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Cui H, Zhu H, Ban W, Li Y, Chen R, Li L, Zhang X, Chen K, Xu H. Characterization of Two Gonadal Genes, zar1 and wt1b, in Hermaphroditic Fish Asian Seabass ( Lates calcarifer). Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:508. [PMID: 38338151 PMCID: PMC10854929 DOI: 10.3390/ani14030508] [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: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Zygote arrest-1 (Zar1) and Wilms' tumor 1 (Wt1) play an important role in oogenesis, with the latter also involved in testicular development and gender differentiation. Here, Lczar1 and Lcwt1b were identified in Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer), a hermaphrodite fish, as the valuable model for studying sex differentiation. The cloned cDNA fragments of Lczar1 were 1192 bp, encoding 336 amino acids, and contained a zinc-binding domain, while those of Lcwt1b cDNA were 1521 bp, encoding a peptide of 423 amino acids with a Zn finger domain belonging to Wt1b family. RT-qPCR analysis showed that Lczar1 mRNA was exclusively expressed in the ovary, while Lcwt1b mRNA was majorly expressed in the gonads in a higher amount in the testis than in the ovary. In situ hybridization results showed that Lczar1 mRNA was mainly concentrated in oogonia and oocytes at early stages in the ovary, but were undetectable in the testis. Lcwt1b mRNA was localized not only in gonadal somatic cells (the testis and ovary), but also in female and male germ cells in the early developmental stages, such as those of previtellogenic oocytes, spermatogonia, spermatocytes and spermatids. These results indicated that Lczar1 and Lcwt1b possibly play roles in gonadal development. Therefore, the findings of this study will provide a basis for clarifying the mechanism of Lczar1 and Lcwt1b in regulating germ cell development and the sex reversal of Asian seabass and even other hermaphroditic species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Cui
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, College of Fisheries, Southwest University, Chongqing 402460, China; (H.C.); (H.Z.); (W.B.); (Y.L.); (R.C.); (L.L.); (X.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Chongqing 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Sciences of Chongqing, Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Haoyu Zhu
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, College of Fisheries, Southwest University, Chongqing 402460, China; (H.C.); (H.Z.); (W.B.); (Y.L.); (R.C.); (L.L.); (X.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Chongqing 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Sciences of Chongqing, Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Wenzhuo Ban
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, College of Fisheries, Southwest University, Chongqing 402460, China; (H.C.); (H.Z.); (W.B.); (Y.L.); (R.C.); (L.L.); (X.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Chongqing 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Sciences of Chongqing, Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Yulin Li
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, College of Fisheries, Southwest University, Chongqing 402460, China; (H.C.); (H.Z.); (W.B.); (Y.L.); (R.C.); (L.L.); (X.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Chongqing 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Sciences of Chongqing, Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Ruyi Chen
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, College of Fisheries, Southwest University, Chongqing 402460, China; (H.C.); (H.Z.); (W.B.); (Y.L.); (R.C.); (L.L.); (X.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Chongqing 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Sciences of Chongqing, Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Lingli Li
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, College of Fisheries, Southwest University, Chongqing 402460, China; (H.C.); (H.Z.); (W.B.); (Y.L.); (R.C.); (L.L.); (X.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Chongqing 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Sciences of Chongqing, Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Xiaoling Zhang
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, College of Fisheries, Southwest University, Chongqing 402460, China; (H.C.); (H.Z.); (W.B.); (Y.L.); (R.C.); (L.L.); (X.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Chongqing 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Sciences of Chongqing, Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Kaili Chen
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, College of Fisheries, Southwest University, Chongqing 402460, China; (H.C.); (H.Z.); (W.B.); (Y.L.); (R.C.); (L.L.); (X.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Chongqing 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Sciences of Chongqing, Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Hongyan Xu
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City, College of Fisheries, Southwest University, Chongqing 402460, China; (H.C.); (H.Z.); (W.B.); (Y.L.); (R.C.); (L.L.); (X.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Chongqing 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Sciences of Chongqing, Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China
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Zhang T, Zhang M, Sun Y, Li L, Cheng P, Li X, Wang N, Chen S, Xu W. Identification and Functional Analysis of foxo Genes in Chinese Tongue Sole ( Cynoglossus semilaevis). Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24087625. [PMID: 37108789 PMCID: PMC10142177 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24087625] [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: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The Chinese tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis) is a traditional, precious fish in China. Due to the large growth difference between males and females, the investigation of their sex determination and differentiation mechanisms receives a great deal of attention. Forkhead Box O (FoxO) plays versatile roles in the regulation of sex differentiation and reproduction. Our recent transcriptomic analysis has shown that foxo genes may participate in the male differentiation and spermatogenesis of Chinese tongue sole. In this study, six Csfoxo members (Csfoxo1a, Csfoxo3a, Csfoxo3b, Csfoxo4, Csfoxo6-like, and Csfoxo1a-like) were identified. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that these six members were clustered into four groups corresponding to their denomination. The expression patterns of the gonads at different developmental stages were further analyzed. All members showed high levels of expression in the early stages (before 6 months post-hatching), and this expression was male-biased. In addition, promoter analysis found that the addition of C/EBPα and c-Jun transcription factors enhanced the transcriptional activities of Csfoxo1a, Csfoxo3a, Csfoxo3b, and Csfoxo4. The siRNA-mediated knockdown of the Csfoxo1a, Csfoxo3a, and Csfoxo3b genes in the testicular cell line of Chinese tongue sole affected the expression of genes related to sex differentiation and spermatogenesis. These results have broadened the understanding of foxo's function and provide valuable data for studying the male differentiation of tongue sole.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Zhang
- Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS), Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266071, China
- School of Fisheries and Life Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Mengqian Zhang
- Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS), Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Yuxuan Sun
- Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS), Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Lu Li
- Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS), Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Peng Cheng
- Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS), Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Xihong Li
- Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS), Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Na Wang
- Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS), Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Songlin Chen
- Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS), Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Wenteng Xu
- Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS), Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266071, China
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Begum S, Gnanasree SM, Anusha N, Senthilkumaran B. Germ cell markers in fishes - A review. AQUACULTURE AND FISHERIES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.aaf.2022.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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4
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Dynamics of sexual development in teleosts with a note on Mugil cephalus. AQUACULTURE AND FISHERIES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.aaf.2022.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Herpin A, Schartl M, Depincé A, Guiguen Y, Bobe J, Hua-Van A, Hayman ES, Octavera A, Yoshizaki G, Nichols KM, Goetz GW, Luckenbach JA. Allelic diversification after transposable element exaptation promoted gsdf as the master sex determining gene of sablefish. Genome Res 2021; 31:1366-1380. [PMID: 34183453 PMCID: PMC8327909 DOI: 10.1101/gr.274266.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Concepts of evolutionary biology suggest that morphological change may occur by rare punctual but rather large changes, or by more steady and gradual transformations. It can therefore be asked whether genetic changes underlying morphological, physiological, and/or behavioral innovations during evolution occur in a punctual manner, whereby a single mutational event has prominent phenotypic consequences, or if many consecutive alterations in the DNA over longer time periods lead to phenotypic divergence. In the marine teleost, sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria), complementary genomic and genetic studies led to the identification of a sex locus on the Y Chromosome. Further characterization of this locus resulted in identification of the transforming growth factor, beta receptor 1a (tgfbr1a) gene, gonadal somatic cell derived factor (gsdf), as the main candidate for fulfilling the master sex determining (MSD) function. The presence of different X and Y Chromosome copies of this gene indicated that the male heterogametic (XY) system of sex determination in sablefish arose by allelic diversification. The gsdfY gene has a spatio-temporal expression profile characteristic of a male MSD gene. We provide experimental evidence demonstrating a pivotal role of a transposable element (TE) for the divergent function of gsdfY. By insertion within the gsdfY promoter region, this TE generated allelic diversification by bringing cis-regulatory modules that led to transcriptional rewiring and thus creation of a new MSD gene. This points out, for the first time in the scenario of MSD gene evolution by allelic diversification, a single, punctual molecular event in the appearance of a new trigger for male development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amaury Herpin
- INRAE, LPGP, 35000, Rennes, France.,State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, Hunan, P.R. China
| | - Manfred Schartl
- University of Wuerzburg, Developmental Biochemistry, Biocenter, 97074 Wuerzburg, Germany.,Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas 78666, USA
| | | | | | | | - Aurélie Hua-Van
- Laboratoire Evolution, Génomes Comportement, Ecologie, CNRS Université Paris-Saclay, UMR 9191, IRD UMR 247, F-91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Edward S Hayman
- Ocean Associates Incorporated, under contract to Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, Washington 98112, USA
| | - Anna Octavera
- Department of Marine Biosciences, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo 108-8477, Japan
| | - Goro Yoshizaki
- Department of Marine Biosciences, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo 108-8477, Japan
| | - Krista M Nichols
- Conservation Biology Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, Washington 98112, USA
| | - Giles W Goetz
- Cooperative Institutes for Climate, Ocean, and Environmental Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98112, USA
| | - J Adam Luckenbach
- Environmental and Fisheries Sciences Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, Washington 98112, USA.,Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164, USA
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Tenugu S, Pranoty A, Mamta SK, Senthilkumaran B. Development and organisation of gonadal steroidogenesis in bony fishes - A review. AQUACULTURE AND FISHERIES 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.aaf.2020.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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7
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Hosseini S, Ha NT, Simianer H, Falker-Gieske C, Brenig B, Franke A, Hörstgen-Schwark G, Tetens J, Herzog S, Sharifi AR. Genetic mechanism underlying sexual plasticity and its association with colour patterning in zebrafish (Danio rerio). BMC Genomics 2019; 20:341. [PMID: 31060508 PMCID: PMC6503382 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-5722-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2018] [Accepted: 04/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Elevated water temperature, as is expected through climate change, leads to masculinization in fish species with sexual plasticity, resulting in changes in population dynamics. These changes are one important ecological consequence, contributing to the risk of extinction in small and inbred fish populations under natural conditions, due to male-biased sex ratio. Here we investigated the effect of elevated water temperature during embryogenesis on sex ratio and sex-biased gene expression profiles between two different tissues, namely gonad and caudal fin of adult zebrafish males and females, to gain new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying sex determination (SD) and colour patterning related to sexual attractiveness. RESULTS Our study demonstrated sex ratio imbalances with 25.5% more males under high-temperature condition, resulting from gonadal masculinization. The result of transcriptome analysis showed a significantly upregulated expression of male SD genes (e.g. dmrt1, amh, cyp11c1 and sept8b) and downregulation of female SD genes (e.g. zp2.1, vtg1, cyp19a1a and bmp15) in male gonads compared to female gonads. Contrary to expectations, we found highly differential expression of colour pattern (CP) genes in the gonads, suggesting the 'neofunctionalisation' of those genes in the zebrafish reproduction system. However, in the caudal fin, no differential expression of CP genes was identified, suggesting the observed differences in colouration between males and females in adult fish may be due to post-transcriptional regulation of key enzymes involved in pigment synthesis and distribution. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrates male-biased sex ratio under high temperature condition and support a polygenic SD (PSD) system in laboratory zebrafish. We identify a subset of pathways (tight junction, gap junction and apoptosis), enriched for SD and CP genes, which appear to be co-regulated in the same pathway, providing evidence for involvement of those genes in the regulation of phenotypic sexual dimorphism in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahrbanou Hosseini
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany. .,Center for Integrated Breeding Research, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.
