Int. J. Dev. Biol. 52: 1051 - 1057 (2008)

https://doi.org/10.1387/ijdb.082657gs

Vol 52, Issue 8

Masculinization of XX Drosophila transgenic flies expressing the Ceratitis capitata DoublesexM isoform

Original Article | Published: 1 October 2008

Giuseppe Saccone¹, Marco Salvemini¹, Attilio Pane¹ and Lino C. Polito*^,1,2

¹Department of Biological Sciences, Genetics and Molecular Biology Section, University of Naples "Federico II" and ²Institute of Genetics and Biophysics “A. Buzzati-Traverso”, Naples, Italy

Abstract

The Doublesex (DSX) transcription factor regulates somatic sexual differentiation in Drosophila melanogaster. Female and male isoforms (DSXF and DSXM) are produced due to sex-specific RNA splicing. Here we show that in the distantly related dipteran Ceratitis capitata, the DSXM male-specific isoform is conserved and able to induce masculinization of both somatic and germline tissues when ectopically expressed in XX Drosophila transgenic individuals.

Keywords

Ceratitis, sex determination, DSXM isoform