Identification of sex differences in zebrafish (Danio rerio) brains during early sexual differentiation and masculinization using 17α-methyltestoterone†
Sexual behaviour in teleost fish is highly plastic. It can be attributed to the relatively few sex differences found in adult brain transcriptomes. Environmental and hormonal factors can influence sex-specific behaviour. Androgen treatment stimulates behavioural masculinisation. Sex dimorphic gene expression in developing teleost brains and the molecular basis for androgen-induced behavioural masculinisation are poorly understood. In this study, juvenile zebrafish (Danio rerio) were treated with 100 ng/L of 17 alpha-methyltestosterone during sexual development from 20 days post fertilisation to 40 days and 60 days post fertilisation. We compared brain gene expression patterns in MT-treated zebrafish with control males and females using RNA-Seq to shed light on the dynamic changes in brain gene expression during sexual development and how androgens affect brain gene expression leading to behaviour masculinisation. We found modest differences in gene expression between juvenile male and female zebrafish brains. Brain aromatase (cyp19a1b), prostaglandin 3a synthase (ptges3a) and prostaglandin reductase 1 (ptgr1) were among the genes with sexually dimorphic expression patterns. MT treatment significantly altered gene expression relative to both male and female brains. Fewer differences were found among MT-treated brains and male brains compared to female brains, particularly at 60 dpf. MT treatment upregulated the expression of hydroxysteroid 11-beta dehydrogenase 2 (hsd11b2), deiodinase, iodothyronine, type II (dio2), gonadotrophin releasing hormones (GnRH) 2 and 3 (gnrh2 and gnrh3) suggesting local synthesis of 11-ketotestosterone, triiodothyronine and GnRHs in zebrafish brains which are influenced by androgens. Androgen, estrogen, prostaglandin, thyroid hormone and GnRH signalling pathways likely interact to modulate teleost sexual behaviour.
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science
5
9%
Medicine and Dentistry
4
7%
Other
6
11%
Unknown
16
28%
Attention Score in Context
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 6. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 08 October 2019.
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#5,759,450
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#904
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Outputs of similar age
#113,586
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Outputs of similar age from Biology of Reproduction
#15
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Altmetric has tracked 23,012,811 research outputs across all sources so far. This one has received more attention than most of these and is in the 74th percentile.
So far Altmetric has tracked 4,728 research outputs from this source. They receive a mean Attention Score of 4.6. This one has done well, scoring higher than 80% of its peers.
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We're also able to compare this research output to 69 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has done well, scoring higher than 78% of its contemporaries.
