Impact of germ cell ablation on the activation of the brain-pituitary-gonadal axis in precocious Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) males.

ABSTRACT: The germ cells are essential for sexual reproduction by giving rise to the gametes, but the importance of germ cells for gonadal somatic functions varies among vertebrates. The RNA-binding dead end (Dnd) protein is necessary for the specification and migration of primordial germ cells to the future reproductive organs. Here, we ablated the gametes in Atlantic salmon males and females by microinjecting dnd antisense gapmer oligonucleotides at the zygotic stage. Precocious maturation was induced in above 50% of both germ cell-depleted and intact fertile males, but not in females, by exposure to an off-season photoperiod regime. Sterile and fertile males showed similar body growth, but maturing fish tended to be heavier than their immature counterparts. Pituitary fshβ messenger RNA levels str

SUBMITTER: Tveiten H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9796531 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature