Regulation of the amh gene promoter activity by SF-1 in sex-reversing Cheilinus undulatus and its adaptive evolution. Regulation of the amh gene promoter activity by SF-1 in sex-reversing Cheilinus undulatus and its adaptive evolution

The humphead wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) is a protogynous hermaphroditic fish and a top predator in coral reef ecosystems. However, overfishing has led to a significant decline in its population, making it challenging to study its adaptive evolution and sex reversal mechanisms.Dual-luciferase reporter assays demonstrated that the recombinant amh promoter construct (pGL4.10-amh) exhibited basal promoter activity, and SF-1 significantly enhanced this activity. Site-directed mutagenesis further confirmed that the SF-1 regulatory site is located between -1413 bp and -1403 bp upstream of the amh gene, indicating SF-1’s direct role in amh regulation and its potential involvement in the sex reversal process of C. undulatus.