TITLE:
Early Molecular Sex Determination before Gonadal Differentiation in Russian Sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii): Mechanisms and Recent Advances
AUTHORS:
Gad Degani
KEYWORDS:
Sex Determination, Sturgeon, Acipenser gueldenstaedtii, AgSDY, dmrt1, foxl2, Gonadal Differentiation, Epigenetics, Sex-Linked Markers, Early Sexing
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Animal Sciences,
Vol.16 No.1,
December
30,
2025
ABSTRACT: This mini-review synthesizes recent research on the molecular mechanisms governing sex determination in the Russian sturgeon. The paper highlights that while morphological sex differentiation is extremely delayed, genetic and epigenetic cues establish sexual fate much earlier. The authors present a model where a female heterogametic (ZW) system, marked by the *AgSDY* gene, initiates transcriptional programs (dmrt1 vs. foxl2) that are then stabilized by epigenetic modifications, providing a molecular basis for early sexing long before gonadal changes are visible.