A duplicated, y-linked copy of the anti-müllerian hormone gene determines testicular formation in Patogonian pejerrey Odontesthes hatcheri

HATTORI, R.S.; MURAI, Y.; OURA, M.; MASUDA, S.; MAJHI, S.K.; SAKAMOTO, T.; FERNANDINO, J.I.; SOMOZA, G.M.; YOKATA, M; STRÜSSMANN, C.A.

Cochin

Simposio; 9th International Symposium on Reproductive Phisiology of Fish; 2011

In many vertebrates, gonadal sex determination follows a sequence of genetically programmed events. However, only a handful of genes have been described as the ultimate triggers of differentiation and the mechanism of genotypic sex determination still remains elusive for most vertebrates. In order to clarify the process of genotypic sex determination in the Atherinopsid fish Patagonian pejerrey (Odontesthes hatcheri), a species with the XX-XY sex determining system, we have conducted transcriptomic analyses of several sex-related genes during early sex differentiation. Those studies lead to the identification of a duplicated copy of the anti-Müllerian hormone (amh) gene which plays a critical role in sex determination of this species.