斜带石斑鱼性逆转的神经内分泌调控网络解析

石斑鱼是典型的雌雄同体雌性先成熟鱼类，个体生活史中需经历“先雌后雄”的性反转过程。其独特的生殖特点造成石斑鱼群体中雄鱼数量少，雌雄发育不同步，给石斑鱼的人工繁育和遗传改良带来了极大的困难。我们已有的研究结果表明，斜带石斑鱼的性逆转受到社会因子和促性腺素调控。本项目中，我们拟进一步从以下方面探讨社会因子如何通过神经内分泌系统调控斜带石斑鱼性逆转：攻击行为和社会地位如何影响石斑鱼性逆转？脑如何通过生殖相关的神经内分泌因子接收外界信号并启动性逆转？本项目拟构建社会因素诱导石斑鱼性逆转的模型，研究不同社会地位个体脑中的基因表达变化，并进一步研究重要生殖相关神经内分泌因子的功能，最终构建启动石斑鱼性逆转的神经内分泌调控网络。通过以上研究，我们将阐明外界社会因子如何通过神经内分泌系统调控石斑鱼发生性逆转，进而为解决人工繁育和遗传改良中雄鱼较少的问题提供新思路和新方法。

Groupers are typical hermaphrodite protogynous fish, in which an individual begins reproductive life as female and then changes to functional male. Such a unique reproductive trait led to a small population of male groupers, and brings great difficulties to artificial breeding and genetic improvement of groupers. Our previous findings suggested that sex reversal of grouper is controlled by both social factors and gonadotropins. In this project, we will explore how social environmental factors regulate sex reversal through the neuroendocrine system from the following aspects: How does aggressive behavior and social status affect sex reversal of grouper? How does the brain receive external signals through reproductive-related neuroendocrine factors and initiate sex reversal of grouper? This project intends to construct a neuroendocrine regulatory network that initiates sex reversal of grouper by build a model of social factors-induced sex reversal, study the gene expression in the brain of individuals with different social status, and further study the function of important reproductive-related neuroendocrine factors. Our study will not only be useful for clarify how the external social factors regulate sex change through the neroendocrine system in hermaphrodite fish, but also provide new ideas and methods for the sex control and breeding in groupers.