAE, BREED, Jouy en Josas, France
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He Z, Ma Z, Yang D, Chen Q, He Z, Hu J, Deng F, Zhang Q, He J, Ye L, Chen H, He L, Huang X, Luo W, Yang S, Gu X, Zhang M, Yan T. Circular RNA expression profiles and CircSnd1-miR-135b/c-foxl2 axis analysis in gonadal differentiation of protogynous hermaphroditic ricefield eel Monopterus albus. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:552. [PMID: 35922747 PMCID: PMC9347082 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08783-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The expression and biological functions of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in reproductive organs have been extensively reported. However, it is still unclear whether circRNAs are involved in sex change. To this end, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed in gonads at 5 sexual stages (ovary, early intersexual stage gonad, middle intersexual stage gonad, late intersexual stage gonad, and testis) of ricefield eel, and the expression profiles and potential functions of circRNAs were studied. RESULTS Seven hundred twenty-one circRNAs were identified, and the expression levels of 10 circRNAs were verified by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and found to be in accordance with the RNA-seq data, suggesting that the RNA-seq data were reliable. Then, the sequence length, category, sequence composition and the relationship between the parent genes of the circRNAs were explored. A total of 147 circRNAs were differentially expressed in the sex change process, and GO and KEGG analyses revealed that some differentially expressed (such as novel_circ_0000659, novel_circ_0004005 and novel_circ_0005865) circRNAs were closely involved in sex change. Furthermore, expression pattern analysis demonstrated that both circSnd1 and foxl2 were downregulated in the process of sex change, which was contrary to mal-miR-135b. Finally, dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation showed that circSnd1 and foxl2 can combine with mal-miR-135b and mal-miR-135c. These data revealed that circSnd1 regulates foxl2 expression in the sex change of ricefield eel by acting as a sponge of mal-miR-135b/c. CONCLUSION Our results are the first to demonstrate that circRNAs have potential effects on sex change in ricefield eel; and circSnd1 could regulate foxl2 expression in the sex change of ricefield eel by acting as a sponge of mal-miR-135b/c. These data will be useful for enhancing our understanding of sequential hermaphroditism and sex change in ricefield eel or other teleosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi He
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Zhijun Ma
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Deying Yang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Qiqi Chen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Zhide He
- Luzhou City Department of Agricultural and Rural Affairs, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiaxiang Hu
- Sichuan Water Conservancy Vocational College, Chengdu, 611231, Sichuan, China
| | - Faqiang Deng
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Qian Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiayang He
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Lijuan Ye
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Hongjun Chen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Liang He
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaoli Huang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Wei Luo
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Shiyong Yang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaobin Gu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Mingwang Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Taiming Yan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China.
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Gong XY, Zhang QM, Zhao X, Li YL, Qu ZL, Li Z, Dan C, Gui JF, Zhang YB. LGP2 is essential for zebrafish survival through dual regulation of IFN antiviral response. iScience 2022; 25:104821. [PMID: 35982787 PMCID: PMC9379684 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Revised: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In mammals, LGP2 is the enigmatic RLR family member, being initially believed as an inhibitor of RLR-triggered IFN response but subsequently as an activator of MDA5 signaling and an inhibitor of RIG-I signaling. The contradiction happens to fish LGP2. Here, we generate a lgp2 loss-of-function (lgp2lof/lof) zebrafish mutant, which is highly susceptible to SVCV infection, displaying an initially decreased activation of IFN response and a following increased one. Mechanistically, zebrafish LGP2 functions as the essential activator of IFN response dependent on MDA5 at the early stage of viral infection but as a negative regulator by impairing mRNA levels of tbk1 and ikki at the late stage of viral infection. The function switch of LGP2 is related to cellular IFN production during viral infection. Our data demonstrate that zebrafish LGP2 is a key homeostatic regulator of IFN response and thus essential for zebrafish survival against SVCV infection. Zebrafish LGP2 is crucial for host survival through initiating IFN response Zebrafish LGP2 exerts dual regulation of IFN response during SVCV infection The function switch of zebrafish LGP2 is related to cellular IFN production
