A male-determining factor in the mosquito Aedes aegypti

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 embr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2015-06, Vol.348 (6240), p.1268-1270
Main Authors: 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
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aedes aegypti
Entomology
Females
Gene expression
Genes
Genetics
Genotype & phenotype
Individualized Instruction
Males
Mosquitoes
Sex
Strategy
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Summary: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.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.aaa2850