Histological observations and transcriptome analyses reveal the dynamic changes in the gonads of the blotched snakehead (Channa maculata) during sex differentiation and gametogenesis

作者：Xiaotian Zhang, Yuxia Wu, Y. Zhang, Jin Zhang, Pengfei Chu, Kunci Chen, Haiyang Liu, Qing Luo, Shuzhan Fei, Jian Zhao, Mi Ou · 发表于：Biology of Sex Differences · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1186/s13293-024-00643-x · 被引用次数：10 · 研究领域：Genetic and Clinical Aspects of Sex Determination and Chromosomal Abnormalities、Reproductive biology and impacts on aquatic species、Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation

Abstract Background Blotched snakehead ( Channa maculata ) displays significant sexual dimorphism, with males exhibiting faster growth rates and larger body sizes compared to females. The cultivation of the all-male population of snakeheads holds substantial economic and ecological value. Nonetheless, the intricate processes governing the development of bipotential gonads into either testis or ovary in C. maculata remain inadequately elucidated. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the critical time window of sex differentiation in C. maculata , providing a theoretical basis for sex control in production practices. Methods The body length and weight of male and female C. maculata were measured at different developmental stages to reveal when sexual dimorphism in growth initially appears. Histological observations and spatiotemporal comparative transcriptome analyses were performed on ovaries and testes across various developmental stages to determine the crucial time windows for sex differentiation in each sex and the sex-related genes. Additionally, qPCR and MG2C were utilized to validate and locate sex-related genes, and levels of E 2 and T were quantified to understand sex steroid synthesis. Results Sexual dimorphism in growth became evident starting from 90 dpf. Histological observations revealed that morphological sex differentiation in females and males occurred between 20 and 25 dpf or earlier and 30–35 dpf or earlier, respectively, corresponding to the appearance o...