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Ma X, Liu F, Chen Q, Sun W, Shen J, Wu K, Zheng Z, Huang J, Chen J, Qian G, Ge C. Foxl2 is required for the initiation of the female pathway in a temperature-dependent sex determination system in Trachemys scripta. Development 2022; 149:275948. [DOI: 10.1242/dev.200863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
KDM6B-mediated epigenetic modification of the testicular regulator Dmrt1 has previously been identified as the primary switch of the male pathway in a temperature-dependent sex-determination (TSD) system; however, the molecular network of the female pathway has not yet been established. Here, we have functionally characterized for the first time an upstream regulator of the female pathway, the forkhead transcription factor FOXL2, in Trachemys scripta, a turtle species with a TSD system. FOXL2 exhibited temperature-dependent female-specific expression patterns before the onset of gonadal differentiation and was preferentially localized in ovarian somatic cells. Foxl2 responded rapidly to temperature shifts and estrogen. Importantly, forced expression of Foxl2 at the male-producing temperature led to male-to-female sex reversal, as evidenced by the formation of an ovary-like structure, and upregulation of the ovarian regulators Cyp19a1 and R-spondin1. Additionally, knockdown of Foxl2 caused masculinization at the female-producing temperature, which was confirmed by loss of the female phenotype, development of seminiferous tubules, and elevated expression of Dmrt1 and Sox9. Collectively, we demonstrate that Foxl2 expression is necessary and sufficient to drive ovarian determination in T. scripta, suggesting a crucial role of Foxl2 in female sex determination in the TSD system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohui Ma
- College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University 1 , Ningbo 315100 , China
- College of Fisheries and Life Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University 2 , Shanghai 201306 , China
| | - Fang Liu
- College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University 1 , Ningbo 315100 , China
- College of Fisheries and Life Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University 2 , Shanghai 201306 , China
| | - Qiran Chen
- College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University 1 , Ningbo 315100 , China
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China 3 MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding , , Qingdao 266003 , China
| | - Wei Sun
- College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University 1 , Ningbo 315100 , China
| | - Jiadong Shen
- College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University 1 , Ningbo 315100 , China
| | - Kaiyue Wu
- College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University 1 , Ningbo 315100 , China
| | - Ziyan Zheng
- College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University 1 , Ningbo 315100 , China
| | - Jiaqi Huang
- College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University 1 , Ningbo 315100 , China
| | - Jiawen Chen
- College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University 1 , Ningbo 315100 , China
| | - Guoying Qian
- College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University 1 , Ningbo 315100 , China
| | - Chutian Ge
- College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University 1 , Ningbo 315100 , China
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Two duplicated gsdf homeologs cooperatively regulate male differentiation by inhibiting cyp19a1a transcription in a hexaploid fish. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010288. [PMID: 35767574 PMCID: PMC9275722 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Although evolutionary fates and expression patterns of duplicated genes have been extensively investigated, how duplicated genes co-regulate a biological process in polyploids remains largely unknown. Here, we identified two gsdf (gonadal somatic cell-derived factor) homeologous genes (gsdf-A and gsdf-B) in hexaploid gibel carp (Carassius gibelio), wherein each homeolog contained three highly conserved alleles. Interestingly, gsdf-A and gsdf-B transcription were mainly activated by dmrt1-A (dsx- and mab-3-related transcription factor 1) and dmrt1-B, respectively. Loss of either gsdf-A or gsdf-B alone resulted in partial male-to-female sex reversal and loss of both caused complete sex reversal, which could be rescued by a nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitor. Compensatory expression of gsdf-A and gsdf-B was observed in gsdf-B and gsdf-A mutants, respectively. Subsequently, we determined that in tissue culture cells, Gsdf-A and Gsdf-B both interacted with Ncoa5 (nuclear receptor coactivator 5) and blocked Ncoa5 interaction with Rora (retinoic acid-related orphan receptor-alpha) to repress Rora/Ncoa5-induced activation of cyp19a1a (cytochrome P450, family 19, subfamily A, polypeptide 1a). These findings illustrate that Gsdf-A and Gsdf-B can regulate male differentiation by inhibiting cyp19a1a transcription in hexaploid gibel carp and also reveal that Gsdf-A and Gsdf-B can interact with Ncoa5 to suppress cyp19a1a transcription in vitro. This study provides a typical case of cooperative mechanism of duplicated genes in polyploids and also sheds light on the conserved evolution of sex differentiation.
