Sexual Fate Change of XX Germ Cells Caused by the Deletion of SMAD4 and STRA8 Independent of Somatic Sex Reprogramming

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1002553
• Publication Date: 2016-09-08T17:47:46Z
• Authors: Quan Wu; Kurumi Fukuda; Yuzuru Kato; Zhi Zhou; Chu-Xia Deng; Yumiko Saga
• Keywords: Reprogramming; Sexual Differentiation; Germ line development; Gonocyte; Cell fate determination

The differential programming of sperm and eggs in gonads is a fundamental topic reproductive biology. Although the sexual fate germ cells believed to be determined by signaling factors from sexually differentiated somatic fetal gonads, molecular mechanism that determines cell poorly understood. Herein, we show mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 4 (SMAD4) required for female-type differentiation. Germ Smad4-deficient ovaries respond retinoic acid but fail undergo meiotic prophase I, which coincides with weaker expression genes follicular formation, indicating SMAD4 essential oocyte differentiation progression. Intriguingly, germline-specific deletion Smad4 Stra8-null female resulted up-regulation male gonocyte differentiation, including Nanos2 PLZF, suggesting initiation male-type ovaries. Moreover, our transcriptome analyses mutant revealed sex change phenotype achieved without global gene changes cells. Our results demonstrate STRA8 are regulate