Kohchi Group
Kyoto University
Japan
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- https://www.lif.kyoto-u.ac.jp/e/research/lab/152/
- Outline
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Sex determination and sex differentiation are important for organisms to advance sexual reproduction. However, the mechanism of sex determination is extremely diverse among organisms. In many organisms, sex determination occurs in the diploid generation, but in some organisms, such as bryophytes, sex is determined in the haploid generation. We focused on the fact that liverworts have sex chromosomes and sex determination occurs in the haploid generation, and identified a sex-determination gene, Feminizer, from M. polymorpha. This is the first achievement in elucidating sex determination and sex chromosome evolution in the haploid systems. We are currently developing research focusing on the chromatin state of the autosomal sex-determining locus under the control of Feminizer. Surprisingly, we also found a gametolog of Feminizer in the male sex chromosome, which has the function of inducing sexual reproduction in common with the gametolog on each sex chromosome. We are now analyzing the functions of the Feminizer and its gametolog, which will provide insight into the establishment and evolution of sex determinants and sex chromosomes.
Genetic regulation of sex determination and differentiation in Marchantia polymorpha