哺乳动物DMRTs的结构、功能及其与肿瘤的关系

DMRT基因家族是一个与性别决定有关的基因家族,其编码的转录因子DMRTs蛋白(除DMRT8外)均具有一个DM(double-sex and mab-3)结构域,并通过该结构域与DNA结合而发挥调控作用。目前研究表明,DMRT基因家族在性器官发育(如性别分化、性腺发育、生殖细胞发育等)与性外器官发育(如肌肉软骨发育、神经系统发育等)中均具有重要作用;同时也有学者提出DMRTs可能参与肿瘤(如前列腺癌、乳腺癌、肺癌等)的发生和发展。本文综述了以人与小鼠为主的哺乳动物DMRTs/Dmrts的结构、在性器官发育与性外器官发育中的重要功能及其与肿瘤的关系的研究进展,提示DMRT基因家族在多器官发育及多种肿瘤发生和发展及治疗等过程中可能发挥作用,能够作为深入研究肿瘤发病机制与治疗策略的候选基因。     

鲫Dmrt3基因的克隆和表达分析

DMRT家族是一个与性别决定相关的转录因子家族。为了研究家族成员之一的Dmrt3在我国重要养殖鱼类鲫胚胎发育、性别分化中的功能以及在育种中的作用,我们克隆了鲫Dmrt3基因的cDNA全长,并对Dmrt3基因在发育早期和不同组织中的表达进行了分析。结果显示:鲫Dmrt3基因cDNA全长为2182 bp,其中5￠端非编码区408 bp,3'端非编码区427 bp,开放阅读框1347 bp,编码448个氨基酸。蛋白结构预测显示DMRT3除了正常的DM结构域外,还有DMA结构域,在进化上与DMRT4和DMRT5的亲缘关系更近。巢式RT-PCR分析结果表明Dmrt3直到尾芽期才开始有微量表达,表达量在15体节期有明显增加但仍然处在一个较低的水平;在成体组织中只在精巢中检测到表达。这种表达时空模式提示Dmrt3可能在早期器官发生和雄性性腺发育调控中起作用。对Dmrt3启动子CpG岛的甲基化分析表明所检测的组织和配子中并不发生甲基化,说明这种雌雄特异性和组织特异性差异表达并不是通过对该基因启动子的差异甲基化修饰来调控的。此外,我们还发现了鲫Dmrt3的一个由逆转录产物形成的假基因pDmrt3。这些结果为进一步研究鲫Dmrt3在性别分化中的作用和评估其在鲫性别控制育种中的价值,以及分析DMRT家族的进化关系提供了基础资料。       

奥利亚罗非鱼DMRT1和DMRT4抗体制备及组织表达谱分析

DMRT1和DMRT4是DMRT基因家族的成员,该家族成员与果蝇的性别决定基因和线虫性别决定基因一样,所编码的蛋白质都包含一个具有DNA结合能力的保守基序,即DM结构域,并以锌指结构与特异DNA序列相结合,在性别决定和分化发育中起调控作用。采用RT-PCR方法分别从奥利亚罗非鱼卵巢和精巢中扩增克隆出DMRT1和DMRT4全长cDNA片段,构建表达载体,在大肠杆菌中表达了BMP-DMRT4和BMP-DMRT1蛋白。经Xa切割、Amylose-sepharose柱层析纯化后作为抗原免疫新西兰白兔制备了DMRT1和DMRT4多克隆抗体,并进行纯化。对纯化多抗进行Western blot分析,结果表明获得了高特异性的DMRT1和DMRT4抗体。为了观察DMRT1和DMRT4在组织中的表达谱,首先,我们通过实时荧光定量RT-PCR检测雌雄奥利亚罗非鱼多种组织mRNA的表达,仅在卵巢和脑中检测到DMRT4,在精巢中检测到DMRT1;其次,制备了多种组织匀浆蛋白,使用纯化的抗体进行Western blot分析,仅分别在卵巢和精巢中检测到DMRT4和DMRT1蛋白的表达;制备多种奥利亚罗非鱼组织切片,使用纯化的DMRT4和DMRT1多抗进行免疫组织化学分析,发现DMRT4仅在卵巢表达,而DMRT1仅在精巢表达。这些结果有助于阐明DMRT4和DMRT1的功能及在鱼类性别调控中的作用。     

SOX、DMRT性别决定基因家族及其应用研究进展

SOX基因家族是在动物中发现的一类新的编码转录因子的基因家族,其产物具有一个HMG基序保守区,参与诸如性别决定等多种早期胚胎发育过程。到目前为止,在XXXY染色体性别决定系统中,只发现了两个性别决定基因:一个是SRY,它主要在哺乳动物性别决定中起作用;一个是DMY,它是在青鳉(Oryziaslatipes)中发现的。SRY属于SOX基因家族,而DMY则属于另一个普遍参与脊椎动物性别决定过程的DMTR基因家族。本文综述了这两大性别决定基因的研究进展,并探讨了它们在水产养殖动物性别决定基因研究中的意义和价值。     

