Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Guangdong Province, Marine Sciences Institute, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China; Research Center of Engineering Technology for Subtropical Mariculture of Guangdong Province, Shantou 515063, China.
Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Guangdong Province, Marine Sciences Institute, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China; Research Center of Engineering Technology for Subtropical Mariculture of Guangdong Province, Shantou 515063, China.
Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol. 2024 Feb-Mar;270:110933. doi: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2023.110933. Epub 2023 Dec 16.
STAT (signal transducer and activator of the transcription) proteins, are a group of highly conserved transcription factors and fundamental components of the JAK-STAT signaling pathway. They play crucial roles in a variety of biological processes, such as immunity, proliferation, differentiation, and growth. However, little information is known regarding their role in gonad development and sex determination in mollusks. In this study, we identified 3 STAT genes in Pacific Oyster Crassostrea gigas. Phylogenetic analysis showed that STATs from mollusks were highly conserved, and most of them had four identical motif regions, except for the STAT1 and STAT3 predicted sequences from Crassostrea hongkongensis. Tissue expression analysis indicated CgSTAT1 had a high expression level in most tissues, while CgSTAT3 had a low expression level in most tissues. Expression analysis of early developmental stages showed CgSTAT1 had a higher expression level from egg to D shaped larva and a lower expression level in subsequent stages. In contrast CgSTAT1, CgSTAT2 had a reverse expression pattern. Expression analysis of different developmental stages of diploid gonads indicated that CgSTAT1 had a higher expression level at the S1 and S3 stages relative to the S2 stage in females, while in males the S3 stage had a higher expression than than the S2 stage. The expression level of CgSTAT1 between diploids and triploids in females differed significantly, but there were no significant differences in males. Expression of CgSTAT2 differed significantly between diploid and triploid males. These data suggest an important role for STATs in sex differentiation in diploid and triploid oysters. Our study is the first to explore the role of STATs in sex differentiation and gonadal development in oysters, and will help us better understand the molecular mechanisms of sex differentiation in shellfish.
STAT（信号转导和转录激活因子）蛋白是一组高度保守的转录因子，是 JAK-STAT 信号通路的基本组成部分。它们在多种生物学过程中发挥着至关重要的作用，如免疫、增殖、分化和生长。然而，关于它们在软体动物性腺发育和性别决定中的作用，人们知之甚少。在本研究中，我们在太平洋牡蛎（Crassostrea gigas）中鉴定了 3 个 STAT 基因。系统发育分析表明，软体动物的 STAT 高度保守，除了来自 Crassostrea hongkongensis 的 STAT1 和 STAT3 预测序列外，它们大多数都有四个相同的基序区域。组织表达分析表明，CgSTAT1 在大多数组织中具有高表达水平，而 CgSTAT3 在大多数组织中具有低表达水平。早期发育阶段的表达分析表明，CgSTAT1 在从卵到 D 形幼虫的阶段具有较高的表达水平，而在随后的阶段表达水平较低。相比之下，CgSTAT1 的表达模式与 CgSTAT2 相反。在二倍体性腺的不同发育阶段的表达分析表明，在雌性中，CgSTAT1 在 S1 和 S3 阶段的表达水平高于 S2 阶段，而在雄性中，S3 阶段的表达水平高于 S2 阶段。在雌性中，二倍体和三倍体之间 CgSTAT1 的表达水平存在显著差异，但在雄性中没有显著差异。CgSTAT2 在二倍体和三倍体雄性之间的表达存在显著差异。这些数据表明 STAT 在二倍体和三倍体牡蛎的性别分化中发挥着重要作用。我们的研究首次探索了 STAT 在牡蛎性别分化和性腺发育中的作用，将有助于我们更好地理解贝类性别分化的分子机制。
