Bdyof is a Y-chromosome-specific gene required for male development in Bactrocera dorsalis

In many organisms, the Y chromosome contains important genes associated with sex determination and male reproductive development. However, there have been few studies of Y-chromosome-specific genes in non-model species due to the incomplete information of Y chromosome genome and difficulty in sequencing. Here, we screened 90 candidate Y-specific sequences in a constructed transcriptome assembly library by using the chromosome quotient method, among which 11 were unreported sequences associated with male reproductive development, including Bactrocera dorsalis Y-specific Oligozoospermia factor (Bdyof) with the highest expression in the testis.

CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of Bdyof resulted in abnormal testis development, significantly reduced sperm count, and obviously lower egg hatching rate in homozygous mutant flies. In addition, Bdyof knockout decreased the expression of dsx-M.

This results provides new insights into the biological processes related to male reproductive development controlled by the Y-chromosome-specific gene Bdyof, thus providing a promising molecular target for the study of agricultural pests. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.