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Abstract
In this systematic review, we highlight the differences between the male and female zebrafish brains to understand their differentiation and their use in studying sex-specific neurological diseases. Male and female brains display subtle differences at the cellular level which may be important in driving sex-specific signaling. Sex differences in the brain have been observed in humans as well as in non-human species. However, the molecular mechanisms of brain sex differentiation remain unclear. The classical model of brain sex differentiation suggests that the steroid hormones derived from the gonads are the primary determinants in establishing male and female neural networks. Recent studies indicate that the developing brain shows sex-specific differences in gene expression prior to gonadal hormone action. Hence, genetic differences may also be responsible for differentiating the brain into male and female types. Understanding the signaling mechanisms involved in brain sex differentiation could help further elucidate the sex-specific incidences of certain neurological diseases. The zebrafish model could be appropriate for enhancing our understanding of brain sex differentiation and the signaling involved in neurological diseases. Zebrafish brains show sex-specific differences at the hormonal level, and recent advances in RNA sequencing have highlighted critical sex-specific differences at the transcript level. The differences are also evident at the cellular and metabolite levels, which could be important in organizing sex-specific neuronal signaling. Furthermore, in addition to having one ortholog for 70% of the human gene, zebrafish also shares brain structural similarities with other higher eukaryotes, including mammals. Hence, deciphering brain sex differentiation in zebrafish will help further enhance the diagnostic and pharmacological intervention of neurological diseases.
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35
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Function of Foxl2 and Dmrt1 proteins during gonadal differentiation in the olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 215:141-154. [PMID: 35716793 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.06.098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Study on fish sex differentiation is important both from academic and practical aspects. Foxl2 and Dmrt1 are important transcription factors that should be involved in fish gonadal differentiation, but there is still no direct evidence to clarify their protein functions. Olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus, an important mariculture fish in China, Japan, and Korea, shows sex-dimorphic growth. In this study, the Foxl2 and Dmrt1 proteins were detected in granulosa cells of the ovary and Sertoli cells of the testis, respectively, showing significant sex-dimorphic expression patterns. Then, bioactive high-purity Foxl2 and Dmrt1 recombinant proteins were obtained in vitro. Furthermore, effects of the recombinant Foxl2 and Dmrt1 during gonadal differentiation period were evaluated by intraperitoneal injection in juvenile fish. Compared with the control group, the male rate in the Dmrt1 group increased from 0 % to 82 %, showing for the first time in fish that the recombinant Dmrt1 could alter the sex phenotype. In addition, transcription levels of cyp19a and its transcription factors also changed after the recombinant Foxl2 and Dmrt1 injection. These findings reveal that Foxl2 and Dmrt1 are vital regulators for fish gonadal differentiation by regulating cyp19a expression, and also provide a new approach for sex control in fish aquaculture.
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36
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Li XY, Mei J, Ge CT, Liu XL, Gui JF. Sex determination mechanisms and sex control approaches in aquaculture animals. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2022; 65:1091-1122. [PMID: 35583710 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-021-2075-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Aquaculture is one of the most efficient modes of animal protein production and plays an important role in global food security. Aquaculture animals exhibit extraordinarily diverse sexual phenotypes and underlying mechanisms, providing an ideal system to perform sex determination research, one of the important areas in life science. Moreover, sex is also one of the most valuable traits because sexual dimorphism in growth, size, and other economic characteristics commonly exist in aquaculture animals. Here, we synthesize current knowledge of sex determination mechanisms, sex chromosome evolution, reproduction strategies, and sexual dimorphism, and also review several approaches for sex control in aquaculture animals, including artificial gynogenesis, application of sex-specific or sex chromosome-linked markers, artificial sex reversal, as well as gene editing. We anticipate that better understanding of sex determination mechanisms and innovation of sex control approaches will facilitate sustainable development of aquaculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi-Yin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Jie Mei
- College of Fisheries, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Chu-Tian Ge
- College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo, 315100, China
| | - Xiao-Li Liu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical & Subtropical Fishery Resource Application & Cultivation of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, 510380, China
| | - Jian-Fang Gui
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China.
