Sex determination in Ellobius lutescens: the story of an enigma

The unusual karyotype of Ellobius lutescens (2n = 17,X in males and females) has attracted permanent interest and prompted a series of hypotheses on sex determination in this species since its first description by Matthey (1953). The developing knowledge about the sex chromosomes and sex determination as well as the availability of new cytogenetic and molecular genetic techniques prompted studies to test the compatibility between current hypotheses and new findings and rendered modifications of the hypotheses necessary. After a long period dominated by the question what the sex chromosome constitution of this species might be and where the testis determining factor could be located, the presence of Sry had been eventually excluded and sex determination attributed to a hypothetical mutated gene acting downstream of Sry. An X-chromosomal or autosomal location of this gene can be assessed by cosegregation of sex with X-chromosome markers. Some preliminary results concerning X-chromosome dinucleotide repeat markers are reported. However, these markers were homomorphic in Ellobius lutescens. We now report evidence that Zfy is also missing in Ellobius lutescens and E. tancrei (males and females XX), a finding from which we conclude that the entire Y chromosome has been lost from these species. Perspectives concerning future studies are discussed.