Sex-ratio distorters enable pre-zygotic sexing for sex-specific transcriptomics in Anopheles gambiae embryos
Author(s)
Bernardini, Federica
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The study of sex establishment at the onset of development is difficult due to the absence of early morphological differences between male and female embryos. This challenge is particularly relevant in non-model organisms such as the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae, where sex determination mechanisms are not fully understood. We employed a pre-zygotic sexing (PZS) system based on synthetic sex-ratio distorters (X- and Y-shredders) to generate large-scale male or female biased embryo populations. Combining the PZS system with a hybrid long- and short-read RNA sequencing, we produced a comprehensive sex-specific transcriptomic dataset of early An. gambiae embryogenesis. Comparative analysis identified four sex-specific spliced genes interacting with the sex-determination network, providing candidates for future functional investigation. Together, the PZS system and sex-specific transcriptomic dataset provide a platform for dissecting early sex differences in An. gambiae, advancing both fundamental understanding of insect sex determination and informing novel vector control strategies.
Date Acceptance
2026-07-22
Citation
Cell reports
ISSN
2211-1247
Publisher
Elsevier
Journal / Book Title
Cell reports
Copyright Statement
Copyright This paper is embargoed until publication. Once published the Version of Record (VoR) will be available on immediate open access.
License URL
Publication Status
Accepted