A supernumerary "B-sex'' chromosome drives male sex determination in the Pachon cavefish, Astyanax mexicanus
The result's identifiers
Result code in IS VaVaI
<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F67985904%3A_____%2F21%3A00549354" target="_blank" >RIV/67985904:_____/21:00549354 - isvavai.cz</a>
Alternative codes found
RIV/00216208:11310/21:10441319
Result on the web
<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0960982221011349?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" >https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0960982221011349?via%3Dihub</a>
DOI - Digital Object Identifier
<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2021.08.030" target="_blank" >10.1016/j.cub.2021.08.030</a>
Alternative languages
Result language
angličtina
Original language name
A supernumerary "B-sex'' chromosome drives male sex determination in the Pachon cavefish, Astyanax mexicanus
Original language description
Sex chromosomes are generally derived from a pair of classical type-A chromosomes, and relatively few alternative models have been proposed up to now.(1,2) B chromosomes (Bs) are supernumerary and dispensable chromosomes with non-Mendelian inheritance found in many plant and animal species(3,4) that have often been considered as selfish genetic elements that behave as genome parasites.(5,6) The observation that in some species Bs can be either restricted or predominant in one sex(7-14) raised the interesting hypothesis that Bs could play a role in sex determination.(15) The characterization of putative B master sex-determining (MSD) genes, however, has not yet been provided to support this hypothesis. Here, in Astyanax mexicanus cavefish originating from Pachon cave, we show that Bs are strongly male predominant. Based on a high-quality genome assembly of a B-carrying male, we characterized the Pachon cavefish B sequence and found that it contains two duplicated loci of the putative MSD gene growth differentiation factor 6b (gdf6b). Supporting its role as an MSD gene, we found that the Pachon cavefish gdf6b gene is expressed specifically in differentiating male gonads, and that its knockout induces male-to-female sex reversal in B-carrying males. This demonstrates that gdf6b is necessary for triggering male sex determination in Pachon cavefish. Altogether these results bring multiple and independent lines of evidence supporting the conclusion that the Pachon cavefish B is a "B-sex"chromosome that contains duplicated copies of the gdf6b gene, which can promote male sex determination in this species.
Czech name
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Czech description
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Classification
Type
J<sub>imp</sub> - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database
CEP classification
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OECD FORD branch
10602 - Biology (theoretical, mathematical, thermal, cryobiology, biological rhythm), Evolutionary biology
Result continuities
Project
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Continuities
I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace
Others
Publication year
2021
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů
Data specific for result type
Name of the periodical
Current Biology
ISSN
0960-9822
e-ISSN
1879-0445
Volume of the periodical
31
Issue of the periodical within the volume
21
Country of publishing house
GB - UNITED KINGDOM
Number of pages
10
Pages from-to
4800-+
UT code for WoS article
000718161800002
EID of the result in the Scopus database
2-s2.0-85118482039