• HOME
  • NEWS
    • BIOENGINEERING
    • SCIENCE NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • FORUM
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
  • CONTACT US
Thursday, March 4, 2021
BIOENGINEER.ORG
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • HOME
  • NEWS
    • BIOENGINEERING
    • SCIENCE NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • FORUM
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
  • CONTACT US
  • HOME
  • NEWS
    • BIOENGINEERING
    • SCIENCE NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • FORUM
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
  • CONTACT US
No Result
View All Result
Bioengineer.org
No Result
View All Result
Home NEWS Science News Evolution

To be sperm, or not to be sperm?

Bioengineer by Bioengineer
June 13, 2015
in Evolution, Genetics
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedinShare on RedditShare on Telegram

Researchers in Japan have found, for the first time in vertebrates, a genetic switch that determines whether germ cells become sperm or eggs.

The gene is named foxl3, and has been identified using a small fish called medaka (Oryzias latipes). In medaka without this gene’s functionality, surprisingly, sperm are produced in the ovaries of females. The sperm that are produced function normally, and have been confirmed to produce normal offspring. These results will be announced in the journal Science through Science Express the online pre-print version on June 11th.

foxl3

This image shows young medaka born using normal eggs and sperm from female fish lacking functional foxl3 genes. Photo Credit: National Institute for Basic Biology

Dr. Toshiya Nishimura, Associate Professor Minoru Tanaka and their colleagues of the National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, in collaboration with Dr. Satoru Kobayashi of the Okazaki Institute for Integrative Bioscience, and through joint research with Kyushu University’s Dr. Mikita Suyama and Dr. Yasuyuki Ohkawa, revealed that the foxl3 gene works in the germ cells of females “to suppress differentiation into sperm”.

In females lacking functional foxl3 genes, the small fish’s body appearance is still totally female, however a large number of sperm are formed in the ovaries, and a small number of eggs are formed at the same time.

It has also become clear that in these females lacking the function of foxl3 functional sperm can be obtained in a shorter period of time than in normal wild-type males. Applied research into uses for aquaculture is already underway.

“In spite of the environment surrounding the germ cells being female, the fact that functional sperm has been made surprised me greatly. That this sexual switch present in the Germ Cells is independent of the body’s sex is an entirely new finding,” Dr. Nishimura said.

Dr. Tanaka commented: “While germ cells can become either sperm or eggs, nobody knew that in vertebrates the germ cells have a switch mechanism to decide their own sperm or egg fate. Our result indicates that once the decision is made the germ cells have the ability to go all the way to the end. I believe it is of very large significance that this mechanism has been found.”

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by NIBB’s Office of Public Relations.

Share12Tweet8Share2ShareShareShare2

Related Posts

IMAGE

Amino acid recycling in cells: Autophagy helps cells adapt to changing conditions

December 10, 2020
IMAGE

Cataloging nature’s hidden arsenal: Viruses that infect bacteria

December 10, 2020

Artificial intelligence finds surprising patterns in Earth’s biological mass extinctions

December 10, 2020

First-known fossil iguana burrow found in the Bahamas

December 9, 2020

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

POPULAR NEWS

  • IMAGE

    Terahertz accelerates beyond 5G towards 6G

    663 shares
    Share 265 Tweet 166
  • People living with HIV face premature heart disease and barriers to care

    83 shares
    Share 33 Tweet 21
  • Global analysis suggests COVID-19 is seasonal

    38 shares
    Share 15 Tweet 10
  • HIV: an innovative therapeutic breakthrough to optimize the immune system

    36 shares
    Share 14 Tweet 9

About

We bring you the latest biotechnology news from best research centers and universities around the world. Check our website.

Follow us

Tags

Infectious/Emerging DiseasesTechnology/Engineering/Computer SciencePublic HealthMedicine/HealthBiologyMaterialsClimate ChangeCell BiologyGeneticscancerEcology/EnvironmentChemistry/Physics/Materials Sciences

Recent Posts

  • Gender assumptions harm progress on climate adaption and resilience
  • Researchers urge greater awareness of delayed skin reactions to Moderna COVID-19 vaccine
  • Mobile app helps young adults talk with friends about risky drug, alcohol use
  • MDI Biological Laboratory receives funding to address arsenic threat
  • Contact Us

© 2019 Bioengineer.org - Biotechnology news by Science Magazine - Scienmag.

No Result
View All Result
  • Homepages
    • Home Page 1
    • Home Page 2
  • News
  • National
  • Business
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Science

© 2019 Bioengineer.org - Biotechnology news by Science Magazine - Scienmag.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In