Evolution of Sex Determination in Sticklebacks

刺鱼性别决定的进化

• 批准号: 6919891
• 负责人: Catherine L. Peichel
• 金额: $ 31.74万
• 依托单位: FRED HUTCHINSON CANCER RESEARCH CENTER
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2004
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2004-08-01 至 2009-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/6919891
• 关键词: artificial chromosomes; biochemical evolution; cytogenetics; developmental genetics; fish; fluorescent in situ hybridization; gene mutation; genetic library; genetic screening; genetically modified animals; nonmammalian vertebrate embryology; sex chromosomes; sex determination; single strand conformation polymorphism; tissue /cell culture

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Sex determination results from the translation of an initial switch into a complex phenotype that integrates morphology, physiology and behavior to define an organism as male or female. Despite the fundamental importance of this pathway, a wide range of both environmental and genetic sex determination mechanisms is found in nature. Closely related species may have different sex chromosome complements and use completely different mechanisms to determine sex, suggesting that these developmental pathways can evolve very rapidly. How can the rapid evolution of sex determination mechanisms and sex chromosomes occur? Stickleback fish provide an exciting system to address these questions. Recently diverged stickleback species have different sex chromosome complements and may also use different sex-determination mechanisms. Powerful genetic and genomic tools, which make it possible to clone and identify the genes underlying sex determination pathways, have been developed for sticklebacks. This goals of this proposal are to: (1) characterize the sex-determination region found on an evolving sex chromosome in threespine sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) through genetic, cytogenetic and physical mapping of the region; (2) molecularly identify the master sex-determination gene in threespine sticklebacks through both loss-of-function and gain-of-function approaches; and (3) compare the chromosomal locations of the master sex-determination gene in closely related species of sticklebacks to determine if sex-determination hierarchies and sex chromosomes have evolved independently in these species. These studies are initial steps towards a long-term goal of comparing sex determination pathways in closely related species to explore the evolution of this fundamental developmental pathway and to determine its effects on the morphology, physiology, and behavior of the organism.

描述(由申请人提供)：性别决定是将最初的转换转换为复杂的表型，结合形态、生理和行为来定义有机体是男性还是女性。尽管这条途径很重要，但在自然界中发现了广泛的环境和遗传性别决定机制。亲缘关系密切的物种可能有不同的性染色体互补，并使用完全不同的机制来决定性别，这表明这些发育途径可以进化得非常快。性别决定机制和性染色体的快速进化是如何发生的？刺鱼提供了一个令人兴奋的系统来解决这些问题。最近分化的刺鱼物种有不同的性染色体互补，也可能使用不同的性别决定机制。为刺鱼开发了强大的遗传和基因组工具，使克隆和识别性别决定途径的基因成为可能。这项建议的目标是：(1)通过遗传、细胞遗传学和物理作图，确定在三刺鱼(Gastersteus Aculeatus)进化中的性染色体上发现的性别决定区域的特征；(2)通过功能丧失和功能获得的方法，从分子上鉴定三刺鱼的性别决定基因；以及(3)比较主性决定基因在近缘刺鱼物种中的染色体位置，以确定性别决定等级和性染色体是否在这些物种中独立进化。这些研究是朝着比较近缘物种性别决定途径的长期目标迈出的第一步，以探索这一基本发育途径的演变，并确定其对有机体的形态、生理和行为的影响。