The Masc–PSI complex directly induces male-type doublesex splicing in silkworms
Abstract The WZ sex determination system is found in a diverse range of animals, including lepidopteran insects. In the silkworm Bombyx mori, the masculinizing protein Masculinizer (BmMasc) induces the production of the male-type Bombyx mori doublesex (Bmdsx M ), which is the master genetic switch o...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Communications Biology |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08350-y |
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| Summary: | Abstract The WZ sex determination system is found in a diverse range of animals, including lepidopteran insects. In the silkworm Bombyx mori, the masculinizing protein Masculinizer (BmMasc) induces the production of the male-type Bombyx mori doublesex (Bmdsx M ), which is the master genetic switch of B. mori sex differentiation. However, the molecular mechanism through which BmMasc transduces the masculinizing signal to the Bmdsx M production remains unknown. Here, we show that BmMasc physically interacts with Bombyx mori P-element somatic inhibitor (BmPSI), a RNA binding protein required for Bmdsx M expression. Knockdown experiments indicate that BmPSI is essential for the masculinizing activity of BmMasc. RNA immunoprecipitation experiments also reveal that BmMasc-containing protein complex is associated with female-specific regions of Bmdsx pre-mRNA. Taken together, our findings show that the BmMasc–BmPSI protein complex binds to female-specific Bmdsx regions, inducing exon skipping, and thereby promoting Bmdsx M expression in B. mori males. |
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| ISSN: | 2399-3642 |