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Life
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Sex Determination and Gonad Development: From Mechanism to Application
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Sex Determination and Gonad Development: From Mechanism to Application

A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2022) | Viewed by 11077

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Daji Luo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
Interests: sex determination; sex reversal; gonadal development; nuclear transplantation; gene engineering; RNA biology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sex determination and gonad development are critically important for the continuity of species with reproduction. How the primordial germ cells (PGCs) and the bipotential gonadal primordium develop into either an ovary or testis that produces egg or sperm cells, respectively, is still a fascinating question. Current studies have shown that the developmental processes and regulatory mechanisms underlying this basic biological process are highly diverse and complex across different species. Both genetic factors (sex-determining genes, etc.) and environmental factors (temperature, photoperiod, etc.) contribute to sex determination and differentiation in varying degrees depending on species. Multilevel regulation mechanisms including genetics, epigenetic modification, transcriptional regulation, translational regulation, post-translational modification, RNA metabolism, and neuroendocrine regulation have been implicated in the processes of sex determination and gonad development. Recently, the rapid progress of omics research, such as single-cell RNA-seq, metabonomics, and so on, has provided plenty of valuable data and opportunities to push the field forward. It is for this reason that we have decided to set up this Special Issue on “Sex Determination and Gonad Development: From Mechanism to Application”, edited by Professor Daji Luo. The aim and scope include but are not limited to the evolutionary origin of sexual differentiation, the molecular and cellular mechanisms controlling gonad development and gametogenesis, the biological functions of sex-related genes, agricultural animal sex-controlled breeding, the artificial reproduction of economic and endangered species, and human reproductive health and disorders. Research and review papers on all aspects of sex determination and gonad development are welcomed. We would like to thank all colleagues for their contributions to the scientific community!

Prospective authors should first send a short abstract or tentative title to the Editorial Office. If the editors deem the topic to be appropriate for inclusion in the Special Issue, the author will be encouraged to submit a full manuscript.

Prof. Dr. Daji Luo
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Life is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sex determination
  • gonad development
  • molecular and cellular mechanisms of reproduction
  • gene regulatory networks
  • reproductive endocrine
  • omics studies
  • sex-controlled breeding
  • artificial reproduction

