1
|
Wang HQ, Wang T, Gao F, Ren WZ. Application of CRISPR/Cas Technology in Spermatogenesis Research and Male Infertility Treatment. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13061000. [PMID: 35741761 PMCID: PMC9223233 DOI: 10.3390/genes13061000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
As the basis of animal reproductive activity, normal spermatogenesis directly determines the efficiency of livestock production. An in-depth understanding of spermatogenesis will greatly facilitate animal breeding efforts and male infertility treatment. With the continuous development and application of gene editing technologies, they have become valuable tools to study the mechanism of spermatogenesis. Gene editing technologies have provided us with a better understanding of the functions and potential mechanisms of action of factors that regulate spermatogenesis. This review summarizes the applications of gene editing technologies, especially CRISPR/Cas9, in deepening our understanding of the function of spermatogenesis-related genes and disease treatment. The problems of gene editing technologies in the field of spermatogenesis research are also discussed.
Collapse
|
2
|
Fang F, Iaquinta PJ, Xia N, Liu L, Diao L, Reijo Pera RA. Transcriptional control of human gametogenesis. Hum Reprod Update 2022; 28:313-345. [PMID: 35297982 PMCID: PMC9071081 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmac002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathways of gametogenesis encompass elaborate cellular specialization accompanied by precise partitioning of the genome content in order to produce fully matured spermatozoa and oocytes. Transcription factors are an important class of molecules that function in gametogenesis to regulate intrinsic gene expression programs, play essential roles in specifying (or determining) germ cell fate and assist in guiding full maturation of germ cells and maintenance of their populations. Moreover, in order to reinforce or redirect cell fate in vitro, it is transcription factors that are most frequently induced, over-expressed or activated. Many reviews have focused on the molecular development and genetics of gametogenesis, in vivo and in vitro, in model organisms and in humans, including several recent comprehensive reviews: here, we focus specifically on the role of transcription factors. Recent advances in stem cell biology and multi-omic studies have enabled deeper investigation into the unique transcriptional mechanisms of human reproductive development. Moreover, as methods continually improve, in vitro differentiation of germ cells can provide the platform for robust gain- and loss-of-function genetic analyses. These analyses are delineating unique and shared human germ cell transcriptional network components that, together with somatic lineage specifiers and pluripotency transcription factors, function in transitions from pluripotent stem cells to gametes. This grand theme review offers additional insight into human infertility and reproductive disorders that are linked predominantly to defects in the transcription factor networks and thus may potentially contribute to the development of novel treatments for infertility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fang Fang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Phillip J Iaquinta
- Division of Research, Economic Development, and Graduate Education, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, USA
| | - Ninuo Xia
- The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Lei Liu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Lei Diao
- The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Renee A Reijo Pera
- Division of Research, Economic Development, and Graduate Education, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, USA
- McLaughlin Research Institute, Great Falls, MT, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Zarkower D, Murphy MW. DMRT1: An Ancient Sexual Regulator Required for Human Gonadogenesis. Sex Dev 2022; 16:112-125. [PMID: 34515237 PMCID: PMC8885888 DOI: 10.1159/000518272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcriptional regulators related to the invertebrate sexual regulators doublesex and mab-3 occur throughout metazoans and control sex in most animal groups. Seven of these DMRT genes are found in mammals, and mouse genetics has shown that one, Dmrt1, plays a crucial role in testis differentiation, both in germ cells and somatic cells. Deletions and, more recently, point mutations affecting human DMRT1 have demonstrated that its heterozygosity is associated with 46,XY complete gonadal dysgenesis. Most of our detailed knowledge of DMRT1 function in the testis, the focus of this review, derives from mouse studies, which have revealed that DMRT1 is essential for male somatic and germ cell differentiation and maintenance of male somatic cell fate after differentiation. Moreover, ectopic DMRT1 can reprogram differentiated female granulosa cells into male Sertoli-like cells. The ability of DMRT1 to control sexual cell fate likely derives from at least 3 properties. First, DMRT1 functionally collaborates with another key male sex regulator, SOX9, and possibly other proteins to maintain and reprogram sexual cell fate. Second, and related, DMRT1 appears to function as a pioneer transcription factor, binding "closed" inaccessible chromatin and promoting its opening to allow binding by other regulators including SOX9. Third, DMRT1 binds DNA by a highly unusual form of interaction and can bind with different stoichiometries.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David Zarkower
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Mark W. Murphy
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Abstract
In 46,XY men, testis is determined by a genetic network(s) that both promotes testis formation and represses ovarian development. Disruption of this process results in a lack of testis-determination and affected individuals present with 46,XY gonadal dysgenesis (GD), a part of the spectrum of Disorders/Differences of Sex Development/Determination (DSD). A minority of all cases of GD are associated with pathogenic variants in key players of testis-determination, SRY, SOX9, MAP3K1 and NR5A1. However, most of the cases remain unexplained. Recently, unbiased exome sequencing approaches have revealed new genes and loci that may cause 46,XY GD. We critically evaluate the evidence to support causality of these factors and describe how functional studies are continuing to improve our understanding of genotype-phenotype relationships in genes that are established causes of GD. As genomic data continues to be generated from DSD cohorts, we propose several recommendations to help interpret the data and establish causality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maëva Elzaiat
- Human Developmental Genetics, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Ken McElreavey
- Human Developmental Genetics, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Anu Bashamboo
- Human Developmental Genetics, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
McElreavey K, Bashamboo A. Monogenic forms of DSD: An update. Horm Res Paediatr 2021; 96:144-168. [PMID: 34963118 DOI: 10.1159/000521381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
DSD encompasses a wide range of pathologies that impact gonad formation, development and function in both 46,XX and 46,XY individuals. The majority of these conditions are considered to be monogenic, although the expression of the phenotype may be influenced by genetic modifiers. Although considered monogenic, establishing the genetic etiology in DSD has been difficult compared to other congenital disorders for a number of reasons including the absence of family cases for classical genetic association studies and the lack of evolutionary conservation of key genetic factors involved in gonad formation. In recent years, the widespread use of genomic sequencing technologies has resulted in multiple genes being identified and proposed as novel monogenic causes of 46,XX and/or 46,XY DSD. In this review, we will focus on the main genomic findings of recent years, which consists of new candidate genes or loci for DSD as well as new reproductive phenotypes associated with genes that are well established to cause DSD. For each gene or loci, we summarise the data that is currently available in favor of or against a role for these genes in DSD or the contribution of genomic variants within well-established genes to a new reproductive phenotype. Based on this analysis we propose a series of recommendations that should aid the interpretation of genomic data and ultimately help to improve the accuracy and yield genetic diagnosis of DSD.
Collapse
|
6
|
Bruni V, Roppa K, Scionti F, Apa R, Sestito S, Di Martino MT, Pensabene L, Concolino D. A 46,XY Female with a 9p24.3p24.1 Deletion and a 8q24.11q24.3 Duplication: A Case Report and Review of the Literature. Cytogenet Genome Res 2019; 158:74-82. [PMID: 31141803 DOI: 10.1159/000500619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Deletion of distal 9p is associated with a rare clinical condition characterized by dysmorphic features, developmental delay, and ambiguous genitalia. The phenotype shows variable expressivity and is related to the size of the deletion. 8q24 duplication has been reported in only few cases to date, all showing dysmorphic features and mild psychomotor developmental delay. A case of chromosomal aberration involving a 9p terminal deletion with an 8q duplication has never been reported. Here, we describe a child with a female phenotype, male karyotype, dysmorphic features, ambiguous genitalia, and developmental delay. In order to assess the cause of the patient's phenotype, conventional karyotyping, FISH, and a chromosomal microarray analysis were performed on the patient and her parents. The cytogenetic and molecular analysis revealed an unbalanced chromosomal aberration with a duplication in the long arm of chromosome 8 at 8q24.11q24.3 associated with a distal deletion in the short arm of chromosome 9 at 9p24.3p24.1, derived from a maternal balanced translocation. We compared the clinical picture of our patient with other similar cases reported in the literature and found that some clinical findings, such as strabismus, symphalangism of the first finger, and cubitus valgus, have never been previously associated with 9p deletion or 8q duplication expanding the phenotypic range of this condition. This study is aimed to better define the clinical history and prognosis of patients with this rare chromosomal aberration.
Collapse
|
7
|
Abstract
In many species, including mammals, sex determination is genetically based. The sex chromosomes that individuals carry determine sex identity. Although the genetic base of phenotypic sex is determined at the moment of fertilization, the development of testes or ovaries in the bipotential early gonads takes place during embryogenesis. During development, sex determination depends upon very few critical genes. When one of these key genes functions inappropriately, sex reversal may happen. Consequently, an individual's sex phenotype may not necessarily be consistent with the sex chromosomes that are present. For some time, it has been assumed that once the fetal choice is made between male and female in mammals, the gonadal sex identity of an individual remains stable. However, recent studies in mice have provided evidence that it is possible for the gonadal sex phenotype to be switched even in adulthood. These studies have shown that two key genes, doublesex and mad-3 related transcription factor 1 (Dmrt1) and forkhead box L2 (Foxl2), function in a Yin and Yang relationship to maintain the fates of testes or ovaries in adult mammals, and that mutations in either gene might have a dramatic effect on gonadal phenotype. Thus, adult gonad maintenance in addition to fetal sex determination may both be important for the fertility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shengsong Huang
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200065, China
| | - Leping Ye
- Department of Pediatric, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China
| | - Haolin Chen
- Department of Pediatric, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Bashamboo A, McElreavey K. Mechanism of Sex Determination in Humans: Insights from Disorders of Sex Development. Sex Dev 2016; 10:313-325. [DOI: 10.1159/000452637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
|
9
|
Sreenivasulu K, Ganesh S, Raman R. Evolutionarily conserved, DMRT1, encodes alternatively spliced transcripts and shows dimorphic expression during gonadal differentiation in the lizard, Calotes versicolor. Mech Dev 2016; 119 Suppl 1:S55-64. [PMID: 14516661 DOI: 10.1016/s0925-4773(03)00092-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
An orthologue of Dmrt1 has been cloned and characterized in the lizard, Calotes versicolor (CvDmrt1). CvDmrt1 encodes alternatively spliced transcripts in genital ridge during gonadal differentiation and in adult testis. Its expression in genital ridge initiates from day 3 and is restricted to mesenchymal cells, which differentiate into the Sertoli cells. Lack of expression in the coelomic epithelium of GR shows that CvDmrt1 expression occurs only in the testicular pathway, and that the Sertoli and granulosa cells in GR may originate from different primordia. From day 25 onwards, the expression shifts majorly towards the germ cells both in testis and ovary. Thus its role in sexual differentiation of C. versicolor, which lacks CSD and TSD, is well documented.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- K Sreenivasulu
- Cytogenetics Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Bashamboo A, McElreavey K. Human sex-determination and disorders of sex-development (DSD). Semin Cell Dev Biol 2015; 45:77-83. [DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2015.10.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2015] [Revised: 10/19/2015] [Accepted: 10/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
11
|
Hyon C, Chantot-Bastaraud S, Harbuz R, Bhouri R, Perrot N, Peycelon M, Sibony M, Rojo S, Piguel X, Bilan F, Gilbert-Dussardier B, Kitzis A, McElreavey K, Siffroi JP, Bashamboo A. Refining the regulatory region upstream ofSOX9associated with 46,XX testicular disorders of Sex Development (DSD). Am J Med Genet A 2015; 167A:1851-8. [DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.37101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2014] [Accepted: 03/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Capucine Hyon
- AP-HP; Hôpitaux Universitaires Est Parisien; Hôpital Trousseau; Service de Génétique et d'Embryologie médicales; Paris France
- INSERM UMR_S933; Paris France
- UPMC Univ Paris 06; UFR de Médecine Pierre et Marie Curie; Paris France
| | - Sandra Chantot-Bastaraud
- AP-HP; Hôpitaux Universitaires Est Parisien; Hôpital Trousseau; Service de Génétique et d'Embryologie médicales; Paris France
| | - Radu Harbuz
- Service Génétique Médicale; CHU Poitiers; France
| | - Rakia Bhouri
- AP-HP; Hôpitaux Universitaires Est Parisien; Hôpital Trousseau; Service de Génétique et d'Embryologie médicales; Paris France
| | - Nicolas Perrot
- Department of Radiology; AP-HP; Hôpitaux Universitaires Est Parisien; Hôpital Tenon; Paris France
| | | | - Mathilde Sibony
- Department of Pathology; AP-HP; Hôpitaux Universitaires Est Parisien; Hôpital Tenon; Paris France
| | - Sandra Rojo
- Institut Pasteur; Human Developmental Genetics; Paris France
| | | | | | - Brigitte Gilbert-Dussardier
- Service Génétique Médicale; CHU Poitiers; France
- Centre de Référence Anomalies du Développement Ouest; CHU Poitiers; France
| | - Alain Kitzis
- Service Génétique Médicale; CHU Poitiers; France
| | - Ken McElreavey
- Institut Pasteur; Human Developmental Genetics; Paris France
| | - Jean-Pierre Siffroi
- AP-HP; Hôpitaux Universitaires Est Parisien; Hôpital Trousseau; Service de Génétique et d'Embryologie médicales; Paris France
- INSERM UMR_S933; Paris France
- UPMC Univ Paris 06; UFR de Médecine Pierre et Marie Curie; Paris France
| | - Anu Bashamboo
- Institut Pasteur; Human Developmental Genetics; Paris France
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Grinspon RP, Loreti N, Braslavsky D, Valeri C, Schteingart H, Ballerini MG, Bedecarrás P, Ambao V, Gottlieb S, Ropelato MG, Bergadá I, Campo SM, Rey RA. Spreading the clinical window for diagnosing fetal-onset hypogonadism in boys. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2014; 5:51. [PMID: 24847309 PMCID: PMC4019849 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2014.00051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2013] [Accepted: 03/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
In early fetal development, the testis secretes - independent of pituitary gonadotropins - androgens and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) that are essential for male sex differentiation. In the second half of fetal life, the hypothalamic-pituitary axis gains control of testicular hormone secretion. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) controls Sertoli cell proliferation, responsible for testis volume increase and AMH and inhibin B secretion, whereas luteinizing hormone (LH) regulates Leydig cell androgen and INSL3 secretion, involved in the growth and trophism of male external genitalia and in testis descent. This differential regulation of testicular function between early and late fetal periods underlies the distinct clinical presentations of fetal-onset hypogonadism in the newborn male: primary hypogonadism results in ambiguous or female genitalia when early fetal-onset, whereas it becomes clinically undistinguishable from central hypogonadism when established later in fetal life. The assessment of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in male has classically relied on the measurement of gonadotropin and testosterone levels in serum. These hormone levels normally decline 3-6 months after birth, thus constraining the clinical evaluation window for diagnosing male hypogonadism. The advent of new markers of gonadal function has spread this clinical window beyond the first 6 months of life. In this review, we discuss the advantages and limitations of old and new markers used for the functional assessment of the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis in boys suspected of fetal-onset hypogonadism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Romina P. Grinspon
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas “Dr. César Bergadá” (CEDIE), CONICET, FEI, División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Nazareth Loreti
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas “Dr. César Bergadá” (CEDIE), CONICET, FEI, División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Débora Braslavsky
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas “Dr. César Bergadá” (CEDIE), CONICET, FEI, División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Clara Valeri
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas “Dr. César Bergadá” (CEDIE), CONICET, FEI, División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Helena Schteingart
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas “Dr. César Bergadá” (CEDIE), CONICET, FEI, División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Gabriela Ballerini
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas “Dr. César Bergadá” (CEDIE), CONICET, FEI, División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Patricia Bedecarrás
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas “Dr. César Bergadá” (CEDIE), CONICET, FEI, División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Verónica Ambao
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas “Dr. César Bergadá” (CEDIE), CONICET, FEI, División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Silvia Gottlieb
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas “Dr. César Bergadá” (CEDIE), CONICET, FEI, División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Gabriela Ropelato
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas “Dr. César Bergadá” (CEDIE), CONICET, FEI, División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ignacio Bergadá
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas “Dr. César Bergadá” (CEDIE), CONICET, FEI, División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Stella M. Campo
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas “Dr. César Bergadá” (CEDIE), CONICET, FEI, División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Rodolfo A. Rey
- Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas “Dr. César Bergadá” (CEDIE), CONICET, FEI, División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- *Correspondence: Rodolfo A. Rey, Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas “Dr. César Bergadá” (CEDIE), CONICET, FEI, División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Gallo 1330, Buenos Aires C1425EFD, Argentina e-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Bashamboo A, McElreavey K. Gene Mutations Associated with Anomalies of Human Gonad Formation. Sex Dev 2013; 7:126-46. [DOI: 10.1159/000342188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