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Brown MS, Evans BS, Afonso LOB. Developmental changes in gene expression and gonad morphology during sex differentiation in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Gene 2022; 823:146393. [PMID: 35248662 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.146393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2021] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
The Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) is a globally important species for its value in fisheries and aquaculture, and as a research model. In order to characterise aspects of sex differentiation at the morphological and mRNA level in this species, the present study examined developmental changes in gonad morphology and gene expression in males and females between 0 and 79 days post hatch (dph). Morphological differentiation of the ovary (indicated by the formation of germ cell cysts) became apparent from 52 dph. By 79 dph, ovarian phenotype was evident in 100% of genotypic females. Testes remained in an undifferentiated-like state throughout the experiment, containing germ cells dispersed singularly within the gonadal region distal to the mesentery. There were no significant sex-related differences in gonad cross-section size, germ cell number or germ cell diameter during the experiment. The expression of genes involved in teleost sex differentiation (anti-müllerian hormone (amh), cytochrome P450, family 19, subfamily A, polypeptide 1a (cyp19a1a), forkhead box L2a (foxl2a), gonadal soma-derived factor (gsdf), r-spondin 1 (rspo1), sexually dimorphic on the Y chromosome (sdY)), retinoic acid-signalling (aldehyde dehydrogenase 1a2 (aldh1a2), cytochrome P450 family 26 a1 (cyp26a1), cytochrome P450 family 26 b1 (cyp26b1), t-box transcription factor 1 (tbx1a)) and neuroestrogen production (cytochrome P450, family 19, subfamily A, polypeptide 1b (cyp19a1b)) was investigated. Significant sex-related differences were observed only for the expression of amh, cyp19a1a, gsdf and sdY. In males, amh, gsdf and sdY were upregulated from 34, 59 and 44 dph respectively. In females, cyp19a1a was upregulated from 66 dph. Independent of sex, foxl2a expression was highest at 0 dph and had reduced ∼ 47-fold by the time of morphological sex differentiation at 52 dph. This study provides new insights into the timing and sequence of some physiological changes associated with sex differentiation in Atlantic salmon. These findings also reveal that some aspects of the mRNA sex differentiation pathways in Atlantic salmon are unique compared to other teleost fishes, including other salmonids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan S Brown
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University Warrnambool Campus, Warrnambool, Victoria 3280, Australia.
| | - Brad S Evans
- Tassal Operations, Hobart, Tasmania 7000, Australia.
| | - Luis O B Afonso
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University Waurn Ponds Campus, Geelong, Victoria 3220, Australia.
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Liu Y, Kassack ME, McFaul ME, Christensen LN, Siebert S, Wyatt SR, Kamei CN, Horst S, Arroyo N, Drummond IA, Juliano CE, Draper BW. Single-cell transcriptome reveals insights into the development and function of the zebrafish ovary. eLife 2022; 11:76014. [PMID: 35588359 PMCID: PMC9191896 DOI: 10.7554/elife.76014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish are an established research organism that has made many contributions to our understanding of vertebrate tissue and organ development, yet there are still significant gaps in our understanding of the genes that regulate gonad development, sex, and reproduction. Unlike the development of many organs, such as the brain and heart that form during the first few days of development, zebrafish gonads do not begin to form until the larval stage (≥5 dpf). Thus, forward genetic screens have identified very few genes required for gonad development. In addition, bulk RNA sequencing studies which identify genes expressed in the gonads do not have the resolution necessary to define minor cell populations that may play significant roles in development and function of these organs. To overcome these limitations, we have used single-cell RNA sequencing to determine the transcriptomes of cells isolated from juvenile zebrafish ovaries. This resulted in the profiles of 10,658 germ cells and 14,431 somatic cells. Our germ cell data represents all developmental stages from germline stem cells to early meiotic oocytes. Our somatic cell data represents all known somatic cell types, including follicle cells, theca cells and ovarian stromal cells. Further analysis revealed an unexpected number of cell subpopulations within these broadly defined cell types. To further define their functional significance, we determined the location of these cell subpopulations within the ovary. Finally, we used gene knockout experiments to determine the roles of foxl2l and wnt9b for oocyte development and sex determination and/or differentiation, respectively. Our results reveal novel insights into zebrafish ovarian development and function and the transcriptome profiles will provide a valuable resource for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulong Liu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States
| | - Michelle E Kassack
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States
| | - Matthew E McFaul
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States
| | - Lana N Christensen
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States
| | - Stefan Siebert
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States
| | - Sydney R Wyatt
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States
| | - Caramai N Kamei
- Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory, Bar Harbor, United States
| | - Samuel Horst
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States
| | - Nayeli Arroyo
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States
| | - Iain A Drummond
- Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory, Bar Harbor, United States
| | - Celina E Juliano
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States
| | - Bruce W Draper
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States
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Sun JJ, Sun ZH, Wei JL, Ding J, Song J, Chang YQ. Identification and functional analysis of foxl2 and nodal in sea cucumber, Apostichopus japonicus. Gene Expr Patterns 2022; 44:119245. [PMID: 35381371 DOI: 10.1016/j.gep.2022.119245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) is an important mariculture species in China. To date, the mechanisms of sex determination and differentiation in sea cucumber remain unclear. Identifying sex-specific molecular markers is an effective method for revealing the genetic basis of sex determination and sex differentiation. In this study, foxl2 and nodal homologous genes were identified in A. japonicus. Foxl2 exhibited dynamic and sexually dimorphic expression patterns in the gonads, with prominent expression in the ovaries and minimal expression in the testis according to real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) study. As nodal was specifically expressed in the ovary, it could serve as an ovary-specific marker in sea cucumber. Additionally, knockdown of foxl2 or nodal using RNA interference (RNAi) led to the down-regulation of piwi, germ cell-less, and dmrt1, suggesting that foxl2 and nodal may play important roles in gonad maintenance of sea cucumber. Overall, this study adds to our understanding of the roles of foxl2 and nodal in the gonadal development of A. japonicus, which provides further insight into the mechanisms of sea cucumber sex determination and differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan-Juan Sun
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture & Stock Enhancement in North China's Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Zhi-Hui Sun
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture & Stock Enhancement in North China's Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Jin-Liang Wei
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture & Stock Enhancement in North China's Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Jun Ding
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture & Stock Enhancement in North China's Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Jian Song
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture & Stock Enhancement in North China's Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Ya-Qing Chang
- Key Laboratory of Mariculture & Stock Enhancement in North China's Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, 116023, China.
