title: Epigenetic control of gonadal aromatase (cyp19a1) in temperature-dependent sex determination of red-eared slider turtles.
abstract: In the red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta), a species with temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), the expression of the aromatase gene during gonad development is strictly limited to the female-producing temperature. The underlying mechanism remains unknown. In this study, we identified the upstream 5'-flanking region of the aromatase gene, gonad-specific promoter, and the temperature-dependent DNA methylation signatures during gonad development in the red-eared slider turtle. The 5'-flanking region of the slider aromatase exhibited sequence similarities to the aromatase genes of the American alligator, chicken, quail, and zebra finch. A putative TATA box was located 31 bp upstream of the gonad-specific transcription start site. DNA methylation at the CpG sites between the putative binding sites of the fork head domain factor (FOX) and vertebrate steroidogenic factor 1 (SF1) and adjacent TATA box in the promoter region were significantly lower in embryonic gonads at the female-producing temperature compared the male-producing temperature. A shift from male- to female-, but not from female- to male-, producing temperature changed the level of DNA methylation in gonads. Taken together these results indicate that the temperature, particularly female-producing temperature, allows demethylation at the specific CpG sites of the promoter region which leads the temperature-specific expression of aromatase during gonad development.
authors.affiliation: Section of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Yuiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Alvin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Buemio
authors.forename: Randy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Mozhgon
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vafaee
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Crews
mesh_terms: D024506:5' Flanking Region / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D001141:Aromatase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020029:Base Pairing / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D018387:Codon, Initiator / Q000235:genetics; D017124:Conserved Sequence / Q000235:genetics; D018899:CpG Islands / Q000235:genetics; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000235:genetics; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D005260:Female; D006066:Gonads / Q000196:embryology / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009928:Organ Specificity / Q000235:genetics; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D019849:Sex Determination Processes / Q000235:genetics*; D013696:Temperature; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D024363:Transcription Initiation Site; D014426:Turtles / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D018387:Codon, Initiator; D014157:Transcription Factors; D001141:Aromatase