Genomic and Genetic Analysis of Temperature-dependent Gender Determination

该奖项是根据2009年《美国复苏和再投资法案》(公法111-5)提供资金的。温度依赖性性别决定(TSD)是40年前在一种非洲蜥蜴身上首次报道的。自那以后，研究表明，温度决定了一些鱼类和两栖动物、几种蜥蜴、许多海龟和所有鳄鱼的性别。然而，TSD的机制在任何物种中都不清楚。这项拟议的研究的目标是剖析常见的蛇纹龟TSD的分子基础。这将通过(1)对在雄性和雌性产生温度下孵化的胚胎在性腺中表达的所有基因进行测序，(2)培育成年海龟以研究遗传对其后代性别决定的影响，以及(3)对来自育种研究的子代的基因表达谱进行遗传分析。这些信息将被整合，以识别导致TSD的一个或多个温度敏感基因，并揭示睾丸和卵巢发育的基因网络，这在所有脊椎动物中基本上是相同的。这些实验有望让我们比之前40年的研究更接近TSD的机制。这项工作可能会为气候变化对濒临灭绝的TSD物种(如海龟)的影响提供新的见解，并更深入地了解包括人类在内的所有脊椎动物的性别决定。数以千计的海龟基因的序列也可以用于研究海龟的其他生物过程。最后，这个项目将对教育产生更广泛的影响。这项研究的各个方面将被纳入新德里大学的本科生生物学课程。这代表着分子生物学在专业和非专业体验式学习方面的重大进步。此外，女性、少数民族和北达科他州的居民将被招募到皮涅利S实验室，这将有助于增加国家的多样性？S科学家。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). Temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) was first reported 40 years ago in an African lizard. It has since been shown that temperature determines sex in some fish and amphibians, several lizards, numerous turtles, and all crocodilians. Nevertheless, the mechanism underlying TSD is not known in any species. The goal of the proposed research is to dissect the molecular basis of TSD in the common snapping turtle, Chelydra serpentina. This will be accomplished by (1) sequencing all genes expressed in gonads from embryos incubated at male- and female-producing temperatures, (2) breeding adult turtles to study genetic influences on sex determination in their offspring, and (3) genetic analysis of gene expression profiles in a subset of offspring from the breeding study. This information will be integrated to identify the temperature-sensitive gene (or genes) responsible for TSD and to reveal the gene networks for testis and ovary development, which is basically the same in all vertebrates.These experiments promise to get us closer to understanding the mechanism underlying TSD than has the previous 40 years of research. This work may provide new insight into the effects of climate change on endangered TSD species like sea turtles and a deeper understanding of sex determination in all vertebrates, including humans. Sequences for thousands of turtle genes could also be used for studies of other biological processes in turtles. Finally, this project will have a broader impact on education. Aspects of this research will be incorporated into undergraduate biology classes at UND. This represents a major advance in experiential learning of molecular biology for majors and non-majors. In addition, women, minorities, and North Dakota residents will be recruited into the PI?s laboratory, which will help increase the diversity of the nation?s scientists.