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Male-specific alleles in the Ryukyu drywood termite Neotermes sugioi.

ABSTRACT: Sex-determination systems often show remarkable diversity in upstream signals, although downstream genes are broadly conserved. Therefore, the downstream genes have been investigated in various taxa, but the most upstream signals determining sex in insects have been well-described mainly in model organisms, including fruit flies and honey bees, and not in hemimetabolous insects such as termites. Identification of sex-linked genetic markers in termites is important to the survey of primary sex-determination signals. Here, we report male-specific alleles at the microsatellite locus NK12-1 in the Ryukyu drywood termite Neotermes sugioi (Kalotermitidae). This study provides the third example of a genetic marker linked with sexual phenotype in termites, which is a small but important step to elucidate the evolutionary process of the sex-determination system in termites.

SUBMITTER: Agarie A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7520184 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Male-specific alleles in the Ryukyu drywood termite Neotermes sugioi.

Agarie Ayaka A Miyaguni Yasushi Y Sugio Koji K Kobayashi Kazuya K

Ecology and evolution 20200901 18

Sex-determination systems often show remarkable diversity in upstream signals, although downstream genes are broadly conserved. Therefore, the downstream genes have been investigated in various taxa, but the most upstream signals determining sex in insects have been well-described mainly in model organisms, including fruit flies and honey bees, and not in hemimetabolous insects such as termites. Identification of sex-linked genetic markers in termites is important to the survey of primary sex-de ...[more]

PMID: 33005331

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