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 5389 KiB  
Article
Identification and Expression Analysis of Wnt2 Gene in the Sex Differentiation of the Chinese Soft-Shelled Turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis)
by Tong Zhou, Haiqi Zhang, Meng Chen, Yingping Zhang, Guobin Chen, Guiwei Zou and Hongwei Liang
Life 2023, 13(1), 188; https://doi.org/10.3390/life13010188 - 09 Jan 2023
Viewed by 1390
Abstract
The Chinese soft-shelled turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis) is an important freshwater aquaculture animal in China. The Wnt gene family plays important regulatory roles in the development and growth of mammals. However, the precise function of these family genes has not been well [...] Read more.
The Chinese soft-shelled turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis) is an important freshwater aquaculture animal in China. The Wnt gene family plays important regulatory roles in the development and growth of mammals. However, the precise function of these family genes has not been well understood in the sex differentiation of Chinese soft-shelled turtles. Here, we cloned a member of the Wnt family, Wnt2, which obtained a 1077 bp open reading frame that encoded a 358-aa protein. The putative amino acid sequences of proteins are exceeded 80% identical to other turtles. The expression level of Wnt2 peaked at the 14th stage both in female and male embryos during the early gonadal differentiation period of Chinese soft-shelled turtles, which occurred before gonadal differentiation. Wnt2 mRNA was expressed at higher levels in the brains and gonads of mature P. sinensis females compared with those in mature males. Wnt agonists significantly affected the expression level of Wnt2 during the gonadal differentiation period. After Wnt agonists (1.0 μg/μL, 2.5 μg/μL, 5.0 μg/μL) treatment, the expression level of the Wnt2 generally appeared to have an inverted-V trend over time in female embryonic gonads. The results suggested that Wnt2 may participate in the regulation of gonad development in P. sinensis during the early embryonic stages. These results could provide a theoretical basis for the reproduction process of the Chinese soft-shelled turtle. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sex Determination and Gonad Development: From Mechanism to Application)
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14 pages, 2914 KiB  
Article
Effects of Secretoneurin and Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Agonist on the Spawning of Captive Greater Amberjack (Seriola dumerili)
by Song Yanlong, Jiang Yinjun, Chen Ji, Tao Binbin, Xu Wen, Huang Yang, Li Guangli, Chunhua Zhu and Hu Wei
Life 2022, 12(9), 1457; https://doi.org/10.3390/life12091457 - 19 Sep 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1844
Abstract
The greater amberjack (Seriola dumerili), a pelagic marine species with a global distribution, has considerable worldwide potential as an aquaculture species. However, difficulties have been encountered in inducing spontaneous spawning in cultured fish stocks. In this study, we analysed the key [...] Read more.
The greater amberjack (Seriola dumerili), a pelagic marine species with a global distribution, has considerable worldwide potential as an aquaculture species. However, difficulties have been encountered in inducing spontaneous spawning in cultured fish stocks. In this study, we analysed the key regulatory factors, secretoneurin (SN) and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), in greater amberjack. Active peptides of SN and GnRH, SdSNa, and SdGnRH, respectively, were obtained by comparative analysis of homologous proteins from different species. Amino acid substitutions of the SdGnRH decapeptide at position 6 with a dextrorotatory (D) amino acid and at position 10 with an ethylamide group yielded a super-active agonist (SdGnRHa). The injection of SdSNa and SdGnRHa elevated luteinizing hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone, and oxytocin levels in the sera of sexually mature fish, whereas it reduced the level of follicle-stimulating hormone. Furthermore, in response to the SdSNa and SdGnRHa injections, we detected an increase in the expression of genes associated with oocyte development and spermatogenesis. We established that the greater amberjack cultured along the southern coast of China reached sexual maturity at three years of age, and its reproductive season extended from February to April. Spawning of the cultured greater amberjack was successfully induced with a single injection of SdGnRHa/SdSN/DOM/HCG. Our findings indicate that similar to GnRHa, SNa is a potential stimulator of reproduction that can be used to artificially induce spawning in marine fish. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sex Determination and Gonad Development: From Mechanism to Application)
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16 pages, 3675 KiB  
Article
Comprehensive Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Sex-Specific Alternative Splicing Events in Zebrafish Gonads
by Xing Lin, Fei Liu, Kaifeng Meng, Hairong Liu, Yuanli Zhao, Yuanyuan Chen, Wei Hu and Daji Luo
Life 2022, 12(9), 1441; https://doi.org/10.3390/life12091441 - 16 Sep 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1998
Abstract
Alternative splicing is an important way of regulating gene functions in eukaryotes. Several key genes involved in sex determination and gonadal differentiation, such as nr5a1 and ddx4, have sex-biased transcripts between males and females, suggesting a potential regulatory role of alternative splicing [...] Read more.
Alternative splicing is an important way of regulating gene functions in eukaryotes. Several key genes involved in sex determination and gonadal differentiation, such as nr5a1 and ddx4, have sex-biased transcripts between males and females, suggesting a potential regulatory role of alternative splicing in gonads. Currently, the sex-specific alternative splicing events and genes have not been comprehensively studied at the genome-wide level in zebrafish. In this study, through global splicing analysis on three independent sets of RNA-seq data from matched zebrafish testes and ovaries, we identified 120 differentially spliced genes shared by the three datasets, most of which haven’t been reported before. Functional enrichment analysis showed that the GO terms of mRNA processing, mRNA metabolism and microtubule-based process were strongly enriched. The testis- and ovary-biased alternative splicing genes were identified, and part of them (tp53bp1, tpx2, mapre1a, kif2c, and ncoa5) were further validated by RT-PCR. Sequence characteristics analysis suggested that the lengths, GC contents, and splice site strengths of the alternative exons or introns may have different influences in different types of alternative splicing events. Interestingly, we identified an unexpected high proportion (over 70%) of non-frameshift exon-skipping events, suggesting that in these cases the two protein isoforms derived from alternative splicing may both have functions. Furthermore, as a representative example, we found that the alternative splicing of ncoa5 causes the loss of a conserved RRM domain in the short transcript predominantly produced in testes. Our study discovers novel sex-specific alternative splicing events and genes with high reliabilities in zebrafish testes and ovaries, which would provide attractive targets for follow-up studies to reveal the biological significances of alternative splicing events and genes in sex determination and gonadal differentiation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sex Determination and Gonad Development: From Mechanism to Application)
