The gene <it>transformer-2 </it>of <it>Anastrepha </it>fruit flies (Diptera, Tephritidae) and its evolution in insects
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In the tephritids <it>Ceratitis</it>, <it>Bactrocera </it>and <it>Anastrepha</it>, the gene <it>transformer </it>provides the memory device for sex determination via its auto-regulation...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2010-05-01
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| Series: | BMC Evolutionary Biology |
| Online Access: | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/10/140 |
| _version_ | 1798029186622816256 |
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| author | Selivon Denise Perondini André LP Eirín-López José M Ruiz María F Sarno Francesca Sánchez Lucas |
| author_facet | Selivon Denise Perondini André LP Eirín-López José M Ruiz María F Sarno Francesca Sánchez Lucas |
| author_sort | Selivon Denise |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In the tephritids <it>Ceratitis</it>, <it>Bactrocera </it>and <it>Anastrepha</it>, the gene <it>transformer </it>provides the memory device for sex determination via its auto-regulation; only in females is functional Tra protein produced. To date, the isolation and characterisation of the gene <it>transformer-2 </it>in the tephritids has only been undertaken in <it>Ceratitis</it>, and it has been shown that its function is required for the female-specific splicing of <it>doublesex </it>and <it>transformer </it>pre-mRNA. It therefore participates in <it>transformer </it>auto-regulatory function. In this work, the characterisation of this gene in eleven tephritid species belonging to the less extensively analysed genus <it>Anastrepha </it>was undertaken in order to throw light on the evolution of <it>transformer-2</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The gene <it>transformer-2 </it>produces a protein of 249 amino acids in both sexes, which shows the features of the SR protein family. No significant partially spliced mRNA isoform specific to the male germ line was detected, unlike in <it>Drosophila</it>. It is transcribed in both sexes during development and in adult life, in both the soma and germ line. The injection of <it>Anastrepha transformer-2 </it>dsRNA into <it>Anastrepha </it>embryos caused a change in the splicing pattern of the endogenous <it>transformer </it>and <it>doublesex </it>pre-mRNA of XX females from the female to the male mode. Consequently, these XX females were transformed into pseudomales. The comparison of the eleven <it>Anastrepha </it>Transformer-2 proteins among themselves, and with the Transformer-2 proteins of other insects, suggests the existence of negative selection acting at the protein level to maintain Transformer-2 structural features.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These results indicate that <it>transformer-2 </it>is required for sex determination in <it>Anastrepha </it>through its participation in the female-specific splicing of <it>transformer </it>and <it>doublesex </it>pre-mRNAs. It is therefore needed for the auto-regulation of the gene <it>transformer</it>. Thus, the <it>transformer/transfomer-2 > doublesex </it>elements at the bottom of the cascade, and their relationships, probably represent the ancestral state (which still exists in the Tephritidae, Calliphoridae and Muscidae lineages) of the extant cascade found in the Drosophilidae lineage (in which <it>tra </it>is just another component of the sex determination gene cascade regulated by <it>Sex-lethal</it>). In the phylogenetic lineage that gave rise to the drosophilids, evolution co-opted for <it>Sex-lethal</it>, modified it, and converted it into the key gene controlling sex determination.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T19:21:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ae57089cee84419f81cdcacad3cfff57 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2148 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T19:21:10Z |
| publishDate | 2010-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Evolutionary Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-ae57089cee84419f81cdcacad3cfff572022-12-22T04:07:18ZengBMCBMC Evolutionary Biology1471-21482010-05-0110114010.1186/1471-2148-10-140The gene <it>transformer-2 </it>of <it>Anastrepha </it>fruit flies (Diptera, Tephritidae) and its evolution in insectsSelivon DenisePerondini André LPEirín-López José MRuiz María FSarno FrancescaSánchez Lucas<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In the tephritids <it>Ceratitis</it>, <it>Bactrocera </it>and <it>Anastrepha</it>, the gene <it>transformer </it>provides the memory device for sex determination via its auto-regulation; only in females is functional Tra protein produced. To date, the isolation and characterisation of the gene <it>transformer-2 </it>in the tephritids has only been undertaken in <it>Ceratitis</it>, and it has been shown that its function is required for the female-specific splicing of <it>doublesex </it>and <it>transformer </it>pre-mRNA. It therefore participates in <it>transformer </it>auto-regulatory function. In this work, the characterisation of this gene in eleven tephritid species belonging to the less extensively analysed genus <it>Anastrepha </it>was undertaken in order to throw light on the evolution of <it>transformer-2</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The gene <it>transformer-2 </it>produces a protein of 249 amino acids in both sexes, which shows the features of the SR protein family. No significant partially spliced mRNA isoform specific to the male germ line was detected, unlike in <it>Drosophila</it>. It is transcribed in both sexes during development and in adult life, in both the soma and germ line. The injection of <it>Anastrepha transformer-2 </it>dsRNA into <it>Anastrepha </it>embryos caused a change in the splicing pattern of the endogenous <it>transformer </it>and <it>doublesex </it>pre-mRNA of XX females from the female to the male mode. Consequently, these XX females were transformed into pseudomales. The comparison of the eleven <it>Anastrepha </it>Transformer-2 proteins among themselves, and with the Transformer-2 proteins of other insects, suggests the existence of negative selection acting at the protein level to maintain Transformer-2 structural features.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These results indicate that <it>transformer-2 </it>is required for sex determination in <it>Anastrepha </it>through its participation in the female-specific splicing of <it>transformer </it>and <it>doublesex </it>pre-mRNAs. It is therefore needed for the auto-regulation of the gene <it>transformer</it>. Thus, the <it>transformer/transfomer-2 > doublesex </it>elements at the bottom of the cascade, and their relationships, probably represent the ancestral state (which still exists in the Tephritidae, Calliphoridae and Muscidae lineages) of the extant cascade found in the Drosophilidae lineage (in which <it>tra </it>is just another component of the sex determination gene cascade regulated by <it>Sex-lethal</it>). In the phylogenetic lineage that gave rise to the drosophilids, evolution co-opted for <it>Sex-lethal</it>, modified it, and converted it into the key gene controlling sex determination.</p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/10/140 |
| spellingShingle | Selivon Denise Perondini André LP Eirín-López José M Ruiz María F Sarno Francesca Sánchez Lucas The gene <it>transformer-2 </it>of <it>Anastrepha </it>fruit flies (Diptera, Tephritidae) and its evolution in insects BMC Evolutionary Biology |
| title | The gene <it>transformer-2 </it>of <it>Anastrepha </it>fruit flies (Diptera, Tephritidae) and its evolution in insects |
| title_full | The gene <it>transformer-2 </it>of <it>Anastrepha </it>fruit flies (Diptera, Tephritidae) and its evolution in insects |
| title_fullStr | The gene <it>transformer-2 </it>of <it>Anastrepha </it>fruit flies (Diptera, Tephritidae) and its evolution in insects |
| title_full_unstemmed | The gene <it>transformer-2 </it>of <it>Anastrepha </it>fruit flies (Diptera, Tephritidae) and its evolution in insects |
| title_short | The gene <it>transformer-2 </it>of <it>Anastrepha </it>fruit flies (Diptera, Tephritidae) and its evolution in insects |
| title_sort | gene it transformer 2 it of it anastrepha it fruit flies diptera tephritidae and its evolution in insects |
| url | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/10/140 |
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