The sex determination gene doublesex regulates expression and secretion of the basement membrane protein Collagen Ⅳ

作者：Qionglin Peng; Jiangtao Chen; Rong Wang; Huan Zhu; Caihong Han; Xiaoxiao Ji; Yufeng Pan^*

来源：Journal of Genetics and Genomics, 2022, 49(07): 636-644.

The highly conserved doublesex(dsx) and doublesex/mab-3 related(Dmrt) genes control sexually dimorphic traits across animals. The dsx gene encodes sex-specific transcription factors, DsxM in males and DsxF in females, which function differentially and often oppositely to establish sexual dimorphism. Here, we report that mutations in dsx, or overexpression of dsx, result in abnormal distribution of the basement membrane(BM) protein Collagen Ⅳ in the fat body. We find that Dsx isoforms regulate the expression of Collagen Ⅳ in the fat body and its secretion into the BM of other tissues. We identify the procollagen lysyl hydroxylase(dPlod) gene, which is involved in the biosynthesis of Collagen Ⅳ, as a direct target of Dsx. We further show that Dsx regulates Collagen Ⅳ through d Plod-dependent and independent pathways. These findings reveal how Dsx isoforms function in the secretory fat body to regulate Collagen Ⅳ and remotely establish sexual dimorphism.

• 单位
  东南大学