Keywords: sex ratio distortion
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The haplolethal gene wupA of Drosophila exhibits potential as a target for an X-poisoning gene driveLawler, Clancy D ,Parra Nuñez, Ana Karla ,Hernandes, Natalia ,Bhide, Soumitra ,Lohrey, Isabelle ,Baxter, Simon ,Robin, Charles, G3 Genes Genome Genetics, jkae025. 2024.
We examine this ‘X-poisoning’ strategy by targeting four of the 11 known X-linked haplolethal/haplosterile genes of Drosophila melanogaster with CRISPR/Cas9. We find that targeting the wupA gene during spermatogenesis skews the sex ratio so fewer than 14% of progeny are ... |
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The haplolethal gene wupA of Drosophila exhibits potential as a target for an X-poisoning gene driveClancy D. Lawler, Ana Karla Parra Nuñez, Natalia Hernandes, Soumitra Bhide, Isabelle Lohrey, Simon Baxter, Charles Robin, bioRxiv, 2024.
A synthetic gene drive that targets haplolethal genes on the X-chromosome can skew the sex ratio towards males. Like an ‘X-shredder’ it does not involve ‘homing’ and that has advantages including the reduction of gene drive resistance allele formation. We examine this ... |
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Gene drive and genetic sex conversion in the global agricultural pest Ceratitis capitataA. Meccariello, S. Hou, S. Davydova, J. Fawcett, A. Siddall, P. Leftwich, T. , F. Krsticevic, P. A. Papathanos and N. Windbichler, bioRxiv, 2023.08.16.553191. 2023.
Homing-based gene drives are novel interventions promising the area-wide, species-specific genetic control of harmful insect populations. Here we characterise a first set of gene drives in a tephritid agricultural pest species, the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata ... |
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Ability of a selfish B chromosome to evade genome elimination in the jewel wasp, Nasonia vitripennisH. Lee, P. Seo, S. Teklay, E. Yuguchi, E. D. Benetta, J. H. Werren and P. M. Ferree, Heredity, 2023.
B chromosomes are non-essential, extra chromosomes that can exhibit transmission-enhancing behaviors, including meiotic drive, mitotic drive, and induction of genome elimination, in plants and animals. A fundamental but poorly understood question is what characteristics allow B ... |
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N. Wybouw, E. Van Reempts, J. Zarka, F. Zélé and D. Bonte, Heredity, 2023.
Maternally transmitted symbionts such as Wolbachia can alter sex allocation in haplodiploid arthropods. By biasing population sex ratios towards females, these changes in sex allocation may facilitate the spread of symbionts. In contrast to symbiont-induced cytoplasmic ... |
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A natural gene drive could steer invasive rodents on islands to extinctionB. Brookshire, ScienceNews, 2022.
In the battle against the invasive house mouse on islands, scientists are using the rodent’s own genes against it. With the right tweaks, introducing a few hundred genetically altered mice could drive an island’s invasive mouse population to extinction in about 25 years, ... |
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Deregulation of Y-linked protamine-like genes in sex chromosome-biased spermatid demiseJ. I. Park, G. W. Bell and Y. M. Yamashita, bioRxiv, 2022.
Meiotic drive is a phenomenon wherein a genetic element achieves a higher rate of transmission than dictated by Mendelian segregation (1-3). One proposed mechanism for meiotic drivers to achieve biased transmission is by sabotaging essential processes of gametogenesis (e.g. ... |
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Meiotic drive in house mice: mechanisms, consequences, and insights for human biologyU. P. Arora and B. L. Dumont, Chromosome Research, 2022.
Meiotic drive occurs when one allele at a heterozygous site cheats its way into a disproportionate share of functional gametes, violating Mendel's law of equal segregation. This genetic conflict typically imposes a fitness cost to individuals, often by disrupting the process of ... |
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Partial masculinization of Aedes aegypti females by conditional expression of NixB. B. Kojin, E. Jakes, J. K. Biedler, Z. Tu and Z. N. Adelman, PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 16:e0010598. 2022.
