Transcriptional analysis of the multiple Sry genes and developmental program at the onset of testis differentiation in the rat

Jeremy W Prokop; Surya B Chhetri; J Edward van Veen; Xuqi Chen; Adam C Underwood; Katie Uhl; Melinda R Dwinell; Aron M Geurts; Stephanie M Correa; Arthur P Arnold

doi:10.1186/s13293-020-00305-8

Transcriptional analysis of the multiple Sry genes and developmental program at the onset of testis differentiation in the rat

Biol Sex Differ. 2020 May 12;11(1):28. doi: 10.1186/s13293-020-00305-8.

Authors

Jeremy W Prokop^{1

2

3}, Surya B Chhetri^{3

4}, J Edward van Veen⁵, Xuqi Chen⁵, Adam C Underwood^{1

6}, Katie Uhl¹, Melinda R Dwinell⁷, Aron M Geurts⁷, Stephanie M Correa⁵, Arthur P Arnold⁸

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA.
² Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
³ HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL, 35806, USA.
⁴ Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA.
⁵ Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology of the Brain Research Institute, University of California, 610 Charles Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
⁶ Division of Mathematics and Science, Walsh University, North Canton, OH, 44720, USA.
⁷ Department of Physiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA.
⁸ Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology of the Brain Research Institute, University of California, 610 Charles Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA. arnold@ucla.edu.

Abstract

Background: The commonly used laboratory rat, Rattus norvegicus, is unique in having multiple Sry gene copies found on the Y chromosome, with different copies encoding amino acid variations that influence the resulting protein function. It is not clear which Sry genes are expressed at the onset of testis differentiation or how their expression correlates with that of other genes in testis-determination pathways.

Methods: Here, two independent E11-E14 developmental RNAseq datasets show that multiple Sry genes are expressed at E12-E13.

Results: The identified copies expressed during testis initiation include Sry4A, Sry1, and Sry3C, which are conserved in every strain of Rattus norvegicus with genomes sequenced to date.

Conclusions: This work represents a first step in defining the complex environment of rat testis differentiation that can open the door for generating sex reversal model systems using embryo manipulation techniques that have been available in the mouse but not the rat.

Keywords: Embryo; Gonadal ridge; RNAseq; Rattus norvegicus; Sex determination; Sry; Testis determination; Transcriptome.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
Genes, sry*
Male
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Testis / growth & development*
Transcription, Genetic

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

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