ABSTRACT
Members of the Doublesex and Mab-3-related transcription factor (Dmrt) gene family handle various vital functions in several biological processes, including sex determination/differentiation and gonad development. Dmrt1 and Sox9 (SoxE in invertebrates) exhibit a very conserved interaction function during testis formation in vertebrates. However, the dynamic expression pattern and functional roles of the Dmrt gene family and SoxE have not yet been identified in any echinoderm species. Herein, five members of the Dmrt gene family (Dmrt1, 2, 3a, 3b and 5) and the ancestor SoxE gene were identified from the genome of Apostichopus japonicus. Expression studies of Dmrt family genes and SoxE in different tissues of adult males and females revealed different expression patterns of each gene. Transcription of Dmrt2, Dmrt3a and Dmrt3b was higher expressed in the tube feet and coelomocytes instead of in gonadal tissues. The expression of Dmrt1 was found to be sustained throughout spermatogenesis. Knocking-down of Dmrt1 by means of RNA interference (RNAi) led to the downregulation of SoxE and upregulation of the ovarian regulator foxl2 in the testes. This indicates that Dmrt1 may be a positive regulator of SoxE and may play a role in the development of the testes in the sea cucumber. The expression level of SoxE was higher in the ovaries than in the testes, and knocking down of SoxE by RNAi reduced SoxE and Dmrt1 expression but conversely increased the expression of foxl2 in the testes. In summary, this study indicates that Dmrt1 and SoxE are indispensable for testicular differentiation, and SoxE might play a functional role during ovary differentiation in the sea cucumber.
ABSTRACT
Sea urchin (Mesocentrotus nudus) is an important economically mariculture species in several Asian countries, and gonads are the sole edible parts for people. In addition to commercial value, it is an excellent model for studying gonadal development, sex determination and sex differentiation. Identify sex-related genes is an effective way to reveal the molecular mechanism of gonadal development. In the present study, the foxl2 homologous gene was identified in M. nudus. Foxl2 is not a maternal factor, and is detected for the first time in two-arm stages. Additionally, the expression of foxl2 in the testis is higher than in the ovaries at the same developmental stages. The foxl2 transcripts were specifically enriched in the cytoplasm of germ cellsboth in the ovary and testis, but their proteins were more concentrated in the area near the oocyte nucleus. Overall, this study contributes to our understanding of the dynamic and sexually dimorphic expression pattern of foxl2 and provide a useful germ cell marker during gametogenesis in sea urchin.
Subject(s)
Gonads , Sex Differentiation , Male , Animals , Female , Sex Differentiation/genetics , Sea Urchins/genetics , Testis/metabolismABSTRACT
In the title compound, C(3)H(5)N(2) (+)·C(7)H(4)NO(4) (-), the benzene ring forms a dihedral angle of 40.60â (5)° with the imidizolium ring. The nitro-benzoate anion is approximately planar: the benzene ring makes dihedral angles of 3.8â (3) and 3.2â (1)° with the nitro and carboxyl-ate groups, respectively. In the crystal structure, the cations and anions are linked by inter-molecular N-Hâ¯O hydrogen bonds, forming a zigzag chain along the b axis.
ABSTRACT
In the crystal structure, the title compound (also called dicumyl peroxide), C(18)H(22)O(2), lies on a center of symmetry. The COOC plane including the di-oxy group makes a dihedral angle of 79.10â (5)° with the phenyl ring. An inter-molecular C-Hâ¯π inter-action is observed between the phenyl groups.
