Male sex in houseflies is determined by Mdmd , a paralog of the generic splice factor gene CWC22

Abstract

Disrupting housefly gene reverses sex Sex comes in many forms, even when considered at the molecular level. In different animals, the chromosomes and specific genes that function in sex determination vary widely. As a case in point, the familiar housefly displays a highly variable sex determination system. In this animal, the male determiner (M-factor) instructs male development when it is active, but female development results when it is inactive. Sharma et al. now identify the housefly M-factor, which arose via the co-option of existing genes, gene duplication, and neofunctionalization. The findings elucidate the remarkable diversity in sex-determining pathways and the forces that drive this diversity. Science , this issue p. 642