AUTHOR=Xu Siqi , Zhang Shiyong , Zhang Wenping , Liu Hongyan , Wang Minghua , Zhong Liqiang , Bian Wenji , Chen Xiaohui 

TITLE=Genome-Wide Identification, Phylogeny, and Expression Profile of the Dmrt (Doublesex and Mab-3 Related Transcription Factor) Gene Family in Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Genetics

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/genetics/articles/10.3389/fgene.2022.891204

DOI=10.3389/fgene.2022.891204

ISSN=1664-8021

ABSTRACT=<p>The <italic>Dmrt</italic> (Doublesex and Mab-3 related transcription factor) gene family is a class of crucial transcription factors characterized by a conserved DM domain related to sex determination and differentiation, which has been systematically described in various teleost fish, but less in channel catfish (<italic>Ictalurus punctatus</italic>), an important global aquaculture species in the US and China. In this study, seven <italic>Dmrt</italic> genes from channel catfish genome were identified and analyzed using bioinformatics methods. Seven <italic>IpDmrt</italic> genes were distributed unevenly across five chromosomes. Synteny analysis revealed that <italic>Dmrt1</italic>, <italic>Dmrt2a</italic>, <italic>Dmrt2b</italic>, <italic>Dmrt3</italic>, <italic>Dmrt4</italic>, and <italic>Dmrt5</italic> were relatively conserved in teleost fish. Tissue distribution analysis showed that <italic>IpDmrt1</italic>, <italic>IpDmrt2b</italic>, <italic>IpDmrt5</italic>, and <italic>IpDmrt6</italic> exhibited sexually dimorphic expression patterns and, among them, <italic>IpDmrt1</italic> and <italic>IpDmrt6</italic> had high expression levels in the testes, while <italic>IpDmrt2b</italic> and <italic>IpDmrt5</italic> had more significant expression levels in the ovaries than in other tissues. After 17β-estradiol treatment, <italic>IpDmrt2b</italic> and <italic>IpDmrt5</italic> were significantly up regulated, while the expression of <italic>IpDmrt1</italic> and <italic>IpDmrt6</italic> was significantly repressed in XY channel catfish ovaries compared with XX channel catfish ovaries. The present study provides a comprehensive insight into the <italic>Dmrt</italic> gene family of channel catfish. The results suggest that <italic>IpDmrt1</italic> and <italic>IpDmrt6</italic> may play an important role in testis differentiation/development, while <italic>IpDmrt2b</italic> and <italic>IpDmrt5</italic> are critical in ovary development in this species.</p>