Department of Biology and Environmental Science, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9QJ, United Kingdom.
Environ Sci Technol. 2012 Dec 4;46(23):12936-42. doi: 10.1021/es302948g. Epub 2012 Nov 14.
Intersex, the appearance of female characteristics in male gonads, has been identified in a wide range of aquatic species worldwide, yet the underpinning molecular etiology remains uncharacterized. The presence of intersex has been shown to be a widespread phenomenon in bivalve, S. plana, populations from the southwest coast of the U.K., as well as inducible in an experimental exposure regime using endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs). Herein, we use the suppressive subtractive hybridization approach to isolate differentially expressed transcripts in S. plana males exhibiting intersex. Transcripts involved in cell signaling, cell cycle control, energy production/metabolism, microtubule assembly, and sperm physiology are all highlighted as differentially expressed in intersex male clams. These provide both an insight into the molecular mechanisms of action involved in the development of intersex, as well as facilitating potential molecular-level "early warning" biomarkers of the condition.
雌雄间性，即雄性性腺出现雌性特征，已在全球范围内的多种水生物种中被发现，但潜在的分子病因仍未被阐明。雌雄间性在英国西南部的双壳类贻贝类种群中以及在使用内分泌干扰化合物 (EDC) 的实验暴露条件下具有诱导性，这一现象已被广泛证实。在此，我们使用抑制性消减杂交技术来分离表现出雌雄间性的 S. plana 雄性个体中差异表达的转录本。细胞信号转导、细胞周期控制、能量产生/代谢、微管组装和精子生理等过程中涉及的转录本均在雌雄间性雄性贻贝中呈现差异表达。这些发现不仅为雌雄间性发育过程中的作用机制提供了深入了解，也为该病症的潜在分子水平“早期预警”生物标志物提供了便利。
