TY - JOUR
T1 - Germ cells are required to maintain a stable sexual phenotype in adult zebrafish
AU - Dranow, Daniel B.
AU - Tucker, Richard P
AU - Draper, Bruce W.
PY - 2013/4/1
Y1 - 2013/4/1
N2 - Sex in zebrafish is not determined by a major chromosomal locus, but instead relies on a mechanism that is influenced by a germ cell-derived signal, as animals that lack germ cells, or specifically oocytes, develop as phenotypic males. These data suggest that during primary sex determination, an oocyte-derived signal acts on the bipotential somatic gonad to promote the female-specific program. However, it is not known if germ cells are required only during the primary sex-determining window, or if they are required throughout adult life to maintain the female sexual phenotype. Here, we show that while wild-type zebrafish do not switch sex as adults, germ cell-depleted adult females readily convert to a male phenotype. Notably, when oocytes are depleted, but germline stem cells remain, adult females sex-revert to sperm-producing males, indicating that a germ cell-derived signal acts on the somatic gonad to promote female development directly or indirectly by repressing male-specific gene expression. These results also confirm that signals from the somatic gonad in turn ensure that the sex appropriate gamete is produced.
AB - Sex in zebrafish is not determined by a major chromosomal locus, but instead relies on a mechanism that is influenced by a germ cell-derived signal, as animals that lack germ cells, or specifically oocytes, develop as phenotypic males. These data suggest that during primary sex determination, an oocyte-derived signal acts on the bipotential somatic gonad to promote the female-specific program. However, it is not known if germ cells are required only during the primary sex-determining window, or if they are required throughout adult life to maintain the female sexual phenotype. Here, we show that while wild-type zebrafish do not switch sex as adults, germ cell-depleted adult females readily convert to a male phenotype. Notably, when oocytes are depleted, but germline stem cells remain, adult females sex-revert to sperm-producing males, indicating that a germ cell-derived signal acts on the somatic gonad to promote female development directly or indirectly by repressing male-specific gene expression. These results also confirm that signals from the somatic gonad in turn ensure that the sex appropriate gamete is produced.
KW - Germ cells
KW - Oocyte
KW - Sex determination
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84875235993&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84875235993&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ydbio.2013.01.016
DO - 10.1016/j.ydbio.2013.01.016
M3 - Article
C2 - 23348677
AN - SCOPUS:84875235993
VL - 376
SP - 43
EP - 50
JO - Developmental Biology
JF - Developmental Biology
SN - 0012-1606
IS - 1
ER -