|
14
|
Ahmed SF, Bashamboo A, Lucas-Herald A, McElreavey K. Understanding the genetic aetiology in patients with XY DSD. Br Med Bull 2013; 106:67-89. [PMID: 23529942 DOI: 10.1093/bmb/ldt008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Disorders of sex development (DSD) consist of a wide range of disorders and are commoner in those with an XY karyotype. In over half of these cases who have a 46,XY karyotype and who are raised as boys, the underlying aetiology remains unclear. AREAS OF AGREEMENT Identification of the underlying genetic abnormality may predict long-term outcome. However, genetic abnormalities that are associated with XY DSD manifest themselves with a wide range of phenotype. To understand the aetiology as well as the phenotypic variation, there is a need to harness the advanced genetic technology that is now available. AREAS OF CONTROVERSY The point at which genetic analysis should be undertaken in the course of investigations is unclear. In addition, there is little agreement on the most effective approach for genetic analysis that will be of clinical benefit to the patient. AREAS TIMELY FOR DEVELOPING RESEARCH There is a need to understand and improve the clinical utility of genetic analysis in the clinical setting of the patient with a suspected DSD. This will be even more important when parallel gene sequencing identifies variations in multiple genes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- S F Ahmed
- School of Medicine, University of Glasgow, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Yorkhill, Glasgow, UK.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
Onesimo R, Orteschi D, Scalzone M, Rossodivita A, Nanni L, Zannoni GF, Marrocco G, Battaglia D, Fundarò C, Neri G. Chromosome 9p deletion syndrome and sex reversal: novel findings and redefinition of the critically deleted regions. Am J Med Genet A 2012; 158A:2266-71. [PMID: 22821627 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.35489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2012] [Accepted: 04/21/2012] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Deletions of the short arm of chromosome 9 are associated with two distinct clinical entities. Small telomeric 9p24.3 deletions cause genital anomalies in male subjects, ranging from disorder of gonadal sex to genital differentiation anomalies, while large terminal or interstitial deletions result in 9p-malformation syndrome phenotype. The critical region for non-syndromic 46,XY sex reversal was assigned to a 1 Mb interval of chromosome 9p, extending from the telomere to the DMRT genes cluster. The 9p-syndrome was assigned to bands 9p22.3p24.1, but a phenotypic map has not been established for this condition, probably because of the lack of detailed molecular and/or phenotypic characterization, as well as frequent involvement of additional chromosome rearrangements. Here, we describe a unique patient with a small isolated 9p terminal deletion, characterized by array-CGH and FISH, who shows a complex phenotype with multiple physical anomalies, resembling the 9p-syndrome, disorder of sex development with gonadoblastoma, congenital heart defect and epilepsy. The observed deletion includes the 46,XY sex-reversal critical region, excluding the region so far associated with the 9p-syndrome. Genotype-phenotype correlations are tentatively established comparing our patient to seven other previously reported males with isolated terminal 9p deletions, finely defined at a molecular level. Our observations expand the 9p deletion clinical spectrum, and add significantly to the definition of a 9p-syndrome critical region.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Onesimo
- Department of Pediatrics, Catholic University School of Medicine, and Department Pediatric Surgery, San Camillo De Lellis Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
Kopylow K, Staege H, Schulze W, Will H, Kirchhoff C. Fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 is highly expressed in rarely dividing human type A spermatogonia. Histochem Cell Biol 2012; 138:759-72. [DOI: 10.1007/s00418-012-0991-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/10/2012] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
|
17
|
Neira VA, Córdova-Fletes C, Grondin Y, Ramirez-Velazco A, Figuera LE, Ortíz-López R, Barbaro M. Complex 9p rearrangement in an XY patient with ambiguous genitalia and features of both 9p duplication and deletion. Am J Med Genet A 2012; 158A:1498-502. [DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.35344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2010] [Accepted: 02/02/2012] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
|
18
|
von Kopylow K, Staege H, Spiess AN, Schulze W, Will H, Primig M, Kirchhoff C. Differential marker protein expression specifies rarefaction zone-containing human Adark spermatogonia. Reproduction 2012; 143:45-57. [DOI: 10.1530/rep-11-0290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
It is unclear whether the distinct nuclear morphologies of human Adark(Ad) and Apale(Ap) spermatogonia are manifestations of different stages of germ cell development or phases of the mitotic cycle, or whether they may reflect still unknown molecular differences. According to the classical description by Clermont, human dark type A spermatogonium (Ad) may contain one, sometimes two or three nuclear ‘vacuolar spaces’ representing chromatin rarefaction zones. These structures were readily discerned in paraffin sections of human testis tissue during immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence analyses and thus represented robust morphological markers for our study. While a majority of the marker proteins tested did not discriminate between spermatogonia with and without chromatin rarefaction zones, doublesex- and mab-3-related transcription factor (DMRT1), tyrosine kinase receptor c-Kit/CD117 (KIT) and proliferation-associated antigen Ki-67 (KI-67) appeared to be restricted to subtypes which lacked the rarefaction zones. Conversely, exosome component 10 (EXOSC10) was found to accumulate within the rarefaction zones, which points to a possible role of this nuclear domain in RNA processing.
