Autor(es): Hall, Andrew Brantley; Basu, Sanjay; Jiang, Xiaofang; Qi, Yumin; Timoshevskiy, Vladimir A.; Biedler, James K.; Sharakhova, Maria V.; Elahi, Rubayet; Anderson, Michelle A. E.; Chen, Xiao-Guang; Sharakhov, Igor V.; Adelman, Zach N.; Tu, Zhijian

Resumo: Sex determination in the mosquito Aedes aegypti is governed by a dominant male-determining factor (M factor) located within a Y chromosome-like region called the M locus. Here, we show that an M-locus gene, Nix, functions as an M factor in A. aegypti. Nix exhibits persistent M linkage and early embryonic expression, two characteristics required of an M factor. Nix knockout with clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas9 resulted in largely feminized genetic males and the production of female isoforms of two key regulators of sexual differentiation: doublesex and fruitless. Ectopic expression of Nix resulted in genetic females with nearly complete male genitalia. Thus, Nix is both required and sufficient to initiate male development. This study provides a foundation for mosquito control strategies that convert female mosquitoes into harmless males.

Palavras-Chave: Yellow fever - Mosquito; Sex determination; Doublesex gene; Drosophila; Differentiation; Chromosome; Pathway; Dengue

Imprenta: Science, v. 348, n. 6240, p. 1268-1270, 2015

Identificador do objeto digital: 10.1126/science.aaa2850

Descritores: Aedes aegypti - Sexual

Data de publicação: 2015

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