Selection and maintenance of sexual identity in the Drosophila germline.

Genetics
Jamila I HorabinP Schedl

Abstract

Unlike sex determination in the soma, which is an autonomous process, sex determination in the germline of Drosophila has both inductive and autonomous components. In this paper, we examined how sexual identity is selected and maintained in the Drosophila germline. We show that female-specific expression of genes in the germline is dependent on a somatic signaling pathway. This signaling pathway requires the sex-non-specific transformer 2 gene but, surprisingly, does not appear to require the sex-specific genes, transformer and doublesex. Moreover, in contrast to the soma where pathway initiation and maintenance are independent processes, the somatic signaling pathway appears to function continuously from embryogenesis to the larval stages to select and sustain female germline identity. We also show that the primary target for the somatic signaling pathway in germ cells can not be the Sex-lethal gene.

Citations

Feb 1, 1996·Current Biology : CB·B Charlesworth
Jul 13, 2006·Development·Abbie Casper, Mark Van Doren
Jan 12, 2005·Evolution & Development·Masataka G SuzukiToru Shimada
Jan 1, 1996·Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology·M M Morgan, A P Mahowald
Jan 1, 1996·Annual Review of Genetics·T W Cline, B J Meyer
Mar 12, 2015·Development·Laura Shapiro-KulnaneHelen Karen Salz
May 10, 2002·Insect Molecular Biology·S Hinson, R N Nagoshi
Dec 19, 2000·Mechanisms of Development·B Janzer, M Steinmann-Zwicky
May 21, 1999·European Journal of Biochemistry·C N MacDougallM Bownes

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