1
|
Qi Q, Dong Z, Zhang N, Wang L, Shao C, Xu W. Cloning, expression and functional analysis of the desert hedgehog (dhh) gene in Chinese tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis). Gene Expr Patterns 2020; 39:119163. [PMID: 33359643 DOI: 10.1016/j.gep.2020.119163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2020] [Revised: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Desert hedgehog (dhh) is a gene that is crucial for spermatogenesis and Leydig cell differentiation, but little is known regarding its influence on gonadal differentiation and development in fish. To understand its function, we cloned and characterized the dhh gene from Cynoglossus semilaevis (csdhh). The full length csdhh cDNA was 2473 bp, including a 1386 bp open reading frame (ORF), a 475 bp 5'-UTR, and a 612 bp 3'-UTR, encoding a predicted protein of 461 amino acid residues. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the putative protein belongs to the hedgehog (HH) family, and contains typical HH-N and HH-C domains. Amino acid sequence analysis revealed that CsDhh shares many features with Dhh analogues in other teleost species. Real-time quantitative PCR showed that csdhh was detected in eight different tissues in male and female tongue sole. During early embryonic development, the relative expression of the csdhh was significantly higher in the neural stage than in other embryonic developmental stages (P < 0.05). csdhh was detected at 20 days after hatching (dah) and at the critical period of male gonadal differentiation (80-95 dah), the relative expression of the csdhh was significantly higher in the male gonads than the female gonads. In 5, 8, and 12 month old gonads, the relative expression of the csdhh was significantly higher in male and pseudo-male than in female fish. The in situ hybridization (ISH) results showed that the hybridization signal was strongly expressed in primary and secondary spermatocytes, spermatids, and sertoli cells of the 1-year-old fish testis, with only weak signal expression in the corresponding ovarian tissue. These results suggest that csdhh is highly conserved in evolution and plays an important role in spermatogenesis in males and pseudo-males.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qian Qi
- Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471000, China; Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Science (CAFS), Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Zhongdian Dong
- Guangdong South China Sea Key Laboratory of Aquaculture for Aquatic Economic Animals, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, China
| | - Ning Zhang
- Guangdong South China Sea Key Laboratory of Aquaculture for Aquatic Economic Animals, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, China
| | - Liang Wang
- Yantai Marine Economic Research Institute, Yantai, 264003, China
| | - Changwei Shao
- Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Science (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 Science (CAFS), Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology Qingdao, 266071, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Yan H, Shen X, Cui X, Wu Y, Wang L, Zhang L, Liu Q, Jiang Y. Identification of genes involved in gonadal sex differentiation and the dimorphic expression pattern in Takifugu rubripes gonad at the early stage of sex differentiation. FISH PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY 2018; 44:1275-1290. [PMID: 29777416 DOI: 10.1007/s10695-018-0519-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Quantifying the expression of mRNAs in the gonads at the critical stage of molecular sex differentiation stage might help to clarify the regulatory network during early sex differentiation and provide new information on the role of sex-related genes in gonadal function. In this study, transcriptomic analysis of sex-related genes expression profiles in fugu gonads at 60 and 90 days after hatching (dah) was conducted firstly, and a total of 112,504,991 clean reads, encompassing 28.35 Gb of sequences were retrieved. Twenty-three thousand eight hundred ten genes were found to be expressed in juvenile fugu gonads, and we mainly focused on the differentially expressed genes that have the potential to be involved in the gonadal sex differentiation. For 60-dah juveniles, we identified 1014 genes that were upregulated in the ovary and 1570 that were upregulated in the testis. For 90-dah juveniles, we identified 1287 genes that were upregulated in the ovary and 1500 that were upregulated in the testis. The dimorphic expression patterns of 15 genes in gonads at 30 and 40 dah were further investigate using qPCR. Cyp11b and star were expressed at higher levels in XY than in XX, while cyp11a1 and cyp19a1a were expressed at higher levels in XX than in XY at 30 dah. At 40 dah, the levels of gsdf, dmrt1, dmrt3, cyp11c1, star, and hsd3b expression were higher in XY, while the levels of foxl2, cyp19a1a, wnt9b, and foxD4 expression were higher in XX. Sox9, cyp11a1, cyp17a1, cyp17a2, and nr5a2 were expressed at similar levels in XX and XY at 40 dah. This is the first report of gonadal transcriptome of fugu at early sex differentiation stage, and our results provide an archive for further study on molecular mechanism underlying sex differentiation in this species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hongwei Yan
- College of Fisheries and life Science, Dalian Ocean University, No. 52 Heishijiao Street, Shahekou District, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Xufang Shen
- College of Fisheries and life Science, Dalian Ocean University, No. 52 Heishijiao Street, Shahekou District, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Xin Cui
- College of Fisheries and life Science, Dalian Ocean University, No. 52 Heishijiao Street, Shahekou District, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Yumeng Wu
- College of Fisheries and life Science, Dalian Ocean University, No. 52 Heishijiao Street, Shahekou District, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Lianshun Wang
- College of Fisheries and life Science, Dalian Ocean University, No. 52 Heishijiao Street, Shahekou District, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- College of Marine Science and Environment Engineering, Dalian Ocean University, No. 52 Heishijiao Street, Shahekou District, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Qi Liu
- College of Marine Science and Environment Engineering, Dalian Ocean University, No. 52 Heishijiao Street, Shahekou District, Dalian, 116023, China.
