Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40159710›Full record

ArticleInsect science2026

The transformer gene controls sexual development in Drosophila suzukii.

Ying Yan, Jing Zhao, Jonas Schwirz, Cristina Borghesi, Conghui Liu, Bo Liu, Wanqiang Qian, Fanghao Wan, Marc F Schetelig

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Insect science, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. 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

9 authors.

Ying YanDepartment of Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Giessen, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1247-3302
Jing ZhaoDepartment of Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Giessen, Germany.
Jonas SchwirzDepartment of Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Giessen, Germany.
Cristina BorghesiDepartment of Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Giessen, Germany.
Conghui LiuShenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People's Republic of China, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China.
Bo LiuShenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People's Republic of China, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China.
Wanqiang QianShenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People's Republic of China, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China.
Fanghao WanShenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People's Republic of China, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China.
Marc F ScheteligDepartment of Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Giessen, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9217-394X

Funding

Coordinated Research Project D44003Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft 470105316 / YA 502/3-1International Atomic Energy AgencyJLU's Student Assistant Fund 60001166Justus-Liebig-University Giessen
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The genetic network of sex determination in the model organism Drosophila melanogaster was investigated in great detail. Such knowledge not only advances our understanding of the evolution and regulation of sexual dimorphism in insects, but also serves as a basis for developing genetic control strategies for pest species. In this study, we isolated the sex determination gene transformer (Dstra) from a global fruit pest, the spotted-wing Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii), and characterized its gene organization. By comparing the deduced protein sequence of Dstra with its orthologs from 22 species, we found that tra genes from Dipteran species are divergent. Our research demonstrated that Dstra undergoes sex-specific splicing, and we validated its developmental expression profile. We engineered a piggyBac-based transformation vector expressing the complete Dstra coding sequence under the control of the Tetracycline-Off system. Through germ-line transformation, we generated 4 independent transgenic lines, producing pseudo-females from chromosomal males in the absence of tetracycline. This observation indicated ectopic expression of Dstra, confirmed by the detection of female Dstra transcripts in transgenic males. The pseudo-females exhibited altered wing patterns, feminized abdomen, abnormal reproductive organs, and disrupted sexual behavior. Ectopic expression of Dstra affected the sex-specific splicing pattern of the downstream gene fruitless, but not doublesex. In conclusion, our study provides comprehensive genetic, morphological, and behavioral evidence that Dstra controls sexual development in D. suzukii. We discuss the potential applications of this research for genetic control strategies targeting Dstra or using its gene elements.

Indexed as

DrosophilaDrosophila ProteinsSex Determination ProcessesSexual DevelopmentAnimalsAnimals, Genetically ModifiedFemaleMaleDrosophila Proteinscourtship behaviorgene splicingpigmentationsex determinationspotted‐wing DrosophilaTetracycline‐Off system

Identifiers

PMID40159710
PMCPMC13087859

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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.