Koukidou M, Alphey L
Oxitec Ltd., Oxford, UK.
Sex Dev. 2014;8(1-3):127-36. doi: 10.1159/000357203. Epub 2014 Jan 3.
Elucidation of the sex differentiation pathway in insects offers an opportunity to understand key aspects of evolutionary developmental biology. In addition, it provides the understanding necessary to manipulate insects in order to develop new synthetic genetics-based tools for the control of pest insects. Considerable progress has been made in this, especially in improvements to the sterile insect technique (SIT). Large scale sex separation is considered highly desirable or essential for most SIT targets. This separation can be provided by genetic methods based on sex-specific gene expression. Investigation of sex determination by many groups has provided molecular components and methods for this. Though the primary sex determination signal varies considerably, key regulatory genes and mechanisms remain surprisingly similar. In most cases studied so far, a primary signal is transmitted to a basal gene at the bottom of the hierarchy (dsx) through an alternative splicing cascade; dsx is itself differentially spliced in males and females. A sex-specific alternative splicing system therefore offers an attractive route to achieve female-specific expression. Experience has shown that alternative splicing modules can be developed with cross-species function; modularity and standardisation and re-use of parts are key principles of synthetic biology. Both female-killing and sex reversal (XX females to phenotypic males) can in principle also be used as efficient alternatives to sterilisation in SIT-like methods. Sexual maturity is yet another area where understanding of sexual development may be applied to insect control programmes. Further detailed understanding of this crucial aspect of insect biology will undoubtedly continue to underpin innovative practical applications.
阐明昆虫的性别分化途径为理解进化发育生物学的关键方面提供了契机。此外，它还能为操控昆虫提供必要的认识，以便开发基于合成遗传学的新型害虫控制工具。在这方面已经取得了显著进展，尤其是在改进不育昆虫技术（SIT）方面。对于大多数SIT目标而言，大规模的性别分离被认为是非常可取的或必不可少的。这种分离可以通过基于性别特异性基因表达的遗传方法来实现。许多研究小组对性别决定的研究为此提供了分子成分和方法。尽管主要的性别决定信号差异很大，但关键的调控基因和机制却惊人地相似。在目前研究的大多数情况下，主要信号通过可变剪接级联传递到等级体系底部的一个基础基因（dsx）；dsx本身在雄性和雌性中进行不同的剪接。因此，性别特异性可变剪接系统为实现雌性特异性表达提供了一条有吸引力的途径。经验表明，可以开发具有跨物种功能的可变剪接模块；模块性、标准化以及部件的重复使用是合成生物学的关键原则。在类似SIT的方法中，杀雌和性反转（XX雌性转变为表型雄性）原则上也可以用作绝育的有效替代方法。性成熟是另一个可以将对性发育的理解应用于昆虫控制计划的领域。对昆虫生物学这一关键方面的进一步详细了解无疑将继续支撑创新的实际应用。
