Abstract
The Cynoglossus semilaevis (half-smooth tongue sole) is a marine flatfish of great commercial value for fisheries and aquaculture in China. It has a female heterogametic sex determination system (ZW/ZZ) and environmental factors can induce sex-reversal of females to phenotypic males, suggesting that it is a promising model for the study of sex determination mechanisms. Additionally, females grow much faster than males and it is feasible to improve the aquaculture production through sex control techniques. This paper reviews the progress in research on sex determination mechanisms research in our laboratory. We have completed whole-genome sequencing and revealed the genome organization and sex chromosome evolution of C. semilaevis. A putative male determining gene dmrt1 was identified and DNA methylation was verified as having a crucial role in the sex reversal process. Genetic maps and sex-specific biomarkers have been used in a marker-assisted selection breeding program and for differentiation of the fish sex. Development and improvement of sex control technologies, including artificial gynogenesis and production of breeding fry with high proportion of females, is also reviewed. These research advances have provided insight into the regulation of sex determination and enabled efficient sex management in artificial culturing of C. semilaevis.
Highlights
Aquaculture of various finfish species is rapidly growing worldwide, which provides sustainable and important food sources for human consumption
C. semilaevis has useful traits that have been utilized for monosex breeding as well as for research on sex determination mechanisms in fish
Recent advancements in whole genome sequencing have been essential for the elucidation of the genotype and genetic foundation of phenotypic traits, and inheritance of sex determination in C. semilaevis
Summary
Aquaculture of various finfish species is rapidly growing worldwide, which provides sustainable and important food sources for human consumption. Increasing the proportion of female fish to a high level has important commercial implications and is one of the most significant challenges for C. semilaevis culturing practice To achieve this purpose, both fundamental biological understanding of sex determination mechanisms and development of practical sex control techniques are of great importance. The pseudo-males are fertile and can mate with normal females to produce viable offspring, which exhibit a sex reversal rate as high as 94%, even under normal cultivating temperature (22°C)[5]. All these features indicate that the C. semilaevis is an excellent model to investigate sex-determining mechanisms in fish. Further refinement of these techniques and development of new techniques is needed and could enable biological and genetic engineering of the sex control in large-scale aquaculture
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