Gain-of-Function Mutations of fem-3, a Sex-Determination Gene in Caenorhabditis elegans (original) (raw)

Journal Article

,

Laboratory of Molecular Biology

, Graduate School, and Department of Biochemistry, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706

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,

Laboratory of Molecular Biology

, Graduate School, and Department of Biochemistry, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706

Search for other works by this author on:

Laboratory of Molecular Biology

, Graduate School, and Department of Biochemistry, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706

Search for other works by this author on:

Accepted:

12 September 1986

Published:

01 January 1987

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M Kathryn Barton, Timothy B Schedl, Judith Kimble, Gain-of-Function Mutations of fem-3, a Sex-Determination Gene in Caenorhabditis elegans, Genetics, Volume 115, Issue 1, 1 January 1987, Pages 107–119, https://doi.org/10.1093/genetics/115.1.107
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ABSTRACT

We have isolated nine gain-of-function (gf) alleles of the sex-determination gene fem-3 as suppressors of feminizing mutations in fem-1 and fem-2. The wild-type fem-3 gene is needed for spermatogenesis in XX self-fertilizing hermaphrodites and for male development in both soma and germ line of XO animals. Loss-of-function alleles of fem-3 transform XX and XO animals into females (spermless hermaphrodites). In contrast, fem-3(gf) alleles masculinize only one tissue, the hermaphrodite germ line. Thus, XX fem-3(gf) mutant animals have a normal hermaphrodite soma, but the germ line produces a vast excess of sperm and no oocytes. All nine fem-3(gf) alleles are temperature sensitive. The temperature-sensitive period is from late L4 to early adult, a period just preceding the first signs of oogenesis. The finding of gain-of-function alleles which confer a phenotype opposite to that of loss-of-function alleles supports the idea that fem-3 plays a critical role in germ-line sex determination. Furthermore, the germ-line specificity of the fem-3(gf) mutant phenotype and the late temperature-sensitive period suggest that, in the wild-type XX hermaphrodite, fem-3 is negatively regulated so that the hermaphrodite stops making sperm and starts making oocytes. Temperature shift experiments also show that, in the germ line, sexual commitment appears to be a continuing process. Spermatogenesis can resume even after oogenesis has begun, and oogenesis can be initiated much later than normal

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© Genetics 1987

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