Genetic control of sex determination in the germ line and soma of the housefly, Musca domestica.
In Musca domestica, sex in the soma is cell autonomously determined by the male-determiner M, or by the female-determiner FD. Transplanted pole cells (precursors of the germ line) show that sex determination of germ cells is non-autonomous genotypically male pole cells form functional eggs in female hosts, and genotypically female pole cells form functional sperm in male hosts. When M/+ cells undergo oogenesis, a male-determining maternal effect predetermines offspring without M, i.e. of female genotype, to develop as fertile males. FD is epistatic to M in the female germ line, as it is in the soma, overruling the masculinizing effect of M. The results suggest that maternal F product is needed for activation of the zygotic F gene.
Institute of Zoology, University of Zürich, Switzerland.
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Hilfiker-Kleiner
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Dübendorfer
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Hilfiker
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Nöthiger
D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D017344:Genes, Insect; D005838:Genotype; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D006793:Houseflies / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D009030:Mosaicism; D012732:Sex Determination Analysis