Amhy决定尼罗罗非鱼性别的分子机制研究

性别决定是生物学的前沿领域之一，性控育种是提高水产养殖效益的重要手段。罗非鱼是世界性养殖鱼类，雄鱼比雌鱼生长快50%，生产和养殖遗传全雄罗非鱼是水产养殖追求的目标。由于在实验条件下可获得全雌、全雄鱼苗，且能够进行基因组编辑，罗非鱼是研究性别决定分子机制的理想模型。本项目在成功图位克隆尼罗罗非鱼性别决定基因Amhy的基础上，拟通过体内、外实验相结合的研究方法阐明其遗传学基础、信号传导途径以及与表观遗传修饰的关联，借助基因组编辑和转基因过表达技术以及雌雄信号通路关键基因敲除模型，解析Amhy决定性别的分子机制，为全面阐明硬骨鱼类性别决定的分子机制奠定基础，并最终服务于水产养殖。研究内容包括：1）单碱基突变对Amhy决定性别功能的影响；2）Amhy的信号传导通路；3）Amhy与雌雄通路关键基因的关系；4）Amhy与表观遗传修饰和性别决定的关系；5）Amhy在两系配套生产遗传全雄罗非鱼的应用。

Sex determination has been one of the frontiers in biological research. It is essential for sex control. Efficiency of aquaculture can be greatly improved by culture of mono-sex fish through sex controlled breeding. The Nile tilapia is a worldwide farming fish with the male growing 50% faster than the female. Culture of genetic male tilapia (GMT) is the best way to increase the yields of this important food fish. In addition, tilapia is one of the best animals for studying the molecular mechanisms of sex determination because of the availability of all-female and all-male fish under laboratory condition and the feasibility of genome editing (genetic manipulation). Based on the identification of the sex determining gene Amhy in Nile tilapia, in this project, a series of in vitro and in vivo experiments will be performed to elucidate the genetic basis, signal transduction of Amhy and its relationship with epigenetic modification in sex determination. Genome editing and transgenic over-expression technology will be used to generate the tilapia knockout and transgenic models to analyze the molecular mechanisms of Amhy in sex determination in depth. This project will deep our understanding of fish sex determination and promote sex control in aquaculture. The following aspects will be investigated, 1) the biological effects of SNP in Amhy on sex determination; 2) the signal transduction pathway of Amhy in sex determination; 3) the relationship between Amhy and key genes involved in male and female sex determination; 4) the relationship between epigenetic modification and Amhy in sex determination; 5) the application of Amhy and genome editing in GMT production in aquaculture.