Variation in responses to photoperiods and temperatures in Japanese medaka from different latitudes.

Seasonal changes are more robust and dynamic at higher latitudes than at lower latitudes, and animals sense seasonal changes in the environment and alter their physiology and behavior to better adapt to harsh winter conditions. However, the genetic basis for sensing seasonal changes, including the photoperiod and temperature, remains unclear. Medaka (Oryzias latipes species complex), widely distributed from subtropical to cool-temperate regions throughout the Japanese archipelago, provides an excellent model to tackle this subject.

Inter- and Intraspecific Variation in Sex Hormone-Induced Sex-Reversal in Medaka, and .

We compared sex-reversal ratios induced by 17α-methyltestosterone (MT) and 17β-estradiol (E2) exposure in two inbred medaka strains: Hd-rR derived from and HNI-II from . All MT exposures (0.2-25 ng mL) induced complete XX sex-reversal in HNI-II.

Centromere localization in medaka fish based on half-tetrad analysis.

Gene-centromere (G-C) mapping provides insight into vertebrate genome composition, structure and evolution. Although medaka fish are important experimental animals, no genome-wide G-C map of medaka has been constructed. In this study, we used 112 interspecific triploid hybrids and 152 DNA markers to make G-C maps of all 24 linkage groups (LGs).

Hyperosmotic tolerance of adult fish and early embryos are determined by discrete, single loci in the genus Oryzias.

The acquisition of environmental osmolality tolerance traits in individuals and gametes is an important event in the evolution and diversification of organisms. Although teleost fish exhibit considerable intra- and interspecific variation in salinity tolerance, the genetic mechanisms underlying this trait remain unclear. Oryzias celebensis survives in sea and fresh water during both the embryonic and adult stages, whereas its close relative Oryzias woworae cannot survive in sea water at either stage.

Estrogen alters gonadal soma-derived factor (Gsdf)/Foxl2 expression levels in the testes associated with testis-ova differentiation in adult medaka, Oryzias latipes.

Testis-ova differentiation in sexually mature male medaka (Oryzias latipes) is easily induced by estrogenic chemicals, indicating that spermatogonia persist in sexual bipotentiality, even in mature testes in medaka. By contrast, the effects of estrogen on testicular somatic cells associated with testis-ova differentiation in medaka remain unclear. In this study, we focused on the dynamics of sex-related genes (Gsdf, Dmrt1, and Foxl2) expressed in Sertoli cells in the mature testes of adult medaka during estrogen-induced testis-ova differentiation.

Androgen induces gonadal soma-derived factor, Gsdf, in XX gonads correlated to sex-reversal but not Dmrt1 directly, in the teleost fish, northern medaka (Oryzias sakaizumii).

In the inbred HNI-II strain of Oryzias sakaizumii, Dmy and Gsdf are expressed in XY gonads from Stages 35 and 36, respectively, similarly to the inbred Hd-rR strain of Oryzias latipes. However, Dmrt1 respectively becomes detectable at Stage 36 and 5 days post hatching (dph) in the two strains. In XX HNI-II embryos, 17α-methyltestosterone (MT) induces Gsdf mRNA from Stage 36, accompanied by complete sex-reversal in all treated individuals (MT, 10 ng/mL), while Dmrt1 mRNA was first detectable at 5 dph.

High levels of plasma cortisol and impaired hypoosmoregulation in a mutant medaka deficient in P450c17I.

scl is a spontaneous medaka mutant deficient in P450c17I, which is required for production of sex steroids, but not of cortisol, the major role of which is osmoregulation in teleost fish. The scl mutant provides a new model to study the functions of these hormones. We first found that fish homozygous for this mutation have plasma cortisol constitutively at a high physiological level (1000 nM).

Origin of Boundary Populations in Medaka (Oryzias latipes Species Complex).

The Japanese wild population of the medaka fish (Oryzias latipes species complex) comprises two genetically distinct groups, the Northern and the Southern Populations, with boundary populations having a unique genotype. It is thought that the boundary populations have been formed through introgressive hybridization between the two groups, because they are fixed with the Northern alleles at two allozymic loci, with the Southern alleles at two other loci, and have a unique allele at one locus. In this study, we examined the genetic population structure of the boundary populations using genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data.