Sox基因家族功能的研究进展

Sox（Sry-related high mobility group box）基因是由众多具有HMG-box保守基序构成的超基因家族,是与位于雄性动物Y染色体上的Sry基因同源的家族基因,在很多动物中都有表达。由于其编码的蛋白质具有结合DNA的能力,因而认为Sox基因家族是一类重要的转录调控因子。在个体发育过程中,Sox基因广泛参与了动物的早期胚胎发育、性别决定和分化、神经系统发育、软骨及多种组织器官的形成,具有重要的生物学功能。主要对Sox家族基因的功能及其研究进展进行简要的综述。     

黑鲷DMRT1基因cDNA的克隆、组织表达谱及在性别逆转前后性腺中的表达

利用RT—PCR和3′-RACE的方法从黑鲷精巢中克隆丁DMRT1基因cDNA的部分序列。组织特异性表达分析表明DMRT1基因只在精巢中表达,半定量RT—PCR检测显示DMRT1基因在性别逆转前、性别逆转期和性别逆转后的精巢中的表达量无显著差异,在鱼类成体的精巢中,DMRT1的表达量可能不会因精巢结构或生理状态的改变而发生改变,而始终维持一定量的表达。     

植物特有的SBP-box基因家族的研究进展

SBP-box基因家族是植物特有的一个基因家族,广泛存在于绿色植物中,其编码的蛋白被认为是一种转录因子,该转录因子含有一个非常保守的SBP区,这个区域包括一个新的锌指结构和一个核定位信号。研究表明SBP转录因子参与了花的形成及其后期发育,叶的形态建成和环境信号应答等多个生物学过程,在植物的生长和发育中起着重要作用。近年来,已从多种植物中分离出SBP-box基因,对于该基因家族结构和功能的研究已成为国内外的研究热点。该文从SBP-box基因家族的发现、结构、系统进化、生物学功能及其调控等方面的研究现状进行综述,并对该基因家族的研究前景提出展望。     

鸡Z染色体上DMRT1基因的多重跨染色体剪接

性别决定与分化发育是同时涉及生命现象中两种细胞分裂(有丝分裂和减数分裂)形式的惟一的分化发育过程。对该过程中关键基因DMRT1的转录分析,发现位于鸡Z染色体上的DMRT1基因分别同时与4号染色体上的CENPC1基因、5号染色体上CD5R基因和2号染色体上37LRP/p40基因发生跨染色体剪接,由此构成了新的跨染色体剪接本DMRT1-CENPC1、DMRT1-CD5R和DMRT1-37LRP/p40。对其剪接位点的分析,发现两段染色体序列存在的重叠区可能在这种剪接中起着重要作用。DMRT1基因在转录过程中同时与多个染色体上基因发生多次跨染色体剪接的发现,无疑有助于对在转录水平上的多样性基因调控以及性别决定与分化发育等的认识开辟另一新途径。     

DMRT gene cluster analysis in the platypus: new insights into genomic organization and regulatory regions

We isolated and characterized a cluster of platypus DMRT genes and compared their arrangement, location, and sequence across vertebrates. The DMRT gene cluster on human 9p24.3 harbors, in order, DMRT1, DMRT3, and DMRT2, which share a DM domain. DMRT1 is highly conserved and involved in sexual development in vertebrates, and deletions in this region cause sex reversal in humans. Sequence comparisons of DMRT genes between species have been valuable in identifying exons, control regions, and conserved nongenic regions (CNGs). The addition of platypus sequences is expected to be particularly valuable, since monotremes fill a gap in the vertebrate genome coverage. We therefore isolated and fully sequenced platypus BAC clones containing DMRT3 and DMRT2 as well as DMRT1 and then generated multispecies alignments and ran prediction programs followed by experimental verification to annotate this gene cluster. We found that the three genes have 58-66% identity to their human orthologues, lie in the same order as in other vertebrates, and colocate on 1 of the 10 platypus sex chromosomes, X5. We also predict that optimal annotation of the newly sequenced platypus genome will be challenging. The analysis of platypus sequence revealed differences in structure and sequence of the DMRT gene cluster. Multispecies comparison was particularly effective for detecting CNGs, revealing several novel potential regulatory regions within DMRT3 and DMRT2 as well as DMRT1. RT-PCR indicated that platypus DMRT1 and DMRT3 are expressed specifically in the adult testis (and not ovary), but DMRT2 has a wider expression profile, as it does for other mammals. The platypus DMRT1 expression pattern, and its location on an X chromosome, suggests an involvement in monotreme sexual development.     

