Article
Cell Biology
Martin A. Estermann, Mylene M. Mariette, Julie L. M. Moreau, Alexander N. Combes, Craig A. Smith
Summary: The differentiation of gonadal supporting cells in birds is conserved among different clades, with PAX2 expression down-regulation defining the onset of gonadal sex differentiation in each species. Further comparative analysis in avian species is necessary to fully understand the mechanisms of avian sex determination and gonadal differentiation.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Hanhua Cheng, Rongjia Zhou
Summary: Significant progress has been made in the study of swamp eels' biology since their medicinal value was discovered 440 years ago. They are now considered an important model animal for sexual development research, with implications in economy and pharmaceuticals. Studies on their genomic history have revealed chromosome fission/fusion events and the intriguing natural intersex differentiation, while the identification of progenitors of germline stem cells has provided new insights into sex reversal. This review highlights the advances made in the field and presents unanswered questions for future investigations in vertebrate sexual development using this new model.
TRENDS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY AND METABOLISM
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Xiuwen Zhang, Susan Wagner, Clare E. Holleley, Janine E. Deakin, Kazumi Matsubara, Ira W. Deveson, Denis O'Meally, Hardip R. Patel, Tariq Ezaz, Zhao Li, Chexu Wang, Melanie Edwards, Jennifer A. Marshall Graves, Arthur Georges
Summary: In this study, the researchers discovered that the genetic sex determination system of Pogona vitticeps is controlled by a W-borne dominant female-determining gene. The transcripts produced by the W-borne allele may produce truncated polypeptides that inhibit testis development. This finding is important for our understanding of the sex determination mechanism in reptiles and the influence of epigenetics.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hiroshi Akashi, Manami Kubota, Hibiki Yamamoto, Kaori Miyaoku, Genki Yamagishi, Shinichi Miyagawa
Summary: The study investigated the chronology of embryonic development and gonadal structures in the Reeves' turtle under different incubation temperatures. The results suggest that temperature plays a crucial role in the sexual differentiation of gonadal structures.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jason Ioannidis, Gunes Taylor, Debiao Zhao, Long Liu, Alewo Idoko-Akoh, Daoqing Gong, Robin Lovell-Badge, Silvana Guioli, Mike J. McGrew, Michael Clinton
Summary: In birds, sex determination is thought to depend on a sex chromosome gene dosage mechanism, with the gene DMRT1 playing a key role. Experiments showed that ZZ chickens lacking DMRT1 developed ovaries instead of testes, while blocking estrogen synthesis in ZW embryos led to testis development, highlighting the interconnected roles of DMRT1 and estrogen in avian sex determination.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Sarah R. Ocanas, Victor A. Ansere, Collyn M. Kellogg, Jose V. V. Isola, Ana J. Chucair-Elliott, Willard M. Freeman
Summary: Biological sex influences neurodegenerative diseases through genetic and hormonal mechanisms. Microglial reactivity and the pro-inflammatory environment of the aging brain are influenced by sex, age, and disease state. Further research is needed to understand the regulation of microglial sex effects and develop sex-informed prevention and treatment strategies for brain diseases.
BRAIN RESEARCH BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Qian Wang, Rui Wang, Bo Feng, Shuo Li, Shahid Mahboob, Changwei Shao
Summary: The study showed that c/ebp alpha is highly expressed in the gonads of Chinese tongue sole and plays a crucial negative regulatory role in early gonadal differentiation during the juvenile period. Additionally, c/ebp alpha was found to negatively regulate the male-determining gene dmrt1 in vitro.