| | - Ngoc-Thuy Ha
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.,Center for Integrated Breeding Research, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Henner Simianer
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.,Center for Integrated Breeding Research, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Clemens Falker-Gieske
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.,Center for Integrated Breeding Research, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Bertram Brenig
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.,Center for Integrated Breeding Research, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.,Institute of Veterinary Medicine, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Andre Franke
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian-Albrechts-University, Kiel, Germany
| | | | - Jens Tetens
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.,Center for Integrated Breeding Research, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Sebastian Herzog
- Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Goettingen, Germany.,Department for Computational Neuroscience, 3rd Physics Institute-Biophysics, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Ahmad Reza Sharifi
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.,Center for Integrated Breeding Research, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
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Awad E, Austin D, Lyndon A, Awaad A. Possible effect of hala extract (Pandanus tectorius) on immune status, anti-tumour and resistance to Yersinia ruckeri infection in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2019; 87:620-626. [PMID: 30753919 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2019.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Revised: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 02/08/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The possible effect of dietary administration of hala extract (Pandanus tectorius) on rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) immune status as well as its effect as an anti-tumour agent was studied. Fish were divided into 4 groups before feeding with commercial diet (0%, control; 0.5%, 1% and 2% of hala extract) for 2 weeks. The effect of diet on the humoral immune parameters, ie total protein, myeloperoxidase content, antiproteases, lysozyme and bactericidal activities were studied. Also, the effect of the diets on the expression of some immune-related genes in rainbow trout head-kidney (TNF, LYZ2, IL-8 and CD-4) as well as tumour suppressor gene (WT-1a) was investigated. At the end of the feeding trial fish groups were challenged with Yersinia ruckeri. The results demonstrated enhancement in all the immune parameters in fish fed hala extract diets compared to control fish especially with the highest dose (2%) which recorded the highest significant increase (p < 0.05) in some parameters (total protein, myeloperoxidase content, antiproteases, and bactericidal activities) compared to the control. The results obtained from challenge with Y. ruckeri revealed reduction in the mortalities in fish groups fed with 1% and 2% doses of hala extract. Feeding with hala extract provoked upregulation in all immune- related genes. Again, the highest dose of hala extract showed a significant upregulation in WT1a expression (p < 0.05). The current study suggest that the hala extract, especially the highest dose, could be considered a good food additive to improve the immune status, resist tumour formation and to resist or control infectious diseases of rainbow trout.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elham Awad
- Institute of Life and Earth Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK; Department of Hydrobiology, National Research Center, Cairo, Egypt.
| | - Dawn Austin
- Institute of Life and Earth Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Alastair Lyndon
- Institute of Life and Earth Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Amani Awaad
- Pharmacognosy Department, College of Pharmacy, Salman Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
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10
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The dysregulated autophagy signaling is partially responsible for defective podocyte development in wt1a mutant zebrafish. AQUACULTURE AND FISHERIES 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.aaf.2018.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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11
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Piprek RP, Damulewicz M, Kloc M, Kubiak JZ. Transcriptome analysis identifies genes involved in sex determination and development of Xenopus laevis gonads. Differentiation 2018. [PMID: 29518581 DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2018.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Development of the gonads is a complex process, which starts with a period of undifferentiated, bipotential gonads. During this period the expression of sex-determining genes is initiated. Sex determination is a process triggering differentiation of the gonads into the testis or ovary. Sex determination period is followed by sexual differentiation, i.e. appearance of the first testis- and ovary-specific features. In Xenopus laevis W-linked DM-domain gene (DM-W) had been described as a master determinant of the gonadal female sex. However, the data on the expression and function of other genes participating in gonad development in X. laevis, and in anurans, in general, are very limited. We applied microarray technique to analyze the expression pattern of a subset of X. laevis genes previously identified to be involved in gonad development in several vertebrate species. We also analyzed the localization and the expression level of proteins encoded by these genes in developing X. laevis gonads. These analyses pointed to the set of genes differentially expressed in developing testes and ovaries. Gata4, Sox9, Dmrt1, Amh, Fgf9, Ptgds, Pdgf, Fshr, and Cyp17a1 expression was upregulated in developing testes, while DM-W, Fst, Foxl2, and Cyp19a1 were upregulated in developing ovaries. We discuss the possible roles of these genes in development of X. laevis gonads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafal P Piprek
- Department of Comparative Anatomy, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland.
| | - Milena Damulewicz
- Department of Cell Biology and Imagining, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Malgorzata Kloc
- The Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Surgery, The Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, USA; University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jacek Z Kubiak
- Univ Rennes, UMR 6290, Institute of Genetics and Development of Rennes, Cell Cycle Group, Faculty of Medicine, F-35000 Rennes, France; Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (WIHE), Warsaw, Poland
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Perner B, Bates TJD, Naumann U, Englert C. Function and Regulation of the Wilms' Tumor Suppressor 1 (WT1) Gene in Fish. METHODS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (CLIFTON, N.J.) 2018; 1467:119-28. [PMID: 27417964 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-4023-3_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The Wilms' tumor suppressor gene Wt1 is highly conserved among vertebrates. In contrast to mammals, most fish species possess two wt1 paralogs that have been named wt1a and wt1b. Concerning wt1 in fish, most work so far has been done using zebrafish, focusing on the embryonic kidney, the pronephros. In this chapter we will describe the structure and development of the pronephros as well as the role that the wt1 genes play in the embryonic zebrafish kidney. We also discuss Wt1 target genes and describe the potential function of the Wt1 proteins in the adult kidney. Finally we will summarize data on the role of Wt1 outside of the kidney.
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Affiliation(s)
- Birgit Perner
- Leibniz Institute for Age-Fritz Lipmann Institute, Beutenbergstrasse 11, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Thomas J D Bates
- Leibniz Institute for Age-Fritz Lipmann Institute, Beutenbergstrasse 11, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Uta Naumann
- Leibniz Institute for Age-Fritz Lipmann Institute, Beutenbergstrasse 11, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Christoph Englert
- Leibniz Institute for Age-Fritz Lipmann Institute, Beutenbergstrasse 11, 07745, Jena, Germany. .,Friedrich Schiller University, Fürstengraben 1, 07743, Jena, Germany.
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Schartl M, Schories S, Wakamatsu Y, Nagao Y, Hashimoto H, Bertin C, Mourot B, Schmidt C, Wilhelm D, Centanin L, Guiguen Y, Herpin A. Sox5 is involved in germ-cell regulation and sex determination in medaka following co-option of nested transposable elements. BMC Biol 2018; 16:16. [PMID: 29378592 PMCID: PMC5789577 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-018-0485-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Accepted: 01/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Sex determination relies on a hierarchically structured network of genes, and is one of the most plastic processes in evolution. The evolution of sex-determining genes within a network, by neo- or sub-functionalization, also requires the regulatory landscape to be rewired to accommodate these novel gene functions. We previously showed that in medaka fish, the regulatory landscape of the master male-determining gene dmrt1bY underwent a profound rearrangement, concomitantly with acquiring a dominant position within the sex-determining network. This rewiring was brought about by the exaptation of a transposable element (TE) called Izanagi, which is co-opted to act as a silencer to turn off the dmrt1bY gene after it performed its function in sex determination. Results We now show that a second TE, Rex1, has been incorporated into Izanagi. The insertion of Rex1 brought in a preformed regulatory element for the transcription factor Sox5, which here functions in establishing the temporal and cell-type-specific expression pattern of dmrt1bY. Mutant analysis demonstrates the importance of Sox5 in the gonadal development of medaka, and possibly in mice, in a dmrt1bY-independent manner. Moreover, Sox5 medaka mutants have complete female-to-male sex reversal. Conclusions Our work reveals an unexpected complexity in TE-mediated transcriptional rewiring, with the exaptation of a second TE into a network already rewired by a TE. We also show a dual role for Sox5 during sex determination: first, as an evolutionarily conserved regulator of germ-cell number in medaka, and second, by de novo regulation of dmrt1 transcriptional activity during primary sex determination due to exaptation of the Rex1 transposable element. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12915-018-0485-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manfred Schartl
- Physiological Chemistry, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074, Würzburg, Germany.,Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken, University Hospital, 97080, Würzburg, Germany.,Texas Institute for Advanced Study and Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Susanne Schories
- Physiological Chemistry, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Yuko Wakamatsu
- Physiological Chemistry, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Yusuke Nagao
- Bioscience and Biotechnology Center, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Hisashi Hashimoto
- Bioscience and Biotechnology Center, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Chloé Bertin
- INRA, UR1037 Fish Physiology and Genomics, F-35000, Rennes, France
| | - Brigitte Mourot
- INRA, UR1037 Fish Physiology and Genomics, F-35000, Rennes, France
| | - Cornelia Schmidt
- Physiological Chemistry, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Dagmar Wilhelm
- Department of Anatomy & Neuroscience, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Lazaro Centanin
- Centre for Organismal Studies (COS), University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Yann Guiguen
- INRA, UR1037 Fish Physiology and Genomics, F-35000, Rennes, France
| | - Amaury Herpin
- Physiological Chemistry, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074, Würzburg, Germany. .,INRA, UR1037 Fish Physiology and Genomics, F-35000, Rennes, France.
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14
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CRISPR/Cas9-induced disruption of wt1a and wt1b reveals their different roles in kidney and gonad development in Nile tilapia. Dev Biol 2017; 428:63-73. [PMID: 28527702 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2017.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2017] [Revised: 05/06/2017] [Accepted: 05/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Wilms tumor 1 (Wt1) is an essential factor for urogenital system development. Teleosts have two wt1s, named as wt1a and wt1b. In this study, the expression pattern of wt1a and wt1b and their functions on the urogenital system were analyzed by in situ hybridization and CRISPR/Cas9. wt1a was found to be expressed in the glomerulus at 3 dah (days after hatching), earlier than wt1b. wt1a and wt1b were simultaneously expressed in the somatic cells of gonads at 3 dah, while their cell locations were similar, but not identical in adult fish gonads. The wt1a-/- fish displayed pericardial edema and yolk sac edema at 3 dah and subsequently expanded as general body edema at 6 dah, failed to develop glomerulus and died during 6-10 dah, whereas the wt1b-/- fish were phenotypically normal. Immunohistochemical analyses revealed that the germ cell marker Vasa was expressed, while somatic cell genes Cyp19a1a, Amh, Gsdf and Dmrt1 were not expressed in the wt1a-/- gonads at 6 dah. The sex phenotypes of XX and XY in the wt1b-/- fish were not affected. Real-time PCR revealed that the ovarian cyp19a1a expression was up-regulated in XX wt1b-/- fish, compared with XX control at 90 dah. Serum estradiol-17β level was also up-regulated in XX wt1b-/- fish at 90 and 180 dah. The XY wt1b-/- fish had normal serum estradiol-17β and 11-ketotestosterone levels and remained fertile. These results suggest that Wt1a and Wt1b have different functions in the kidneys and gonads of tilapia.
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15
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Murugananthkumar R, Senthilkumaran B. Expression analysis and localization of wt1, ad4bp/sf-1 and gata4 in the testis of catfish, Clarias batrachus: Impact of wt1-esiRNA silencing. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2016; 431:164-76. [PMID: 27173028 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2016.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2016] [Revised: 04/06/2016] [Accepted: 05/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
In teleosts, a comprehensive role or interaction of wt1, ad4bp/sf-1 and gata4 genes in relation to gonadal development and/or recrudescence was never attempted. Present study aimed to identify the involvement of these genes during testicular development of catfish, Clarias batrachus. Dominant expression of wt1 and gata4 was observed in developing and adult testis, while ad4bp/sf-1 showed steady expression. Localization of these genes in adult testis revealed their presence in spermatogonia, spermatocytes and interstitial/Leydig cells. Significant high expression during pre-spawning and spawning phases, and upregulated levels of these genes after hCG induction authenticated gonadotropic regulation. Transient silencing of wt1-esiRNA displayed decrease in wt1 expression, which further downregulated the expression of ad4bp/sf-1 and gata4, and certain steroidogenic enzyme genes related to androgen production. These results suggest that wt1 might target ad4bp/sf-1 and gata4 expression, and also have regulatory influence either indirectly or directly on the steroidogenic enzyme genes of catfish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raju Murugananthkumar
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, P.O. Central University, Hyderabad 500046, Telangana, India
| | - Balasubramanian Senthilkumaran
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, P.O. Central University, Hyderabad 500046, Telangana, India.
