Expression of the male determining gene dmrt1bY and its autosomal coorthologue dmrt1a in medaka.
Dmrt1bY (aka dmy) has been identified as the master male sex-determining gene of medaka by positional cloning and genetic evidence. How this gene on the molecular level determines the differentiation of the gonad primordium towards a testis, however, is unknown. To better understand the roles of dmrt1bY and its autosomal counterpart dmrt1a in the process of sex determination, a detailed expression analysis by quantitative real-time RT-PCR was performed showing non-organ-specific expression of dmrt1bY during embryogenesis and low expression in adult testes. Surprisingly a high expression of dmrt1bY was noted in the spleen of males. Dmrt1a is exclusively expressed in adult testes, 50 times higher than dmrt1bY. Dmrt1bY mRNA and protein have short half-lives and the GFP fusion protein products of both dmrt1 genes are localized to the nucleus. These features are consistent with the suggestion that Dmrt1 proteins might function as DNA-binding transcription factors.
Hornung
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U
Department of Physiological Chemistry I, University of Wurzburg, Wurzburg, Germany.
Herpin
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A
Schartl
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M
D000818:Animals; D047108:Embryonic Development; D029941:Fish Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D007814:Larva; D008297:Male; D050505:Mutant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009990:Oryzias / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics*; D021381:Protein Transport; D020871:RNA Stability; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D019849:Sex Determination Processes; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D015027:Zebrafish
D029941:Fish Proteins; D050505:Mutant Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C485184:enhanced green fluorescent protein; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins