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Identification of the female-determining region of the W chromosome in Bombyx mori

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Abstract

The W chromosome of the silkworm Bombyx mori is devoid of functional genes, except for the putative female-determining gene (Fem). To localize Fem, we investigated the presence of W-specific DNA markers on strains in which an autosomal fragment containing dominant marker genes was attached to the W chromosome. We produced new W-chromosomal fragments from the existing Zebra-W strain (T(W;3)Ze chromosome) by X-irradiation, and then carried out deletion mapping of these and sex-limited yellow cocoon strains (T(W;2)Y-Chu, -Abe and -Ban types) from different Japanese stock centers. Of 12 RAPD markers identified in the normal W chromosomes of most silkworm strains in Japan, the newly irradiated W(B-YL-YS)Ze chromosome contained three, the T(W;2)Y-Chu chromosome contained six, and the T(W;2)Y-Abe and -Ban chromosomes contained only one (W-Rikishi). To investigate the ability of the reduced W-chromosome translocation fragments to form heterochromatin bodies, which are found in nuclei of normal adult female sucking stomachs, we examined cells of the normal type p50 strain and the T(W;2)Y-Chu and -Abe strains. A single sex heterochromatin body was found in nuclei of p50 females, whereas we detected only small sex heterochromatin bodies in the T(W;2)Y-Chu strain and no sex heterochromatin body in the T(W;2)Y-Abe strain. Since adult females of all strains were normal and fertile, we conclude that only extremely limited region, containing the W-Rikishi RAPD sequence of the W chromosome, is required to determine femaleness. Based on a comparison of the normal W-chromosome and 7 translocation and W-deletion strains we present a map of Fem relative to the 12 W-specific RAPD markers.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants from BRAIN (to K. M.), Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research, MEXT (Nos. 17052006, 17580044, 16011263 and 17018007) and JSPS (No. 16208006), the Insect Technology Project, MAFF/NIAS (No. 1216), and the National Bioresource Project, MEXT.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Saiwai-cho, 3-5-8 Fuchu, Tokyo, 183-8509, Japan

    H. Abe, T. Fujii, N. Tanaka, T. Yokoyama, H. Kakehashi & T. Oshiki

  2. National Institute of Agrobiological Science, Owashi 1-2, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8634, Japan

    M. Ajimura, K. Mita & Y. Yasukochi

  3. Kyushu University Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Science, Hakozaki 6-10-1, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, 812-8581, Japan

    Y. Banno

  4. National Institute of Radiological Sciences 9-1, Anagawa 4-9-1, Inage-ku, Tiba, 263-8555, Japan

    M. Nenoi & T. Ishikawa

  5. Department of Agricultural and Environmental Biology, Graduate school of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Yayoi 1-1-1, Bunkyo-ku, 113-8657, Japan

    T. Shimada

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  1. H. Abe
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  2. T. Fujii
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  3. N. Tanaka
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  4. T. Yokoyama
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  7. K. Mita
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  9. Y. Yasukochi
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  11. M. Nenoi
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  12. T. Ishikawa
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  13. T. Shimada
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Correspondence to H. Abe.

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Abe, H., Fujii, T., Tanaka, N. et al. Identification of the female-determining region of the W chromosome in Bombyx mori . Genetica 133, 269–282 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10709-007-9210-1

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