A sex-specific transcription factor controls male identity in a simultaneous hermaphrodite

• Published in: Nature communications 2013, Vol.4 (1), p.1814-1814, Article 1814
• Main Authors: Chong, Tracy, Collins, James J., Brubacher, John L., Zarkower, David, Newmark, Phillip A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 631/136; 631/181; Animals; Brain - cytology; Brain - metabolism; Cell Differentiation - genetics; Disorders of Sex Development - genetics; Disorders of Sex Development - metabolism; Domains; Female; Females; Gene Expression Regulation; Genes, Helminth - genetics; Genitalia, Male - cytology; Genitalia, Male - metabolism; Germ cells; Germ Cells - cytology; Germ Cells - metabolism; Hermaphrodites; Hermaphroditism; Homology; Humanities and Social Sciences; Male; Males; Molecular Sequence Data; multidisciplinary; Neurons - cytology; Neurons - metabolism; Organs; Planarians - cytology; Planarians - genetics; Planarians - metabolism; Regeneration; Regeneration - genetics; Reproduction, Asexual - genetics; Reproductive organs; Schmidtea mediterranea; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; Sex; Sex Characteristics; Sex determination; Transcription factors; Transcription Factors - metabolism
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/ncomms2811

Evolutionary transitions between hermaphroditic and dioecious reproductive states are found in many groups of animals. To understand such transitions, it is important to characterize diverse modes of sex determination utilized by metazoans. Currently, little is known about how simultaneous hermaphrodites specify and maintain male and female organs in a single individual. Here we show that a sex-specific gene, Smed-dmd-1 encoding a predicted doublesex/male-abnormal-3 (DM) domain transcription factor, is required for specification of male germ cells in a simultaneous hermaphrodite, the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea . dmd-1 has a male-specific role in the maintenance and regeneration of the testes and male accessory reproductive organs. In addition, a homologue of dmd-1 exhibits male-specific expression in Schistosoma mansoni , a derived, dioecious flatworm. These results demonstrate conservation of the role of DM domain genes in sexual development in lophotrochozoans and suggest one means by which modulation of sex-specific pathways can drive the transition from hermaphroditism to dioecy. Hermaphrodites develop and maintain male and female reproductive organs in a single individual. Chong et al . show that a DM domain transcription factor is required for male germ cell regeneration and maintains ‘maleness’ in a hermaphrodite, the planarian flatworm Schmidtea mediterranea .