title: Novel RNA sequences associated with late male killing in Homona magnanima.
abstract: Maternally inherited female-biased sex ratios have been documented in many invertebrate species. One cause of such biased sex ratios is male killing, i.e. only males die. In most species, male killing occurs during embryonic stages (early male killing) and is associated with cytoplasmic bacteria, including Wolbachia, Spiroplasma, Rickettsia, Flavobacteria and gamma proteobacteria. However, the oriental tea tortrix, Homona magnanima, is one of the few species in which male death occurs in the larval or pupal stage, and is thus an example of late male killing. We partially purified the agent causing late male killing in H. magnanima and showed that it consists of two RNA sequences. This represents an entirely novel agent causing late male killing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biointeraction and Bioregulation, Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Saiwai, Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan. nakanish@cc.tuat.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kazuko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakanishi
authors.forename: Mayu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hoshino
authors.forename: Madoka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakai
authors.forename: Yasuhisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kunimi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D005260:Female; D017344:Genes, Insect; D005804:Genes, Lethal; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009036:Moths / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development*; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012744:Sex Ratio; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D012313:RNA