Article
Biology
Stefan Mueller, Kang Du, Yann Guiguen, Maria Pichler, Shinichi Nakagawa, Matthias Stoeck, Manfred Schartl, Dunja K. Lamatsch
Summary: The structure and differentiation of the W-chromosome in the Western mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) were analyzed using cytogenomics and bioinformatics. The long arm of the W-chromosome was found to be enriched in dispersed repetitive sequences and highly transcribed, while not being heterochromatic or silenced by hypermethylation. Female-specific SNPs and transposable elements were also identified, suggesting constrained recombination. The W-chromosome is actively differentiating through copy number expansion of transcribed elements, but not extensive sequence divergence or gene decay.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Yuan Xu, Shiquan Cui, Ting Li, Zhiheng Du, Fangyong Ning, Haixu Jiang, Xiujuan Bai, Xibiao Wang, Jun Bao
Summary: By using transcriptome sequencing, this study provides a comprehensive analysis of gene expression in the sex reversal of Rana dybowskii, offering new insights into the mechanism of sex reversal. The up-regulation of the Dmrt1 gene may play a key role in the sex reversal process of Rana dybowskii.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hanna Sigeman, Maria Strandh, Estelle Proux-Wera, Verena E. Kutschera, Suvi Ponnikas, Hongkai Zhang, Max Lundberg, Lucile Soler, Ignas Bunikis, Maja Tarka, Dennis Hasselquist, Bjorn Nystedt, Helena Westerdahl, Bengt Hansson
Summary: The study reveals the evolutionary history of avian sex chromosomes, including translocation of an added region to Z and W, long-term recombination suppression, and degeneration of the added-W, indicating the complexity and diversity of avian sex chromosome evolution.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Lorenzo V. Bertola, Conrad J. Hoskin, David B. Jones, Kyall R. Zenger, Donald T. McKnight, Megan Higgie
Summary: Amphibians, with their highly variable sex-determination systems, are a useful group for studying the evolution of sex determination. However, the sex-determination system of many amphibian families remains unknown due to a lack of genomic resources. In this study, the first genetic linkage map for Australo-Papuan Treefrogs (family: Pelodryadidae) is constructed using an F1 family of Green-eyed Treefrogs (Litoria serrata). This linkage map contains 8662 SNPs across 13 linkage groups and identifies a small region on linkage group 6 that matches an XY sex-determination system. Additionally, this linkage map provides the first genomic resource for the ecologically diverse family of Australo-Papuan Treefrogs, which consists of over 220 species.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lili Tang, Fei Huang, Wuxin You, Ansgar Poetsch, Rafael Henrique Nobrega, Deborah Mary Power, Tengfei Zhu, Kaiqiang Liu, Hong-Yan Wang, Qian Wang, Xiwen Xu, Bo Feng, Manfred Schartl, Changwei Shao
Summary: Research has revealed the involvement of ncRNAs through ceRNA crosstalk in the regulation of sexual development in fish. In the testis of Chinese tongue sole, an up-regulated circular RNA and an lncRNA named AMSDT share the same miRNA response elements with a sex-determining gene, leading to the down-regulation of female sex-related genes and promoting testis differentiation.
Review
Cell Biology
Brian Noh, Louise D. McCullough, Jose F. Moruno-Manchon
Summary: This article reviews the clinical and preclinical evidence for sex differences in stroke and discusses the role of gonadal hormones and X-linked genes in regulating brain autophagy.
NEURAL REGENERATION RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Developmental Biology
Francis Poulat
Summary: In vertebrates, gonadal sex determination involves sex-specific transcription factors that control the activation or repression of sex-specific genes by recognizing regulatory elements in the non-coding genome and binding motifs within DNA sequences. Genomic approaches developed in the last 20 years have helped to globally understand the function of nuclear proteins that control complex genetic programs.
SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Qiong Wang, Jianjian Lv, Xianyun Ren, Jiajia Wang, Shaoting Jia, Yuying He, Jian Li
Summary: This study investigated the sex-determining system of Fenneropenaeus chinensis using resequencing data and the fixation index (F-ST), confirming the female heterogametic (ZW) sex determination system. Additionally, female-specific sequences were identified as potential molecular markers for sex identification in F. chinensis.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Andrew C. Katsis, Katherine L. Buchanan, Sonia Kleindorfer, Mylene M. Mariette
Summary: The study found that prenatal exposure to sound can impact long-term behavioral traits in birds, such as food neophobia and exploration behavior, but these behaviors are not directly correlated with song learning outcomes.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Andrew T. Major, Martin A. Estermann, Craig A. Smith
Summary: This review examines the anatomy, endocrine control, and development of the mammalian rete testis, focusing on recent findings on its molecular regulation, identifying gaps in our knowledge, and identifying areas for future research. Most recently, modern molecular approaches have revealed the transcriptional signature of rete cell precursors, pointing to at least a partial common origin with Sertoli cells. Application of technologies such as single-cell RNA-seq will clarify the origin and developmental trajectory of this essential component of the male reproductive tract.
Review
Reproductive Biology
Andrew T. Major, Martin A. Estermann, Zahida Y. Roly, Craig A. Smith
Summary: The female reproductive tract in vertebrates has evolved considerable diversification, with the development of Mullerian duct playing a key role. While the formation of the Mullerian duct is a conserved process, genetic regulatory divergence has led to diversity in duct structure. Developmental plasticity in Hox gene code and wnt signaling may underlie the morphological variation of the uterus in mammals and evolution of the vagina, contributing to the diversity of female reproductive tracts seen today in vertebrates.
BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Developmental Biology
Martin Andres Estermann, Claire Elizabeth Hirst, Andrew Thomas Major, Craig Allen Smith
Summary: This study reveals the essential role of the TGIF1 gene in ovarian development in chicken embryos, particularly in the formation of the ovarian cortex and juxtacortical medulla. TGIF1 is necessary but not sufficient for proper ovarian development, and it is identified as the first regulator of juxtacortical medulla development.
