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, Dsx^(M) in males and Dsx^(F) in fe...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, Dsx^(M) in males and Dsx^(F) 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.展开更多
基金supported by grants from National Key R&D Program of China (2019YFA0802400)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31970943 and 31700905)the Jiangsu Innovation and Entrepreneurship Team Program
文摘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, Dsx^(M) in males and Dsx^(F) 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.
