Identification and Characterization of MicroRNAs Involving in Initial Sex Differentiation of <i>Chlamys farreri</i> Gonads
Research on expressional regulation of genes at the initial sex differentiation of gonads will help to elucidate the mechanisms of sex determination and differentiation in animals. However, information on initial sex differentiation of gonads is limited in bivalves. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of...
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MDPI AG
2022-03-01
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| author | Xixi Li Siyu Lin Shutong Fan Xiaoting Huang Zhifeng Zhang Zhenkui Qin |
| author_facet | Xixi Li Siyu Lin Shutong Fan Xiaoting Huang Zhifeng Zhang Zhenkui Qin |
| author_sort | Xixi Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Research on expressional regulation of genes at the initial sex differentiation of gonads will help to elucidate the mechanisms of sex determination and differentiation in animals. However, information on initial sex differentiation of gonads is limited in bivalves. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of endogenous small noncoding RNAs that can regulate the target gene expression at the posttranscription level by degrading the mRNA or repressing the mRNA translation. In the present study, we investigated the small RNAs transcriptome using the testes and ovaries of Zhikong scallop Chlamys farreri juveniles with a shell height of 5.0 mm, a critical stage of initial sex differentiation of gonads. A total of 75 known mature miRNAs and 103 novel miRNAs were identified. By comparing the expression of miRNAs between the ovary and testis, 11 miRNAs were determined to be differentially expressed. GO annotations and KEGG analyses indicated that many putative target genes that matched to these differentially expressed miRNAs participated in the regulation of sex differentiation. Furthermore, two selected miRNAs, cfa-novel_miR65 and cfa-miR-87a-3p_1, were confirmed to downregulate expressions of <i>Foxl2</i> (a female-critical gene) and <i>Klf4</i> (a male-critical gene), respectively, using a dual-luciferase reporter analysis. Our findings provided new insights into the initial sex differentiation of gonads regulated by miRNAs in bivalves. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:49:07Z |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:49:07Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-702c8d055e0542119b442dc389534a622023-11-30T20:52:28ZengMDPI AGBiology2079-77372022-03-0111345610.3390/biology11030456Identification and Characterization of MicroRNAs Involving in Initial Sex Differentiation of <i>Chlamys farreri</i> GonadsXixi Li0Siyu Lin1Shutong Fan2Xiaoting Huang3Zhifeng Zhang4Zhenkui Qin5Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, ChinaMinistry of Education Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, ChinaMinistry of Education Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, ChinaMinistry of Education Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, ChinaMinistry of Education Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, ChinaMinistry of Education Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, ChinaResearch on expressional regulation of genes at the initial sex differentiation of gonads will help to elucidate the mechanisms of sex determination and differentiation in animals. However, information on initial sex differentiation of gonads is limited in bivalves. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of endogenous small noncoding RNAs that can regulate the target gene expression at the posttranscription level by degrading the mRNA or repressing the mRNA translation. In the present study, we investigated the small RNAs transcriptome using the testes and ovaries of Zhikong scallop Chlamys farreri juveniles with a shell height of 5.0 mm, a critical stage of initial sex differentiation of gonads. A total of 75 known mature miRNAs and 103 novel miRNAs were identified. By comparing the expression of miRNAs between the ovary and testis, 11 miRNAs were determined to be differentially expressed. GO annotations and KEGG analyses indicated that many putative target genes that matched to these differentially expressed miRNAs participated in the regulation of sex differentiation. Furthermore, two selected miRNAs, cfa-novel_miR65 and cfa-miR-87a-3p_1, were confirmed to downregulate expressions of <i>Foxl2</i> (a female-critical gene) and <i>Klf4</i> (a male-critical gene), respectively, using a dual-luciferase reporter analysis. Our findings provided new insights into the initial sex differentiation of gonads regulated by miRNAs in bivalves.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/3/456microRNAgonadal sexinitial sex differentiation<i>Chlamys farreri</i> |
| spellingShingle | Xixi Li Siyu Lin Shutong Fan Xiaoting Huang Zhifeng Zhang Zhenkui Qin Identification and Characterization of MicroRNAs Involving in Initial Sex Differentiation of <i>Chlamys farreri</i> Gonads Biology microRNA gonadal sex initial sex differentiation <i>Chlamys farreri</i> |
| title | Identification and Characterization of MicroRNAs Involving in Initial Sex Differentiation of <i>Chlamys farreri</i> Gonads |
| title_full | Identification and Characterization of MicroRNAs Involving in Initial Sex Differentiation of <i>Chlamys farreri</i> Gonads |
| title_fullStr | Identification and Characterization of MicroRNAs Involving in Initial Sex Differentiation of <i>Chlamys farreri</i> Gonads |
| title_full_unstemmed | Identification and Characterization of MicroRNAs Involving in Initial Sex Differentiation of <i>Chlamys farreri</i> Gonads |
| title_short | Identification and Characterization of MicroRNAs Involving in Initial Sex Differentiation of <i>Chlamys farreri</i> Gonads |
| title_sort | identification and characterization of micrornas involving in initial sex differentiation of i chlamys farreri i gonads |
| topic | microRNA gonadal sex initial sex differentiation <i>Chlamys farreri</i> |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/3/456 |
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