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Cheng X, Jiang W, Wang Q, Liu K, Dai W, Liu Y, Shao C, Li Q. Unveiling Gene Expression Dynamics during Early Embryogenesis in Cynoglossus semilaevis: A Transcriptomic Perspective. Life (Basel) 2024; 14:505. [PMID: 38672775 PMCID: PMC11050975 DOI: 10.3390/life14040505] [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: 03/24/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Commencing with sperm-egg fusion, the early stages of metazoan development include the cleavage and formation of blastula and gastrula. These early embryonic events play a crucial role in ontogeny and are accompanied by a dramatic remodeling of the gene network, particularly encompassing the maternal-to-zygotic transition. Nonetheless, the gene expression dynamics governing early embryogenesis remain unclear in most metazoan lineages. We conducted transcriptomic profiling on two types of gametes (oocytes and sperms) and early embryos (ranging from the four-cell to the gastrula stage) of an economically valuable flatfish-the Chinese tongue sole Cynoglossus semilaevis (Pleuronectiformes: Cynoglossidae). Comparative transcriptome analysis revealed that large-scale zygotic genome activation (ZGA) occurs in the blastula stage, aligning with previous findings in zebrafish. Through the comparison of the most abundant transcripts identified in each sample and the functional analysis of co-expression modules, we unveiled distinct functional enrichments across different gametes/developmental stages: actin- and immune-related functions in sperms; mitosis, transcription inhibition, and mitochondrial function in oocytes and in pre-ZGA embryos (four- to 1000-cell stage); and organ development in post-ZGA embryos (blastula and gastrula). These results provide insights into the intricate transcriptional regulation of early embryonic development in Cynoglossidae fish and expand our knowledge of developmental constraints in vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Cheng
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China;
- BGI Research, Wuhan 430074, China;
| | - Wei Jiang
- BGI Research, Shenzhen 518083, China;
| | - Qian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Biobreeding and Sustainable Goods, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (Q.W.); (K.L.); (Y.L.)
- Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Kaiqiang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Biobreeding and Sustainable Goods, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (Q.W.); (K.L.); (Y.L.)
- Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Wei Dai
- BGI Research, Wuhan 430074, China;
| | - Yuyan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Biobreeding and Sustainable Goods, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (Q.W.); (K.L.); (Y.L.)
- Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Changwei Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Biobreeding and Sustainable Goods, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (Q.W.); (K.L.); (Y.L.)
- Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Qiye Li
- BGI Research, Wuhan 430074, China;
- BGI Research, Shenzhen 518083, China;
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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Lin X, Liu F, Meng K, Liu H, Zhao Y, Chen Y, Hu W, Luo D. Comprehensive Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Sex-Specific Alternative Splicing Events in Zebrafish Gonads. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:life12091441. [PMID: 36143477 PMCID: PMC9501657 DOI: 10.3390/life12091441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Alternative splicing is an important way of regulating gene functions in eukaryotes. Several key genes involved in sex determination and gonadal differentiation, such as nr5a1 and ddx4, have sex-biased transcripts between males and females, suggesting a potential regulatory role of alternative splicing in gonads. Currently, the sex-specific alternative splicing events and genes have not been comprehensively studied at the genome-wide level in zebrafish. In this study, through global splicing analysis on three independent sets of RNA-seq data from matched zebrafish testes and ovaries, we identified 120 differentially spliced genes shared by the three datasets, most of which haven’t been reported before. Functional enrichment analysis showed that the GO terms of mRNA processing, mRNA metabolism and microtubule-based process were strongly enriched. The testis- and ovary-biased alternative splicing genes were identified, and part of them (tp53bp1, tpx2, mapre1a, kif2c, and ncoa5) were further validated by RT-PCR. Sequence characteristics analysis suggested that the lengths, GC contents, and splice site strengths of the alternative exons or introns may have different influences in different types of alternative splicing events. Interestingly, we identified an unexpected high proportion (over 70%) of non-frameshift exon-skipping events, suggesting that in these cases the two protein isoforms derived from alternative splicing may both have functions. Furthermore, as a representative example, we found that the alternative splicing of ncoa5 causes the loss of a conserved RRM domain in the short transcript predominantly produced in testes. Our study discovers novel sex-specific alternative splicing events and genes with high reliabilities in zebrafish testes and ovaries, which would provide attractive targets for follow-up studies to reveal the biological significances of alternative splicing events and genes in sex determination and gonadal differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Fei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Correspondence: (F.L.); (D.L.)
| | - Kaifeng Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Hairong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Yuanli Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Yuanyuan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 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, The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhanjiang), Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Daji Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhanjiang), Zhanjiang 524088, China
- Correspondence: (F.L.); (D.L.)
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Wang N, Gao J, Liu Y, Shi R, Chen S. Identification of crucial factors involved in Cynoglossus semilaevis sexual size dimorphism by GWAS and demonstration of zbed1 regulatory network by DAP-seq. Genomics 2022; 114:110376. [PMID: 35513290 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2022.110376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Sexual size dimorphism (SSD), whereby females and males exhibit different body sizes, are widely documented in animals. To explore crucial regulators implicated in female-biased SSD of Chinese tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis), GWAS was conducted on 350 females and 59 males. Twenty SNPs and 25 genes including zbed1, nsd3, cdc45, klhl29, and smad4 with -log(p) > 7 were screened, mainly mapping to sex chromosome. The chromosome W-linked gene zbed1 attracted particular attention because it is a master key for cell proliferation. Thus, the regulatory network of zbed1 in C. semilaevis was explored by DAP-seq and 1352 peaks were discovered in the female brain. Moreover, zbed1 potentially regulated hippo signaling pathway, cell cycle, translation, and PI3k-Akt signaling pathway in C. semilaevis. These findings identify crucial SNPs and genes associated with female-biased SSD in C. semilaevis, also provide the first genome-wide survey for the zbed1 regulatory network in fish species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Wang
- Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; Key Laboratory for Sustainable Development of Marine Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture, Qingdao 266071, China.
| | - Jin Gao
- Hainan Academy of Ocean and Fisheries Sciences, Haikou 570203, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; Key Laboratory for Sustainable Development of Marine Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Rui Shi
- Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; College of Fisheries and Life Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Songlin Chen
- Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; Key Laboratory for Sustainable Development of Marine Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture, Qingdao 266071, China.
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Wang N, Yang Q, Wang J, Shi R, Li M, Gao J, Xu W, Yang Y, Chen Y, Chen S. Integration of Transcriptome and Methylome Highlights the Roles of Cell Cycle and Hippo Signaling Pathway in Flatfish Sexual Size Dimorphism. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:743722. [PMID: 34926443 PMCID: PMC8675331 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.743722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Sexual size dimorphism (SSD) is the difference in segments or body size between sexes prevalent in various species. Understanding the genetic architecture of SSD has remained a significant challenge owing to the complexity of growth mechanisms and the sexual influences among species. The Chinese tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis), which exhibits a female-biased SSD and sex reversal from female to pseudomale, is an ideal model for exploring SSD mechanism at the molecular level. The present study aimed to integrate transcriptome and methylome analysis to unravel the genetic and epigenetic changes in female, male, and pseudomale C. semilaevis. The somatotropic and reproductive tissues (brain, liver, gonad, and muscle) transcriptomes were characterized by RNA-seq technology. Transcriptomic analysis unravelled numerous differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in cell growth and death-related pathways. The gonad and muscle methylomes were further employed for screening differentially methylated genes (DMGs). Relatively higher DNA methylation levels were observed in the male and pseudomale individuals. In detail, hypermethylation of the chromosome W was pronounced in the pseudomale group than in the female group. Furthermore, weighted gene co-expression network analysis showed that turquoise and brown modules positively and negatively correlated with the female-biased SSD, respectively. A combined analysis of the module genes and DMGs revealed the female-biased mRNA transcripts and hypomethylated levels in the upstream and downstream regions across the cell cycle-related genes. Moreover, the male and pseudomale-biased gene expression in the hippo signaling pathway were positively correlated with their hypermethylation levels in the gene body. These findings implied that the activation of the cell cycle and the inhibition of the hippo signaling pathway were implicated in C. semilaevis female-biased SSD. In addition, the dynamic expression pattern of the epigenetic regulatory factors, including dnmt1, dnmt3a, dnmt3b, and uhrf1, among the different sexes correspond with their distinct DNA methylation levels. Herein, we provide valuable clues for understanding female-biased SSD in C. semilaevis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Wang
- Key Laboratory for Sustainable Development of Marine Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Marine Fisheries Biotechnology and Genetic Breeding, Qingdao, China
| | - Qian Yang
- Key Laboratory for Sustainable Development of Marine Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, China
- College of Fisheries and Life Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jialin Wang
- Key Laboratory for Sustainable Development of Marine Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, China
- College of Fisheries and Life Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Rui Shi
- Key Laboratory for Sustainable Development of Marine Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, China
