Abstract
Figla is a germ-cell-specific transcription factor associated with ovary development and differentiation. In vertebrates, one transcriptional form of Figla is commonly found. However, besides the common form of this gene (named Figla_tv1), a new transcriptional form (named Figla_tv2) was identified in half-smooth tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis). The full-length cDNA of Figla_tv1 was 1057 bp long with a 591-bp open reading frame encoding a predicted 196 amino acid protein, while Figla_tv2 encoded a 125 amino acid protein. Figla_tv1 and Figla_tv2 expression in various tissues was detected by qRT-PCR. Figla_tv1 was expressed mainly in ovary, skin and liver, while Figla_tv2 was expressed in all examined tissues. In the gonads, Figla_tv1 was expressed in ovary, while Figla_tv2 was predominately expressed in testis of pseudomales. Further, in situ hybridization located Figla_tv1 only in oocytes and Figla_tv2 mainly in germ cells of pseudomale testis. After knocking down Figla_tv2 in a pseudomale testis cell line, the expression of two steroid hormone-encoding genes, StAR and P450scc, was significantly up-regulated (P < 0.05). Our findings suggest that Figla_tv1 has a conserved function in folliculogenesis, as in other vertebrates, and that Figla_tv2 may have a role in the spermatogenesis of pseudomales by regulating the synthesis and metabolism of steroid hormones.
Highlights
Study, it was suggested that Figla may balance sexually dimorphic gene expression in the postnatal ovary because Figla knockout resulted in the enhanced expression of many testis-specific genes in the oocytes of newborn M. musculus, while in male germ cells, the ectopic expression of Figla down-regulated a subset of these testis-specific genes[12]
We identified two different transcripts of Figla in our RNA-seq data from adult gonads of C. semilaevis and found that the methylation levels of these genes were closely related to gonad development[24]
Sequence characteristics of two Figla homologues in C. semilaevis
Summary
Study, it was suggested that Figla may balance sexually dimorphic gene expression in the postnatal ovary because Figla knockout resulted in the enhanced expression of many testis-specific genes in the oocytes of newborn M. musculus, while in male germ cells, the ectopic expression of Figla down-regulated a subset of these testis-specific genes[12]. Half-smooth tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis) is an economically important marine flatfish in China Because of their sex-dimorphic growth (females grow 2 to 4 times faster than males16), increasing the proportion of females in cultivated populations will be economically beneficial. To achieve this goal, understanding the sex-determination and differentiation mechanisms of C. semilaevis is important. We aimed to identify the sequences of the Figla_tv[1] and Figla_tv[2] transcripts, examine their sex-dimorphic expression profiles, and illustrate their functional diversity during gonad development
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