The medfly Ceratitis capitata contains a gene (Cctra) with structural and functional homology to the Drosophila melanogaster sex-determining gene transformer (tra). Similar to tra in Drosophila, Cctra is regulated by alternative splicing such that only females can encode a full-length protein. In contrast to Drosophila, however, where tra is a subordinate target of Sex-lethal (Sxl), Cctra seems to initiate an autoregulatory mechanism in XX embryos that provides continuous tra female-specific function and act as a cellular memory maintaining the female pathway. Indeed, a transient interference with Cctra expression in XX embryos by RNAi treatment can cause complete sexual transformation of both germline and soma in adult flies, resulting in a fertile male XX phenotype. The male pathway seems to result when Cctra autoregulation is prevented and instead splice variants with truncated open reading frames are produced. We propose that this repression is achieved by the Y-linked male-determining factor (M).

The transformer gene in Ceratitis capitata provides cell memory of Sex Determination / Pane, Attilio; Salvemini, Marco; DELLI BOVI, Pasquale; Polito, Catello; Saccone, Giuseppe. - (2001). (Intervento presentato al convegno 17th European Drosophila Research Conference tenutosi a Edimburgh, Scotland nel 1-5 Settembre 2001).

The transformer gene in Ceratitis capitata provides cell memory of Sex Determination.

PANE, ATTILIO;SALVEMINI, MARCO;DELLI BOVI, PASQUALE;POLITO, CATELLO;SACCONE, GIUSEPPE
2001

Abstract

The medfly Ceratitis capitata contains a gene (Cctra) with structural and functional homology to the Drosophila melanogaster sex-determining gene transformer (tra). Similar to tra in Drosophila, Cctra is regulated by alternative splicing such that only females can encode a full-length protein. In contrast to Drosophila, however, where tra is a subordinate target of Sex-lethal (Sxl), Cctra seems to initiate an autoregulatory mechanism in XX embryos that provides continuous tra female-specific function and act as a cellular memory maintaining the female pathway. Indeed, a transient interference with Cctra expression in XX embryos by RNAi treatment can cause complete sexual transformation of both germline and soma in adult flies, resulting in a fertile male XX phenotype. The male pathway seems to result when Cctra autoregulation is prevented and instead splice variants with truncated open reading frames are produced. We propose that this repression is achieved by the Y-linked male-determining factor (M).
2001
The transformer gene in Ceratitis capitata provides cell memory of Sex Determination / Pane, Attilio; Salvemini, Marco; DELLI BOVI, Pasquale; Polito, Catello; Saccone, Giuseppe. - (2001). (Intervento presentato al convegno 17th European Drosophila Research Conference tenutosi a Edimburgh, Scotland nel 1-5 Settembre 2001).
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11588/303888
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