Collapse
|
19
|
Pannetier M, Pailhoux E. [Sex differentiation: state of the art and future prospects]. Med Sci (Paris) 2011; 27:859-65. [PMID: 22027423 DOI: 10.1051/medsci/20112710014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Our knowledge on sex differentiation in mammals has considerably progressed during the last decennials, beginning with the discovery of the testis-determining factor. Here, the morphogenetic processes involved in the early gonadic switch will be presented, together with the major genes involved in testis and ovary formation. Existing differences between the widely used mouse model and other mammals, such as human and goat, will be highlighted.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maëlle Pannetier
- Inra, UMR1198-Biologie du développement et de la reproduction, Bâtiment J. Poly, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | | |
Collapse
|
20
|
Zaytouni T, Efimenko EE, Tevosian SG. GATA transcription factors in the developing reproductive system. ADVANCES IN GENETICS 2011; 76:93-134. [PMID: 22099693 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-386481-9.00004-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Previous work has firmly established the role for both GATA4 and FOG2 in the initial global commitment to sexual fate, but their (joint or individual) function in subsequent steps remained unknown. Hence, gonad-specific deletions of these genes in mice were required to reveal their roles in sexual development and gene regulation. The development of tissue-specific Cre lines allowed for substantial advances in the understanding of the function of GATA proteins in sex determination, gonadal differentiation and reproductive development in mice. Here we summarize the recent work that examined the requirement of GATA4 and FOG2 proteins at several critical stages in testis and ovarian differentiation. We also discuss the molecular mechanisms involved in this regulation through the control of Dmrt1 gene expression in the testis and the canonical Wnt/ß-catenin pathway in the ovary.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Zaytouni
- Department of Genetics, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, NH, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
A de novo unbalanced translocation leading to partial monosomy 9p23-pter and partial trisomy 15q25.3-qter associated with 46,XY complete gonadal dysgenesis, tall stature and mental retardation. Clin Dysmorphol 2010; 19:190-194. [DOI: 10.1097/mcd.0b013e32833c8ba1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
|
22
|
Siegfried KR. In search of determinants: gene expression during gonadal sex differentiation. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2010; 76:1879-1902. [PMID: 20557645 DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2010.02594.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The diversity of inputs that guide sexual fate during development is both intriguing and daunting. In the field of fish biology, the study of sex determination is of great importance. For example, in aquaculture, sexually dimorphic growth rates and overall size leads to one sex being more marketable than the other. Moreover, for breeding purposes it is important to maintain balanced sex ratios. Furthermore, sex determination is sensitive to environmental factors, such as temperature and contaminants, which can lead to skewed sex ratios, intersexes and sterility in wild or farmed fish. The gonad is typically the first organ to exhibit morphological signs of sexual dimorphism and therefore is likely to be the primary organ system whose fate is controlled by the sex determination cues in many fish species. Additionally, the sexual fate of the gonad has been shown to fully or partially control organismal sex differentiation. Thus, understanding the genetic regulation of gonadal sex differentiation is critical in studies of fish sex determination. This review summarizes recent knowledge of genes expressed during gonadal sex differentiation in gonochoristic teleost fish. Three species are discussed, which serve as excellent model systems for probing teleost sex differentiation: the Oreochromis niloticus, Oryzias latipes and Danio rerio. The similarities and differences between gonadal gene expression in these three species and in comparison to mammals suggest conserved roles during vertebrate gonadal sex differentiation. In the future, it will be essential to develop tools to assay the function of genes expressed during gonadal sex differentiation in fish.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- K R Siegfried
- Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Department of Genetics, Spemannstrasse 35, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Nuclear localization, DNA binding and restricted expression in neural and germ cells of zebrafish Dmrt3. Biol Cell 2008; 100:453-63. [PMID: 18282142 DOI: 10.1042/bc20070114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND INFORMATION The DM (doublesex and male aberrant-3) genes implicated in sexual development in diverse metazoan organisms have been proved to be involved in development of non-gonadal tissues. The aim of the present study was to identify and characterize Dmrt3 (DM-related transcription factor 3) of zebrafish. RESULTS Zebrafish Dmrt3 has a conserved DMA domain, besides a common DM domain, which clustered it into the DMRTA subfamily. During embryogenesis, Dmrt3 expression increases gradually to a high level at pharyngula stage, which is restricted to the olfactory placode and the neural tube. In the juvenile zebrafish, the gene expression is first detected in undifferentiated gonad on 17 dpf (day post-fertilization). In adult, Dmrt3 is expressed only in the developing germ cells of both gonads, mainly in spermatogonia, spermatocytes and developing oocytes. The Dmrt3 has a functional NLS (nuclear localization signal) K(41)GHKR(45) within the DM domain, which ensures that Dmrt3 exerts its role in the nucleus. Moreover, EMSA (electrophoretic mobility-shift assay) indicates that the Dmrt3-derived DM polypeptide binds to similar sites of both targets of DSX (doublesex) and MAB-3 (male aberrant-3). CONCLUSION These results suggest that as a DNA-binding protein, zebrafish Dmrt3 may function in the nucleus as a potential transcription factor to exert potential roles in the development of the olfactory placode, the neural tube and germ cells.
