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Research article
Transcriptomic analysis of dead end knockout testis reveals germ cell and gonadal somatic factors in Atlantic salmon
Lene Kleppe
Institute of Marine Research
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1284-2531
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published version at BMC Genomics.
Background
Sustainability challenges are currently hampering an increase in salmon production. Using sterile salmon can solve problems with precocious puberty and genetic introgression from farmed escapees to wild populations. Recently sterile salmon was produced by knocking out the germ cell-specific dead end (dnd). Several approaches may be applied to inhibit Dnd function, including gene knockout, knockdown or immunization. Since it is challenging to develop a successful treatment against a gene product already existing in the body, alternative targets are being explored. Germ cells are surrounded by, and dependent on, gonadal somatic cells. Targeting genes essential for the survival of gonadal somatic cells may be good alternative targets for sterility treatments. Our aim was to identify and characterize novel germ cell and gonadal somatic factors in Atlantic salmon.Results
We have for the first time analysed RNA-sequencing data from germ cell-free (GCF)/dnd knockout and wild type (WT) salmon testis and searched for genes preferentially expressed in either germ cells or gonadal somatic cells. To exclude genes with extra-gonadal expression, our dataset was merged with available multi-tissue transcriptome data. We identified 389 gonad specific genes, of which 194 were preferentially expressed within germ cells, and 11 were confined to gonadal somatic cells. Interestingly, 5 of the 11 gonadal somatic transcripts represented genes encoding secreted TGF-β factors; gsdf, inha, nodal and two bmp6-like genes, all representative vaccine targets. Of these, gsdf and inha had the highest transcript levels. Expression of gsdf and inha was further confirmed to be gonad specific, and their spatial expression was restricted to granulosa and Sertoli cells of the ovary and testis, respectively. Finally, we show that inha expression increases with puberty in both ovary and testis tissue, while gsdf expression does not change or decreases during puberty in ovary and testis tissue, respectively.Conclusions
This study contributes with transcriptome data on salmon testis tissue with and without germ cells. We provide a list of novel and known germ cell- and gonad somatic specific transcripts, and show that the expression of two highly active gonadal somatic secreted TGF-β factors, gsdf and inha, are located within granulosa and Sertoli cells.
Keywords
Atlantic salmon, gonadal somatic factors, gsdf, inha, Sertoli cell, granulosa cell
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CURRENT STATUS: Published
Version 2
Posted 06 Jan, 2020
Published
On 30 Jan, 2020
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Accept
On 20 Jan, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 15 Jan, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 12 Jan, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 11 Jan, 2020
Editor assigned
On 30 Dec, 2019
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 30 Dec, 2019
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 30 Dec, 2019
Submission checks complete
On 29 Dec, 2019
Editor invited
On 29 Dec, 2019
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 29 Nov, 2019
Review #3 received
Received 27 Nov, 2019
Review #2 received
Received 26 Nov, 2019
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 13 Nov, 2019
Review #1 received
Received 22 Sep, 2019
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 15 Sep, 2019
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 12 Sep, 2019
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 12 Sep, 2019
Editor invited
On 03 Sep, 2019
Editor assigned
On 31 Jul, 2019
Submission checks complete
On 30 Jul, 2019
Metrics
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HTML Views: ...
Subject Areas
Epigenetics & Genomics
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This preprint is under consideration at BMC Genomics. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research article
Transcriptomic analysis of dead end knockout testis reveals germ cell and gonadal somatic factors in Atlantic salmon
Lene Kleppe
Institute of Marine Research
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1284-2531
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Published
Version 2
Posted 06 Jan, 2020
Published
On 30 Jan, 2020
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Accept
On 20 Jan, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 15 Jan, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 12 Jan, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 11 Jan, 2020
Editor assigned
On 30 Dec, 2019
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 30 Dec, 2019
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 30 Dec, 2019
Submission checks complete
On 29 Dec, 2019
Editor invited
On 29 Dec, 2019
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 29 Nov, 2019
Review #3 received
Received 27 Nov, 2019
Review #2 received
Received 26 Nov, 2019
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 13 Nov, 2019
Review #1 received
Received 22 Sep, 2019
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 15 Sep, 2019
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 12 Sep, 2019
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 12 Sep, 2019
Editor invited
On 03 Sep, 2019
Editor assigned
On 31 Jul, 2019
Submission checks complete
On 30 Jul, 2019
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
Subject Areas
Epigenetics & Genomics
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published version at BMC Genomics.
Background
Sustainability challenges are currently hampering an increase in salmon production. Using sterile salmon can solve problems with precocious puberty and genetic introgression from farmed escapees to wild populations. Recently sterile salmon was produced by knocking out the germ cell-specific dead end (dnd). Several approaches may be applied to inhibit Dnd function, including gene knockout, knockdown or immunization. Since it is challenging to develop a successful treatment against a gene product already existing in the body, alternative targets are being explored. Germ cells are surrounded by, and dependent on, gonadal somatic cells. Targeting genes essential for the survival of gonadal somatic cells may be good alternative targets for sterility treatments. Our aim was to identify and characterize novel germ cell and gonadal somatic factors in Atlantic salmon.Results
We have for the first time analysed RNA-sequencing data from germ cell-free (GCF)/dnd knockout and wild type (WT) salmon testis and searched for genes preferentially expressed in either germ cells or gonadal somatic cells. To exclude genes with extra-gonadal expression, our dataset was merged with available multi-tissue transcriptome data. We identified 389 gonad specific genes, of which 194 were preferentially expressed within germ cells, and 11 were confined to gonadal somatic cells. Interestingly, 5 of the 11 gonadal somatic transcripts represented genes encoding secreted TGF-β factors; gsdf, inha, nodal and two bmp6-like genes, all representative vaccine targets. Of these, gsdf and inha had the highest transcript levels. Expression of gsdf and inha was further confirmed to be gonad specific, and their spatial expression was restricted to granulosa and Sertoli cells of the ovary and testis, respectively. Finally, we show that inha expression increases with puberty in both ovary and testis tissue, while gsdf expression does not change or decreases during puberty in ovary and testis tissue, respectively.Conclusions
This study contributes with transcriptome data on salmon testis tissue with and without germ cells. We provide a list of novel and known germ cell- and gonad somatic specific transcripts, and show that the expression of two highly active gonadal somatic secreted TGF-β factors, gsdf and inha, are located within granulosa and Sertoli cells.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6