Researchers Find Enzyme Determining Gender of Embryo

Researchers have found a key protein that determines the gender of the embryo. According to the study, an enzyme called Jmjd1a unwinds DNA to trigger the male development of the embryo.

The study was conducted by researchers at University of Queensland and Japanese scientists. They found that knocking out the gene, which codes for Jmjd1a enzyme in experimental mice resulted in female progenies, despite the embryo having a Y chromosome. Researchers say that the study will help understand intersex disorders. People with intersex disorders have characterises of both males and females, but they don't belong to either gender.

Sry gene or the sex determining region Y causes the fetus to develop as a male.

"Most mammals, including humans and mice, are programmed to develop as females unless a specific Y-chromosome gene called Sry is present to trigger male development during embryonic life," Peter Koopman, from UQ's Institute for Molecular Bioscience, said. "We knew that Sry is responsible for switching on maleness genes, but what we didn't know is that the DNA containing Sry needs be unwound before the gene can become active.

Koopman was also a member in team that had discovered the Sry gene. He added that the study shows how certain genes determine the fate of more than a million cells.

"Fundamental discoveries like this bring us a step closer to controlling stem cell behaviour by activating or repressing certain genes," Koopman said in a news release.

The study is published in the journal Science.