研究揭示海湾扇贝属种间杂交后代雌性不育机制

Bay scallop is an important marine aquaculture economic shellfish in my country. Female sterility is common in the F1 offspring of interspecific hybrids between Bay scallops and Peruvian scallops, which restricts the industrial promotion and application of improved hybrid scallop varieties.

近日，中国科学院烟台海岸带研究所研究团队针对海湾扇贝属种间杂交后代雌性不育的分子机制开展系统研究。结果表明，胰岛素受体底物1（IRS1）可作为改良扇贝杂交育种效率的潜在分子靶点，为贝类杂交良种创制及突破种间杂交不育瓶颈提供了新的理论依据。

研究团队对可育与不育杂交扇贝性腺雌区开展比较转录组分析。结果显示，差异基因显著富集于ATP结合、胰岛素受体结合、Wnt、PI3K‑Akt、mTOR及FoxO等与能量代谢和生殖发育相关的信号通路。研究进一步筛选出IRS1,FST、ARID1A,PARP1等10个与能量代谢及雌性育性高度关联的核心差异基因。其中，IRS1位于胰岛素、mTOR、FoxO和PI3K‑Akt等多条核心信号通路的上游，提示其可能通过调控细胞能量代谢过程参与杂交扇贝性腺发育与雌性育性调控。

为验证IRS1的生物学功能，研究团队开展长期RNA干扰实验并关联分析表型指标。特异性敲降IRS1后，扇贝性腺雌区ATP含量显著下降，个体生长速率降低，性腺指数增长受阻。形态学及组织学分析进一步证实，干扰组扇贝性腺发育缓慢、卵母细胞发育严重滞后，无法形成成熟卵细胞，呈现雌性不育表型；而对照组性腺发育正常，可产生可受精成熟卵细胞且受精卵能正常发育。

Study sheds light on key genesIRS1Molecular mechanisms regulating female fertility in hybrid scallops: progeny of interspecific hybrids in Bay scallopsIRS1Down-regulation of expression disrupts the energy metabolism signaling network, leading to a lack of energy supply to the gonads, thereby inhibiting the growth and maturation of oocytes, and ultimately causing female infertility phenotypes in hybrid offspring.

Relevant research results were published in "Aquaculture" (Aquaculture）上。研究工作得到山东省重点研发计划等的支持。

论文链接

RNA干扰后扇贝形态学及组织学观察