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16
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Dmy initiates masculinity by altering Gsdf/Sox9a2/Rspo1 expression in medaka (Oryzias latipes). Sci Rep 2016; 6:19480. [PMID: 26806354 PMCID: PMC4726206 DOI: 10.1038/srep19480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2015] [Accepted: 12/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite identification of several sex-determining genes in non-mammalian vertebrates, their detailed molecular cascades of sex determination/differentiation are not known. Here, we used a novel RNAi to characterise the molecular mechanism of Dmy (the sex-determining gene of medaka)-mediated masculinity in XY fish. Dmy knockdown (Dmy-KD) suppressed male pathway (Gsdf, Sox9a2, etc.) and favoured female cascade (Rspo1, etc.) in embryonic XY gonads, resulting in a fertile male-to-female sex-reversal. Gsdf, Sox9a2, and Rspo1 directly interacted with Dmy, and co-injection of Gsdf and Sox9a2 re-established masculinity in XY-Dmy-KD transgenics, insinuating that Dmy initiates masculinity by stimulating and suppressing Gsdf/Sox9a2 and Rspo1 expression, respectively. Gonadal expression of Wt1a starts prior to Dmy and didn’t change upon Dmy-KD. Furthermore, Wt1a stimulated the promoter activity of Dmy, suggesting Wt1a as a regulator of Dmy. These findings provide new insights into the role of vertebrate sex-determining genes associated with the molecular interplay between the male and female pathways.
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17
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Herpin A, Englberger E, Zehner M, Wacker R, Gessler M, Schartl M. Defective autophagy through epg5 mutation results in failure to reduce germ plasm and mitochondria. FASEB J 2015; 29:4145-61. [PMID: 26183773 DOI: 10.1096/fj.14-265462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2014] [Accepted: 06/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved catabolic process that transports cytoplasmic components to lysosomes for degradation. In addition to the canonical view of strict stress-response-induced autophagy, selectively programmed autophagy was recently reported in the context of gonad development of flies and worms, where autophagy seems to be necessary for clearance of germ plasm components. Similar functions have not been described in vertebrates. We used the medaka fish to study the role of autophagy in gonad formation and gametogenesis for the first time in a vertebrate organism for which the germ line is specified by germ plasm. Using a transgenic line deficient in the Ol-epg5 gene—a new critical component of the autophagy pathway—we show that such deficiency leads to an impaired autophagic flux, possibly attributed to compromised maturation or processing of the autophagosomes. Ol-epg5 deficiency correlates with selectively impaired spermatogenesis and low allele transmission rates of the mutant allele caused by failure of germ plasm and mitochondria clearance during the process of germ cell specification and in the adult gonads. The mouse epg-5 homolog is similarly expressed in the maturating and adult testes, suggesting an at least partially conserved function of this process during spermatogenesis in vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amaury Herpin
- *Physiological Chemistry, Developmental Biochemistry, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany; Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Unité de Recherche 1037, Fish Physiology and Genomics, Rennes, France; and Comprehensive Cancer Centre, University Clinic Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Eva Englberger
- *Physiological Chemistry, Developmental Biochemistry, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany; Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Unité de Recherche 1037, Fish Physiology and Genomics, Rennes, France; and Comprehensive Cancer Centre, University Clinic Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Mario Zehner
- *Physiological Chemistry, Developmental Biochemistry, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany; Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Unité de Recherche 1037, Fish Physiology and Genomics, Rennes, France; and Comprehensive Cancer Centre, University Clinic Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Robin Wacker
- *Physiological Chemistry, Developmental Biochemistry, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany; Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Unité de Recherche 1037, Fish Physiology and Genomics, Rennes, France; and Comprehensive Cancer Centre, University Clinic Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Manfred Gessler
- *Physiological Chemistry, Developmental Biochemistry, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany; Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Unité de Recherche 1037, Fish Physiology and Genomics, Rennes, France; and Comprehensive Cancer Centre, University Clinic Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Manfred Schartl
- *Physiological Chemistry, Developmental Biochemistry, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany; Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Unité de Recherche 1037, Fish Physiology and Genomics, Rennes, France; and Comprehensive Cancer Centre, University Clinic Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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18
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Heule C, Göppert C, Salzburger W, Böhne A. Genetics and timing of sex determination in the East African cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni. BMC Genet 2014; 15:140. [PMID: 25494637 PMCID: PMC4278230 DOI: 10.1186/s12863-014-0140-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2014] [Accepted: 12/01/2014] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The factors determining sex are diverse in vertebrates and especially so in teleost fishes. Only a handful of master sex-determining genes have been identified, however great efforts have been undertaken to characterize the subsequent genetic network of sex differentiation in various organisms. East African cichlids offer an ideal model system to study the complexity of sexual development, since many different sex-determining mechanisms occur in closely related species of this fish family. Here, we investigated the sex-determining system and gene expression profiles during male development of Astatotilapia burtoni, a member of the rapidly radiating and exceptionally species-rich haplochromine lineage. Results Crossing experiments with hormonally sex-reversed fish provided evidence for an XX-XY sex determination system in A. burtoni. Resultant all-male broods were used to assess gene expression patterns throughout development of a set of candidate genes, previously characterized in adult cichlids only. Conclusions We could identify the onset of gonad sexual differentiation at 11–12 dpf. The expression profiles identified wnt4B and wt1A as the earliest gonad markers in A. burtoni. Furthermore we identified late testis genes (cyp19a1A, gsdf, dmrt1 and gata4), and brain markers (ctnnb1A, ctnnb1B, dax1A, foxl2, foxl3, nanos1A, nanos1B, rspo1, sf-1, sox9A and sox9B). Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12863-014-0140-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corina Heule
- Zoological Institute, University of Basel, Vesalgasse 1, 4051, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Carolin Göppert
- Zoological Institute, University of Basel, Vesalgasse 1, 4051, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Walter Salzburger
- Zoological Institute, University of Basel, Vesalgasse 1, 4051, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Astrid Böhne
- Zoological Institute, University of Basel, Vesalgasse 1, 4051, Basel, Switzerland.