Here, we report on the conditional expression of Nixin transgenic A. aegypti under the control of the tetracycline-dependent (Tet-off) system, with the goal of establishing repressible sex distortion. A masculinization phenotype was observed in three of the seven transgenic lines ... |
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The Potential for a Released Autosomal X-Shredder Becoming a Driving-Y Chromosome and Invasively Suppressing Wild Populations of Malaria MosquitoesY. Alcalay, S. Fuchs, R. Galizi, F. Bernardini, R. E. Haghighat-Khah, D. B. Rusch, J. R. Adrion, M. W. Hahn, P. Tortosa, R. Rotenberry and P. A. Papathanos, Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 9. 2021.
Sex-ratio distorters based on X-chromosome shredding are more efficient than sterile male releases for population suppression. X-shredding is a form of sex distortion that skews spermatogenesis of XY males towards the preferential transmission of Y-bearing gametes, resulting in a ... |
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Patterns and mechanisms of sex ratio distortion in the Collaborative Cross mouse mapping populationB. A. Haines, F. Barradale and B. L. Dumont, Genetics, 219:iyab136. 2021.
In species with single-locus, chromosome-based mechanisms of sex determination, the laws of segregation predict an equal ratio of females to males at birth. Here, we show that departures from this Mendelian expectation are commonplace in the 8-way recombinant inbred Collaborative ... |
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Patterns and Mechanisms of Sex Ratio Distortion in the Collaborative Cross Mouse Mapping PopulationB. A. Haines, F. Barradale and B. L. Dumont, bioRxiv, 2021.
In species with single-locus chromosome-based mechanisms of sex determination, the laws of segregation predict an equal ratio of females to males at birth. Here, we show that departures from this Mendelian expectation are commonplace in the 8-way recombinant inbred Collaborative ... |
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Converting female mosquitoes to non-biting males with implications for mosquito controlM. V. Candy, Vet Candy, 2020.
Virginia Tech researchers have proven that a single gene can convert female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes into fertile male mosquitoes and identified a gene needed for male mosquito flight. Male mosquitoes do not bite and are unable to transmit pathogens to humans. Female mosquitoes, ... |
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Cellular mechanisms regulating synthetic sex ratio distortion in the Anopheles gambiae germlineR. E. Haghighat-Khah, A. Sharma, M. R. Wunderlich, G. Morselli, L. A. Marston, C. Bamikole, A. Hall, N. Kranjc, C. Taxiarchi, I. Sharakhov and R. Galizi, Pathogens and Global Health, 114:370-378. 2020.
Meiotic cleavage of rDNA repeats, located in the sex chromosomes of A. gambiae SD males, affects the competitiveness of mature sperm to fertilize the female oocyte. |
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Assessing the acoustic behaviour of Anopheles gambiae (s.l.) dsxF mutants: implications for vector controlM. P. Su, M. Georgiades, J. Bagi, K. Kyrou, A. Crisanti and J. T. Albert, Parasites and Vectors, 13:507. 2020.
We analysed sound emissions and acoustic preference in a doublesex mutant previously used to collapse Anopheles gambiae (s.l.) cages. |
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Generating single-sex litters: development of CRISPR-Cas9 genetic tools to produce all-male offspringC. Douglas, V. Maciulyte, J. Zohren, D. M. Snell, O. A. Ojarikre, P. J. Ellis and J. M. A. Turner, bioRxiv, 2020.09.07.285536. 2020.
Using the mouse as a model, we developed a synthetic, two-part bicomponent strategy for generating all-male litters. |
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Tackling Dengue fever by turning female mosquitoes into malesT. Sandle, DIGTAL JOURNAL, 2020.
T. Sandle (2020). DIGTAL JOURNAL Genetic engineering appears to be the key for delivering mosquito control, according to new research. Scientists have successfully converted female mosquitoes into non-biting males. |
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Malaria mosquitoes eliminated in lab by creating all male populationsH. Dunning, Imperial College London, 2020.
A team led by Imperial College London spread a genetic modification that distorts the sex ratio through a population of caged Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes using ‘gene drive’ technology. |
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Genome-wide transcriptome profiling reveals genes associated with meiotic drive system of Aedes aegyptiShin, DB, K. Susanta; Severson, W. David, Insects, 10:e25. 2019.
Aedes aegypti is an important mosquito vector of several arboviruses, including dengue, yellow fever, Zika, and Chikungunya, which cause significant human morbidity and mortality globally. In certain populations of this mosquito, a native meiotic drive system causes abnormal ... |
