title: Differential expression of the MHM region and of sex-determining-related genes during gonadal development in chicken embryos.
abstract: The chicken (Gallus gallus) embryo has been used as a classic model system for developmental studies because of its easy accessibility for surgical manipulation during embryonic development. Sex determination in birds is chromosomally based (ZZ for males and ZW for females); however, the basic mechanism of sex determination is still unknown. Here, the dynamics of expression of candidate genes implicated in vertebrate sex determination and differentiation were studied during embryonic chicken gonadal development. Gene expression profiles were obtained before, during, and after gonadal sex differentiation in females and males for DMRT1, SOX3, SOX9, DAX1, SCII, HINTZ, HINTW, and the male hypermethylated (MHM) region. Transcripts for the HINTZ, DMRT1, DAX1, SCII, and SOX9 genes were observed in both sexes, but expression was higher in male gonads and may be correlated with testicular differentiation. The expression patterns of HINTW, SOX3, and MHM suggest that they may act in ovary development and may be involved in meiosis entry. MHM was upregulated and DMRT1 was downregulated in females at the same developmental stage. This may indicate a regulation of DMRT1 by MHM ncRNA. Similar dynamics were observed between HINTW and HINTZ. This study reports on the MHM expression profile during gonadal development and its correlation with the expression of genes involved in vertebrate sex determination.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Caetano
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: F G O
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Gennaro
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Coelho
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Araújo
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Vila
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Araújo
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Melo Bernardo
authors.affiliation: Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste, São Carlos, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Marcondes
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Chuva de Sousa Lopes
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil esramos@usp.br.
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Ramos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002642:Chick Embryo; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006066:Gonads / Q000254:growth & development*; D008297:Male; D012730:Sex Chromosomes / Q000235:genetics; D019849:Sex Determination Processes; D012733:Sex Differentiation / Q000235:genetics*; D013737:Testis / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism