Assays of testis development in the mouse distinguish three classes of domesticus-type Y chromosome

Abstract

The Y chromosome of Mus musculus poschiavinus interacts with the autosomal recessive gene tda-1b of the C57BL/6J laboratory strain of the house mouse to cause complete or partial sex reversal. Ovaries or ovotestes develop in a substantial proportion of the XY fetuses. Several different Y-specific DNA probes distinguish two major types of Y chromosome in the house mouse and they are represented by M. m. domesticus and M. m. musculus. The poschiavinus Y chromosome appears identical to the domesticus Y. The developmental distribution of the gonad types was examined in the first backcross or N2 generation of fetuses in C57BL/6J with six different domesticus-type Y chromosomes and, as controls, three different musculus-type Y chromosomes. Gonadal hermaphrodites were found with three of the six domesticus-type Y chromosomes. Both overall frequency and phenotypic distribution of types of gonadal hermaphrodites identify three classes of domesticus-type Y chromosome by their differential interaction with the C57BL/6J genetic background.Key words: mouse, Y chromosomes, gonadal hermaphrodites, primary sex determination.