Kimble J, Edgar L, Hirsh D
Dev Biol. 1984 Sep;105(1):234-9. doi: 10.1016/0012-1606(84)90279-3.
Mutation of the gene fem-2 causes feminization of both sexes: hermaphrodites make no sperm, and males produce oocytes in an intersexual somatic gonad. A double mutant harboring ts alleles of both fem-1 (formerly named isx-1; G. A. Nelson, K. K. Lew, and S. Ward, 1978, Dev. Biol. 66, 386-409) and fem-2 causes transformation of XO animals (normally male) into spermless hermaphrodites at restrictive temperature. The phenotypes, temperature-sensitive periods, and maternal effects observed in mutants of each fem gene are found to be similar. It is suggested that the fem genes are centrally involved in specification of male development in Caenorhabditis elegans--both in the germ line of hermaphrodites and in somatic and germ line tissues of males.
fem-2基因突变导致两性均出现雌性化现象：雌雄同体动物不产生精子，而雄性在雌雄同体的体细胞性腺中产生卵母细胞。携带fem-1（原名为isx-1；G. A. 尼尔森、K. K. 卢和S. 沃德，1978年，《发育生物学》66卷，第386 - 409页）和fem-2的温度敏感型等位基因的双突变体，在限制温度下会使XO动物（正常为雄性）转变为无精子的雌雄同体。在每个fem基因的突变体中观察到的表型、温度敏感期和母体效应都相似。有人提出，fem基因在秀丽隐杆线虫雄性发育的特化过程中起着核心作用——在雌雄同体的生殖系以及雄性的体细胞和生殖系组织中均是如此。
