Functional analysis of avian sex determination gene and cell fate analysis

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23570254
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Developmental biology
• Research Institution: Hyogo University of Teacher Education
• Principal Investigator: HIDEFUMI Yoshioka 兵庫教育大学, 学校教育研究科(研究院), 教授 (40191548)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): KASAHARA Megumi 兵庫教育大学, 学校教育研究科, 准教授 (20243347)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-28 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 生殖腺 / 鳥類の性分化機構 / 性決定遺伝子 / 性染色体 / DMRT1 / HINTW/HINTZ / aromatase / Sox9

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Sex in birds is chromosomally based (ZZ male, ZW female), but the mechanism underlying sex determination remains unknown. An unresolved question is what gene plays a role in avian sex determination. HINTZ is an avian Z chromosome-linked gene and shows higher expression in male gonads. Meanwhile, HINTW/ASW is a tamdemly repeated gene conserved on avian W chromosome and its transcript is detected in female gonads. To investigate the roles of these genes in avian sex determination, we performed functional analysis by overexpressing these genes. The expression of gonadal marker gene and morphological change are analyzed. Overexpression of HINTZ and knock-down of HINTW on the left female gonads before sex determination induced up-regulation of male specific SOX9 expression and down-regulation of female specific Aromatase expression in the medulla. We conclude that HINT-Z is included in male sex determination and induced male-to-female sex reversal.

Free Research Field

発生生物学