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19
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Schnerwitzki D, Perner B, Hoppe B, Pietsch S, Mehringer R, Hänel F, Englert C. Alternative splicing of Wilms tumor suppressor 1 (Wt1) exon 4 results in protein isoforms with different functions. Dev Biol 2014; 393:24-32. [PMID: 25014653 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2014.06.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2014] [Revised: 06/06/2014] [Accepted: 06/26/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The Wilms tumor suppressor gene Wt1 encodes a zinc finger transcription factor that is essential for development of multiple organs including kidneys, gonads, spleen and heart. In mammals Wt1 comprises 10 exons with two characteristic splicing events: inclusion or skipping of exon 5 and alternative usage of two splice donor sites between exons 9 and 10. Most fish including zebrafish and medaka possess two wt1 paralogs, wt1a and wt1b, both lacking exon 5. Here we have characterized wt1 in guppy, platyfish and the short-lived African killifish Nothobranchius furzeri. All fish except zebrafish show alternative splicing of exon 4 of wt1a but not of wt1b with the wt1a(-exon 4) isoform being the predominant splice variant. With regard to function, Wt1a(+exon 4) showed less dimerization but stimulated transcription more effectively than the Wt1a(-exon 4) isoform. A specific knockdown of wt1a exon 4 in zebrafish was associated with anomalies in kidney development demonstrating a physiological function for Wt1a exon 4. Interestingly, alternative splicing of exon 4 seems to be an early evolutionary event as it is observed in the single wt1 gene of the sturgeon, a species that has not gone through teleost-specific genome duplication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danny Schnerwitzki
- Leibniz Institute for Age Research - Fritz Lipmann Institute, Beutenbergstrasse 11, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Birgit Perner
- Leibniz Institute for Age Research - Fritz Lipmann Institute, Beutenbergstrasse 11, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Beate Hoppe
- Leibniz Institute for Age Research - Fritz Lipmann Institute, Beutenbergstrasse 11, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Stefan Pietsch
- Leibniz Institute for Age Research - Fritz Lipmann Institute, Beutenbergstrasse 11, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Rebecca Mehringer
- Leibniz Institute for Age Research - Fritz Lipmann Institute, Beutenbergstrasse 11, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Frank Hänel
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), Beutenbergstrasse 11a, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Christoph Englert
- Leibniz Institute for Age Research - Fritz Lipmann Institute, Beutenbergstrasse 11, 07745 Jena, Germany; Friedrich Schiller University, Fürstengraben 1, 07743 Jena, Germany.
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20
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Feiner N, Meyer A, Kuraku S. Evolution of the vertebrate Pax4/6 class of genes with focus on its novel member, the Pax10 gene. Genome Biol Evol 2014; 6:1635-51. [PMID: 24951566 PMCID: PMC4122933 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evu135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The members of the paired box (Pax) family regulate key developmental pathways in many metazoans as tissue-specific transcription factors. Vertebrate genomes typically possess nine Pax genes (Pax1-9), which are derived from four proto-Pax genes in the vertebrate ancestor that were later expanded through the so-called two-round (2R) whole-genome duplication. A recent study proposed that pax6a genes of a subset of teleost fishes (namely, acanthopterygians) are remnants of a paralog generated in the 2R genome duplication, to be renamed pax6.3, and reported one more group of vertebrate Pax genes (Pax6.2), most closely related to the Pax4/6 class. We propose to designate this new member Pax10 instead and reconstruct the evolutionary history of the Pax4/6/10 class with solid phylogenetic evidence. Our synteny analysis showed that Pax4, -6, and -10 originated in the 2R genome duplications early in vertebrate evolution. The phylogenetic analyses of relationships between teleost pax6a and other Pax4, -6, and -10 genes, however, do not support the proposed hypothesis of an ancient origin of the acanthopterygian pax6a genes in the 2R genome duplication. Instead, we confirmed the traditional scenario that the acanthopterygian pax6a is derived from the more recent teleost-specific genome duplication. Notably, Pax6 is present in all vertebrates surveyed to date, whereas Pax4 and -10 were lost multiple times in independent vertebrate lineages, likely because of their restricted expression patterns: Among Pax6-positive domains, Pax10 has retained expression in the adult retina alone, which we documented through in situ hybridization and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction experiments on zebrafish, Xenopus, and anole lizard.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Feiner
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, GermanyInternational Max-Planck Research School (IMPRS) for Organismal Biology, University of Konstanz, GermanyPresent address: Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Axel Meyer
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, GermanyInternational Max-Planck Research School (IMPRS) for Organismal Biology, University of Konstanz, Germany
| | - Shigehiro Kuraku
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, GermanyInternational Max-Planck Research School (IMPRS) for Organismal Biology, University of Konstanz, GermanyPresent address: Genome Resource and Analysis Unit, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
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21
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Thiagarajan RD, Cloonan N, Gardiner BB, Mercer TR, Kolle G, Nourbakhsh E, Wani S, Tang D, Krishnan K, Georgas KM, Rumballe BA, Chiu HS, Steen JA, Mattick JS, Little MH, Grimmond SM. Refining transcriptional programs in kidney development by integration of deep RNA-sequencing and array-based spatial profiling. BMC Genomics 2011; 12:441. [PMID: 21888672 PMCID: PMC3180702 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-12-441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2011] [Accepted: 09/05/2011] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The developing mouse kidney is currently the best-characterized model of organogenesis at a transcriptional level. Detailed spatial maps have been generated for gene expression profiling combined with systematic in situ screening. These studies, however, fall short of capturing the transcriptional complexity arising from each locus due to the limited scope of microarray-based technology, which is largely based on "gene-centric" models. Results To address this, the polyadenylated RNA and microRNA transcriptomes of the 15.5 dpc mouse kidney were profiled using strand-specific RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) to a depth sufficient to complement spatial maps from pre-existing microarray datasets. The transcriptional complexity of RNAs arising from mouse RefSeq loci was catalogued; including 3568 alternatively spliced transcripts and 532 uncharacterized alternate 3' UTRs. Antisense expressions for 60% of RefSeq genes was also detected including uncharacterized non-coding transcripts overlapping kidney progenitor markers, Six2 and Sall1, and were validated by section in situ hybridization. Analysis of genes known to be involved in kidney development, particularly during mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition, showed an enrichment of non-coding antisense transcripts extended along protein-coding RNAs. Conclusion The resulting resource further refines the transcriptomic cartography of kidney organogenesis by integrating deep RNA sequencing data with locus-based information from previously published expression atlases. The added resolution of RNA-Seq has provided the basis for a transition from classical gene-centric models of kidney development towards more accurate and detailed "transcript-centric" representations, which highlights the extent of transcriptional complexity of genes that direct complex development events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rathi D Thiagarajan
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St, Lucia QLD 4072, Australia.
