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Ch. 7 - Sex Determination and Sex Chromosomes
Klug - Concepts of Genetics  12th Edition
Klug12th EditionConcepts of Genetics ISBN: 9780135564776Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 7, Problem 28

In reptiles, sex determination was thought to be controlled by sex-chromosome systems or by temperature-dependent sex determination without an inherited component to sex. But in the Australian lizard, Pogona vitticeps, it was recently revealed that sex is determined by both chromosome composition and by the temperature at which eggs are incubated. What effects might climate change have on temperature-dependent sex determination in this species, and how might this impact the sex ratio for this species in subsequent generations?

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Understand the concept of temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD): In species with TSD, the temperature at which eggs are incubated influences the development of the embryo into a male or female. In Pogona vitticeps, both genetic factors (chromosome composition) and environmental factors (temperature) contribute to sex determination.
Analyze the potential effects of climate change: Climate change can lead to increased global temperatures, which may shift the incubation temperatures of eggs. This could result in a bias toward one sex over the other, depending on the temperature thresholds that favor male or female development.
Consider the impact on sex ratios: If climate change causes a consistent bias toward one sex (e.g., more females or more males), the population's sex ratio could become skewed. This imbalance could affect the species' ability to reproduce effectively in subsequent generations.
Evaluate the long-term consequences: A skewed sex ratio could lead to reduced genetic diversity and population decline over time. If one sex becomes too rare, it may limit the species' ability to adapt to environmental changes and increase the risk of extinction.
Propose potential mitigation strategies: Conservation efforts, such as artificially controlling incubation temperatures in breeding programs or protecting habitats with stable microclimates, could help maintain balanced sex ratios and support the species' survival in the face of climate change.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Temperature-Dependent Sex Determination (TSD)

Temperature-Dependent Sex Determination (TSD) is a mechanism where the environmental temperature during critical periods of embryonic development determines the sex of the offspring. In species like Pogona vitticeps, specific temperature ranges lead to the development of either male or female individuals. This phenomenon highlights the influence of environmental factors on genetic expression and can lead to skewed sex ratios if temperatures shift due to climate change.
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Chromosomal Sex Determination

Chromosomal Sex Determination involves the presence of specific sex chromosomes that dictate the sex of an organism. In many reptiles, including Pogona vitticeps, the combination of sex chromosomes can influence sex alongside environmental factors. Understanding this dual mechanism is crucial for predicting how changes in climate may affect the genetic and environmental interactions that determine sex ratios in future generations.
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Impact of Climate Change on Biodiversity

Climate change poses significant threats to biodiversity, particularly through alterations in habitat and temperature regimes. For species with TSD, such as Pogona vitticeps, rising temperatures could lead to a predominance of one sex, disrupting natural breeding patterns and potentially leading to population declines. This imbalance in sex ratios can have long-term consequences for the species' survival and genetic diversity.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

The Amami spiny rat (Tokudaia osimensis) lacks a Y chromosome, yet scientists at Hokkaido University in Japan have reported that key sex-determining genes continue to be expressed in this species. Provide possible explanations for why male differentiation can still occur in this mammalian species despite the absence of a Y chromosome.

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Textbook Question

In mice, the X-linked dominant mutation Testicular feminization (Tfm) eliminates the normal response to the testicular hormone testosterone during sexual differentiation. An XY mouse bearing the Tfm allele on the X chromosome develops testes, but no further male differentiation occurs—the external genitalia of such an animal are female. From this information, what might you conclude about the role of the Tfm gene product and the X and Y chromosomes in sex determination and sexual differentiation in mammals? Can you devise an experiment, assuming you can 'genetically engineer' the chromosomes of mice, to test and confirm your explanation?

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Textbook Question

When the cloned cat Carbon Copy (CC) was born, she had black patches and white patches, but completely lacked any orange patches. The knowledgeable students of genetics were not surprised at this outcome. Starting with the somatic ovarian cell used as the source of the nucleus in the cloning process, explain how this outcome occurred.

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Textbook Question

In chickens, a key gene involved in sex determination has recently been identified. Called DMRT1, it is located on the Z chromosome and is absent on the W chromosome. Like SRY in humans, it is male determining. Unlike SRY in humans, however, female chickens (ZW) have a single copy while males (ZZ) have two copies of the gene. Nevertheless, it is transcribed only in the developing testis. Working in the laboratory of Andrew Sinclair (a co-discoverer of the human SRY gene), Craig Smith and colleagues were able to 'knock down' expression of DMRT1 in ZZ embryos using RNA interference techniques. In such cases, the developing gonads look more like ovaries than testes. What conclusions can you draw about the role that the DMRT1 gene plays in chickens in contrast to the role the SRY gene plays in humans?

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