Expression Analysis of Genes Related to Sex Differentiation in Tiger Puffer Takifugu rubripes Juveniles
JIANG Jieming1,2, SHEN Xufang2,3, LIU Ying1,2,4, ZHANG Qi1, ZHOU Huiting1, WANG Jia1, YAN Hongwei1,2, WANG Chenqi1, LIU Qi1,2
1. Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China;
2. Key Laboratory of Environment Controlled Aquaculture, Ministry of Education, Dalian 116023, China;
3. Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116029, China;
4. Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, China
Abstract：In order to clarify the expression patterns of sex differentiation-related genes during the critical period of sex differentiation in tiger puffer Takifugu rubripes, the histological characteristics of the gonads were observed in tiger puffer juveniles at 40, 60 and 80 d post hatching firstly. Then, after the genetic sex verification of individual, the expression patterns of amhr2, dmrt1, gsdf, cyp19a1a, foxl2 and dnmt1 genes were determined in the gonads of XX and XY tiger puffer juveniles by real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). The results showed that the expression of the above genes showed sexual dimorphism obviously, without significant difference in the expression level of amhr2 gene in the gonads of XX and XY tiger puffer juveniles at 40 and 60 d post hatching (P>0.05), significantly higher expression level of amhr2 gene in the gonads of XX juveniles than that in XY juveniles at 80 d post hatching (P<0.05). The expression levels of dmrt1 and gsdf genes in the gonads of XY juveniles were increased significantly from 20 d, and the expression levels in the gonads of XY juveniles were significantly higher than that in XX juveniles at all the three sampling points (P<0.05). The expression levels of cyp19a1a and foxl2 genes in the gonads of XX juveniles were significantly higher than that in XY juveniles at the 40, 60 and 80 d post hatching (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the expression level of dnmt1 gene in the gonads of XX and XY tiger puffer juveniles at 40 and 60 d post hatching (P>0.05), but the expression level of dnmt1 gene in the gonads of XY tiger puffer juveniles was significantly higher than that in XX juveniles at 80 d post hatching (P<0.05). The findings demonstrated that dmrt1 and gsdf genes played critical roles in testicular differentiation, while cyp19a1a and foxl2 genes played critical roles in ovarian differentiation in tiger puffer juveniles. The findings laid a foundation for functional analysis of the sex differentiation-related genes during the development of sex differentiation of tiger puffer.
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2022, Vol. 41 
