Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39739940›Full record

ReviewInsect molecular biology2025

Understanding the genetics of sex determination in insects and its relevance to genetic pest management.

Jade S Ashmore, Bernard Slippers, Tuan A Duong, Gudrun Dittrich-Schröder

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Insect molecular biology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Jade S AshmoreDepartment of Zoology and Entomology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8334-3989
Bernard SlippersDepartment of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1491-3858
Tuan A DuongDepartment of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5110-1854
Gudrun Dittrich-SchröderDepartment of Zoology and Entomology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5700-6276

Funding

Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI)Future Leaders-African Independent Research (FLAIR) fellowship (Grant no. FLR\R1\201229)Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF)Tree Protection Co-operative Programme (TPCP)
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Sex determination pathways regulate male and female-specific development and differentiation and offer potential targets for genetic pest management methods. Insect sex determination pathways are comprised of primary signals, relay genes and terminal genes. Primary signals of coleopteran, dipteran, hymenopteran and lepidopteran species are highly diverse and regulate the sex-specific splicing of relay genes based on the primary signal dosage, amino acid composition or the interaction with paternally inherited genes. In coleopterans, hymenopterans and some dipterans, relay genes are Transformer orthologs from the serine-arginine protein family that regulate sex-specific splicing of the terminal genes. Alternative genes regulate the splicing of the terminal genes in dipterans that lack Transformer orthologs and lepidopterans. Doublesex and Fruitless orthologs are the terminal genes. Doublesex and Fruitless orthologs are highly conserved zinc-finger proteins that regulate the expression of downstream proteins influencing physical traits and courtship behaviours in a sex-specific manner. Genetic pest management methods can use different mechanisms to exploit or disrupt female-specific regions of different sex determination genes. Female-specific regions of sex determination genes can be exploited to produce a lethal gene only in females or disrupted to impede female development or fertility. Reducing the number of fertile females in pest populations creates a male-biased sex ratio and eventually leads to the local elimination of the pest population. Knowledge on the genetic basis of sex determination is important to enable these sex determination pathways to be exploited for genetic pest management.

Indexed as

InsectaPest Control, BiologicalSex Determination ProcessesAnimalsFemaleGenes, InsectInsect ProteinsMaleInsect Proteinscomplementary sex determinerfemalelessmasculinizersex‐lethalwasp overruler of masculinization

Identifiers

PMID39739940
PMCPMC12054349

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.