小柯机器人

近日，法国蒙彼利埃大学A. M. Talman及其研究团队发现，一个转录开关控制恶性疟原虫的性别决定。这一研究成果于2022年12月7日在线发表在国际学术期刊《自然》上。

研究人员表明，雄性发育1（md1）基因对人类疟原虫的雄性命运决定是必要且充分的。结果表明，Md1具有双重功能，源于两个独立的结构域：通过其N端进行性别决定，并通过其保守的C端LOTUS/OST-HTH结构域进行雄性发育。研究人员进一步确定了md1基因座上的一个双稳态开关，它与性别决定相联系，并确保雄性决定性基因不在雌性系中表达。研究人员描述了真核生物中仅有的几个已知性别决定的非遗传机制之一，并强调Md1是阻断疟疾传播的潜在干预目标。

据介绍，有性繁殖和减数分裂的性别深深扎根于真核生物的生命树中，但决定性别或交配类型的机制极为多样，仅在少数模式生物中得到很好的描述。在疟疾寄生虫中，有性繁殖与传播给媒介宿主的时间相吻合。性别决定是非遗传性的，每个单倍体寄生虫都能在人类宿主体内产生一个雄性或雌性配子体。触发性决定和维持性特征的事件和分子机制的层次还没有被阐明。

附：英文原文

Title: A transcriptional switch controls sex determination in Plasmodium falciparum

Author: Gomes, A. R., Marin-Menendez, A., Adjalley, S. H., Bardy, C., Cassan, C., Lee, M. C. S., Talman, A. M.

Issue&Volume: 2022-12-07

Abstract: Sexual reproduction and meiotic sex are deeply rooted in the eukaryotic tree of life, but mechanisms determining sex or mating types are extremely varied and are only well characterized in a few model organisms1. In malaria parasites, sexual reproduction coincides with transmission to the vector host. Sex determination is non-genetic, with each haploid parasite capable of producing either a male or a female gametocyte in the human host2. The hierarchy of events and molecular mechanisms that trigger sex determination and maintenance of sexual identity are yet to be elucidated. Here we show that the male development 1 (md1) gene is both necessary and sufficient for male fate determination in the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. We show that Md1 has a dual function stemming from two separate domains: in sex determination through its N terminus and in male development from its conserved C-terminal LOTUS/OST-HTH domain. We further identify a bistable switch at the md1 locus, which is coupled with sex determination and ensures that the male-determining gene is not expressed in the female lineage. We describe one of only a few known non-genetic mechanisms of sex determination in a eukaryote and highlight Md1 as a potential target for interventions that block malaria transmission.

DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05509-z

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-05509-z

Nature：《自然》，创刊于1869年。隶属于施普林格·自然出版集团，最新IF：69.504
官方网址：http://www.nature.com/
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