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Kuhl H, Tan WH, Klopp C, Kleiner W, Koyun B, Ciorpac M, Feron R, Knytl M, Kloas W, Schartl M, Winkler C, Stöck M. A candidate sex determination locus in amphibians which evolved by structural variation between X- and Y-chromosomes. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4781. [PMID: 38839766 PMCID: PMC11153619 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49025-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Most vertebrates develop distinct females and males, where sex is determined by repeatedly evolved environmental or genetic triggers. Undifferentiated sex chromosomes and large genomes have caused major knowledge gaps in amphibians. Only a single master sex-determining gene, the dmrt1-paralogue (dm-w) of female-heterogametic clawed frogs (Xenopus; ZW♀/ZZ♂), is known across >8740 species of amphibians. In this study, by combining chromosome-scale female and male genomes of a non-model amphibian, the European green toad, Bufo(tes) viridis, with ddRAD- and whole genome pool-sequencing, we reveal a candidate master locus, governing a male-heterogametic system (XX♀/XY♂). Targeted sequencing across multiple taxa uncovered structural X/Y-variation in the 5'-regulatory region of the gene bod1l, where a Y-specific non-coding RNA (ncRNA-Y), only expressed in males, suggests that this locus initiates sex-specific differentiation. Developmental transcriptomes and RNA in-situ hybridization show timely and spatially relevant sex-specific ncRNA-Y and bod1l-gene expression in primordial gonads. This coincided with differential H3K4me-methylation in pre-granulosa/pre-Sertoli cells, pointing to a specific mechanism of amphibian sex determination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heiner Kuhl
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, IGB, Müggelseedamm 301 & 310, 12587, Berlin, Germany
| | - Wen Hui Tan
- Department of Biological Sciences and Centre for Bioimaging Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Block S1A, Level 6, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
| | - Christophe Klopp
- SIGENAE, Plate-forme Bio-informatique Genotoul, Mathématiques et Informatique Appliquées de Toulouse, INRAe, 31326, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Wibke Kleiner
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, IGB, Müggelseedamm 301 & 310, 12587, Berlin, Germany
| | - Baturalp Koyun
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, IGB, Müggelseedamm 301 & 310, 12587, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Genetics, Faculty of Science, Bilkent University, SB Building, Ankara, 06800, Turkey
| | - Mitica Ciorpac
- Danube Delta National Institute for Research and Development, Tulcea, 820112, Romania
- Advanced Research and Development Center for Experimental Medicine-CEMEX, "Grigore T. Popa", University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Mihail Kogălniceanu Street 9-13, Iasi, 700259, Romania
| | - Romain Feron
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Martin Knytl
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague, 12843, Czech Republic
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, L8S 4K1, Ontario, ON, Canada
| | - Werner Kloas
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, IGB, Müggelseedamm 301 & 310, 12587, Berlin, Germany
| | - Manfred Schartl
- Developmental Biochemistry, Biocenter, University of Wuerzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Wuerzburg, Germany
- The Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA
| | - Christoph Winkler
- Department of Biological Sciences and Centre for Bioimaging Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Block S1A, Level 6, Singapore, 117543, Singapore.
| | - Matthias Stöck
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, IGB, Müggelseedamm 301 & 310, 12587, Berlin, Germany.
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Fornaini NR, Bergelová B, Gvoždík V, Černohorská H, Krylov V, Kubíčková S, Fokam EB, Badjedjea G, Evans BJ, Knytl M. Consequences of polyploidy and divergence as revealed by cytogenetic mapping of tandem repeats in African clawed frogs ( Xenopus, Pipidae). EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2023; 69:81. [PMID: 37483536 PMCID: PMC10361878 DOI: 10.1007/s10344-023-01709-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Repetitive elements have been identified in several amphibian genomes using whole genome sequencing, but few studies have used cytogenetic mapping to visualize these elements in this vertebrate group. Here, we used fluorescence in situ hybridization and genomic data to map the U1 and U2 small nuclear RNAs and histone H3 in six species of African clawed frog (genus Xenopus), including, from subgenus Silurana, the diploid Xenopus tropicalis and its close allotetraploid relative X. calcaratus and, from subgenus Xenopus, the allotetraploid species X. pygmaeus, X. allofraseri, X. laevis, and X. muelleri. Results allowed us to qualitatively evaluate the relative roles of polyploidization and divergence in the evolution of repetitive elements because our focal species include allotetraploid species derived from two independent polyploidization events - one that is relatively young that gave rise to X. calcaratus and another that is older that gave rise to the other (older) allotetraploids. Our results demonstrated conserved loci number and position of signals in the species from subgenus Silurana; allotetraploid X. calcaratus has twice as many signals as diploid X. tropicalis. However, the content of repeats varied among the other allotetraploid species. We detected almost same number of signals in X. muelleri as in X. calcaratus and same number of signals in X. pygmaeus, X. allofraseri, X. laevis as in the diploid X. tropicalis. Overall, these results are consistent with the proposal that allopolyploidization duplicated these tandem repeats and that variation in their copy number was accumulated over time through reduction and expansion in a subset of the older allopolyploids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola R. Fornaini
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague, 12843 Czech Republic
| | - Barbora Bergelová
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague, 12843 Czech Republic
| | - Václav Gvoždík
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Zoology, National Museum of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Halina Černohorská
- Department of Genetics and Reproduction, CEITEC - Veterinary Research Institute, Hudcova 296/70, Brno, 62100 Czech Republic
| | - Vladimír Krylov
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague, 12843 Czech Republic
| | - Svatava Kubíčková
- Department of Genetics and Reproduction, CEITEC - Veterinary Research Institute, Hudcova 296/70, Brno, 62100 Czech Republic
| | - Eric B. Fokam
- Department of Animal Biology and Conservation, University of Buea, PO Box 63, Buea, 00237 Cameroon
| | - Gabriel Badjedjea
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Biodiversity Monitoring Center, University of Kisangani, Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Ben J. Evans
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S4K1 Canada