Collapse
|
24
|
Hong CS, Park BY, Saint-Jeannet JP. The function of Dmrt genes in vertebrate development: It is not just about sex. Dev Biol 2007; 310:1-9. [PMID: 17720152 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2007.07.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2007] [Revised: 07/25/2007] [Accepted: 07/25/2007] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The Dmrt genes encode a large family of transcription factors whose function in sexual development has been well studied in invertebrates and vertebrates. Their expression pattern is not restricted to the developing gonads, indicating that Dmrt genes might regulate other developmental processes. Here we review the expression pattern of several members of this family across species and summarize recent findings on the function of a subset of these genes in non-gonadal tissues.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Soo Hong
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3800 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
25
|
Ottolenghi C, Pelosi E, Tran J, Colombino M, Douglass E, Nedorezov T, Cao A, Forabosco A, Schlessinger D. Loss of Wnt4 and Foxl2 leads to female-to-male sex reversal extending to germ cells. Hum Mol Genet 2007; 16:2795-804. [PMID: 17728319 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddm235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 231] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The discovery that the SRY gene induces male sex in humans and other mammals led to speculation about a possible equivalent for female sex. However, only partial effects have been reported for candidate genes experimentally tested so far. Here we demonstrate that inactivation of two ovarian somatic factors, Wnt4 and Foxl2, produces testis differentiation in XX mice, resulting in the formation of testis tubules and spermatogonia. These genes are thus required to initiate or maintain all major aspects of female sex determination in mammals. The two genes are independently expressed and show complementary roles in ovary morphogenesis. In addition, forced expression of Foxl2 impairs testis tubule differentiation in XY transgenic mice, and germ cell-depleted XX mice lacking Foxl2 and harboring a Kit mutation undergo partial female-to-male sex reversal. The results are all consistent with an anti-testis role for Foxl2. The data suggest that the relative autonomy of the action of Foxl2, Wnt4 and additional ovarian factor(s) in the mouse should facilitate the dissection of their respective contributions to female sex determination.
Collapse
|
26
|
El-Mogharbel N, Wakefield M, Deakin JE, Tsend-Ayush E, Grützner F, Alsop A, Ezaz T, Marshall Graves JA. DMRT gene cluster analysis in the platypus: new insights into genomic organization and regulatory regions. Genomics 2006; 89:10-21. [PMID: 16962738 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2006.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2006] [Revised: 07/31/2006] [Accepted: 07/31/2006] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
We isolated and characterized a cluster of platypus DMRT genes and compared their arrangement, location, and sequence across vertebrates. The DMRT gene cluster on human 9p24.3 harbors, in order, DMRT1, DMRT3, and DMRT2, which share a DM domain. DMRT1 is highly conserved and involved in sexual development in vertebrates, and deletions in this region cause sex reversal in humans. Sequence comparisons of DMRT genes between species have been valuable in identifying exons, control regions, and conserved nongenic regions (CNGs). The addition of platypus sequences is expected to be particularly valuable, since monotremes fill a gap in the vertebrate genome coverage. We therefore isolated and fully sequenced platypus BAC clones containing DMRT3 and DMRT2 as well as DMRT1 and then generated multispecies alignments and ran prediction programs followed by experimental verification to annotate this gene cluster. We found that the three genes have 58-66% identity to their human orthologues, lie in the same order as in other vertebrates, and colocate on 1 of the 10 platypus sex chromosomes, X5. We also predict that optimal annotation of the newly sequenced platypus genome will be challenging. The analysis of platypus sequence revealed differences in structure and sequence of the DMRT gene cluster. Multispecies comparison was particularly effective for detecting CNGs, revealing several novel potential regulatory regions within DMRT3 and DMRT2 as well as DMRT1. RT-PCR indicated that platypus DMRT1 and DMRT3 are expressed specifically in the adult testis (and not ovary), but DMRT2 has a wider expression profile, as it does for other mammals. The platypus DMRT1 expression pattern, and its location on an X chromosome, suggests an involvement in monotreme sexual development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nisrine El-Mogharbel
- Comparative Genomics Group, Research School of Biological Sciences, Australian National University, P.O. Box 475, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
27
|
Veith AM, Schäfer M, Klüver N, Schmidt C, Schultheis C, Schartl M, Winkler C, Volff JN. Tissue-Specific Expression ofdmrtGenes in Embryos and Adults of the PlatyfishXiphophorus maculatus. Zebrafish 2006; 3:325-37. [DOI: 10.1089/zeb.2006.3.325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Marie Veith
- Physiologische Chemie I, Biozentrum, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Schäfer
- Physiologische Chemie I, Biozentrum, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Nils Klüver
- Physiologische Chemie I, Biozentrum, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Cornelia Schmidt
- Physiologische Chemie I, Biozentrum, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | | | - Manfred Schartl
- Physiologische Chemie I, Biozentrum, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Christoph Winkler
- Physiologische Chemie I, Biozentrum, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jean-Nicolas Volff
- Physiologische Chemie I, Biozentrum, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Chen CP, Lin SP, Lin CC, Li YC, Hsieh LJ, Chern SR, Lee CC, Chen YJ, Wang W. Spectral karyotyping, fluorescence in situ hybridization and molecular genetic analysis of de novo partial trisomy 7p (7p15.1 --> pter) and partial monosomy 9p (9p22 --> pter). Prenat Diagn 2005; 25:1170-2. [PMID: 16315335 DOI: 10.1002/pd.1300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
|
29
|
Brennan J, Capel B. One tissue, two fates: molecular genetic events that underlie testis versus ovary development. Nat Rev Genet 2004; 5:509-21. [PMID: 15211353 DOI: 10.1038/nrg1381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 346] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Brennan
