Gong Zhihong, Shi Rui, Chen Songlin, Wang Na
Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China.
College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China.
Biology (Basel). 2022 Oct 2;11(10):1451. doi: 10.3390/biology11101451.
Sexual size dimorphism (SSD), which is the sexual differences in body size, has been widely reported in various species including fishes. For Chinese tongue sole (), a flatfish exhibiting typically female-biased SSD, little is known for its epigenetic regulation mechanism, especially the role of circRNAs. Here, we identified the differently expressed abundances of circRNAs in females, males, and pseudo-males to explore the potential functions of circRNAs in Chinese tongue sole SSD. In total, 14,745 novel circRNAs were screened, among which 1461 DE circRNAs were identified from the brain, gonad, liver, and muscle in female, male, and pseudo-male individuals. The ceRNA network was subsequently constructed, including 10 circRNAs, 26 mRNAs, and 11 miRNAs. These DE mRNAs were mainly related to the mRNA surveillance pathway, metabolic pathways, and cellular senescence. Importantly, the ceRNA network has revealed that several circRNAs such as novel_circ_004374 and novel_circ_014597 may regulate () expression by sponging miR-130-x. It is also worth exploring whether or how novel_circ_008696 regulates (), which in turn affects the epigenetic patterns of different sexual individuals. The present study not only enriches the knowledge on the potential roles of circRNA in the physiological process, but also provides new clues for the explanation of fish SSD. In future studies, the precise function and involvement of circRNAs in female-biased SSD will require more efforts.
性大小二态性（SSD）是指体型上的性别差异，已在包括鱼类在内的各种物种中广泛报道。对于典型表现出雌性偏向性大小二态性的半滑舌鳎，其表观遗传调控机制，尤其是环状RNA（circRNA）的作用，人们了解甚少。在此，我们鉴定了雌性、雄性和伪雄鱼中circRNA的差异表达丰度，以探索circRNA在半滑舌鳎性大小二态性中的潜在功能。总共筛选出14745个新的circRNA，其中从雌性、雄性和伪雄鱼个体的脑、性腺、肝脏和肌肉中鉴定出1461个差异表达的circRNA。随后构建了ceRNA网络，包括10个circRNA、26个mRNA和11个miRNA。这些差异表达的mRNA主要与mRNA监测途径、代谢途径和细胞衰老有关。重要的是，ceRNA网络显示，一些circRNA，如novel_circ_004374和novel_circ_014597，可能通过海绵吸附miR-130-x来调节（）表达。novel_circ_008696是否或如何调节（）进而影响不同性别个体的表观遗传模式也值得探索。本研究不仅丰富了circRNA在生理过程中潜在作用的知识，也为解释鱼类性大小二态性提供了新线索。在未来的研究中，circRNA在雌性偏向性大小二态性中的精确功能和参与情况还需要更多的研究。