| | - Martin Knytl
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague, 12843 Czech Republic
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S4K1 Canada
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Knytl M, Fornaini NR, Bergelová B, Gvoždík V, Černohorská H, Kubíčková S, Fokam EB, Evans BJ, Krylov V. Divergent subgenome evolution in the allotetraploid frog Xenopus calcaratus. Gene X 2023; 851:146974. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.146974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
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Knytl M, Forsythe A, Kalous L. A Fish of Multiple Faces, Which Show Us Enigmatic and Incredible Phenomena in Nature: Biology and Cytogenetics of the Genus Carassius. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:8095. [PMID: 35897665 PMCID: PMC9330404 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23158095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual vs. asexual reproduction-unisexual vs. bisexual populations-diploid vs. polyploid biotypes-genetic vs. environmental sex determination: all these natural phenomena are associated with the genus of teleost fish, Carassius. This review places emphasis on two Carassius entities with completely different biological characteristics: one globally widespread and invasive Carassius gibelio, and the other C. carassius with a decreasing trend of natural occurrence. Comprehensive biological and cytogenetic knowledge of both entities, including the physical interactions between them, can help to balance the advantages of highly invasive and disadvantages of threatened species. For example, the benefits of a wide-ranged colonization can lead to the extinction of native species or be compensated by parasitic enemies and lead to equilibrium. This review emphasizes the comprehensive biology and cytogenetic knowledge and the importance of the Carassius genus as one of the most useful experimental vertebrate models for evolutionary biology and genetics. Secondly, the review points out that effective molecular cytogenetics should be used for the identification of various species, ploidy levels, and hybrids. The proposed investigation of these hallmark characteristics in Carassius may be applied in conservation efforts to sustain threatened populations in their native ranges. Furthermore, the review focuses on the consequences of the co-occurrence of native and non-native species and outlines future perspectives of Carassius research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Knytl
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, 12843 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Adrian Forsythe
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Center, Uppsala University, 75236 Uppsala, Sweden;
| | - Lukáš Kalous
- Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, 16521 Prague, Czech Republic;
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Knytl M, Fornaini NR. Measurement of Chromosomal Arms and FISH Reveal Complex Genome Architecture and Standardized Karyotype of Model Fish, Genus Carassius. Cells 2021; 10:2343. [PMID: 34571992 PMCID: PMC8471844 DOI: 10.3390/cells10092343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The widely distributed ray-finned fish genus Carassius is very well known due to its unique biological characteristics such as polyploidy, clonality, and/or interspecies hybridization. These biological characteristics have enabled Carassius species to be successfully widespread over relatively short period of evolutionary time. Therefore, this fish model deserves to be the center of attention in the research field. Some studies have already described the Carassius karyotype, but results are inconsistent in the number of morphological categories for individual chromosomes. We investigated three focal species: Carassius auratus, C. carassius and C. gibelio with the aim to describe their standardized diploid karyotypes, and to study their evolutionary relationships using cytogenetic tools. We measured length (q+plength) of each chromosome and calculated centromeric index (i value). We found: (i) The relationship between q+plength and i value showed higher similarity of C. auratus and C. carassius. (ii) The variability of i value within each chromosome expressed by means of the first quartile (Q1) up to the third quartile (Q3) showed higher similarity of C. carassius and C. gibelio. (iii) The fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis revealed higher similarity of C. auratus and C. gibelio. (iv) Standardized karyotype formula described using median value (Q2) showed differentiation among all investigated species: C. auratus had 24 metacentric (m), 40 submetacentric (sm), 2 subtelocentric (st), 2 acrocentric (a) and 32 telocentric (T) chromosomes (24m+40sm+2st+2a+32T); C. carassius: 16m+34sm+8st+42T; and C. gibelio: 16m+22sm+10st+2a+50T. (v) We developed R scripts applicable for the description of standardized karyotype for any other species. The diverse results indicated unprecedented complex genomic and chromosomal architecture in the genus Carassius probably influenced by its unique biological characteristics which make the study of evolutionary relationships more difficult than it has been originally postulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Knytl
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, 12843 Prague, Czech Republic;
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Avian Expression Patterns and Genomic Mapping Implicate Leptin in Digestion and TNF in Immunity, Suggesting That Their Interacting Adipokine Role Has Been Acquired Only in Mammals. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20184489. [PMID: 31514326 PMCID: PMC6770569 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20184489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In mammals, leptin and tumor-necrosis factor (TNF) are prominent interacting adipokines mediating appetite control and insulin sensitivity. While TNF pleiotropically functions in immune defense and cell survival, leptin is largely confined to signaling energy stores in adipocytes. Knowledge about the function of avian leptin and TNF is limited and they are absent or lowly expressed in adipose, respectively. Employing radiation-hybrid mapping and FISH-TSA, we mapped TNF and its syntenic genes to chicken chromosome 16 within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) region. This mapping position suggests that avian TNF has a role in regulating immune response. To test its possible interaction with leptin within the immune system and beyond, we compared the transcription patterns of TNF, leptin and their cognate receptors obtained by meta-analysis of GenBank RNA-seq data. While expression of leptin and its receptor (LEPR) were detected in the brain and digestive tract, TNF and its receptor mRNAs were primarily found in viral-infected and LPS-treated leukocytes. We confirmed leptin expression in the duodenum by immunohistochemistry staining. Altogether, we suggest that whereas leptin and TNF interact as adipokines in mammals, in birds, they have distinct roles. Thus, the interaction between leptin and TNF may be unique to mammals.
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