SRY and karyotypic status of one abnormal and two intersexual marsupials.
An intersexual agile wallaby (Macropus agilis) with a penis, a pouch and four teats had a sex-chromosome constitution of XXY in lymphocytes and cultured fibroblasts; the sex-determining region Y (SRY) gene was present, consistent with the presence of a testis. An intersexual eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus) with a small empty scrotum and no penis, and an abnormal red kangaroo (Macropus rufus) with no penis, pouch or teats, both had XX sex-chromosome complements; the SRY gene was not present, consistent with testis absence. The agile wallaby and grey kangaroo described here provide further evidence that scrotal development in marsupials is independent of the Y chromosome. The cause of the abnormalities in the XX individuals cannot be determined until candidate genes are identified. These animals provide a basis for further genetic studies into marsupial intersexuality and sex differentiation.
Watson
C M
CM
School of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW, Australia.
Johnston
P G
PG
Rodger
K A
KA
McKenzie
L M
LM
O'Neill
R J
RJ
Cooper
D W
DW
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012734:Disorders of Sex Development / Q000235:genetics*; D007621:Karyotyping; D008394:Marsupialia / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D010641:Phenotype; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012732:Sex Determination Analysis; D051876:Sex-Determining Region Y Protein; D014157:Transcription Factors
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D051876:Sex-Determining Region Y Protein; D014157:Transcription Factors