A history of the genetic and molecular identification of genes and their functions controlling insect sex determination. (December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Saccone, Giuseppe
• Is Part Of: Insect biochemistry and molecular biology. Volume 151(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-12
• Subjects: Insect biochemistry -- Periodicals; Insects -- Physiology -- Periodicals; Insects -- Molecular aspects -- Periodicals; Biochemistry -- Periodicals; Insectes -- Biochimie -- Périodiques; Insectes -- Composition -- Périodiques; Insectes -- Physiologie -- Périodiques; Insectes -- Aspect moléculaire -- Périodiques; Biochimie -- Périodiques; Biochemistry; Insect biochemistry; Insects -- Molecular aspects; Insects -- Physiology; Periodicals; 572.8157
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2022.103873
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0965-1748

Abstract

Abstract: The genetics of the sex determination regulatory cascade in Drosophila melanogaster has a fascinating history, interlinked with the foundation of the Genetics discipline itself. The discovery that alternative splicing rather than differential transcription is the molecular mechanism underlying the upstream control of sex differences in the Drosophila model system was surprising. This notion is now fully integrated into the scientific canon, appearing in many genetics textbooks and online education resources. In the last three decades, it was a key reference point for starting evolutionary studies in other insect species by using homology-based approaches. This review will introduce a very brief history of Drosophila genetics. It will describe the genetic and molecular approaches applied for the identifying and cloning key genes involved in sex determination in Drosophila and in many other insect species. These comparative analyses led to supporting the idea that sex-determining pathways have evolved mainly by recruiting different upstream signals/genes while maintaining widely conserved intermediate and downstream regulatory genes. The review also provides examples of the link between technological advances and research achievements, to stimulate reflections on how science is produced. It aims to hopefully strengthen the related historical and conceptual knowledge of general readers of other disciplines and of younger geneticists, often focused on the latest technical-molecular approaches. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Forward genetics in Drosophila led to identifying key sex-determining genes. Reverse and forward genetics in other insects revealed conservation and divergence. A timeline of the various molecular cloning strategies is presented. Genetic studies of sex determination in different insect species have evolved parallel to novel DNA-related technologies. Sex determination pathways are partially conserved, differing in the upstream and intermediate signals.