Turnover of Sex Chromosomes in Celebensis Group Medaka Fishes.

Sex chromosomes and the sex-determining (SD) gene are variable in vertebrates. In particular, medaka fishes in the genus Oryzias show an extremely large diversity in sex chromosomes and the SD gene, providing a good model to study the evolutionary process by which they turnover. Here, we investigated the sex determination system and sex chromosomes in six celebensis group species.

Evolution of the sex-determining gene in the teleostean genus Oryzias.

In the genetic sex determination of vertebrates, the gonadal sex depends on the combination of sex chromosomes that a zygote possesses. Despite the discovery of the sex-determining gene (SRY/Sry) in mammals in 1990s, the sex-determining gene in non-mammalian vertebrates remained an enigma for over a decade. In most mammals, the male-inducing master sex-determining gene is located on the Y chromosome and is therefore absent from XX females.

Co-option of Sox3 as the male-determining factor on the Y chromosome in the fish Oryzias dancena.

Sex chromosomes harbour a primary sex-determining signal that triggers sexual development of the organism. However, diverse sex chromosome systems have been evolved in vertebrates. Here we use positional cloning to identify the sex-determining locus of a medaka-related fish, Oryzias dancena, and find that the locus on the Y chromosome contains a cis-regulatory element that upregulates neighbouring Sox3 expression in developing gonad.

Divergence of repetitive DNA sequences in the heterochromatin of medaka fishes: Molecular cytogenetic characterization of constitutive heterochromatin in two medaka species: Oryzias hubbsi and O. celebensis (Adrianichthyidae, Beloniformes).

The large biarmed chromosomes of Oryzias celebensis [2n = 36, fundamental arm number (FN) = 48] are considered to have resulted from fusions of acrocentric chromosomes in the ancestral karyotype of Oryzias, which is retained in O. hubbsi (2n = 48, FN = 48). To understand the molecular evolution of heterochromatin associated with karyotype reorganization in medaka fishes, we cloned 3 and 6 novel families of heterochromatin-related repetitive DNA sequences from O.

Molecular cytogenetic identification and characterization of Robertsonian chromosomes in the large Japanese field mouse (Apodemus speciosus) using FISH.

Robertsonian (Rb) karyotypic polymorphism in Apodemus speciosus has interested many researchers with particular referece to the genetic divergence between Rb and non-Rb populations. Failure to find morphologic, biochemical, or genetic differences in previous studies reveals the necessity of focusing on loci on Rb chromosomes, which can be characterized by FISH mapping with DNA probes. In an Rb heterozygote, DNA probes from laboratory mouse chromosomes (MMUs) 1 and 10 were simultaneously hybridized to the long arm of a metacentric and a medium-sized acrocentric chromosome and to the short arm of the metacentric and a small acrocentric chromosome, respectively.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Dugesia japonica (Platyhelminthes; order Tricladida).

We used two sequencing methods, namely long polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and primer walking, to determine the complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence of Dugesia japonica and most of the mtDNA sequence of Dugesia ryukyuensis. The genome of D. japonica contained 36 genes including 12 of the 13 protein-coding genes characteristic of metazoan mitochondrial genomes, two ribosomal RNA genes, and 22 transfer RNA genes.

Tracing the emergence of a novel sex-determining gene in medaka, Oryzias luzonensis.

Three sex-determining (SD) genes, SRY (mammals), Dmy (medaka), and DM-W (Xenopus laevis), have been identified to date in vertebrates. However, how and why a new sex-determining gene appears remains unknown, as do the switching mechanisms of the master sex-determining gene. Here, we used positional cloning to search for the sex-determining gene in Oryzias luzonensis and found that GsdfY (gonadal soma derived growth factor on the Y chromosome) has replaced Dmy as the master sex-determining gene in this species.

Molecular cloning and characterization of the repetitive DNA sequences that comprise the constitutive heterochromatin of the W chromosomes of medaka fishes.

Among the medaka fishes of the genus Oryzias, most species have homomorphic sex chromosomes, while some species, such as Oryzias hubbsi and Oryzias javanicus, have heteromorphic ZW sex chromosomes. In this study, a novel family of repetitive sequence was molecularly cloned from O. hubbsi and characterized by chromosome in situ and filter hybridization, respectively.

