The DMRT1 gene was cloned by RT-PCR and rapid amplification of cDNA ends(RACE) methods in yellow catfish (Pelteobagrus fulvidraco).The expression of the gene was analyzed in adult tissues and different developmental stages by real-time quantitative RT-PCR.Sequence analysis revealed that the full-length of cDNA was 1 381 bp,containing 30 bp 5′-untranslated region,454 bp 3′-untranslated region \[excluding poly(A)\] and 885 bp open reading frame(ORF),which encode 295 amino acids.Alignment analysis showed that the amino acid sequences of DMRT1 gene in yellow catfish (Pelteobagrus fulvidraco) were 81%,60%,59%,64%,52%,42% and 44% identical to that from clarias lazera(Clarias gariepinus),black porgy(Acanthopagrusschlegelii),rainbow trout(Oncorhynchus mykiss),zebrafish(Danio rerio),medaka(Oryzias latipes),mouse(Mus musculus) and human(Homo sapiens),respectively.Real-time quantitative PCR analysis indicated that the DMRT1 gene expressed in the whole embryonic development stages and 51-day juveniles of postembryonic development,but the expression reached the highest level in juveniles at 31-day after hatching.During the gonad development stages,it was expressed in the male testis specifically.In the adult fish,the expression was detected only in the male testis,but not in other tissues.These results indicated that the DMRT1 gene may play an important role in the gonad formation or function maintaining of male yellow catfish (Pelteobagrus fulvidrac).