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The Ratio of X Chromosome to Autosomes

In most organisms, sex is determined by the ratio of X and Y chromosomes. However, in some organisms, such as Drosophila and C.elegans, sex is determined by the ratio of the number of X chromosomes to the number of sets of autosomes. The Y chromosome in Drosophila is active but does not determine sex. It contains genes responsible for the production of sperms in adult flies.  
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Isolation of Drosophila melanogaster Testes
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Published on: May 13, 2011

Somatic sex-specific transcriptome differences in Drosophila revealed by whole transcriptome sequencing.

Peter L Chang1, Joseph P Dunham, Sergey V Nuzhdin

  • 1Section of Molecular and Computational Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA.

BMC Genomics
|July 16, 2011
PubMed
Summary

Deep RNA sequencing reveals thousands of sex-specific gene expression differences in Drosophila. Male-biased genes on the X chromosome suggest its role in sexual dimorphism, with no single mechanism explaining isoform differences.

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Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Genomics

Background:

  • Whole transcriptome resequencing advances understanding of animal development and physiology at a molecular level.
  • The sex hierarchy involves a pre-mRNA splicing cascade producing sex-specific transcription factors crucial for sexual dimorphism.
  • Deep RNA sequencing was employed to investigate the Drosophila sex hierarchy and somatic sex differences.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To gain insight into how the Drosophila sex hierarchy generates somatic sex differences.
  • To examine gene and transcript isoform expression differences between males and females in adult head tissues.

Main Methods:

  • Whole transcriptome resequencing (deep RNA sequencing) was used.
  • Gene and transcript isoform expression levels were compared between male and female adult head tissues.
  • Analysis focused on identifying sex-specific expression differences and isoform variants.

Main Results:

  • 1,381 genes showed differing overall expression levels between sexes, and 1,370 isoform-specific transcripts differed.
  • 512 genes with male-biased expression were enriched on the X chromosome near dosage compensation sites.
  • No specific transcription unit structural features explained isoform-specific transcript differences between sexes.

Conclusions:

  • Thousands of genes exhibit sex-specific expression differences, with hundreds showing isoform-specific transcript variations.
  • Male-biased gene expression enrichment on the X chromosome suggests its contribution to gene expression dimorphism.
  • The study provides molecular insights into the mechanisms underlying sexual differentiation.