Variation in the TGF-β signaling pathway is emerging as an important mechanism by which gonadal sex determination is controlled in teleosts. Here we show that amhy, a Y-specific duplicate of the anti-Müllerian hormone (amh) gene, induces male sex determination in Nile tilapia. amhy is a tandem duplicate located immediately downstream of amhΔ-y on the Y chromosome. The coding sequence of amhy was identical to the X-linked amh (amh) except a missense SNP (C/T) which changes an amino acid (Ser/Leu92) in the N-terminal region. amhy lacks 5608 bp of promoter sequence that is found in the X-linked amh homolog. The amhΔ-y contains several insertions and deletions in the promoter region, and even a 5 bp insertion in exonVI that results in a premature stop codon and thus a truncated protein product lacking the TGF-β binding domain. Both amhy and amhΔ-y expression is restricted to XY gonads from 5 days after hatching (dah) onwards. CRISPR/Cas9 knockout of amhy in XY fish resulted in male to female sex reversal, while mutation of amhΔ-y alone could not. In contrast, overexpression of Amhy in XX fish, using a fosmid transgene that carries the amhy/amhΔ-y haplotype or a vector containing amhy ORF under the control of CMV promoter, resulted in female to male sex reversal, while overexpression of AmhΔ-y alone in XX fish could not. Knockout of the anti-Müllerian hormone receptor type II (amhrII) in XY fish also resulted in 100% complete male to female sex reversal. Taken together, these results strongly suggest that the duplicated amhy with a missense SNP is the candidate sex determining gene and amhy/amhrII signal is essential for male sex determination in Nile tilapia. These findings highlight the conserved roles of TGF-β signaling pathway in fish sex determination.

Studies of gene function in non-model animals have been limited by the approaches available for eliminating gene function. The CRISPR/Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR associated) system has recently become a powerful tool for targeted genome editing. Here, we report the use of the CRISPR/Cas9 system to disrupt selected genes, including nanos2, nanos3, dmrt1, and foxl2, with efficiencies as high as 95%. In addition, mutations in dmrt1 and foxl2 induced by CRISPR/Cas9 were efficiently transmitted through the germline to F 1 . Obvious phenotypes were observed in the G0 generation after mutation of germ cell or somatic cell-specific genes. For example, loss of Nanos2 and Nanos3 in XY and XX fish resulted in germ cell-deficient gonads as demonstrated by GFP labeling and Vasa staining, respectively, while masculinization of somatic cells in both XY and XX gonads was demonstrated by Dmrt1 and Cyp11b2 immunohistochemistry and by up-regulation of serum androgen levels. Our data demonstrate that targeted, heritable gene editing can be achieved in tilapia, providing a convenient and effective approach for generating loss-of-function mutants. Furthermore, our study shows the utility of the CRISPR/Cas9 system for genetic engineering in non-model species like tilapia and potentially in many other teleost species. R ECENTLY, a simple and efficient genome editing technology, type II CRISPR/Cas9, has been developed based on the Streptococcus pyogenes clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-associated protein (Cas9) adaptive immune system. It requires three components for effective DNA cleavage: the nuclease Cas9, a targeting CRISPR RNA (crRNA), and an additional transactivating crRNA (tracrRNA) (Gasiunas et al. 2012;Jinek et al. 2012;Cho et al. 2013;Cong et al. 2013;Hwang et al. 2013;Mali et al. 2013). Further improvement of the system was achieved by fusing the crRNA and tracrRNA to form a single guide RNA (gRNA) that is sufficient to direct Cas9-mediated target cleavage (Hwang et al. 2013). Importantly, previous studies performed in vitro (Jinek et al. 2012), in bacteria , and in human cells (Cong et al. 2013) have shown that Cas9-mediated cleavage can be abolished by single mismatch at the gRNA-target site interface, particularly in the last 10-12 nucleotides located in the 39 end of the 20-nt gRNA targeting region. Compared to the other two engineered nuclease genome-editing technologies, zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs) (Urnov et al. 2005;Doyon et al. 2008) and transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) (Huang et al. 2011;Sander et al. 2011;Tesson et al. 2011), the CRISPR/Cas9 system is substantially less expensive and much easier to program for editing new target sites. This new approach has been widely used for genome engineering in model animals, including Caenorhabditis elegans (Dickinson et al. 2013;Friedland et al. 2013;Tzur et al. 2013), Drosophila (Bassett et al. 2013;Ren et al. 2013;Yu et al. 2013), zebrafish (Chang et al. 2013Hrusc...

Transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) are a powerful approach for targeted genome editing and have been proved to be effective in several organisms. In this study, we reported that TALENs can induce somatic mutations in Nile tilapia, an important species for worldwide aquaculture, with reliably high efficiency. Six pairs of TALENs were constructed to target genes related to sex differentiation, including dmrt1, foxl2, cyp19a1a, gsdf, igf3, and nrob1b, and all resulted in indel mutations with maximum efficiencies of up to 81% at the targeted loci. Effects of dmrt1 and foxl2 mutation on gonadal phenotype, sex differentiation, and related gene expression were analyzed by histology, immunohistochemistry, and real-time PCR. In Dmrt1-deficient testes, phenotypes of significant testicular regression, including deformed efferent ducts, degenerated spermatogonia or even a complete loss of germ cells, and proliferation of steroidogenic cells, were observed. In addition, disruption of Dmrt1 in XY fish resulted in increased foxl2 and cyp19a1a expression and serum estradiol-17β and 11-ketotestosterone levels. On the contrary, deficiency of Foxl2 in XX fish exhibited varying degrees of oocyte degeneration and significantly decreased aromatase gene expression and serum estradiol-17β levels. Some Foxl2-deficient fish even exhibited complete sex reversal with high expression of Dmrt1 and Cyp11b2. Furthermore, disruption of Cyp19a1a in XX fish led to partial sex reversal with Dmrt1 and Cyp11b2 expression. Taken together, our data demonstrated that TALENs are an effective tool for targeted gene editing in tilapia genome. Foxl2 and Dmrt1 play antagonistic roles in sex differentiation in Nile tilapia via regulating cyp19a1a expression and estrogen production.

Gonadal soma-derived factor (gsdf) is critical for testicular differentiation in teleosts, yet detailed analysis of Gsdf on testicular differentiation is lacking. In the present study, we knocked out tilapia gsdf using CRISPR/Cas9. F0 gsdf-deficient XY fish with high mutation rate (≥58%) developed as intersex, with ovotestes 90 days after hatching (dah), and become completely sex-reversed with ovaries at 180 and 240 dah. Those individuals with a low mutation rate (<58%) and XY gsdf(+/-) fish developed as males with normal testes. In F2 XY gsdf(-/-) fish, the gonads first expressed Dmrt1, which initiated the male pathway at 10 dah, then both male and female pathways were activated, as reflected by the simultaneous expression of Dmrt1 and Cyp19a1a in different cell populations at 18 dah, shifted to the female pathway expressing only Cyp19a1a at 36 dah, and finally developed into functional ovaries as adults. The male pathway and Dmrt1 expression was initiated, but failed to be maintained, in the absence of Gsdf. Aromatase-inhibitor treatment from 10 to 35 dah, however, rescued the phenotype, resulting in XY gsdf(-/-) with normal testes that expressed Dmrt1 and Cyp11b2. In vitro promoter analyses demonstrated that Dmrt1 activated gsdf expression in a dose-dependent manner in the presence of Sf1, even though Dmrt1 alone could not. Taken together, our results demonstrated that gsdf is a downstream gene of dmrt1. Gsdf probably inhibits estrogen production to trigger testicular differentiation. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 83: 497-508, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Meiosis is a process unique to the differentiation of germ cells. Retinoic acid (RA) is the key factor controlling the sex-specific timing of meiotic initiation in tetrapods; however, the role of RA in meiotic initiation in teleosts has remained unclear. In this study, the genes encoding RA synthase aldh1a2, and catabolic enzyme cyp26a1 were isolated from Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), a species without stra8. The expression of aldh1a2 was up-regulated and expression of cyp26a1 was down-regulated before the meiotic initiation in ovaries and in testes. Treatment with RA synthase inhibitor or disruption of Aldh1a2 by CRISPR/Cas9 resulted in delayed meiotic initiation, with simultaneous down-regulation of cyp26a1 and up-regulation of sycp3. By contrast, treatment with an inhibitor of RA catabolic enzyme and disruption of cyp26a1 resulted in earlier meiotic initiation, with increased expression of aldh1a2 and sycp3. Additionally, treatment of XY fish with estrogen (E2) and XX fish with fadrozole led to sex reversal and reversion of meiotic initiation. These results indicate that RA is indispensable for meiotic initiation in teleosts via a stra8 independent signaling pathway where both aldh1a2 and cyp26a1 are critical. In contrast to mammals, E2 is a major regulator of sex determination and meiotic initiation in teleosts.

It is well accepted that Forkhead box protein L2 (Foxl2) and aromatase (Cyp19a1; the enzyme responsible for estrogen synthesis) are critical for ovarian development in vertebrates. Knockouts of Foxl2 and Cyp19a1 in goat, mouse, and zebrafish have revealed similar but not identical functions across species. Functional analyses of these two genes in other animals are needed to elucidate their conserved roles in vertebrate sexual development. In this study, we established foxl2 and cyp19a1a mutant lines in Nile tilapia. Both foxl2-/- and cyp19a1a-/- XX fish displayed female-to-male sex reversal. Sf1, Dmrt1, and Gsdf were upregulated in the foxl2-/- and the cyp19a1a-/- XX gonads. Downregulation of Cyp19a1a and serum estradiol-17β level, and upregulation of Cyp11b2 and serum 11-ketotestosterone level were observed in foxl2-/- XX fish. The mutant phenotype of foxl2-/- XX individuals could be rescued by 17β-estradiol treatment from 5 to 30 days after hatching (dah). Upregulation of Star1, the enzyme involved in androgen production in tilapia, was also observed in the foxl2-/- XX gonad at 30 and 90 dah. In vitro promoter analyses consistently demonstrated that Foxl2 could suppress the transcription of star1 in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, compared with the control XX gonad, fewer germ cells were detected in the foxl2-/- XX, cyp19a1a-/- XX, and control XY gonads 10 dah. These results demonstrate that Foxl2 promotes ovarian development by upregulating Cyp19a1a expression and repressing male pathway gene expression. These results extend the study of Foxl2 and Cyp19a1a loss of function to a commercially important fish species.

These authors contributed equally to this workPurpose: We summarized the clinical manifestations, laboratory and electrodiagnostic characteristics and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of nitrous oxide (N 2 O) abuse-induced neurological disorders. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 33 patients with N 2 O abuse-induced neurological disorders and reported their demographic data, clinical manifestations, laboratory examinations, nerve conduction studies, together with spinal and brain MRI. Results: The most frequent clinical manifestations included numbness and weakness in the extremities and unspecified gait disturbance. Low serum vitamin B 12 levels were found in 9 patients, and high homocysteine levels were noted in 27 patients. Nerve conduction studies showed a sensory-motor neuropathy. Sixteen patients showed bilateral high-intensity T2 signal within the posterior column on spinal MRI, and four patients showed cerebral white matter lesions on brain MRI. Conclusion: N 2 O abuse has become a significant public health problem because of the severe neurological disorders related to chronic abuse. Clinical physicians should be aware of the toxic effects of N 2 O.

BackgroundMicroRNAs (miRNAs) represent a second regulatory network that has important effects on gene expression and protein translation during biological process. However, the possible role of miRNAs in the early stages of fish sex differentiation is not well understood. In this study, we carried an integrated analysis of miRNA and mRNA expression profiles to explore their possibly regulatory patterns at the critical stage of sex differentiation in tilapia.ResultsWe identified 279 pre-miRNA genes in tilapia genome, which were highly conserved in other fish species. Based on small RNA library sequencing, we identified 635 mature miRNAs in tilapia gonads, in which 62 and 49 miRNAs showed higher expression in XX and XY gonads, respectively. The predicted targets of these sex-biased miRNAs (e.g., miR-9, miR-21, miR-30a, miR-96, miR-200b, miR-212 and miR-7977) included genes encoding key enzymes in steroidogenic pathways (Cyp11a1, Hsd3b, Cyp19a1a, Hsd11b) and key molecules involved in vertebrate sex differentiation (Foxl2, Amh, Star1, Sf1, Dmrt1, and Gsdf). These genes also showed sex-biased expression in tilapia gonads at 5 dah. Some miRNAs (e.g., miR-96 and miR-737) targeted multiple genes involved in steroid synthesis, suggesting a complex miRNA regulatory network during early sex differentiation in this fish.ConclusionsThe sequence and expression patterns of most miRNAs in tilapia are conserved in fishes, indicating the basic functions of vertebrate miRNAs might share a common evolutionary origin. This comprehensive analysis of miRNA and mRNA at the early stage of molecular sex differentiation in tilapia XX and XY gonads lead to the discovery of differentially expressed miRNAs and their putative targets, which will facilitate studies of the regulatory network of molecular sex determination and differentiation in fishes.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-016-2636-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.