- College of Fisheries and Life Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ming Li
- Key Laboratory for Sustainable Development of Marine Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Jin Gao
- College of Fisheries and Life Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenteng Xu
- Key Laboratory for Sustainable Development of Marine Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Marine Fisheries Biotechnology and Genetic Breeding, Qingdao, China
| | - Yingming Yang
- Key Laboratory for Sustainable Development of Marine Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Marine Fisheries Biotechnology and Genetic Breeding, Qingdao, China
| | - Yadong Chen
- Key Laboratory for Sustainable Development of Marine Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Marine Fisheries Biotechnology and Genetic Breeding, Qingdao, China
| | - Songlin Chen
- Key Laboratory for Sustainable Development of Marine Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Marine Fisheries Biotechnology and Genetic Breeding, Qingdao, China
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Wan ZY, Lin VCL, Hua YG. Pomc Plays an Important Role in Sexual Size Dimorphism in Tilapia. MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2021; 23:201-214. [PMID: 33580373 DOI: 10.1007/s10126-020-10015-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Sexual dimorphism is common across the animal kingdom. Knowledge of the mechanisms of sexual size dimorphism is limited although it is important in biology and aquaculture. Tilapia is the common name for ~ 100 species of cichlid fish. Some are important aquaculture species and males outgrow females. To gain novel insights into the mechanisms underlying sexual size dimorphism, we analyzed the differences of brain transcriptomes between males and females in Mozambique tilapia and studied the function of the pro-opiomelanocortin (Pomc) gene in tilapia and zebrafish. The transcriptome analysis identified 123, 55, and 2706 sex-biased genes at 5, 30, and 90 dph (days post-hatch), respectively, indicating sexual dimorphism of gene expressions in the brain. The expression of Pomc in the tilapia brain was a female-biased at 30, 90, and 120 dph. An analysis of the DNA sequence located upstream of the tilapia Pomc transcriptional start site identified two estrogenic response elements. In vitro luciferase assay of the two elements revealed that β-estradiol significantly enhanced the expression of luciferase activity, suggesting that the expression of Pomc is mediated by estrogen. We knocked out Pomc in zebrafish using Crispr/Cas-9. The Pomc-knockout zebrafish showed faster growth and higher sensitivity to feeding as compared to the wild-type fish. Taken together, our results indicate that Pomc contributes to sexual size dimorphism and suggest that the high estrogen level in females promotes the expression of Pomc and suppresses feeding in female tilapias, which leads to the slower growth of female tilapias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z Y Wan
- Molecular Population Genetics and Breeding Group, Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 637551, Singapore
| | - V C L Lin
- Molecular Population Genetics and Breeding Group, Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore.
| | - Yue Gen Hua
- Molecular Population Genetics and Breeding Group, Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore.
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 637551, Singapore.
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117543, Singapore.
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Lin G, Gao D, Lu J, Sun X. Transcriptome Profiling Reveals the Sexual Dimorphism of Gene Expression Patterns during Gonad Differentiation in the Half-Smooth Tongue Sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis). MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2021; 23:18-30. [PMID: 32996005 DOI: 10.1007/s10126-020-09996-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The half-smooth tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis), one of the most economically-important fish species in China, exhibits sexually dimorphic growth. An understanding of sex-related gene expression patterns in the tongue sole may inform sex regulation and breeding processes that increase fish production. However, the gene expression patterns during gonad development in the tongue sole remain unknown. In this study, transcriptome sequencing analyses were performed during gonad differentiation in the tongue sole, namely, at 62 days post-hatching (dph), 100 dph, 120 dph, and 150 dph. Differentially expressed genes associated with sex differentiation and gonad development were identified at each time point. Trend analysis showed that gene expression patterns varied over time. These expression patterns either explained common, non-sexually-dimorphic features or indicated significant sexual dimorphism. Transcript structure analyses identified both sex and time differences among samples. This study investigated the time-dependent expression patterns of several sex-related genes, including Dmrt1, Amh, Foxl2, aromatase encoding gene, Esr, and the Sox gene family, during gonad differentiation in the tongue sole. These results might clarify the significant sexual differences during early development in the tongue sole and might provide insight into the mechanisms controlling sex differentiation and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genmei Lin
- School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Dong Gao
- School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Jianguo Lu
- School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China.
