You are here

The Male-Biased Expression of miR-2954 Is Involved in the Male Pathway of Chicken Sex Differentiation

Authors: 
Cheng Y, Zhang Z, Zhang G, Chen L, Zeng C, Liu X, Feng Y
Citation: 
Cells. 2022 Dec 20;12(1):4. doi: 10.3390/cells12010004
Abstract: 
Many expression data showed miRNAs have a potential function on regulating gonadal differentiation in animals, but their function is rarely studied in vivo, especially in chickens. Using the comprehensive expression profiles analysis, the specific male-biased miR-2954, which is significantly higher expressed in male embryos and gonads at all detected stages, was firstly screened during the early stages of chicken embryogenesis and gonadogenesis. In sex-reversed female gonads treated with aromatase inhibitors, the expression of miR-2954 was increased, which was consistent with the up-regulation of DMRT1 and SOX9. The injection of vivo-morpholino of miR-2954 significantly inhibited the expression of miR-2954 in chicken embryos, and the down-regulation of miR-2954 decreased the expression of testis-associated genes DMRT1 and SOX9, while the expression of ovary-associated genes and the gonadal morphology did not change obviously. These results confirm that miR-2954 coincides with testicular differentiation in chicken embryos, but whether it might be an upstream cell autonomous factor to sex development in birds still need to be further determined.
Epub: 
Not Epub
Organism or Cell Type: 
Gallus gallus (chick)
Delivery Method: 
Vivo-Morpholino