TRPV4 associates environmental temperature and sex determination in the American alligator.
TRPV4 associates environmental temperature and sex determination in the American alligator.
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DOI：
10.1038/srep18581
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发表时间：
2015-12-18
影响因子：
4.6
通讯作者：
Iguchi T
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Yatsu R;Miyagawa S;Kohno S;Saito S;Lowers RH;Ogino Y;Fukuta N;Katsu Y;Ohta Y;Tominaga M;Guillette LJ Jr;Iguchi T
温度依赖性性别决定（TSD）是一种常见于爬行动物的性别决定模式，其关键温度敏感期（TSP）的孵化温度决定个体的性别命运，而不是个体的基因型背景。在美洲鳄（短吻鳄）中，在TSP期间在33°C（雄性繁殖温度：MPT）下孵化的卵产生雄性后代，而在低于30°C（雌性繁殖温度：FPT）的孵化温度下孵化的卵产生雌性后代。然而，许多潜在的分子机制细节仍然难以捉摸，环境温度与性别决定途径之间的分子联系尚未被阐明。在这里，我们发现短吻鳄TRPV4同源基因（AmTRPV4）在接近tsd相关温度的温度下被激活，并且通过药理学暴露，我们发现AmTRPV4通道活性影响与雄性分化相关的基因表达模式。这是第一次实验证明了热感机制TRPV4通道与其在脊椎动物TSD调控中的潜在作用之间的联系，为难以捉摸的TSD分子机制提供了独特的新视角。
Temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), commonly found among reptiles, is a sex determination mode in which the incubation temperature during a critical temperature sensitive period (TSP) determines sexual fate of the individual rather than the individual’s genotypic background. In the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), eggs incubated during the TSP at 33 °C (male producing temperature: MPT) yields male offspring, whereas incubation temperatures below 30 °C (female producing temperature: FPT) lead to female offspring. However, many of the details of the underlying molecular mechanism remains elusive, and the molecular link between environmental temperature and sex determination pathway is yet to be elucidated. Here we show the alligator TRPV4 ortholog (AmTRPV4) to be activated at temperatures proximate to the TSD-related temperature in alligators, and using pharmacological exposure, we show that AmTRPV4 channel activity affects gene expression patterns associated with male differentiation. This is the first experimental demonstration of a link between a well-described thermo-sensory mechanism, TRPV4 channel, and its potential role in regulation of TSD in vertebrates, shedding unique new light on the elusive TSD molecular mechanism.