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
30
|
Fujimoto Y, Okuyama T, Iijima M, Tanaka T, Horikawa R, Yamada K, Ogata T. Genitourinary phenotype in XX patients with distal 9p monosomy. Mol Genet Metab 2004; 82:173-9. [PMID: 15172006 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymgme.2004.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2004] [Revised: 04/05/2004] [Accepted: 04/05/2004] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Although testicular development has been shown to be variably impaired in XY patients with distal 9p monosomy, ovarian and other genitourinary phenotype has poorly been studied in XX patients monosomic for the distal 9p region. Thus, we studied a 13-month-old infant with 46,XX,der(9)t(9;10)(p23;p13) (case 1) and an 11-year-old girl with 46,XX,der(9)t(9;16)(p23;q22) (case 2). Case 1 had primary hypogonadism (basal serum follicle stimulating hormone [FSH], 40.0 mIU/mL; leteinizing hormone [LH], 1.2 mIU/mL; estradiol [E2], <10 pg/mL), whereas case 2 had age-appropriate pubertal development (breast, Tanner stage 4; pubic hair, Tanner stage 3; menarche 11.7 years of age) and hormone values (FSH, 7.3 mIU/mL; LH, 6.7 mIU/mL; E2, 47 pg/mL). In addition, case 1 had hypoplastic labia majora, short distance between the vaginal orifice and the anus, and five renal cysts, and case 2 had anal atresia, short distance between the vaginal orifice and the anus, bilateral hydronephrosis of grade 3 with probable ureteropelvic junction stenosis, and renal dysfunction (serum creatinine, 1.52 mg/dL; urea nitrogen, 34.5mg/dL). Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis for five regions and microsatellite analysis for 10 loci on 9p confirmed hemizygosity for the distal 9p region with the breakpoints between IFNA and D9S285 in case 1 and between D9S168 and D9S286 in case 2. The results, in conjunction with the previous data in XX patients with molecularly defined distal 9p monosomy, are consistent with the presence of a gene(s) involved in the development of indifferent gonad or subsequent ovarian differentiation in a approximately 11 Mb region distal to D9S168. In addition, it is possible that a gene(s) for anoperineal and renal development also maps distal to D9S168 and that for external genital development maps distal to D9S285 at the position approximately 16 Mb from the 9p telomere.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yoko Fujimoto
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
31
|
Witters I, Vermeesch JR, Moerman PH, Fryns JP. Partial trisomy 3p/monosomy 9p with sex reversal. ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY 2004; 23:418-419. [PMID: 15065198 DOI: 10.1002/uog.1020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
|
32
|
Lalli E, Ohe K, Latorre E, Bianchi ME, Sassone-Corsi P. Sexy splicing: regulatory interplays governing sex determination from Drosophila to mammals. J Cell Sci 2003; 116:441-445. [PMID: 12508105 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.00249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A remarkable array of strategies is used to produce sexual differentiation in different species. Complex gene hierarchies govern sex determination pathways, as exemplified by the classic D. melanogaster paradigm, where an interplay of transcriptional, splicing and translational mechanisms operate. Molecular studies support the hypothesis that genetic sex determination pathways evolved in reverse order, from downstream to upstream genes, in the cascade. The recent identification of a role for the key regulatory factors SRY and WT1(+KTS) in pre-mRNA splicing indicates that important steps in the mammalian sex determination process are likely to operate at the post-transcriptional level.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Enzo Lalli
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Louis Pasteur, B P 163, 67404 Illkirch, Strasbourg, France.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
33
|
Boyer A, Dornan S, Daneau I, Lussier J, Silversides DW. Conservation of the function of DMRT1 regulatory sequences in mammalian sex differentiation. Genesis 2002; 34:236-43. [PMID: 12434333 DOI: 10.1002/gene.10158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Among genes involved in sex determination and differentiation, DMRT1 is the only one characterized to date containing a domain (the DM domain) that is conserved between phyla. To study DMRT1 transcriptional regulation within mammalian phyla, we generated transgenic mice that express green fluorescent protein (GFP) or Cre-recombinase (Cre) under the control of 2.6 kb of pig DMRT1 5' flanking sequences (pDMRT1p-GFP and pDMRT1p-Cre, respectively). Within the pDMRT1p-GFP positive mice, GFP expression was observed in the XY genital ridge by embryonic day 11.5 (e11.5) and remained detectable during testis embryonic development to birth. GFP expression was restricted within testis cords as soon as cords were detectable. No fluorescence was observed in developing ovaries, although more sensitive RT-PCR analysis revealed transgene expression in embryonic ovaries from e13.5 to e15.5. RT-PCR performed on fluorescent activated cell sorter (FACS)-purified GFP cells from e14.5, e17.5, and e19.5 developing testis showed that GFP expression was restricted to cells expressing the endogenous mouse Dmrt1. GFP cells also expressed Mis and Oct4, showing that the transgene is expressed in both Sertoli cell and germ cell compartments. In postnatal testis, transgene expression was detectable by GFP fluorescence from P0 to P21 in mice heterozygous for the transgene and through adulthood in mice homozygous for the transgene. In pDMRT1p-Cre positive mice, Cre expression was detected within the genital ridges of both XY and XX embryos. We conclude that DMRT1 regulatory mechanisms during sexual differentiation are functionally conserved across mammalian evolution. The transgenic mouse lines described should provide useful marker systems for studies involving Dmrt1 gene expression during sex differentiation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Boyer
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montreal, St-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
34
|
Abstract
Spermatogenesis is a complex process that involves stem-cell renewal, genome reorganization and genome repackaging, and that culminates in the production of motile gametes. Problems at all stages of spermatogenesis contribute to human infertility, but few of them can be modelled in vitro or in cell culture. Targeted mutagenesis in the mouse provides a powerful method to analyse these steps and has provided new insights into the origins of male infertility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Howard J Cooke
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK.