An autosomal locus controls sex reversal in interspecific XY hybrids of the medaka fishes.

Although the two medaka species Oryzias latipes and O. curvinotus share the sex-determining gene Dmy, XY sex reversal occurs in interspecific hybridization between O. latipes females of the Hd-rR inbred strain and O.

Occurrence of a short variant of the Tol2 transposable element in natural populations of the medaka fish.

Tol2 is a member of the hAT (hobo/Activator/Tam3) transposable element family, residing as 10-30 copies per diploid genome in the medaka fish. We previously reported that this element is highly homogeneous in structure at both the restriction map level and the nucleotide sequence level. It was, however, possible that there is variation of such a low frequency as not to have been detected in our previous surveys, in which samples from 12 geographical locations were used.

Inherited XX sex reversal originating from wild medaka populations.

The teleost fish, medaka (Oryzias latipes), has an XX/XY sex-determining mechanism. A Y-linked DM domain gene, DMY, has been isolated by positional cloning as the sex-determining gene in this species. Previously, we conducted a field survey of genotypic sex and found that approximately 1% of wild medaka are sex-reversed (XX males and XY females).

The National BioResource Project Medaka (NBRP Medaka): an integrated bioresource for biological and biomedical sciences.

Medaka (Oryzias latipes) is a small freshwater teleost fish that serves as a model vertebrate organism in various fields of biology including development, genetics, toxicology and evolution. The recent completion of the medaka genome sequencing project has promoted the use of medaka as a comparative and complementary material for research on other vertebrates such as zebrafish, sticklebacks, mice, and humans. The Japanese government has supported the development of Medaka Bioresources since 2002.

Dermal morphogenesis controls lateral line patterning during postembryonic development of teleost fish.

The lateral line system displays highly divergent patterns in adult teleost fish. The mechanisms underlying this variability are poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that the lateral line mechanoreceptor, the neuromast, gives rise to a series of accessory neuromasts by a serial budding process during postembryonic development in zebrafish.

Distribution of complete and defective copies of the Tol1 transposable element in natural populations of the medaka fish Oryzias latipes.

DNA-based transposable elements are present in the genomes of various organisms, and generally occur in autonomous and nonautonomous forms, with a good correspondence to complete and defective copies, respectively. In vertebrates, however, the vast majority of DNA-based elements occur only in the nonautonomous form. Until now, the only clear exception known has been the Tol2 element of the medaka fish, which still causes mutations in genes of the host species.

Heritable artificial sex chromosomes in the medaka, Oryzias latipes.

Chromosomal sex determination is widely used by vertebrates, however, only two genes have been identified as master sex-determining genes: SRY/Sry in mammals and DMY in the teleost medaka. Transfer of both genes into genetically female (XX) individuals can induce male development. However, transgenic strains have not been established in both cases because of infertility of the transgenic founders in mammals and low germline transmission rates in medaka.

A sex-determining region on the Y chromosome controls the sex-reversal ratio in interspecific hybrids between Oryzias curvinotus females and Oryzias latipes males.

Oryzias latipes and Oryzias curvinotus are closely related medaka species that have the common sex-determining gene, DMY, on their homologous Y chromosomes. We previously reported that sex-reversed XY females were produced in hybrids between O. curvinotus females and O.

Dichotomous haplotypic lineages of the immunoproteasome subunit genes, PSMB8 and PSMB10, in the MHC class I region of a Teleost Medaka, Oryzias latipes.

Sequence comparison of the medaka, Oryzias latipes, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I region between two inbred strains, the HNI (derived from the Northern Population) and the Hd-rR (from the Southern Population), revealed a approximately 100 kb highly divergent segment encompassing two MHC class IA genes, Orla-UAA and Orla-UBA, and two immunoproteasome beta subunit genes, PSMB8 and PSMB10. To elucidate the genetic diversity of this region, we analyzed polymorphisms of the PSMB8 and PSMB10 genes using wild populations of medaka from three genetically different groups: the Northern Population, the Southern Population, and the China-West Korean Population. A total of 1,245 specimens from 10 localities were analyzed, and all the PSMB8 and PSMB10 alleles were classified into the N (fixed in the HNI strain) or the d (fixed in the Hd-rR strain) lineage.