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Wan H, Zhong J, Zhang Z, Zou P, Wang Y. Comparative Transcriptome Reveals the Potential Modulation Mechanisms of Spfoxl-2 Affecting Ovarian Development of Scylla paramamosain. MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2022; 24:125-135. [PMID: 35107659 DOI: 10.1007/s10126-022-10091-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Previously, we reported the identification, tissue distribution and confirmed the roles of Spfoxl-2 in regulating vitellogenin (vtg) expression in Scylla paramamosain. Here, we primally analyzed its potential target genes in the ovary with RNAi and RNA-Seq technology. By comparing the transcriptome data of two groups (ovaries that injected with EGFP and Foxl-2 siRNA, respectively), we found 645 DEGs (differentially expressed genes), including several conserved crucial genes involved in ovarian development, such as vtg, vitellogenin receptor (vtgR), adenylate cyclase (AC), cyclinB, and cell division cycle 2 (cdc2). In addition, these DEGs were also enriched in pathways related to ovary development, including relaxin signaling pathway, ovarian steroidogenesis, and progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation. Moreover, several genes were selected for qRT-PCR to validate the accuracy of the bioinformatic result. To the best of our knowledge, the current study was the first report about foxl-2 function through comparative transcriptome analysis in crustacean species, which identified not only relevant genes and pathways involved in ovarian development of S. paramamosain, but also provided new insights into the regulatory mechanisms of foxl-2 at the molecular level in crustacean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haifu Wan
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen, 361021, China
- Fujian Engineering Research Center of Aquatic Breeding and Healthy Aquaculture, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Jinying Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen, 361021, China
- Fujian Engineering Research Center of Aquatic Breeding and Healthy Aquaculture, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Ziping Zhang
- College of Marine Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Fujian Province, Institute of Oceanology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Pengfei Zou
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen, 361021, China
- Fujian Engineering Research Center of Aquatic Breeding and Healthy Aquaculture, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Yilei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen, 361021, China.
- Fujian Engineering Research Center of Aquatic Breeding and Healthy Aquaculture, Xiamen, 361021, China.
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Terrazas-Salgado L, García-Gasca A, Betancourt-Lozano M, Llera-Herrera R, Alvarado-Cruz I, Yáñez-Rivera B. Epigenetic Transgenerational Modifications Induced by Xenobiotic Exposure in Zebrafish. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:832982. [PMID: 35281093 PMCID: PMC8914061 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.832982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a well-established vertebrate model in ecotoxicology research that responds to a wide range of xenobiotics such as pesticides, drugs, and endocrine-disrupting compounds. The epigenome can interact with the environment and transform internal and/or external signals into phenotypic responses through changes in gene transcription. Environmental exposures can also generate epigenetic variations in offspring even by indirect exposure. In this review, we address the advantages of using zebrafish as an experimental animal model to study transgenerational epigenetic processes upon exposure to xenobiotics. We focused mostly on DNA methylation, although studies on post-translational modifications of histones, and non-coding RNAs related to xenobiotic exposure in zebrafish are also discussed. A revision of the methods used to study epigenetic changes in zebrafish revealed the relevance and reproducibility for epigenetics-related research. PubMed and Google Scholar databases were consulted for original research articles published from 2013 to date, by using six keywords: zebrafish, epigenetics, exposure, parental, transgenerational, and F2. From 499 articles identified, 92 were considered, of which 14 were selected as included F2 and epigenetic mechanisms. Current knowledge regarding the effect of xenobiotics on DNA methylation, histone modifications, and changes in non-coding RNAs expressed in F2 is summarized, along with key experimental design considerations to characterize transgenerational effects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Raúl Llera-Herrera
- Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología—Unidad Académica Mazatlán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mazatlán, Mexico
| | - Isabel Alvarado-Cruz
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Beatriz Yáñez-Rivera
- Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A. C., Mazatlán, Mexico
- Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, México, Mexico
- *Correspondence: Beatriz Yáñez-Rivera,
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Qin M, Xie Q, Wu K, Zhou X, Ge W. Loss of Nobox prevents ovarian differentiation from juvenile ovaries in zebrafish. Biol Reprod 2022; 106:1254-1266. [PMID: 35157068 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioac036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
