Gonadal remodelling in socially driven sex change is associated with novel and known sex genes, epigenetic reprogramming, and inflammation-mediated apoptosis.
Many fish undergo dramatic, socially cued female-to-male sex change, yet the events that initiate and then regulate gonadal reprogramming and reorganisation during this phenomenal metamorphosis are broadly unknown. The New Zealand spotted wrasse, Notolabrus celidotus, is a temperate fish species that displays the extraordinary ability to undergo protogynous sex change. Removal of a terminal-phase…
Fish, particularly the New Zealand spotted wrasse, are known for their remarkable ability to undergo female-to-male sex change in response to social cues. This metamorphosis involves complex molecular changes that are not fully understood. Researchers have delved into the genetic and epigenetic underpinnings of this transformation in the spotty fish, using advanced genomic and transcriptomic techniques.
Their findings reveal a clear shift in gene expression, with the predominance of masculinising genes and a decline in feminising genes throughout the sex change process. Novel genes linked to immune signalling and inflammation-mediated apoptosis were identified as playing significant roles, corroborating the involvement of known sex determination and differentiation genes.
These insights offer a deeper understanding of the plasticity and reversibility of gonadal reprogramming, shedding light on the evolutionary mechanisms behind sex determination across various animal species. The spotty wrasse, therefore, emerges as a promising model for future research into sex change.
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