Gsdf is not indispensable for male differentiation in the medaka species Oryzias hubbsi

Abstract

Sex determination mechanisms differ widely among vertebrates, particularly in fish species, where diverse sex chromosomes and sex-determining genes have evolved. However, the sex-differentiation pathways activated by these sex-determining genes appear to be conserved. Gonadal soma-derived growth factor (Gsdf) is one of the genes conserved across teleost fish, especially in medaka fishes of the genus Oryzias, and is implicated in testis differentiation and germ cell proliferation. However, its role in sex differentiation remains unclear. In this study, we investigated Gsdf function in Oryzias hubbsi, a species with a ZW sex-determination system. We confirmed its male-dominant expression, as in other species. However, histological analyses revealed no male-to-female sex reversal in Gsdf-knockout fish, contrary to findings in other medaka species. Genetic sex determination remained intact without Gsdf function, indicating a Gsdf-independent sex-differentiation pathway in O. hubbsi. Instead, Gsdf loss led to germ cell overproliferation in both sexes and accelerated onset of meiosis in testes, suggesting a role in germ cell proliferation. Notably, the feminizing effect of germ cells observed in O. latipes was absent, suggesting diverse germ cell-somatic cell relationships in Oryzias gonad development. Our study highlights species-specific variations in the molecular pathways governing sex determination and differentiation, emphasizing the need for further exploration to elucidate the complexities of sexual development.

Keywords: Evolution; Medaka; Sex determination; Sex differentiation; Sex reversal.