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11 pages, 2357 KiB  
Article
Spinyhead Croaker Germ Cells Gene dnd Visualizes Primordial Germ Cells in Medaka
by Cong Xu, Yu Li, Zhengshun Wen, Muhammad Jawad, Lang Gui and Mingyou Li
Life 2022, 12(8), 1226; https://doi.org/10.3390/life12081226 - 12 Aug 2022
Viewed by 1471
Abstract
Spinyhead croaker (Collichthys lucidus) is an economically important fish suffering from population decline caused by overfishing and habitat destruction. Researches on the development of primordial germ cell (PGC) and reproduction biology were an emergency for the long-term conservation of the involved [...] Read more.
Spinyhead croaker (Collichthys lucidus) is an economically important fish suffering from population decline caused by overfishing and habitat destruction. Researches on the development of primordial germ cell (PGC) and reproduction biology were an emergency for the long-term conservation of the involved species. Dead end (dnd) gene plays an indispensable role in PGC specification, maintenance, and development. In the current study, we report the cloning and expression patterns of dnd in C. lucidus (Cldnd). RT-PCR analysis revealed that Cldnd was specifically expressed in both sexual gonads. In the ovary, Cldnd RNA was uniformly distributed in the oocytes and abundant in oogonia, and gradually decreased with oogenesis. A similar expression pattern was also detected in testis. Dual fluorescent in situ hybridization of Cldnd and Clvasa demonstrated that they almost had the same distribution except in oocytes at stage I, in which the vasa RNA aggregated into some particles. Furthermore, Cldnd 3′ UTR was sufficient to guide the Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) specifically and stably expressed in the PGCs of medaka. These findings offer insight into that Cldnd is an evolutionarily conserved germline-specific gene and even a potential candidate for PGC manipulation in C. lucidus. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sex Determination and Gonad Development: From Mechanism to Application)
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12 pages, 1901 KiB  
Article
DNA Methylation Difference between Female and Male Ussuri Catfish (Pseudobagrus ussuriensis) in Brain and Gonad Tissues
by Pei Li, Jian Chen, Chuankun Zhu, Zhengjun Pan, Qing Li, Huijie Wei, Guiying Wang, Weiwei Cheng, Beide Fu and Yanhong Sun
Life 2022, 12(6), 874; https://doi.org/10.3390/life12060874 - 10 Jun 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1897
Abstract
DNA methylation has been found to be involved in sex determination and differentiation in many aquaculture species. The Ussuri catfish (Pseudobagrus ussuriensis) is a popular aquaculture fish in China with high economic value in which male-biased sex dimorphism was observed in [...] Read more.
DNA methylation has been found to be involved in sex determination and differentiation in many aquaculture species. The Ussuri catfish (Pseudobagrus ussuriensis) is a popular aquaculture fish in China with high economic value in which male-biased sex dimorphism was observed in terms of body size and body weight. In this study, DNA methylation-sensitive RAD sequencing (Methyl-RAD) was used to explore the epigenetic difference between adult male and female samples in brain and gonad tissues. In brain tissues, 5,442,496 methylated cytosine sites were found and 9.94% of these sites were from symmetric CCGG or CCWGG sites. Among these sites, 321 differential DNA methylation sites (DMSs) in 171 genes were identified, while in gonad tissues, 4,043,053 methylated cytosines sites were found in total and 11.70% of them were from CCGG or CCWGG. Among these sites, 78 differential DNA methylation sites were found which were located in 64 genes. We also found several sex-determination genes among these differential methylated genes, such as amh, gsdf and hsd11b2 in brain tissues and slco3a1, socs2 and trim47 in gonad tissues. These results provided evidence for understanding the function of DNA methylation in the sex differentiation in Pseudobagrus ussuriensis, which further deepens the relationship between gene regulation and epigenetics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sex Determination and Gonad Development: From Mechanism to Application)
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13 pages, 7445 KiB  
Article
Differential Expression of Duplicate Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 Receptors (igf1rs) in Medaka Gonads
by Wenbo Wei, Yefei Zhu, Cancan Yuan, Yuli Zhao, Wenzong Zhou and Mingyou Li
Life 2022, 12(6), 859; https://doi.org/10.3390/life12060859 - 08 Jun 2022
Viewed by 1674
Abstract
Insulin-like growth factor-1 receptors (igf1rs) play important roles in regulating development, differentiation, and proliferation in diverse organisms. In the present study, subtypes of medaka igf1r, igf1ra, and igf1rb were isolated and characterized. RT-PCR results showed that igf1ra and igf1rb [...] Read more.
Insulin-like growth factor-1 receptors (igf1rs) play important roles in regulating development, differentiation, and proliferation in diverse organisms. In the present study, subtypes of medaka igf1r, igf1ra, and igf1rb were isolated and characterized. RT-PCR results showed that igf1ra and igf1rb mRNA were expressed in all tissues and throughout embryogenesis. Using real-time PCR, the differential expression of igf1ra and igf1rb mRNA during folliculogenesis was observed. The results of in situ hybridization (ISH) revealed that both of them were expressed in ovarian follicles at different stages, and igf1rb was also expressed in theca cells and granulosa cells. In the testis, both igf1ra and igf1rb mRNA were highly expressed in sperm, while igf1rb mRNA was also obviously detected in spermatogonia. In addition, igf1ra mRNA was also present in Leydig cells in contrast to the distribution of igf1rb mRNA in Sertoli cells. Collectively, we demonstrated that differential igf1rs RNA expression identifies medaka meiotic germ cells and somatic cells of both sexes. These findings highlight the importance of the igf system in the development of fish gonads. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sex Determination and Gonad Development: From Mechanism to Application)
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