PUBLICATION

Targeted disruption of aromatase reveals dual functions of cyp19a1a during sex differentiation in zebrafish

Authors
Yin, Y., Tang, H., Liu, Y., Chen, Y., Li, G., Liu, X., Lin, H.
ID
ZDB-PUB-170603-3
Date
2017
Source
Endocrinology   158(9): 3030-3041 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Chen, Yu, Liu, Xiaochun
Keywords
none
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified
  • Aromatase/genetics
  • Aromatase/physiology*
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian
  • Estradiol/pharmacology
  • Female
  • Fertility/drug effects
  • Fertility/genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental/drug effects
  • Gene Transfer Techniques
  • Gonads/drug effects
  • Gonads/embryology
  • Gonads/metabolism
  • Male
  • Mutation
  • Sex Differentiation/drug effects
  • Sex Differentiation/genetics*
  • Zebrafish/embryology
  • Zebrafish/physiology*
  • Zebrafish Proteins/genetics
  • Zebrafish Proteins/physiology*
PubMed
28575219 Full text @ Endocrinology
Abstract
Aromatase (encoded by the cyp19a1a and cyp19a1b genes) plays a central role in sex differentiation in fish, but its precise roles during sex differentiation are still largely unknown. Here, we systematically generated cyp19a1a and cyp19a1b mutant lines as well as a cyp19a1a;cyp19a1b double mutant line in zebrafish using transcription activator-like effectors nucleases (TALENs). Our results showed that cyp19a1a mutants and cyp19a1a;cyp19a1b double mutants, but not cyp19a1b mutants, have impaired sex differentiation, and all cyp19a1a mutants and cyp19a1a;cyp19a1b double mutants are males. During sex differentiation, the ovary-like gonads were not observed and the male sex differentiation program was delayed in the cyp19a1a-null fish, and these phenotypes could be partially rescued by 17β-estradiol treatment. Gene expression analysis indicated that male and female sex differentiation-related genes were significantly decreased in the cyp19a1a mutant. Collectively, our results revealed dual functions of the cyp19a1a gene during sex differentiation: cyp19a1a is not only indispensable for female sex differentiation but also required for male sex differentiation.
Genes / Markers
Figures
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Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping