Making males in a fruit fly pest The Mediterranean fruit fly or Medfly (Ceratitis capitata) is a global and highly destructive fruit pest. Meccariello et al. identified the master gene for male sex determination on the Y chromosome of Medfly and named it Maleness-on-the-Y (MoY) (see the Perspective by Makki and Meller). Flies of each sex were transformed into the other sex by genetic manipulation, and crosses of transformed files generated male and female progeny. MoY is functionally conserved in the olive fruit fly and in the invasive oriental fruit fly. This discovery has potential for insect genetic control based on mass release of sterile males and future strategies based on gene drive. Science, this issue p. 1457; see also p. 1380 The Medfly male-determining factor is a Y-linked gene encoding a small protein that is conserved in major fruit fly pests. In insects, rapidly evolving primary sex-determining signals are transduced by a conserved regulatory module controlling sexual differentiation. In the agricultural pest Ceratitis capitata (Mediterranean fruit fly, or Medfly), we identified a Y-linked gene, Maleness-on-the-Y (MoY), encoding a small protein that is necessary and sufficient for male development. Silencing or disruption of MoY in XY embryos causes feminization, whereas overexpression of MoY in XX embryos induces masculinization. Crosses between transformed XY females and XX males give rise to males and females, indicating that a Y chromosome can be transmitted by XY females. MoY is Y-linked and functionally conserved in other species of the Tephritidae family, highlighting its potential to serve as a tool for developing more effective control strategies against these major agricultural insect pests.

中文翻译：

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雄性在 Y (MoY) 协调主要农业果蝇害虫的雄性性别决定

在果蝇害虫中培育雄性 地中海果蝇或地中海果蝇（Ceratitis capita）是一种全球性的、具有高度破坏性的果蝇害虫。麦卡列洛等人。在 Medfly 的 Y 染色体上鉴定了男性性别决定的主基因，并将其命名为 Maleness-on-the-Y (MoY)（参见 Makki 和 Meller 的观点）。通过基因操作将每种性别的苍蝇转化为另一种性别，并且转化文件的杂交产生雄性和雌性后代。MoY 在橄榄果蝇和侵入性东方果蝇中功能保守。这一发现具有基于不育雄性的大规模释放和基于基因驱动的未来策略的昆虫遗传控制的潜力。科学，这个问题 p。第1457章 另见第。1380 地中海果蝇雄性决定因子是一种 Y 连锁基因，编码一种在主要果蝇害虫中保守的小蛋白质。在昆虫中，快速进化的初级性别决定信号由控制性分化的保守调节模块转导。在农业害虫 Ceratitis capitalta（地中海果蝇或地中海果蝇）中，我们鉴定了一个 Y 连锁基因，Maleness-on-the-Y (MoY)，它编码一种对雄性发育来说必不可少且足够的小蛋白质。XY 胚胎中 MoY 的沉默或破坏会导致女性化，而 XX 胚胎中 MoY 的过度表达会诱导男性化。转化后的 XY 雌性和 XX 雄性之间的杂交产生雄性和雌性，表明 Y 染色体可以由 XY 雌性传播。