Sex determination in the haplodiploid wasp Nasonia vitripennis (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea): a critical consideration of models and evidence.
Sex determining mechanisms are highly diverse. Like all Hymenoptera, the parasitic wasp Nasonia vitripennis reproduces by haplodiploidy: males are haploid and females are diploid. Sex in Nasonia is not determined by complementary alleles at sex loci. Evidence for several alternative models is considered. Recent studies on a polyploid and a gynandromorphic mutant strain point to a maternal product that is balanced against the number of chromosomal complements in the zygote and a parent-specific (imprinting) effect. Research is now focused on the molecular details of sex determination in Nasonia.
Beukeboom
Leo W
LW
Evolutionary Genetics, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, Biological Centre, University of Groningen, P.O. Box 14, NL-9750 AA Haren, The Netherlands. L.W.Beukeboom@rug.nl
Kamping
Albert
A
van de Zande
Louis
L
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D018392:Genomic Imprinting; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D010312:Parthenogenesis / Q000235:genetics; D011123:Polyploidy; D012732:Sex Determination Analysis; D019849:Sex Determination Processes; D012744:Sex Ratio; D014863:Wasps / Q000235:genetics*