Making males in a fruit fly pest

Abstract

Sex Determination The Mediterranean fruit fly or Medfly ( Ceratitis capitata ) is a global and highly destructive fruit pest. Meccariello et al. identified the master gene for male sex determination on the Y chromosome of Medfly and named it Maleness-on-the-Y ( MoY ) (see the Perspective by Makki and Meller). Flies of each sex were transformed into the other sex by genetic manipulation, and crosses of transformed files generated male and female progeny. MoY is functionally conserved in the olive fruit fly and in the invasive oriental fruit fly. This discovery has potential for insect genetic control based on mass release of sterile males and future strategies based on gene drive. Science , this issue p. [1457][1]; see also p. [1380][2] [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.aax1318 [2]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.aaz0217