Skip to content
DraconiticResearch
Search Sources API
203,203 studies31 sourcesUpdated 9 min ago
Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Advanced Science

Functional Sex Reversal in Adult Gonochoristic Teleosts is Mediated by Ovarian Germline Stem Cell Plasticity and Somatic Cell Transdifferentiation

  • Yang Yang1,2,3
  • Liechao Yu1,4
  • Wanchang Zhang5
  • Gary Wessel6
  • Ruiyi Chen1,2,3
  • Weihua Hu1,2,3
  • Dongdong Xu1,2,3
6 affiliations
  1. 1Zhejiang Marine Fisheries Research Institute Zhoushan China
  2. 2Zhejiang Ocean University Zhoushan China
  3. 3Zhoushan Field Comprehensive Scientific Observation and Research Station Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Zhoushan China
  4. 4School of Marine Sciences Ningbo University Ningbo China
  5. 5School of Life Sciences Nanchang University Nanchang China
  6. 6Department of Molecular and Cell Biology and Biochemistry Brown University Providence Rhode Island USA
Read full textDOICite

Abstract

Sexual fate in vertebrates is generally considered developmentally fixed; however, teleost fishes exhibit remarkable flexibility in their reproductive systems. It remains unclear whether a fully differentiated gonochoristic vertebrate can undergo complete and functional sex reversal, or what molecular mechanisms could drive such reprogramming. Here, using the yellow drum (Nibea albiflora), a complete and functional female‐to‐male sex reversal is demonstrated in adulthood through three key mechanisms: (1) oocytes serve as guardians in the maintenance of ovarian fate, (2) ovarian germline stem cells retain spermatogenic potential and can produce sperm, and (3) ovarian somatic cells undergo complete transdifferentiation from granulosa/theca to Sertoli/Leydig lineages. This work provides the first evidence of functional female‐to‐male sex reversal in adult gonochoristic vertebrates, challenging existing paradigms about sexual fate fixation. Furthermore, these findings establish a novel experimental system for investigating vertebrate sexual plasticity and create a broadly representative model for sexual manipulation in teleost fishes.

Related

  1. Adaptive immune plasticity in MASH: Functional states, pathological consequences, and regulatory mechanisms
    Xiayu Yu, Yuxuan Yang, Lan Bai
    Hepatology communicationsPeer-reviewedCC BY-NC-NDFull textEpidemiology & public healthEurope PMCEurope PMC
  2. Malignant histiocytic neoplasm with dendritic differentiation via transdifferentiation of B-cell lymphoma
    Chao Wu, Wei Cui, Aung M Tun
    BMJ Case ReportsPeer-reviewedCC BY-NC 4.0Full textGeneral medicinePMC
  3. The SynMuvA lin-15A licenses natural transdifferentiation by antagonizing identity safeguarding mechanisms
    Sarah Frieda Becker, Marie-Charlotte Morin, Julien Lambert +9
    PLOS GeneticsPeer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Full textProteomics & metabolomicsCell biologyPLOSHAL
  4. HMGA1 accelerates vascular smooth muscle cell osteogenic phenotype transdifferentiation by elevating pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β transcription in chronic kidney disease.
    Binhong Yang, Meijuan Cheng, Jingjing Jin +10
    Cell death discoveryPeer-reviewedCC BYFull textGeneral medicineEurope PMCPMC
  5. Senescence-Associated Transcriptome Reversal Prioritizes Repurposing Candidates for Diabetic Kidney Disease: A Computational Study
    Duygu Aygüneş-Jafari, Zekeriya Düzgün
    BiomedicinesPeer-reviewedCC BYFull textGeneral medicineEurope PMC

Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{yang2026functional,
  title = {{Functional Sex Reversal in Adult Gonochoristic Teleosts is Mediated by Ovarian Germline Stem Cell Plasticity and Somatic Cell Transdifferentiation}},
  author = {Yang Yang and Liechao Yu and Wanchang Zhang and Gary Wessel and Ruiyi Chen and Weihua Hu and Dongdong Xu},
  journal = {Advanced Science},
  year = {2026},
  month = aug,
  doi = {10.1002/advs.77027},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.77027},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Functional Sex Reversal in Adult Gonochoristic Teleosts is Mediated by Ovarian Germline Stem Cell Plasticity and Somatic Cell Transdifferentiation
AU  - Yang Yang
AU  - Liechao Yu
AU  - Wanchang Zhang
AU  - Gary Wessel
AU  - Ruiyi Chen
AU  - Weihua Hu
AU  - Dongdong Xu
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/15
JO  - Advanced Science
DO  - 10.1002/advs.77027
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.77027
AB  - Sexual fate in vertebrates is generally considered developmentally fixed; however, teleost fishes exhibit remarkable flexibility in their reproductive systems. It remains unclear whether a fully differentiated gonochoristic vertebrate can undergo complete and functional sex reversal, or what molecular mechanisms could drive such reprogramming. Here, using the yellow drum (Nibea albiflora), a complete and functional female‐to‐male sex reversal is demonstrated in adulthood through three key mechanisms: (1) oocytes serve as guardians in the maintenance of ovarian fate, (2) ovarian germline stem cells retain spermatogenic potential and can produce sperm, and (3) ovarian somatic cells undergo complete transdifferentiation from granulosa/theca to Sertoli/Leydig lineages. This work provides the first evidence of functional female‐to‐male sex reversal in adult gonochoristic vertebrates, challenging existing paradigms about sexual fate fixation. Furthermore, these findings establish a novel experimental system for investigating vertebrate sexual plasticity and create a broadly representative model for sexual manipulation in teleost fishes.
SN  - 2198-3844
ER  -