New Mutants and Their Chromosome Assignment in the Fly Megaselia scalaris

Traut, Walther; Traut, G.; Mertl, H. G.; Egelhaaf, Albrecht

doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.jhered.a111438

Cited by 6 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…The three chromosome pairs were labelled cytogenetically with X rayinduced translocations but could not safely be assigned to the formel linkage groups because all previously isolated phenotypic marker strains had been lost. A few phenotypic markers were newly isolated and mapped to the respective chromosomes in crosses with translocations strains (Johnson et al 1988;Traut et al 1994). But only one, ge from chromosome 3, was a 'good' marker, i.e.…”

Section: Young and Even Younger Y Chromosomesmentioning

confidence: 99%

New Y chromosomes and early stages of sex chromosome differentiation: sex determination in Megaselia

Traut

2010

J Genet

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The phorid fly Megaselia scalaris is a laboratory model for the turnover and early differentiation of sex chromosomes. Isolates from the field have an XY sex-determining mechanism with chromosome pair 2 acting as X and Y chromosomes. The sex chromosomes are homomorphic but display early signs of sex chromosome differentiation: a low level of molecular differences between X and Y. The male-determining function (M), maps to the distal part of the Y chromosome's short arm. In laboratory cultures, new Y chromosomes with no signs of a molecular differentiation arise at a low rate, probably by transposition of M to these chromosomes. Downstream of the primary signal, the homologue of the Drosophila doublesex (dsx) is part of the sex-determining pathway while Sex-lethal (Sxl), though structurally conserved, is not.

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Section: Young and Even Younger Y Chromosomesmentioning

confidence: 99%

New Y chromosomes and early stages of sex chromosome differentiation: sex determination in Megaselia

Traut

2010

J Genet

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Functional analysis of sex-determination genes by gene silencing with LNA–DNA gapmers in the silkworm, Bombyx mori

Sakai

Sakaguchi

Aoki

et al. 2015

Mechanisms of Development

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The sexual fate of B. mori is determined genetically; ZW, female and ZZ, male. Recently, we successfully identified a strong candidate gene at the top of the sex determination cascade in B. mori. This gene was termed Feminizer (Fem) and revealed to be a source of Fem-piRNA. Further, we found that B. mori doublesex (Bmdsx) splicing was markedly altered to produce the male-type isoform when a Fem-piRNA inhibitor was injected into ZW embryos. Moreover, knockdown of Masculinizer (Masc), a Fem-piRNA target gene, altered to produce the female-type isoform of Bmdsx in male embryos. However, it remains unclear as to whether Masc directly regulates the sex-specific expression of Bmdsx. In previous studies, we determined that the male-specific isoform of the Bombyx homolog of IGF-II mRNA-binding protein (Imp(M)) was involved in the male-specific splicing of Bmdsx. In an attempt to clarify the genetic relationship between Fem, Masc, Imp(M), and Bmdsx, knockdown experiments were performed. Knockdown of Fem shifted into male-type Bmdsx, Imp(M) and Masc in female embryos. Knockdown of Masc led to the production of the female-type Bmdsx and a dramatic reduction in Imp(M) expression in male embryos. Knockdown of Imp(M) shifted Bmdsx splice mode from the male-type into the female-type. Our results suggest that: (1) Fem reduces Masc expression, (2) Masc dramatically induces Imp(M) expression, and (3) Imp(M) shifting Bmdsx splice mode from the female-type into the male-type. Based on these findings, we propose a possible genetic cascade regulating sex determination in B. mori.

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