Karyotype analysis and sex determination in Australian Brush-turkeys (Alectura lathami).

Sexual differentiation across taxa may be due to genetic sex determination (GSD) and/or temperature sex determination (TSD). In many mammals, males are heterogametic (XY); whereas females are homogametic (XX). In most birds, the opposite is the case with females being heterogametic (ZW) and males th...

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Main Authors: Madison T Ortega, Dustin J Foote, Nicholas Nees, Jason C Erdmann, Charles D Bangs, Cheryl S Rosenfeld
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2017-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0185014&type=printable
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author Madison T Ortega
Dustin J Foote
Nicholas Nees
Jason C Erdmann
Charles D Bangs
Cheryl S Rosenfeld
author_facet Madison T Ortega
Dustin J Foote
Nicholas Nees
Jason C Erdmann
Charles D Bangs
Cheryl S Rosenfeld
author_sort Madison T Ortega
collection DOAJ
description Sexual differentiation across taxa may be due to genetic sex determination (GSD) and/or temperature sex determination (TSD). In many mammals, males are heterogametic (XY); whereas females are homogametic (XX). In most birds, the opposite is the case with females being heterogametic (ZW) and males the homogametic sex (ZZ). Many reptile species lack sex chromosomes, and instead, sexual differentiation is influenced by temperature with specific temperatures promoting males or females varying across species possessing this form of sexual differentiation, although TSD has recently been shown to override GSD in Australian central beaded dragons (Pogona vitticeps). There has been speculation that Australian Brush-turkeys (Alectura lathami) exhibit TSD alone and/or in combination with GSD. Thus, we sought to determine if this species possesses sex chromosomes. Blood was collected from one sexually mature female and two sexually mature males residing at Sylvan Heights Bird Park (SHBP) and shipped for karyotype analysis. Karyotype analysis revealed that contrary to speculation, Australian Brush-turkeys possess the classic avian ZW/ZZ sex chromosomes. It remains a possibility that a biased primary sex ratio of Australian Brush-turkeys might be influenced by maternal condition prior to ovulation that result in her laying predominantly Z- or W-bearing eggs and/or sex-biased mortality due to higher sensitivity of one sex in environmental conditions. A better understanding of how maternal and extrinsic factors might differentially modulate ovulation of Z- or W-bearing eggs and hatching of developing chicks possessing ZW or ZZ sex chromosomes could be essential in conservation strategies used to save endangered members of Megapodiidae.
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spelling doaj-art-d3ed2e7f835b4a2fa4527dcdf77953f22025-08-20T02:46:01ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032017-01-01129e018501410.1371/journal.pone.0185014Karyotype analysis and sex determination in Australian Brush-turkeys (Alectura lathami).Madison T OrtegaDustin J FooteNicholas NeesJason C ErdmannCharles D BangsCheryl S RosenfeldSexual differentiation across taxa may be due to genetic sex determination (GSD) and/or temperature sex determination (TSD). In many mammals, males are heterogametic (XY); whereas females are homogametic (XX). In most birds, the opposite is the case with females being heterogametic (ZW) and males the homogametic sex (ZZ). Many reptile species lack sex chromosomes, and instead, sexual differentiation is influenced by temperature with specific temperatures promoting males or females varying across species possessing this form of sexual differentiation, although TSD has recently been shown to override GSD in Australian central beaded dragons (Pogona vitticeps). There has been speculation that Australian Brush-turkeys (Alectura lathami) exhibit TSD alone and/or in combination with GSD. Thus, we sought to determine if this species possesses sex chromosomes. Blood was collected from one sexually mature female and two sexually mature males residing at Sylvan Heights Bird Park (SHBP) and shipped for karyotype analysis. Karyotype analysis revealed that contrary to speculation, Australian Brush-turkeys possess the classic avian ZW/ZZ sex chromosomes. It remains a possibility that a biased primary sex ratio of Australian Brush-turkeys might be influenced by maternal condition prior to ovulation that result in her laying predominantly Z- or W-bearing eggs and/or sex-biased mortality due to higher sensitivity of one sex in environmental conditions. A better understanding of how maternal and extrinsic factors might differentially modulate ovulation of Z- or W-bearing eggs and hatching of developing chicks possessing ZW or ZZ sex chromosomes could be essential in conservation strategies used to save endangered members of Megapodiidae.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0185014&type=printable
spellingShingle Madison T Ortega
Dustin J Foote
Nicholas Nees
Jason C Erdmann
Charles D Bangs
Cheryl S Rosenfeld
Karyotype analysis and sex determination in Australian Brush-turkeys (Alectura lathami).
PLoS ONE
title Karyotype analysis and sex determination in Australian Brush-turkeys (Alectura lathami).
title_full Karyotype analysis and sex determination in Australian Brush-turkeys (Alectura lathami).
title_fullStr Karyotype analysis and sex determination in Australian Brush-turkeys (Alectura lathami).
title_full_unstemmed Karyotype analysis and sex determination in Australian Brush-turkeys (Alectura lathami).
title_short Karyotype analysis and sex determination in Australian Brush-turkeys (Alectura lathami).
title_sort karyotype analysis and sex determination in australian brush turkeys alectura lathami
url https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0185014&type=printable
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