Molecular sexing of Lepidoptera

Irina Belousova; Nikita Ershov; Sergey Pavlushin; Yury Ilinsky; Vyacheslav Martemyanov

doi:10.1016/j.jinsphys.2019.02.005

Molecular sexing of Lepidoptera

J Insect Physiol. 2019 Apr:114:53-56. doi: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2019.02.005. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Authors

Irina Belousova¹, Nikita Ershov², Sergey Pavlushin³, Yury Ilinsky⁴, Vyacheslav Martemyanov⁵

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals SB RAS, Frunze Str. 11, Novosibirsk 630091 Russia. Electronic address: belousova_i@yahoo.com.
² Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, Prospekt Lavrentyeva 10, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia.
³ Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals SB RAS, Frunze Str. 11, Novosibirsk 630091 Russia.
⁴ Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, Prospekt Lavrentyeva 10, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia; Novosibirsk State University, Pirogova Str. 2, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia; School of Life Sciences Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Nevskogo Str. 14, Kaliningrad 236016, Russia.
⁵ Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals SB RAS, Frunze Str. 11, Novosibirsk 630091 Russia; Biological Institute, National Research Tomsk State University, Lenin Ave. 36, Tomsk 634050, Russia.

PMID: 30776424
DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2019.02.005

Abstract

We developed a universal method of Lepidoptera molecular sexing. The method is based on comparing the number of copies of the same gene in different sexes. Males of the majority of lepidopteran species have two Z chromosomes, whereas females have only one Z chromosome. Correspondingly, the number of copies of each gene located on this chromosome differs by two times between males and females. For quantitative estimation, we used qPCR. Via multiple alignment of the kettin (a Z chromosome gene) nucleotide sequences, we detected the most conserved fragment and designed primers with broad interspecies specificity for Lepidoptera. Using these primers, we successfully determined the sex of three lepidopteran species belonging to different superfamilies. The developed method is a simple, cost-effective and high-throughput technique for routine sexing. The sex of lepidopteran individuals can be examined at any developmental stage.

Keywords: Galleria mellonella; Kettin; Lymantria dispar; Plutella xylostella; Sex; Z chromosome.

Publication types

Evaluation Study
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Chromosomes, Insect*
Female
Gene Dosage*
Male
Moths / genetics*
Sex Chromosomes*
Sex Determination Analysis / methods*