Sex Determination in Persimmons (IMAGE)
Caption
Most flowering plants combine male and female in the same individual, but a few, including persimmons, have separate sexes. Male persimmon trees have XY sex chromosomes, while female trees have XX chromosomes. Scientists at UC Davis and Kyoto University discovered that a gene called OGI on the Y chromosome specifies the production of a small RNA that targets a feminizing gene called MEGI. OGI suppresses MEGI to rescue anther fertility. Without OGI, the male organs in the flower are incapacitated by excess MEGI. So, after substantial molecular squabbling, separate sexes and, presumably, 'tree love' emerge.
Credit
Luca Comai, UC Davis
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