A case of hermaphroditism in the gonochoristic sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, reveals key mechanisms of sex determination.
Biol Reprod
; 108(6): 960-973, 2023 06 09.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36943312
ABSTRACT
Sea urchins are usually gonochoristic, with all of their five gonads either testes or ovaries. Here, we report an unusual case of hermaphroditism in the purple sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. The hermaphrodite is self-fertile, and one of the gonads is an ovotestis; it is largely an ovary with a small segment containing fully mature sperm. Molecular analysis demonstrated that each gonad producedviable gametes, and we identified for the first time a somatic sex-specific marker in this phylum Doublesex and mab-3 related transcription factor 1 (DMRT1). This finding also enabled us to analyze the somatic tissues of the hermaphrodite, and we found that the oral tissues (including gut) were out of register with the aboral tissues (including tube feet) enabling a genetic lineage analysis. Results from this study support a genetic basis of sex determination in sea urchins, the viability of hermaphroditism, and distinguish gonad determination from somatic tissue organization in the adult.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Disorders of Sex Development
/
Strongylocentrotus purpuratus
Type of study:
Prognostic_studies
Limits:
Adult
/
Animals
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Language:
En
Journal:
Biol Reprod
Year:
2023
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country: