Genome-wide investigation of the dmrt gene family reveals new insight into the gonad development in Plectropomus leopardus: dmrt2a regulate the development of oocytes

作者：Hui Ding, Peiyu Li, Jingwen Wang, Chenlin Yin, Jiayi Wu, Jiashuo Li, Qingran Guo, Zhenmin Bao, Bó Wáng, Jingjie Hu · 发表于：Biology of Sex Differences · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1186/s13293-025-00769-6 · 被引用次数：5 · 研究领域：Genetic and Clinical Aspects of Sex Determination and Chromosomal Abnormalities、Reproductive biology and impacts on aquatic species、Hypothalamic control of reproductive hormones

BACKGROUND: Plectropomus leopardus is a hermaphrodite fish with a unique pattern of gonadal development. However, the molecular mechanism of sexual differentiation in this species remains unclear. The Doublesex and Mab-3 related transcription factor (dmrt) gene family are known to play a crucial role in gonad differentiation and development. Notably, systematic investigations into the composition and function of the dmrt gene family in this hermaphrodite fish remain conspicuously lacking. METHODS: In this study, we systematically identified members of the dmrt gene family through genomic database mining in P. leopardus. Tissue and stage-specific expression profiles of dmrt paralogs were quantitatively analyzed using reverse transcription quantitative PCR (qPCR), revealing sexually dimorphic expression patterns in the gonads at various developmental stages. Furthermore, the expression distribution of dmrt2a at different developmental stages was explored using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Subsequently, dmrt2a was interfered with using RNAi technology, and the regulatory effect of dmrt2a on oocytes was verified by combining FISH and TUNEL assays. RESULTS: In this study, we identified six members of the dmrt gene family in P. leopardus and designated them as dmrt1, dmrt2a, dmrt2b, dmrt3, dmrta1 and dmrta2 based on the homology analysis results, respectively. Whole-tissue expression analysis revealed that the dmrt genes exhibit tissue-specific expression pattern in P...