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A unique Y gene in the A sian malaria mosquito A nopheles stephensi encodes a small lysine‐rich protein and is transcribed at the onset of embryonic development
Author(s) -
Criscione F.,
Qi Y.,
Saunders R.,
Hall B.,
Tu Z.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
insect molecular biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.955
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-2583
pISSN - 0962-1075
DOI - 10.1111/imb.12034
Subject(s) - biology , anopheles stephensi , gene , malaria , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , virology , immunology , botany , aedes aegypti , larva
Abstract In many organisms the Y chromosome initiates sex determination and regulates male fertility and mating behaviour. However, molecular characterization of Y genes is rare outside of a few model species because it is difficult to clone and analyse repeat‐rich heterochromatic Y sequences. In insects, Y genes are only well characterized in a small number of D rosophila species. Here we report the discovery of GUY1 ( gene unique to the Y ), a gene unique to the Y chromosome in the Asian malaria mosquito, A nopheles stephensi , using an approach that compares Illumina sequences separately obtained from male and female genomic DNA . Experimental evidence confirmed that GUY1 is a single copy gene found only on the Y chromosome. GUY1 is transcribed at the very onset of zygotic transcription and encodes a small lysine‐rich protein that forms two alpha helices and shows DNA ‐binding properties. Interestingly, three helix‐loop‐helix proteins are key factors that determine sex in the early embryo in D rosophila melanogaster . Single embryo analysis indicated that GUY1 is only transcribed in male embryos and that the GUY1 promoter is functional in the early embryos. GUY1 may be used as a paternally inherited molecular marker. Further investigation of GUY1 will contribute to the genetic approaches to control mosquito‐borne diseases.