Novel paralogy relations among human chromosomes support a link between the phylogeny of doublesex-related genes and the evolution of sex determination

Recent advances in the evolutionary genetics of sex determination indicate that DMRT1 may be a vertebrate equivalent of the Drosophila melanogaster master sex regulator gene, doublesex. The role of DMRT1 seems to be confined to some aspects of male sex differentiation, whereas in Drosophila, doublesex has wider developmental effects in both sexes. This suggests other homologs of doublesex may exist in the vertebrate genome and encode sex-specific functions not displayed by DMRT1. We identified and characterized five novel human DM genes, distinct from previously described family members. Human DM genes map to three well-defined regions of chromosomes 1, 9, and 19 (one gene on chromosome 19 having an additional homolog on chromosome X). We collated data indicating these chromosomal regions harbor multiple syntenic genes sharing highly specific paralogy relations, suggesting that they arose early during vertebrate evolution. The 9p21-p24.3 bands represent the ancestral copy and harbor closely linked DM genes that may reflect the overall diversity of the fruit fly DM gene family. The human genome contains a small number of potential doublesex homologs that may be involved in human sexual development. Identifying highly conserved chromosomal regions, such as distal 9p, is an important tool to trace complex ancient evolutionary processes inaccessible by other approaches.     

Molecular cloning and sexually dimorphic expression of DM-domain genes in Daphnia magna

Daphnia magna is known to switch between sexual and asexual reproduction depending on the environment. It reproduces asexually when in an optimal environment for food, photoperiod, and population density. Once the environment declines, it changes reproductive strategy from asexual to sexual reproduction. However, the molecular bases of environmental sex determination are largely unknown. To understand the molecular mechanisms of environmental sex determination in Daphnia, it is essential to isolate the genes related to sex determination. As DM-domain genes are well known as sex-related genes, we aimed to identify DM-domain genes from Daphnia. Based on degenerate PCR of conserved DM domains using Daphnia cDNA, we identified three DM-domain genes that corresponded to DMRT11E, DMRT93B, and DMRT99B of Drosophila melanogaster. Quantitative gene expression analysis in gonads revealed that DMRT93B was expressed only in the testis. This finding contributes to an improved understanding of the switching mechanism from an asexual to a sexual life cycle depending on the environment.     

Genomic organization and expression of the doublesex-related gene cluster in vertebrates and detection of putative regulatory regions for DMRT1.

Genes related to the Drosophila melanogaster doublesex and Caenorhabditis elegans mab-3 genes are conserved in human. They are identified by a DNA-binding homology motif, the DM domain, and constitute a gene family (DMRTs). Unlike the invertebrate genes, whose role in the sex-determination process is essentially understood, the function of the different vertebrate DMRT genes is not as clear. Evidence has accumulated for the involvement of DMRT1 in male sex determination and differentiation. DMRT2 (known as terra in zebrafish) seems to be a critical factor for somitogenesis. To contribute to a better understanding of the function of this important gene family, we have analyzed DMRT1, DMRT2, and DMRT3 from the genome model organism Fugu rubripes and the medakafish, a complementary model organism for genetics and functional studies. We found conservation of synteny of human chromosome 9 in F. rubripes and an identical gene cluster organization of the DMRTs in both fish. Although expression analysis and gene linkage mapping in medaka exclude a function for any of the three genes in the primary step of male sex determination, comparison of F. rubripes and human sequences uncovered three putative regulatory regions that might have a role in more downstream events of sex determination and human XY sex reversal.     

A new submicroscopic deletion that refines the 9p region for sex reversal

Male to female sex reversal has been described in patients with deletions of chromosome 9p, and a region critical for sex reversal has been localized to p24.3, at the tip of the chromosome (TD9). It was proposed that the sex reversal may arise by haploinsufficiency for a gene localized to the minimum deletion. The 9p24.3 genes DMRT1 and DMRT2 are the favorite TD9 candidates to date, in virtue of their sequence similarity to doublesex and mab-3, sexual regulators in Drosophila and Caenorhabditis elegans, respectively. The hypothesis of sex reversal by combined haploinsufficiency for the two genes was put forward to explain the lack of mutations in either gene in XY sex-reversed females. Here we describe a XY sex-reversed patient carrying a novel 9p deletion that extends over less than 700 kb of genomic DNA. This region defines the smallest interval for sex reversal found to date. DMRT1 and DMRT2 map outside this region. Our data do not support the hypothesis of combined haploinsufficiency for DMRT1 and DMRT2. Nevertheless, DMRT1 localizes very close to the deletion breakpoint and has a pattern of expression compatible with a role in sex determination. It therefore remains a candidate gene for 9p sex reversal.