Molecular development of chondrichthyan claspers and the evolution of copulatory organs.
Molecular development of chondrichthyan claspers and the evolution of copulatory organs.
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软骨鱼类扣环的分子发育和交配器官的进化。
DOI：
10.1038/ncomms7698
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发表时间：
2015
影响因子：
16.6
通讯作者：
Cohn,MartinJ
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
O'Shaughnessy,KatherineL;Dahn,RandallD;Cohn,MartinJ
The earliest known vertebrate copulatory organs are claspers, paired penis-like structures that are associated with evolution of internal fertilization and viviparity in Devonian placoderms. Today, only male chondrichthyans possess claspers, which extend from posterior pelvic fins and function as intromittent organs. Here we report that clasper development from pelvic fins of male skates is controlled by hormonal regulation of theSonic hedgehog(Shh) pathway. We show that Shh signalling is necessary for male clasper development and is sufficient to induce clasper cartilages in females. Androgen receptor (AR) controls the male-specific pattern ofShhin pelvic fins by regulation ofHand2. We identify an androgen response element (ARE) in theHand2locus and present biochemical evidence that AR can directly bind theHand2ARE. Together, our results suggest that the genetic circuit for appendage development evolved an androgen regulatory input, which prolonged signalling activity and drove clasper skeletogenesis in male fins.
