Em. Eicher et al., SEX REVERSAL IN C57BL 6J-Y-POS MICE CORRECTED BY A SRY TRANSGENE/, Philosophical transactions-Royal Society of London. Biological sciences, 350(1333), 1995, pp. 263-268
C57BL/6J mice carrying a Mus domesticus poschiavinus Y chromosome (Y-P
OS) develop as females with ovarian tissue or as hermaphrodites with o
varian and testicular tissue. We tested the hypothesis that the Y-link
ed component of this inherited sex reversal is caused by the M. d. pos
chiavinus Y-linked testis determining gene (symbolized Tdy or Sry) by
examining gonadal development in C57BL/6J XY(POS) mice carrying a-M. m
usculus allele of Sry as a transgene. We found that in the presence of
the transgene, XY(POS) mice developed exclusively testicular tissue.
This result indicates that the Sry allele carried on the Y-POS chromos
ome is responsible for development of ovarian tissue in the C57BL/6J i
nbred strain background. We discuss this finding in light of DNA polym
orphisms present in Sry alleles carried by various M. domesticus and M
. musculus Y chromosomes. In addition, we present a hypothesis concern
ing the timing of expression of the testicular and ovarian determining
genes in the developing fetal gonad based on the organization of ovar
ian and testicular tissue in ovotestes.