Diverse regulation but conserved function: Sox9 in vertebrate sex determination

Brittany Vining; Zhenhua Ming; Stefan Bagheri-Fam; Vincent Harley

doi:10.3390/genes12040486

Diverse regulation but conserved function: Sox9 in vertebrate sex determination

Brittany Vining, Zhenhua Ming, Stefan Bagheri-Fam, Vincent Harley

Hudson Institute - Department of Molecular and Translational Science

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review Article › Research › peer-review

37 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Sex determination occurs early during embryogenesis among vertebrates. It involves the differentiation of the bipotential gonad to ovaries or testes by a fascinating diversity of molecular switches. In most mammals, the switch is SRY (sex determining region Y); in other vertebrates it could be one of a variety of genes including Dmrt1 or dmy. Downstream of the switch gene, SOX9 upregulation is a central event in testes development, controlled by gonad-specific enhancers across the 2 Mb SOX9 locus. SOX9 is a ‘hub’ gene of gonadal development, regulated positively in males and negatively in females. Despite this diversity, SOX9 protein sequence and function among vertebrates remains highly conserved. This article explores the cellular, morphological, and genetic mechanisms initiated by SOX9 for male gonad differentiation.

Original language	English
Article number	486
Number of pages	23
Journal	Genes
Volume	12
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/genes12040486
Publication status	Published - Apr 2021

Keywords

Evolution
Sex determination
SOX9
Transcription factor
Transdifferentiation

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10.3390/genes12040486Licence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Diverse regulation but conserved function: Sox9 in vertebrate sex determination",

abstract = "Sex determination occurs early during embryogenesis among vertebrates. It involves the differentiation of the bipotential gonad to ovaries or testes by a fascinating diversity of molecular switches. In most mammals, the switch is SRY (sex determining region Y); in other vertebrates it could be one of a variety of genes including Dmrt1 or dmy. Downstream of the switch gene, SOX9 upregulation is a central event in testes development, controlled by gonad-specific enhancers across the 2 Mb SOX9 locus. SOX9 is a {\textquoteleft}hub{\textquoteright} gene of gonadal development, regulated positively in males and negatively in females. Despite this diversity, SOX9 protein sequence and function among vertebrates remains highly conserved. This article explores the cellular, morphological, and genetic mechanisms initiated by SOX9 for male gonad differentiation.",

keywords = "Evolution, Sex determination, SOX9, Transcription factor, Transdifferentiation",

author = "Brittany Vining and Zhenhua Ming and Stefan Bagheri-Fam and Vincent Harley",

note = "Funding Information: Funding: This research was funded by National Health and Medical Research Council Program Grant 2002426 (to V.H) and Fellowship APP1154870 (to V.H.). This work was supported by the Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship (to B.V.). This work is supported by the Victorian Government{\textquoteright}s Operational Infrastructure Support Program. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.",

year = "2021",

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AU - Harley, Vincent

N1 - Funding Information: Funding: This research was funded by National Health and Medical Research Council Program Grant 2002426 (to V.H) and Fellowship APP1154870 (to V.H.). This work was supported by the Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship (to B.V.). This work is supported by the Victorian Government’s Operational Infrastructure Support Program. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

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N2 - Sex determination occurs early during embryogenesis among vertebrates. It involves the differentiation of the bipotential gonad to ovaries or testes by a fascinating diversity of molecular switches. In most mammals, the switch is SRY (sex determining region Y); in other vertebrates it could be one of a variety of genes including Dmrt1 or dmy. Downstream of the switch gene, SOX9 upregulation is a central event in testes development, controlled by gonad-specific enhancers across the 2 Mb SOX9 locus. SOX9 is a ‘hub’ gene of gonadal development, regulated positively in males and negatively in females. Despite this diversity, SOX9 protein sequence and function among vertebrates remains highly conserved. This article explores the cellular, morphological, and genetic mechanisms initiated by SOX9 for male gonad differentiation.

AB - Sex determination occurs early during embryogenesis among vertebrates. It involves the differentiation of the bipotential gonad to ovaries or testes by a fascinating diversity of molecular switches. In most mammals, the switch is SRY (sex determining region Y); in other vertebrates it could be one of a variety of genes including Dmrt1 or dmy. Downstream of the switch gene, SOX9 upregulation is a central event in testes development, controlled by gonad-specific enhancers across the 2 Mb SOX9 locus. SOX9 is a ‘hub’ gene of gonadal development, regulated positively in males and negatively in females. Despite this diversity, SOX9 protein sequence and function among vertebrates remains highly conserved. This article explores the cellular, morphological, and genetic mechanisms initiated by SOX9 for male gonad differentiation.

KW - Evolution

KW - Sex determination

KW - SOX9

KW - Transcription factor

KW - Transdifferentiation

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SN - 2073-4425

VL - 12

JO - Genes

JF - Genes

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Diverse regulation but conserved function: Sox9 in vertebrate sex determination

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Improving the diagnosis of Disorders Sex Development (DSD)

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Cite this

Diverse regulation but conserved function: Sox9 in vertebrate sex determination

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Projects

Improving the diagnosis of Disorders Sex Development (DSD)

Genetic regulation of avian sex determination

Molecular Genetics of Human Sexual Differentiation

Cite this