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22
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Raghuveer K, Senthilkumaran B, Sudhakumari CC, Sridevi P, Rajakumar A, Singh R, Murugananthkumar R, Majumdar KC. Dimorphic expression of various transcription factor and steroidogenic enzyme genes during gonadal ontogeny in the air-breathing catfish, Clarias gariepinus. Sex Dev 2011; 5:213-23. [PMID: 21720151 DOI: 10.1159/000328823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/21/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In the present study the expression of 13 genes known to be involved in sex differentiation and steroidogenesis in catfish was analyzed during gonadal ontogeny by quantitative real-time RT-PCR. Dmrt1 and sox9a showed exclusive expression in male gonads while ovarian aromatase (cyp19a1) and foxl2 were abundant in differentiating female gonads. Most of the genes related to steroidogenesis were expressed only after gonadal differentiation. However, genes coding for 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-hsd), 17α-hydroxylase/C17-20 lyase type 1 (cyp17) and steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (star) were barely detectable during gonadal differentiation. Ovarian aromatase, cyp19a1, which is responsible for estradiol-17β biosynthesis in females, was expressed very early in the undifferentiated gonads of catfish, around 30-40 days post hatch (dph). The steroidogenic enzyme, 11β-hydroxylase (cyp11b1) required for the production of 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT) was expressed only after differentiation of testis. These results suggest that estradiol-17β has a critical role in ovarian differentiation, while the role of 11-KT in testicular differentiation is doubtful. In conclusion, dimorphic expression of dmrt1 and sox9a in gonads during early development is required for testicular differentiation, and sex-specific expression of cyp19a1 and foxl2 in females plays a critical role in ovarian development. Our study reveals that the critical period of gonadal differentiation in catfish starts around 30-40 dph when sex-specific genes showed differential expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Raghuveer
- Department of Animal Sciences, School of Life Sciences-Centre for Advanced Studies, University of Hyderabad, India
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23
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Leet JK, Gall HE, Sepúlveda MS. A review of studies on androgen and estrogen exposure in fish early life stages: effects on gene and hormonal control of sexual differentiation. J Appl Toxicol 2011; 31:379-98. [PMID: 21557264 DOI: 10.1002/jat.1682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2011] [Revised: 02/23/2011] [Accepted: 02/24/2011] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Teleost fish are unique among vertebrates in that phenotypic sex or onset of sex inversion can be easily manipulated by hormonal treatments. In recent years, researchers have begun reporting concentrations of synthetic and natural hormones in the environment. Although concentrations are very low (in the parts per trillion to low parts per billion), they are still of concern because of the high potency of synthetic hormones and the enhanced susceptibility of teleost fishes, especially early life stages, to hormonal exposures. In this review, we will focus on sex differentiation in teleost fishes and how these processes in fish early life stages may be impacted by environmental hormones which are known to contaminate aquatic environments. We will start by reviewing information on sources and concentrations of hormones in the environment and continue by summarizing the state of knowledge of sex differentiation in teleost gonochoristic fishes, including information on genes involved (e.g. cyp19, dmrt1, sox9 and foxl2). We will end our review with a summary of studies that have examined the effects of androgens and estrogens on fish sex differentiation after exposure of fish embryos and larvae and with ideas for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica K Leet
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
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24
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Sánchez-Sánchez AV, Camp E, Leal-Tassias A, Atkinson SP, Armstrong L, Díaz-Llopis M, Mullor JL. Nanog regulates primordial germ cell migration through Cxcr4b. Stem Cells 2010; 28:1457-64. [PMID: 20578184 DOI: 10.1002/stem.469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Gonadal development in vertebrates depends on the early determination of primordial germ cells (PGCs) and their correct migration to the sites where the gonads develop. Several genes have been implicated in PGC specification and migration in vertebrates. Additionally, some of the genes associated with pluripotency, such as Oct4 and Nanog, are expressed in PGCs and gonads, suggesting a role for these genes in maintaining pluripotency of the germ lineage, which may be considered the only cell type that perpetually maintains stemness properties. Here, we report that medaka Nanog (Ol-Nanog) is expressed in the developing PGCs. Depletion of Ol-Nanog protein causes aberrant migration of PGCs and inhibits expression of Cxcr4b in PGCs, where it normally serves as the receptor of Sdf1a to guide PGC migration. Moreover, chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis demonstrates that Ol-Nanog protein binds to the promoter region of Cxcr4b, suggesting a direct regulation of Cxcr4b by Ol-Nanog. Simultaneous overexpression of Cxcr4b mRNA and depletion of Ol-Nanog protein in PGCs rescues the migration defective phenotype induced by a loss of Ol-Nanog, whereas overexpression of Sdf1a, the ligand for Cxcr4b, does not restore proper PGC migration. These results indicate that Ol-Nanog mediates PGC migration by regulating Cxcr4b expression.
