Sex determination in &lt;i&gt;Ellobius lutescens:&lt;/i&gt; The story of an enigma

Vogel, Walther; Jainta, S.; Rau, W.; Geerkens, Claudia; Baumstark, Annette; Correa-Cerro, Lina S.; Ebenhoch, C.; Just, Walter

doi:10.1159/000014983

Cited by 41 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…However, exceptions to this rule have been found. In fact, several rodent species do not require a Y chromosome or the SRY gene for sex determination, as demonstrated in two mole-vole species of the genus Ellobius, E. tancrei and E. lutescens (Just et al, 1995;Vogel et al, 1998), and in the spiny rat, Tokudaia osimensis (Soullier et al, 1998). In these species males and females have an identical karyotype; XO in T. osimensis and E. lutescens and XX in E. tancrei.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Multiple mono- and polymorphic Y-linked copies of the <i>SRY </i> HMG-box in Microtidae

Bullejos

Sánchez²,

Burgos³

et al. 1999

Cytogenet Genome Res

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Sex determination in mammals is controlled by SRY (sex-determining region of the Y chromosome), a single-copy gene located on the Y-specific region. Several exceptions to this rule have been described: some rodent species present Y-specific multiple copies (either mono- or polymorphic) of this gene, and two Ellobius species and one Tokudaia species determine sex without a Y chromosome or the SRY gene. Recently, we have described multiple polymorphic copies of the SRY gene in both males and females of the vole species Microtus cabrerae. The female location and the presence of stop codons in some copies from males and females also suggest that they are nonfunctional copies of this gene (pseudogenes). We have investigated the SRY HMG-box in nine species of the family Microtidae; we report here the presence, in eight of these species, of multiple mono- or polymorphic copies of the SRY gene located on the Y chromosome.

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confidence: 99%

Multiple mono- and polymorphic Y-linked copies of the <i>SRY </i> HMG-box in Microtidae

Bullejos

Sánchez²,

Burgos³

et al. 1999

Cytogenet Genome Res

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“…For many years, it was thought that the sex-determining and sex-differentiating genes on Y had merely been translocated to another chromosome in the complement. However, it is now clear that although the E. fuscocapillus Y bears a quite normal Sry (sex-determining region on the Y chromosome) and Zfy (the zinc finger Y gene, considered as the testis-determining gene before Sry), there is no Sry or Zfy in E. lutescens (Vogel et al, 1998;Marchal et al, 2003;Kuroiwa, 2012). Evidently, a new sex-determining system took over in a common Ellobius ancestor (Graves, 2002;Kuroiwa, 2012).…”

Section: Geneticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Review of unique odd chromosome-numbered underground rodent species ofthe Palearctic region: Ellobius lutescens Thomas 1897 (Rodentia: Cricetidae)

Coşkun¹

2016

Turk J Zool

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A review of the species within the genus Ellobius from Turkey is provided. The Transcaucasian mole vole, Ellobius lutescens, is the westernmost representative of the genus and among the most enigmatic and yet most neglected of the Palearctic placental mammals. Currently, its distribution is thought to be restricted to eastern Anatolia. The Transcaucasian mole voles inhabit a wide variety of habitats across this distribution area in semiarid or grassland territories and high-elevation cultivated fields. The species' distribution, feeding ecology, population structure, behavior, reproduction, genetics, and fossil records are reviewed here for Turkey. This paper brings together information published during the last century in books and scientific papers. Future research needs to include collation of further data on population dynamics, maximum length of the breeding season, reliable abundance estimates, and studies of distribution and migration. Other areas worthy of investigation are the identification of wintering areas, acquisition of up-todate data on reproduction and mortality, and investigations into the consequences of environmental changes for the species.

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“…Despite its pivotal role in mammalian male sex determination, a handful of rodent species have been identified who apparently determine sex in the absence of Sry and a Y chromosome. These include the mole voles Ellobius lutescens and Ellobius tancrei (Matthey 1958;Just et al 1995;Vogel et al 1998) and the spiny rats Tokudaia osimensis and Tokudaia tokunoshimensis (Soullier et al 1998). The loss of the Y chromosome in these two genera can be considered as independent events because Ellobius and Tokudaia belong to different subfamilies, to Arvecolinae and Murinae, respectively.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sox9 gene regulation and the loss of the XY/XX sex-determining mechanism in the mole vole Ellobius lutescens

et al. 2012

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In most mammals, the Y chromosomal Sry gene initiates testis formation within the bipotential gonad, resulting in male development. SRY is a transcription factor and together with SF1 it directly upregulates the expression of the pivotal sex-determining gene Sox9 via a 1.3-kb cis-regulatory element (TESCO) which contains an evolutionarily conserved region (ECR) of 180 bp. Remarkably, several rodent species appear to determine sex in the absence of Sry and a Y chromosome, including the mole voles Ellobius lutescens and Ellobius tancrei, whereas Ellobius fuscocapillus of the same genus retained Sry. The sex-determining mechanisms in the Sry-negative species remain elusive. We have cloned and sequenced 1.1 kb of E. lutescens TESCO which shares 75% sequence identity with mouse TESCO indicating that testicular Sox9 expression in E. lutescens might still be regulated via TESCO. We have also cloned and sequenced the ECRs of E. tancrei and E. fuscocapillus. While the three Ellobius ECRs are highly similar (94-97% sequence identity), they all display a 14-bp deletion (Δ14) removing a highly conserved SOX/TCF site. Introducing Δ14 into mouse TESCO increased both basal activity and SF1-mediated activation of TESCO in HEK293T cells. We propose a model whereby Δ14 may have triggered up-regulation of Sox9 in XX gonads leading to destabilization of the XY/XX sex-determining mechanism in Ellobius. E. lutescens/E. tancrei and E. fuscocapillus could have independently stabilized their sex determination mechanisms by Sry-independent and Sry-dependent approaches, respectively.

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Sex determination in <i>Ellobius lutescens:</i> The story of an enigma

Cited by 41 publications

References 26 publications

Multiple mono- and polymorphic Y-linked copies of the <i>SRY </i> HMG-box in Microtidae

Multiple mono- and polymorphic Y-linked copies of the <i>SRY </i> HMG-box in Microtidae

Review of unique odd chromosome-numbered underground rodent species ofthe Palearctic region: Ellobius lutescens Thomas 1897 (Rodentia: Cricetidae)

Sox9 gene regulation and the loss of the XY/XX sex-determining mechanism in the mole vole Ellobius lutescens

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