As a species without master sex-determining genes, zebrafish displays high plasticity in sex differentiation, making it an excellent model for studying the regulatory mechanisms underlying gonadal differentiation and gametogenesis. Despite being a gonochorist, zebrafish is a juvenile hermaphrodite that undergoes a special phase of juvenile ovary before further differentiation into functional testis and ovary. The mechanisms underlying juvenile ovary formation and subsequent gonadal differentiation remain largely unknown. In a recent study, we demonstrated an important role for Figla (factor in the germline alpha) in zebrafish oogenesis. In this study, we explored the role of Nobox/nobox (new born ovary homeobox protein), another oocyte-specific transcription factor in females, in early zebrafish gonadogenesis using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. As in mammals, nobox is specifically expressed in zebrafish gonads with a dimorphic pattern at juvenile stage. In contrast to the mutant of figla (another oocyte-specific transcription factor), the nobox mutants showed formation of typical perinucleolar (PN) follicles at primary growth (PG) stage in juvenile gonads, suggesting occurrence of follicle assembly from cystic oocytes (chromatin nucleolar stage, CN). These follicles, however, failed to develop further to form functional ovaries, resulting in all-male phenotype. Despite its expression in adult testis, the loss of nobox did not seem to affect testis development, spermatogenesis and male spawning. In summary, our results indicate an important role for Nobox in zebrafish ovarian differentiation and early folliculogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingming Qin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging (CRDA), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, China
| | - Qingping Xie
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging (CRDA), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, China.,Institute of Hydrobiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Kun Wu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging (CRDA), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, China.,State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Resources and Coastal Engineering, School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xianqing Zhou
- Department of Toxicology and Hygienic Chemistry, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Ge
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Centre of Reproduction, Development and Aging (CRDA), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, China
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Sharma P, Purohit S, Kothiyal S, Negi S, Bhattacharya I. Sex Specific Transcriptional Regulation of Gonadal Steroidogenesis in Teleost Fishes. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:820241. [PMID: 35250877 PMCID: PMC8894591 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.820241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
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Aharon D, Marlow FL. Sexual determination in zebrafish. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 79:8. [PMID: 34936027 PMCID: PMC11072476 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-04066-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Zebrafish have emerged as a major model organism to study vertebrate reproduction due to their high fecundity and external development of eggs and embryos. The mechanisms through which zebrafish determine their sex have come under extensive investigation, as they lack a definite sex-determining chromosome and appear to have a highly complex method of sex determination. Single-gene mutagenesis has been employed to isolate the function of genes that determine zebrafish sex and regulate sex-specific differentiation, and to explore the interactions of genes that promote female or male sexual fate. In this review, we focus on recent advances in understanding of the mechanisms, including genetic and environmental factors, governing zebrafish sex development with comparisons to gene functions in other species to highlight conserved and potentially species-specific mechanisms for specifying and maintaining sexual fate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devora Aharon
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy, Place Box 1020, New York, NY, 10029-6574, USA
| | - Florence L Marlow
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy, Place Box 1020, New York, NY, 10029-6574, USA.
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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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Sex Determination and Differentiation in Teleost: Roles of Genetics, Environment, and Brain. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10100973. [PMID: 34681072 PMCID: PMC8533387 DOI: 10.3390/biology10100973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 09/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The fish reproductive system is a complex biological system. Nonetheless, reproductive organ development is conserved, which starts with sex determination and then sex differentiation. The sex of a teleost is determined and differentiated from bipotential primordium by genetics, environmental factors, or both. These two processes are species-specific. There are several prominent genes and environmental factors involved during sex determination and differentiation. At the cellular level, most of the sex-determining genes suppress the female pathway. For environmental factors, there are temperature, density, hypoxia, pH, and social interaction. Once the sexual fate is determined, sex differentiation takes over the gonadal developmental process. Environmental factors involve activation and suppression of various male and female pathways depending on the sexual fate. Alongside these factors, the role of the brain during sex determination and differentiation remains elusive. Nonetheless, GnRH III knockout has promoted a male sex-biased population, which shows brain involvement during sex determination. During sex differentiation, LH and FSH might not affect the gonadal differentiation, but are required for regulating sex differentiation. This review discusses the role of prominent genes, environmental factors, and the brain in sex determination and differentiation across a few teleost species.
