A novel dominant transformer allele of the sex-determining gene her-1 of Caenorhabditis elegans.
We have characterized a novel dominant allele of the sex-determining gene her-1 of Caenorhabditis elegans. This allele, called n695, results in the incomplete transformation of XX animals into phenotypic males. Previously characterized recessive her-1 alleles transform XO animals into phenotypic hermaphrodites. We have identified five new recessive her-1 mutations as intragenic suppressors of n695. Three of these suppressors are weak, temperature-sensitive alleles. We show that the recessive her-1 mutations are loss-of-function alleles, and that the her-1(n695) mutation results in a gain-of-function at the her-1 locus. The existence of dominant and recessive alleles that cause opposite phenotypic transformations demonstrates that the her-1 gene acts to control sexual identity in C. elegans.
Trent
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Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge 02139.
Wood
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WB
Horvitz
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HR
D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D002107:Caenorhabditis / Q000235:genetics*; D012734:Disorders of Sex Development; D005260:Female; D005799:Genes, Dominant; D005808:Genes, Recessive; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation; D012732:Sex Determination Analysis; D013489:Suppression, Genetic