Steroidogenic gene expression during sex determination in the frog Rana rugosa.
Rana rugosa is unique among frog species in that it has two distinct types of sex chromosomes in two separate forms (XX/XY and ZZ/ZW). Treatment with sex steroids can reverse its gender from female to male or male to female. This phenomenon makes it a novel model for studying gonadal differentiation. The physiological role of sex steroids in sex differentiation in amphibians is yet unclear, however. To address this issue, we cloned the cDNAs of 17betaHSD types 8 (17betaHSD8) and 12 (17betaHSD12), 5alpha-reductase type 1 (5alphaRed1), and the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein known as StAR in the steroidogenic pathway. Then, we measured the mRNA levels of these genes during sex differentiation by real-time RT-PCR. The levels of CYP11A1, 3betaHSD, CYP17 and CYP19 mRNA were also measured by real-time RT-PCR. As a result, we detected transcripts of all such genes except for that of 17betaHSD8 in the indifferent gonad before the onset of sex determination. The expression of CYP17 occurred in indifferent gonads in both sexes; and its transcript levels were much higher in the male gonads. By contrast, the levels for CYP19 were much higher in the female gonads. CYP11A1, 3betaHSD, 17betaHSD12, 5alphaRed1 and StAR showed no sexually dimorphic expression during gonadal sex differentiation. Taken together, the results suggest that CYP17 has a major influence on testis development and that CYP19 plays a similar role in ovary development. However, the factors that up-regulate their expression remain to be identified.
Department of Biology, Faculty of Education and Integrated Arts and Sciences, Waseda University, 1-6-1 Nishi-Waseda, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8050, Japan.
Koichi
K
Maruo
Mari
M
Suda
Satoshi
S
Yokoyama
Yuki
Y
Oshima
Masahisa
M
Nakamura
D015067:17-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013741:3-Oxo-5-alpha-Steroid 4-Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001141:Aromatase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002786:Cholesterol Side-Chain Cleavage Enzyme / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011898:Ranidae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D019849:Sex Determination Processes; D012733:Sex Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D013254:Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013256:Steroids / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000098682:Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein
D010750:Phosphoproteins; D013256:Steroids; D000098682:Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein; D015067:17-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases; D001141:Aromatase; D013254:Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase; D002786:Cholesterol Side-Chain Cleavage Enzyme; D013741:3-Oxo-5-alpha-Steroid 4-Dehydrogenase; C476566:steroid-5alpha-reductase type 1; C476567:steroid-5alpha-reductase type 2