Review
Genetics & Heredity
Martin Andres Estermann, Andrew Thomas Major, Craig Allen Smith
Summary: Avian testes, similar to other vertebrates, undergo differentiation during embryogenesis leading to the formation of seminiferous cords where germ cells interact with steroidogenic cells. Current understanding of testis development in birds is mainly derived from studies on chicken embryos, highlighting the regulation by the DMRT1 gene. Recent single cell RNA-seq has identified cell lineage specification during chicken testis development, indicating deep conservation in avian testis formation. Future research is focused on the genetics of avian testis development.
Article
Developmental Biology
Axel H. Newton, Sarah M. Williams, Andrew T. Major, Craig A. Smith
Summary: This study provides novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the specification and development of the lateral plate mesoderm (LPM) and the initiation of limb development in chicken embryos. The findings reveal the cell-fate decisions, gene activation, and signaling interactions involved in LPM subdivision and early limb initiation. The identification of TWIST1 as a driver of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in the somatic LPM and the role of BMP signaling in inducing somatic LPM fate and limb outgrowth contributes to our understanding of LPM development and vertebrate limb initiation.
Article
Biology
Lorenzo Galletta, Meagan J. Craven, Alizee Meillere, Tamsyn M. Crowley, Katherine L. Buchanan, Mylene M. Mariette
Summary: As the world warms, understanding the mechanisms organisms use to protect themselves from thermal stress becomes increasingly important. This study found that zebra finch embryos can upregulate heat shock proteins in response to acute thermal stress, suggesting that these proteins may play a vital role in early developmental protection under climate change.
JOURNAL OF THERMAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Developmental Biology
Martin A. Estermann, Andrew T. Major, Craig A. Smith
Summary: During gonadal sex determination, supporting cells differentiate into Sertoli cells in males and pre-granulosa cells in females. Recent single cell RNA-seq data suggests that chicken steroidogenic cells are derived from differentiated supporting cells. The exact mechanism regulating this differentiation process remains unknown. TOX3 has been identified as a previously unreported transcription factor expressed in embryonic Sertoli cells of the chicken testis. TOX3 knockdown in males leads to an increase in CYP17A1-positive Leydig cells, while TOX3 overexpression in both male and female gonads results in a significant decline in CYP17A1-positive steroidogenic cells. In male gonads, knockdown of the testis determinant DMRT1 leads to a downregulation of TOX3 expression, whereas DMRT1 overexpression causes an increase in TOX3 expression. These findings suggest that DMRT1-mediated regulation of TOX3 plays a role in modulating the expansion of the steroidogenic lineage.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Shoyo Sato, Tauana J. Cunha, Bruno A. S. de Medeiros, Danielle E. Khost, Timothy B. Sackton, Gonzalo Giribet
Summary: We present the first annotated draft genome for the phylum of Onychophora, a group of cryptic, soil dwelling worms. The genome's large size is due to high repeat content, intron size inflation, and extensive gene family expansion. We also report a previously unknown diversity of onychophoran hemocyanins, suggesting independent diversification of copper-mediated oxygen carriers in Onychophora after its split from Arthropoda and parallel diversification of hemocyanins in each of the main arthropod lineages.
GENOME BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Arianna Lord, Tauana J. Cunha, Bruno A. S. de Medeiros, Shoyo Sato, Danielle E. Khost, Timothy B. Sackton, Gonzalo Giribet
Summary: Genomic data for priapulans are limited, so this study generated a high-quality priapulan genome for Tubiluchus corallicola using a combination of sequencing technologies. The assembled genome had a high level of completeness and was screened for homologs of key genes involved in the molting pathway. The presence of a putative homolog suggests a deeper origin for these genes in Ecdysozoa.
GENOME BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Fabian B. Freund, Elise Kerdoncuff, Sebastian Matuszewski, Marguerite Lapierre, Marcel Hildebrandt, Jeffrey Jensen, Luca Ferretti, Amaury Lambert, Timothy Sackton, Guillaume Achaz
Summary: The standard neutral model of molecular evolution has often been used as a reference for population genomics. However, our study shows that alternative genealogical models, such as multiple merger coalescent models, may provide a better fit to observed allele frequency data. This has important implications for population genomic studies and related fields.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Han Yan, Zhirui Hu, Gregg W. C. Thomas, Scott Edwards, Timothy B. Sackton, Jun S. Liu
Summary: The paper introduces PhyloAcc-GT, a method that extends PhyloAcc by modeling gene tree heterogeneity, to effectively identify lineage-specific accelerations in substitution rate while accounting for incomplete lineage sorting. The method outperforms other methods in detecting complex patterns of rate shifts and is robust to population size parameter specification.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)