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Genome-wide characterization of the TGF-β superfamily identifies bmp15, gdf9, and gsdf as sex-biased candidate regulators of gonadal differentiation in the synchronous hermaphrodite Plectropomus leopardus.

Jiahang Li·Mingjian Liu·Chaofan Jin·Da Zheng·Haizhan Tang·Zhongyi Zhai·Bo Wang·Zhenmin Bao·Jingjie Hu
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Abstract

The transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily plays conserved roles in vertebrate reproduction and gonadal sex differentiation. However, its genomic repertoire and sex-biased expression patterns remain unclear in the leopard coral grouper (Plectropomus leopardus), a species with synchronous hermaphroditism. Here, we performed a genome-wide identification of the TGF-β superfamily, identifying 42 genes from the chromosome-level genome. Phylogenetic and synteny analyses indicated that segmental duplication under purifying selection contributed to family expansion. Expression profiling across multiple tissues and four gonadal developmental stages (undifferentiated, 120 dph; early differentiated, 15 months; mature testis, 3 years; mature ovary, 3 years) identified eight gonad-enriched genes, among which bmp15 and gdf9 exhibited pronounced female-biased expression, with transcripts localized exclusively to the oocyte cytoplasm, particularly in stage II-III oocytes. In contrast, gsdf showed male-biased expression and was localized in spermatogenic cells of the testis. These reciprocal expression patterns indicate that bmp15/gdf9 and gsdf are candidate factors associated with gonadal sex differentiation. Our study provides the first comprehensive characterization of the TGF-β superfamily in P. leopardus and highlights bmp15, gdf9, and gsdf as candidate sex-differentiation factors in this hermaphroditic species.

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AnimalsGrowth Differentiation Factor 9Bone Morphogenetic Protein 15FemaleMaleTransforming Growth Factor betaPhylogenyGonadsSex DifferentiationGene Expression Regulation, DevelopmentalPerciformesHermaphroditic OrganismsGonadal developmentGsdfPlectropomus leopardusSex differentiationTGF-β superfamilybmp15gdf9Journal Article

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Jiahang Li, Mingjian Liu, Chaofan Jin, Da Zheng, Haizhan Tang, Zhongyi Zhai, Bo Wang, Zhenmin Bao, Jingjie Hu. 2026-06-01. Genome-wide characterization of the TGF-β superfamily identifies bmp15, gdf9, and gsdf as sex-biased candidate regulators of gonadal differentiation in the synchronous hermaphrodite Plectropomus leopardus.. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbd.2026.101892

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Journal Article resourceAnimals subjectFemale subjectGene Expression Regulation, Developmental subjectGonadal development subjectGonads subjectJournal Article subjectMale subjectPerciformes subjectPhylogeny subjectPlectropomus leopardus subject

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