| | | |
Collapse
|
35
|
Nanda I, Kondo M, Hornung U, Asakawa S, Winkler C, Shimizu A, Shan Z, Haaf T, Shimizu N, Shima A, Schmid M, Schartl M. A duplicated copy of DMRT1 in the sex-determining region of the Y chromosome of the medaka, Oryzias latipes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2002; 99:11778-83. [PMID: 12193652 PMCID: PMC129345 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.182314699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 578] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The genes that determine the development of the male or female sex are known in Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila, and most mammals. In many other organisms the existence of sex-determining factors has been shown by genetic evidence but the genes are unknown. We have found that in the fish medaka the Y chromosome-specific region spans only about 280 kb. It contains a duplicated copy of the autosomal DMRT1 gene, named DMRT1Y. This is the only functional gene in this chromosome segment and maps precisely to the male sex-determining locus. The gene is expressed during male embryonic and larval development and in the Sertoli cells of the adult testes. These features make DMRT1Y a candidate for the medaka male sex-determining gene.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Indrajit Nanda
- Institute for Human Genetics, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
36
|
Kondo M, Froschauer A, Kitano A, Nanda I, Hornung U, Volff JN, Asakawa S, Mitani H, Naruse K, Tanaka M, Schmid M, Shimizu N, Schartl M, Shima A. Molecular cloning and characterization of DMRT genes from the medaka Oryzias latipes and the platyfish Xiphophorus maculatus. Gene 2002; 295:213-22. [PMID: 12354656 DOI: 10.1016/s0378-1119(02)00692-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The DMRT genes constitute a family of genes, which possess a common motif called the DM domain. DMRT1 is considered to be involved in sex determination and/or sex differentiation, but not much information exists about the function of the other gene family members. We cloned DMRT genes of two important model fish species, the medaka, Oryzias latipes, and the platyfish, Xiphophorus maculatus. Based on sequence similarity and genomic structure with known DMRT genes, the gene from the medaka was identified as OlaDMRT4, and those from the platyfish as XmaDMRT2 and XmaDMRT4. OlaDMRT4 was assigned to the linkage group 18 (LG18) of the medaka by linkage analysis and fluorescence in situ hybridization. The earlier cloned medaka DMRT1, 2 and 3 genes form a cluster on LG9. Therefore, OlaDMRT4 does not belong to the DMRT gene cluster. In adult medaka fish, OlaDMRT4 is expressed in the brain, eyes, gill, kidney, as well as testis and ovary. During development, OlaDMRT4 exists as maternal transcripts, and is expressed until early larval stages. This pattern of expression differs from the other known medaka DMRT genes. Surprisingly it is also not the same as its putative tilapia ortholog (DMO). These differences in expression suggest that DMRT4 might fulfill divergent functions in different species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mariko Kondo
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
37
|
Ottolenghi C, Fellous M, Barbieri M, McElreavey K. Novel paralogy relations among human chromosomes support a link between the phylogeny of doublesex-related genes and the evolution of sex determination. Genomics 2002; 79:333-43. [PMID: 11863363 DOI: 10.1006/geno.2002.6711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Recent advances in the evolutionary genetics of sex determination indicate that DMRT1 may be a vertebrate equivalent of the Drosophila melanogaster master sex regulator gene, doublesex. The role of DMRT1 seems to be confined to some aspects of male sex differentiation, whereas in Drosophila, doublesex has wider developmental effects in both sexes. This suggests other homologs of doublesex may exist in the vertebrate genome and encode sex-specific functions not displayed by DMRT1. We identified and characterized five novel human DM genes, distinct from previously described family members. Human DM genes map to three well-defined regions of chromosomes 1, 9, and 19 (one gene on chromosome 19 having an additional homolog on chromosome X). We collated data indicating these chromosomal regions harbor multiple syntenic genes sharing highly specific paralogy relations, suggesting that they arose early during vertebrate evolution. The 9p21-p24.3 bands represent the ancestral copy and harbor closely linked DM genes that may reflect the overall diversity of the fruit fly DM gene family. The human genome contains a small number of potential doublesex homologs that may be involved in human sexual development. Identifying highly conserved chromosomal regions, such as distal 9p, is an important tool to trace complex ancient evolutionary processes inaccessible by other approaches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chris Ottolenghi
- Immunogénétique Humaine, INSERM E0021, Institut Pasteur, 25 rue du Dr Roux, Paris Cedex 15, 75724, France.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
38
|
Ellegren H. Hens, cocks and avian sex determination. A quest for genes on Z or W? EMBO Rep 2001; 2:192-6. [PMID: 11266359 PMCID: PMC1083846 DOI: 10.1093/embo-reports/kve050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2000] [Accepted: 01/30/2001] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The sex of an individual is generally determined genetically by genes on one of the two sex chromosomes. In mammals, for instance, the presence of the male-specific Y chromosome confers maleness, whereas in Drosophila melanogaster and CAENORHABDITIS: elegans it is the number of X chromosomes that matters. For birds (males ZZ, females ZW), however, the situation remains unclear. The recent discovery that the Z-linked DMRT1 gene, which is conserved across phyla as a gene involved in sexual differentiation, is expressed early in male development suggests that it might be the number of Z chromosomes that regulate sex in birds. On the other hand, the recent identification of the first protein unique to female birds, encoded by the W-linked PKCIW gene, and the observation that it is expressed early in female gonads, suggests that the W chromosome plays a role in avian sexual differentiation. Clearly defining the roles of the DMRT1 and PKC1W genes in gonadal development, and ultimately determining whether avian sex is dependent on Z or W, will require transgenic experiments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- H Ellegren
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden.
| |
Collapse
|