Identification of a piwi1 homologue gene in the orange-spotted grouper (<i>Epinephelus coioides</i>) and its expression pattern in the germ cell lineage.

ABSTRACT: The protogynous orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides), a sequentially hermaphroditic teleost, relies on dynamic regulation of germ cell development and sex reversal mechanisms to achieve reproductive plasticity. The piwi gene family, pivotal for germ cell development and transposon silencing across metazoans, remains poorly characterized in hermaphroditic species. Here, we investigate Ecpiwi1, a piwi1 homologue in the orange-spotted grouper (E. coioides), to elucidate its role in germ cell fate determination and sex reversal. We cloned a 3084-bp Ecpiwi1 cDNA encoding an 855-amino-acid protein containing conserved PAZ and PIWI domains, phylogenetically clustering with vertebrate Piwi proteins. Real-time PCR showed that the expression level o

SUBMITTER: Qu L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12409330 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature