Project description:Purpose: In this study we employed unbiased, genome-wide techniques to identify regulatory elements during murine sex determination. Methods: We performed ATAC-seq on 60K FACS-purified XX and XY gonadal cells before and after sex determination to map nucleosome depleted regions (NDRs) indicative of regulatory elements. To determine whether these are active enhancers, we performed ChIP-seq for H3K27ac, a histone modification that marks active enhancers in both sexes and time points. Transient transgenics was performed on select enhancers to determine whether they are functional in gonads during the sex determination stage. Results: We have produced a genome wide map of potential regulatory elements and active enhancers during the process of murine sex determination. Furthermore, we validated the power of our dataset by identifying a novel enhancer downstream of Bmp2, a female-specific gene. Conclusions: This work supplies a powerful resource for identifying chromatin regulatory elements active during mammalian sex determination.
Project description:Developmental gene expression is defined through cross-talk between the function of transcription factors and epigenetic status including histone modification. Although several known transcription factors play crucial roles in mammalian sex determination, how chromatin regulation contributes to this process is unknown. We observed male-to-female sex reversal in mice lacking the H3K9 demethylase Jmjd1a, and found that Jmjd1a directly regulates expression of the mammalian Y chromosome sex-determining gene Sry, by regulating H3K9me2 marks. These studies reveal a pivotal role for epigenetic regulation in mammalian sex determination, and provide new impetus for identifying additional causes of disorders of sex determination by environmental factors.
Project description:This study tests the application of an innovative new method of sex determination utilizing enamel peptides on a sample of incompletely developed deciduous teeth, including those of perinates.
Project description:To further elucidate the molecular mechanism underling sex determination at the divergence stage of male and female flowers, the comparative transcriptome analysis was performed. In total, 56,065 unigenes were generated 24,567 transcripts were identified. Among 608 differential expression genes (DEGs), 310 DEGs showed significant expression in males and 298 DEGs in females. The data showed that the sexual dimorphism of female flowers was affected by jasmonic acid, transcription factors and some genes related with activity of floral meristem, which were considered as the candidate sex determination genes. In this study, interesting information will be provided in understanding the development of unisexual flower and the regulatory networks hidden the sex determination in V. fordii, which is useful for the practice of improving its yield.
Project description:Expression profiles of XX and XY somatic gonadal compartment during sex determination. This experiment was updated in March 2011 to correct the incorrect age value for sample Female E10.5_6 (was 11 days should be 10.5).