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25
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DeLuna A, Springer M, Kirschner MW, Kishony R. Need-based up-regulation of protein levels in response to deletion of their duplicate genes. PLoS Biol 2010; 8:e1000347. [PMID: 20361019 PMCID: PMC2846854 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1000347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2009] [Accepted: 02/22/2010] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Duplicated genes compensate for loss of one of the paralogs by up-regulating the remaining paralog only under growth conditions in which paralog activity is required for survival. Many duplicate genes maintain functional overlap despite divergence over long evolutionary time scales. Deleting one member of a paralogous pair often has no phenotypic effect, unless its paralog is also deleted. It has been suggested that this functional compensation might be mediated by active up-regulation of expression of a gene in response to deletion of its paralog. However, it is not clear how prevalent such paralog responsiveness is, nor whether it is hardwired or dependent on feedback from environmental conditions. Here, we address these questions at the genomic scale using high-throughput flow cytometry of single-cell protein levels in differentially labeled cocultures of wild-type and paralog-knockout Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains. We find that only a modest fraction of proteins (22 out of 202) show significant up-regulation to deletion of their duplicate genes. However, these paralog-responsive proteins match almost exclusively duplicate pairs whose overlapping function is required for growth. Moreover, media conditions that add or remove requirements for the function of a duplicate gene pair specifically eliminate or create paralog responsiveness. Together, our results suggest that paralog responsiveness in yeast is need-based: it appears only in conditions in which the gene function is required. Physiologically, such need-based responsiveness could provide an adaptive mechanism for compensation of genetic, environmental, or stochastic perturbations in protein abundance. Despite sequence divergence over long evolutionary times, many genes that have undergone duplication can still compensate for the loss of their duplicates. This compensation depends, not only on functional overlap between the paralogous genes, but also on overlap in their expression patterns. It has been proposed that compensation might therefore involve active up-regulation of a gene in response to deletion of its paralog. To test for such paralog responsiveness in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we systematically measured changes in single-cell protein levels for approximately 200 duplicate genes in the presence or absence of their paralogs. Only a small fraction (∼11%) of proteins increased in level in response to deletion of their paralog, but this set matched almost exclusively the subset of paralogs whose overlapping function is required for viability. Further, when we examined yeast grown in different media, we found that genes had either gained or lost paralog responsiveness exactly according to their importance for growth in the tested conditions. Responsiveness, therefore, is need-based: it appears only in conditions in which the function of one or both paralogs is required. We propose that such need-based responsiveness of duplicate genes could play an important adaptive role, not just in the artificial event of paralog deletion, but also in the maintenance of functions that are compromised by natural genetic, environmental, or stochastic perturbations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander DeLuna
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad, CINVESTAV, Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - Michael Springer
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Marc W. Kirschner
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Roy Kishony
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Pala I, Schartl M, Thorsteinsdóttir S, Coelho MM. Sex determination in the Squalius alburnoides complex: an initial characterization of sex cascade elements in the context of a hybrid polyploid genome. PLoS One 2009; 4:e6401. [PMID: 19636439 PMCID: PMC2713423 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0006401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2009] [Accepted: 06/22/2009] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Sex determination processes vary widely among different vertebrate taxa, but no group offers as much diversity for the study of the evolution of sex determination as teleost fish. However, the knowledge about sex determination gene cascades is scarce in this species-rich group and further difficulties arise when considering hybrid fish taxa, in which mechanisms exhibited by parental species are often disrupted. Even though hybridisation is frequent among teleosts, gene based approaches on sex determination have seldom been conducted in hybrid fish. The hybrid polyploid complex of Squalius alburnoides was used as a model to address this question. Methodology/Principal Findings We have initiated the isolation and characterization of regulatory elements (dmrt1, wt1, dax1 and figla) potentially involved in sex determination in S. alburnoides and in the parental species S. pyrenaicus and analysed their expression patterns by in situ hybridisation. In adults, an overall conservation in the cellular localization of the gene transcripts was observed between the hybrids and parental species. Some novel features emerged, such as dmrt1 expression in adult ovaries, and the non-dimorphic expression of figla, an ovarian marker in other species, in gonads of both sexes in S. alburnoides and S. pyrenaicus. The potential contribution of each gene to the sex determination process was assessed based on the timing and location of expression. Dmrt1 and wt1 transcripts were found at early stages of male development in S. alburnoides and are most likely implicated in the process of gonad development. Conclusions/Significance For the first time in the study of this hybrid complex, it was possible to directly compare the gene expression patterns between the bisexual parental species and the various hybrid forms, for an extended set of genes. The contribution of these genes to gonad integrity maintenance and functionality is apparently unaltered in the hybrids, suggesting that no abrupt shifts in gene expression occurred as a result of hybridisation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Pala
- Centro de Biologia Ambiental, Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
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Medaka vasa is required for migration but not survival of primordial germ cells. Mech Dev 2009; 126:366-81. [PMID: 19249358 DOI: 10.1016/j.mod.2009.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2008] [Revised: 01/21/2009] [Accepted: 02/10/2009] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Vasa is essential for germline development. However, the precise processes in which vasa involves vary considerably in diverse animal phyla. Here we show that vasa is required for primordial germ cell (PGC) migration in the medakafish. vasa knockdown by two morpholinos led to the PGC migration defect that was rescued by coinjection of vasa RNA. Interestingly, vasa knockdown did not alter the PGC number, identity, proliferation and motility even at ectopic locations. We established a cell culture system for tracing PGCs at the single cell level in vitro. In this culture system, control and morpholino-injected gastrulae produced the same PGC number and the same time course of PGC survival. Importantly, vasa-depleted PGCs in culture had similar motility and locomotion to normal PGCs. Expression patterns of wt1a, sdf1b and cxcr4b in migratory tissues remained unchanged by vasa knockdown. By chimera formation we show that PGCs from vasa-depleted blastulae failed to migrate properly in the normal environment, whereas control PGCs migrated normally in vasa-disrupted embryos. Furthermore, ectopic PGCs in vasa-depleted embryos also retained all the PGC properties examined. Taken together, medaka vasa is cell-autonomously required for PGC migration, but dispensable to PGC proliferation, motility, identity and survival.
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