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai, China.
| | - Xiaowen Sun
- Heilongjiang River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Harbin, China
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Transcriptomic analysis of female and male gonads in juvenile snakeskin gourami (Trichopodus pectoralis). Sci Rep 2020; 10:5240. [PMID: 32251302 PMCID: PMC7090014 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-61738-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The snakeskin gourami (Trichopodus pectoralis) exhibits sexual dimorphism, particularly in body size. Since the snakeskin gourami is usually marketed during sexual maturation, the sexual size dimorphism has become an economically important trait. Sex-biased gene expression plays a key role in phenotypic sexual dimorphism. Therefore, using high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) technology, we aimed to explore the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in ovary and testis during sex differentiation in juvenile snakeskin gourami. Our results revealed a number of DEGs were demonstrated to be overexpressed in ovary (11,625 unigenes) and testis (16,120 unigenes), and the top 10 female-biased (rdh7, dnajc25, ap1s3, zp4, polb, parp12, trim39, gucy2g, rtbs, and fdxr) and male-biased (vamp3, nbl1, dnah2, ccdc11, nr2e3, spats1, pih1d2, tekt3, fbxo36, and mybl2) DEGs were suggested to be mainly associated with ovary and testis differentiation, respectively. Additionally, using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), validation of the differential expression of 21 genes that were previously shown to be related to gonad development was performed (ar, bHLH, cyp19a1, daz, dead-end, esrb, esrrg, gnrhr, gpa, gsg1l, hsd17B, mospd1, nanos-1, nanos-2, p53, piwi-1, piwi-2, rerg, rps6ka, tgf-beta, and VgR). The results showed a significantly positive correlation (0.84; P < 0.001) between the results of RNA-seq and qRT-PCR. Therefore, RNA-seq analysis in our study identified global genes that were associated with ovary and testis differentiation in the juvenile phase of the snakeskin gourami. Our findings provide valuable transcriptomic bioinformation for further investigation of reproductive biology and applications of sex manipulation.
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Ye Z, Wang W, Zhang Y, Wang L, Cui Y, Li H. Integrative analysis reveals pathways associated with sex reversal in Cynoglossus semilaevis. PeerJ 2020; 8:e8801. [PMID: 32219030 PMCID: PMC7085895 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.8801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex reversal is a complex biological phenomenon exhibited by Cynoglossus semilaevis. Some genetic females may irreversibly convert to pseudomales, thus increasing aquaculture costs because males grow much more slowly than females. In this study, an integrative analysis of transcriptome and proteome was performed to compare differences in gene and protein expression in females and pseudomales after gonad differentiation in C. semilaevis. Based on RNA-Seq results, 1893 genes showed differences in expression at the transcript level between females and pseudomales. Of these differentially expressed genes (DEGs), zona pellucida sperm-binding protein 4-like (LOC103393374 , ZP4), zona pellucida sperm-binding protein 4-like (LOC103396071, ZP4) and forkhead box L2 (foxl2) were highly expressed in females and doublesex and mab-3 related transcription factor 1(dmrt1) and doublesex and mab-3 related transcription factor 3 (dmrt3) were highly expressed in pseudomales. GO enrichment analysis results indicate that wnt signaling pathways and oocyte maturation are two terms enriched in female. At the protein level, Tandem Mass Tags analysis revealed that 324 proteins differed in their relative abundance between pseudomales and females. KEGG analysis found that pseudo-highly expressed proteins were enriched in the ubiquitin mediated proteolysis pathway. For integrative analysis, the Spearman correlation coefficient between the transcriptome and proteome was 0.59. Among 52 related genes, 46 DEGs (88%) were well matched in their levels of change in protein abundance. These findings reveal major active pathways in female and pseudomale gonads after sex reversal and provide new insights into molecular mechanisms associated with sex reversal regulatory network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhan Ye
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Aquatic Genomics, Ministry of Agriculture and rural affairs, Beijing Key Laboratory of Fishery Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Weifeng Wang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yaqun Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Genomics, Ministry of Agriculture and rural affairs, Beijing Key Laboratory of Fishery Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Liping Wang
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Aquatic Genomics, Ministry of Agriculture and rural affairs, Beijing Key Laboratory of Fishery Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Cui
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Genomics, Ministry of Agriculture and rural affairs, Beijing Key Laboratory of Fishery Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hengde Li
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Genomics, Ministry of Agriculture and rural affairs, Beijing Key Laboratory of Fishery Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Beijing, China
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Shen X, Yan H, Zhang L, Yuan Z, Liu W, Wu Y, Liu Q, Luo X, Liu Y. Transcriptomic analyses reveal novel genes with sexually dimorphic expression in Takifugu rubripes brain during gonadal sex differentiation. Genes Genomics 2020; 42:425-439. [DOI: 10.1007/s13258-019-00914-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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10
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Wan ZY, Lin G, Yue G. Genes for sexual body size dimorphism in hybrid tilapia (Oreochromis sp. x Oreochromis mossambicus). AQUACULTURE AND FISHERIES 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.aaf.2019.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Wang N, Wang R, Wang R, Chen S. Transcriptomics analysis revealing candidate networks and genes for the body size sexual dimorphism of Chinese tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis). Funct Integr Genomics 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10142-018-0595-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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