5 mC modification of steroid hormone biosynthesis-related genes orchestrates feminization of channel catfish induced by high-temperature.

To elucidate the mechanism behind channel catfish feminization induced by high temperature, gonad samples were collected from XY pseudo-females and wild-type females and subjected to high-throughput sequencing for Whole-Genome-Bisulfite-Seq (WGBS) and transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq). The analysis revealed 50 differentially methylated genes between wild-type females and XY pseudo-females, identified through the analysis of KEGG pathways and GO enrichment in the promoter of the genome and differentially methylated regions (DMRs). Among these genes, multiple differential methylation sites observed within the srd5a2 gene. Repeatability tests confirmed 7 differential methylation sites in the srd5a2 gene in XY pseudo-females compared to normal males, with 1 specific differential methylation site (16608174) distinguishing XY pseudo-females from normal females. Interestingly, the expression of these genes in the transcriptome showed no difference between wild-type females and XY pseudo-females. Our study concluded that methylation of the srd5a2 gene sequence leads to decreased expression, which inhibits testosterone synthesis while promoting the synthesis of 17β-estradiol from testosterone. This underscores the significance of the srd5a2 gene in the sexual differentiation of channel catfish, as indicated by the ipu00140 KEGG pathway analysis.