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Alvi SM, Zayed Y, Malik R, Peng C. The emerging role of microRNAs in fish ovary: A mini review. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2021; 311:113850. [PMID: 34245767 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2021.113850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression primarily at the post-transcriptional levels. It is now well established that miRNAs are crucial regulators of many developmental and physiological processes, including reproduction. In teleosts, expression profiling studies have shown that miRNAs are expressed in the fish ovary and their levels are regulated during follicle development and by hormones. Using CRISPR/Cas9 mediated gene knockout strategies, several recent studies have provided strong evidence that miR-202 and miR-200s on chromosome 23 play critical roles in regulating ovarian development, oogenesis, and ovulation. In this mini review, we provide a brief overview of canonical miRNA biogenesis and functions; summarize miRNAs that are expressed in fish ovary; and discuss the emerging role of miRNAs in regulating fish ovarian functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajid M Alvi
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Yara Zayed
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ramsha Malik
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Chun Peng
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada; Centre for Research on Biomolecular Interactions, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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Ning J, Cao W, Lu X, Chen M, Liu B, Wang C. Identification and functional analysis of a sex-biased transcriptional factor Foxl2 in the bay scallop Argopecten irradians irradians. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2021; 256:110638. [PMID: 34171478 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2021.110638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Transcription factor Foxl2 is an evolutionarily conserved gene playing pivotal roles in regulation of early ovarian differentiation and maintenance in animals. However, the Foxl2 gene has not been thoroughly studied in hermaphroditic scallops. In this study, we cloned and characterized a Foxl2 (designated as AiFoxl2) from the bay scallop Argopecten irradians irradians. The open reading frame of AiFoxl2 was 1122 bp encoding 373 amino acids residues and contained a conserved forkhead box domain. Quantitative real-time PCR showed that AiFoxl2 was mainly expressed in the ovary. Moreover, the highest expression of AiFoxl2 in the ovary was detected at proliferative stage and growing stage, while the lowest level was found at resting stage. During the embryonic and larval development, expression of AiFoxl2 was found first in fertilized eggs, increased significantly at the blastula stage, and reached peak value at the D-larvae stage. When AiFoxl2 was knocked down, testis development-related genes (Dmrt1, Sox7 and Sox9) were up-regulated significantly while the ovary development-related genes (Vg, HSD14, and GATA-1) were down-regulated manifestly. These findings suggested that AiFoxl2 was a female-related gene in A. i. irradians and may be involved in regulation of ovarian development and differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junhao Ning
- Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, China.
| | - Weian Cao
- College of Marine Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China
| | - Xia Lu
- Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, China
| | - Min Chen
- Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, China
| | - Bo Liu
- College of Marine Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China
| | - Chunde Wang
- Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, China; College of Marine Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China.
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Pierron F, Lorioux S, Héroin D, Daffe G, Etcheverria B, Cachot J, Morin B, Dufour S, Gonzalez P. Transgenerational epigenetic sex determination: Environment experienced by female fish affects offspring sex ratio. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 277:116864. [PMID: 33714788 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.116864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Sex determination is a complex process that can be influenced by environment in various taxa. Disturbed environments can affect population sex ratios and thus threaten their viability. Emerging evidences support a role of epigenetic mechanisms, notably DNA methylation, in environmental sex determination (ESD). In this work, using zebrafish as model and a transgenerational experiment comprising 4 successive generations, we report a strength link between the promotor methylation level of three genes in female gonads and population sex ratio. One generation of zebrafish was exposed throughout its lifetime to cadmium (Cd), a non-essential metal, at an environmentally relevant concentration. The subsequent generations were not exposed. At the first and the third generation a subset of individuals was exposed to an elevated temperature, a well-known masculinizing factor in zebrafish. While heat was associated to an increase in the methylation level of cyp19a1a gene and population masculinization, foxl2a/dmrt1 methylation levels appeared to be influenced by Cd and fish density leading to offspring feminization. Ancestral Cd exposure indeed led to a progressive feminization of the population over generations and affected the sex plastic response of zebrafish in response to heat. The effect of Cd on the methylation level of foxl2a was observed until the third generation, supporting potential transgenerational inheritance. Our results support (i) a key role of cyp19a1a methylation in SD in zebrafish in response to environmental cues and (ii) the fact that the environment experienced by parents, namely mothers in the present case, can affect their offspring sex ratio via environment-induced DNA methylation changes in gonads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabien Pierron
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, EPOC, EPHE, UMR 5805, F-33600, Pessac, France.
| | - Sophie Lorioux
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, EPOC, EPHE, UMR 5805, F-33600, Pessac, France
| | - Débora Héroin
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, EPOC, EPHE, UMR 5805, F-33600, Pessac, France
| | - Guillemine Daffe
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, INRAE, La Rochelle Univ., UMS 2567 POREA, F-33615, Pessac, France
| | | | - Jérôme Cachot
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, EPOC, EPHE, UMR 5805, F-33600, Pessac, France
| | - Bénédicte Morin
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, EPOC, EPHE, UMR 5805, F-33600, Pessac, France
| | - Sylvie Dufour
- Laboratory Biology of Aquatic Organisms and Ecosystems (BOREA), Muséum National D'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, IRD, Sorbonne Université, Université de Caen Normandie, Université des Antilles, 75231, Paris Cedex, 05, France
| | - Patrice Gonzalez
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, EPOC, EPHE, UMR 5805, F-33600, Pessac, France
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Dong Z, Li X, Yao Z, Wang C, Guo Y, Wang Q, Shao C, Wang Z. Oryzias curvinotus in Sanya Does Not Contain the Male Sex-Determining Gene dmy. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11051327. [PMID: 34066583 PMCID: PMC8148570 DOI: 10.3390/ani11051327] [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: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 04/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Hainan medaka (Oryzias curvinotus) is distributed in the coastal waters of the South China Sea and is able to adapt to a wide range of salinities. In this study, we characterized O. curvinotus in Sanya River (SY-medaka), which lacks dmy (a male sex-determining gene in O. latipes and O. curvinotus). In a comparison of SY-medaka and Gaoqiao medaka (GQ-medaka), the morphological difference between the two populations does not reach the subspecies level and they can be considered two geographic populations of O. curvinotus. A mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (CoI) sequence alignment showed that the sequence identities between SY-medaka and other geographic populations of O. curvinotus are as high as 95%. A phylogenetic analysis of the mitochondrial genome also indicated that SY-medaka belongs to O. curvinotus. Molecular marker-based genetic sex assays and whole genome re-sequencing showed that SY-medaka does not contain dmy. Further, in RNA-Seq analyses of the testis and ovaries of sexually mature SY-medaka, dmy expression was not detected. We speculate that high temperatures resulted in the loss of dmy in SY-medaka during evolution, or the lineage has another sex-determining gene. This study provides a valuable dataset for elucidating the mechanism underlying sex determination in Oryzias genus and advances research on functional genomics or reproduction biology in O. curvinotus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongdian Dong
- Guangdong South China Sea Key Laboratory of Aquaculture for Aquatic Economic Animals, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524025, China; (X.L.); (Z.Y.); (C.W.); (Y.G.)
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Mariculture Organism Breeding, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524025, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Biology and Epidemiology for Aquatic Economic Animals, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524025, China
- Correspondence: (Z.D.); (Z.W.)
| | - Xueyou Li
- Guangdong South China Sea Key Laboratory of Aquaculture for Aquatic Economic Animals, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524025, China; (X.L.); (Z.Y.); (C.W.); (Y.G.)
| | - Zebin Yao
- Guangdong South China Sea Key Laboratory of Aquaculture for Aquatic Economic Animals, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524025, China; (X.L.); (Z.Y.); (C.W.); (Y.G.)
| | - Chun Wang
- Guangdong South China Sea Key Laboratory of Aquaculture for Aquatic Economic Animals, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524025, China; (X.L.); (Z.Y.); (C.W.); (Y.G.)
| | - Yusong Guo
- Guangdong South China Sea Key Laboratory of Aquaculture for Aquatic Economic Animals, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524025, China; (X.L.); (Z.Y.); (C.W.); (Y.G.)
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Mariculture Organism Breeding, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524025, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Biology and Epidemiology for Aquatic Economic Animals, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524025, China
| | - Qian Wang
- Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fisheries Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (Q.W.); (C.S.)
| | - Changwei Shao
- Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fisheries Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (Q.W.); (C.S.)
| | - Zhongduo Wang
- Guangdong South China Sea Key Laboratory of Aquaculture for Aquatic Economic Animals, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524025, China; (X.L.); (Z.Y.); (C.W.); (Y.G.)
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Mariculture Organism Breeding, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524025, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Biology and Epidemiology for Aquatic Economic Animals, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524025, China
- State Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University School, Changsha 410081, China
- Correspondence: (Z.D.); (Z.W.)
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