miRNA-1-3p is an early embryonic male sex-determining factor in the Oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis

Wei Peng, Shuning Yu, Alfred M. Handler, Zhijian Tu, Giuseppe Saccone, Zhiyong Xi and Hongyu Zhang ()
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Wei Peng: Huazhong Agricultural University
Shuning Yu: Huazhong Agricultural University
Alfred M. Handler: USDA/ARS, Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology, 1700 SW 23rd Drive
Zhijian Tu: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Giuseppe Saccone: University Federico II of Naples
Zhiyong Xi: Michigan State University
Hongyu Zhang: Huazhong Agricultural University

Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Regulation of male sexual differentiation by a Y chromosome-linked male determining factor (M-factor) is one of a diverse array of sex determination mechanisms found in insects. By deep sequencing of small RNAs from Bactrocera dorsalis early embryos, we identified an autosomal-derived microRNA, miR-1-3p, that has predicted target sites in the transformer gene (Bdtra) required for female sex determination. We further demonstrate by both in vitro and in vivo tests that miR-1-3p suppresses Bdtra expression. Injection of a miR-1-3p mimic in early embryos results in 87–92% phenotypic males, whereas knockdown of miR-1-3p by an inhibitor results in 67–77% phenotypic females. Finally, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of miR-1-3p results in the expression of female-specific splice variants of Bdtra and doublesex (Bddsx), and induced sex reversal of XY individuals into phenotypic females. These results indicate that miR-1-3p is required for male sex determination in early embryogenesis in B. dorsalis as an intermediate male determiner.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14622-4

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