| | - Yusheng Jiang
- College of Fisheries and life Science, Dalian Ocean University, No. 52 Heishijiao Street, Shahekou District, Dalian, 116023, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Wang L, You F, Weng S, Wen A, Wu Z, Zou Y, Xin M, Zhang P. Molecular cloning and sexually dimorphic expression patterns of nr0b1 and nr5a2 in olive flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus. Dev Genes Evol 2015; 225:95-104. [DOI: 10.1007/s00427-015-0495-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2014] [Accepted: 03/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
|
4
|
Zhang L, Liu W, Shao C, Zhang N, Li H, Liu K, Dong Z, Qi Q, Zhao W, Chen S. Cloning, expression and methylation analysis of piwil2 in half-smooth tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis). Mar Genomics 2014; 18 Pt A:45-54. [DOI: 10.1016/j.margen.2014.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2014] [Revised: 04/17/2014] [Accepted: 04/18/2014] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
|
5
|
Hu Q, Zhu Y, Liu Y, Wang N, Chen S. Cloning and characterization of wnt4a gene and evidence for positive selection in half-smooth tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis). Sci Rep 2014; 4:7167. [PMID: 25418599 PMCID: PMC4241513 DOI: 10.1038/srep07167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2014] [Accepted: 11/03/2014] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Wnt4 gene plays a role in developmental processes in mammals. However, little is known regarding its function in teleosts. We cloned and characterized the full-length half-smooth tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis) wnt4a gene (CS-wnt4a). CS-wnt4a cDNA was 1746 bp in length encoding 353aa. CS-wnt4a expression level was highest in the testis, and gradually increased in the developing gonads until 1 year of age. In situ hybridization revealed that CS-wnt4a expression level was highest in stage II oocytes and sperm in the adult ovary and testis, respectively. CS-wnt4a expression level was significantly up-regulated in the gonads after exposure to high temperature. The level of methylation of the CS-wnt4a first exon was negatively correlated with the expression of CS-wnt4a. The branch-site model suggested that vertebrate wnt4a differed significantly from that of wnt4b, and that the selective pressures differed between ancestral aquatic and terrestrial organisms. Two positively selected sites were found in the ancestral lineages of teleost fish, but none in the ancestral lineages of mammals. One positively selected site was located on the α-helices of the 3D structure, the other on the random coil. Our results are of value for further study of the function of wnt4 and the mechanism of selection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qiaomu Hu
- 1] Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences; Key Laboratory of Sustainable Development of Marine Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture, Qingdao 266071, China [2] Yangtze River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuhan 430223, China
| | - Ying Zhu
- Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences; Key Laboratory of Sustainable Development of Marine Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences; Key Laboratory of Sustainable Development of Marine Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Na Wang
- Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences; Key Laboratory of Sustainable Development of Marine Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Songlin Chen
- Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences; Key Laboratory of Sustainable Development of Marine Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture, Qingdao 266071, China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Wang K, Zhang H, Hu Q, Shao C, Chen S. Expression and purification of half-smooth tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis) CSDAZL protein. Protein Expr Purif 2014; 102:8-12. [PMID: 25064428 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2014.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2014] [Revised: 07/14/2014] [Accepted: 07/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The csdazl gene is a sex related gene of half-smooth tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis). Our research group have cloned full length cDNA of csdazl, and studied its expression pattern. To get the further information of csdazl, we constructed a prokaryotic expression plasmid, pET-32a-CSDAZL, expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 and purified the fusion protein by His Trap. In order to detect the biological activity of the fusion protein, we injected the protein with liposome into fish, and detected other sex-related genes' mRNA expression. The results showed that the expression levels of half-smooth tongue sole female-related genes Cyp19a and Foxl2 significantly decreased between 6 and 24 h; however, both genes' expressions returned to their normal levels 72 h after injection, indicating that recombinant CSDAZL protein could down-regulated the expression of female-related genes, Foxl2 and Cyp19a genes, implying that the fusion protein has biological activity and csdazl plays a role in sex differentiation by regulating sex related genes' expression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kailin Wang
- Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; College of Fisheries and Life Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Hong Zhang
- Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Qiaomu Hu
- Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Changwei Shao
- Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Songlin Chen
- Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China.
| |
Collapse
|