Dmrt1 expression analysis during spermatogenesis in pejerrey, Odontesthes bonariensis

Dmrt1, a putative transcription factor with a DM-binding motif (called the DM domain), is generally considered to be exclusively expressed in testicular tissue, except in some teleost species where it has also been demonstrated to be expressed at the ovary. The aim of the present manuscript was to characterize the dmrt1 cDNA and analyze its expression pattern at different spermatogenetic stages in the pejerrey fish, Odontesthes bonariensis. The pejerrey dmrt1 (pjdmrt1), encodes for a 290 amino acid protein including the conserved DM and P/S domains. The sequence comparison of the pjdmrt1 revealed a high level of identity with different dmrt1 from other vertebrates and the phylogenetic analysis showed the existence of two main clades: one represented by the mammalian dmrt1 sequences and the second by dmrt1 sequences from teleost fishes. This pattern may represent the evolution of this molecule. In pejerrey fish, the expression of this gene was exclusively restricted to the testis at all spermatogenetic stages analyzed, and pjdmrt1 expression levels varied according spermatogenetic stages suggesting a role for dmrt1 in the adult testicular function.