Transitions between modes of sex-determination in a changing world

性别决定控制着动物体内最大的变异--雄性和雌性的划分。虽然不同的性别决定系统--包括遗传或环境控制--已经被相当好地理解了，但这些系统之间的转换在进化生物学中仍然是个谜。该项目旨在通过揭示系统之间过渡所需的分子变化来解决这一差距，使用仅有的两种已知蜥蜴物种之一，表现出遗传和温度控制性别。这些知识将对物种保护产生重要影响，有助于预测气候变化下高度偏倚的性别比例，以及有利于生产一种性别的物种的潜在商业应用。

Sex-determination controls the largest variation within animals—the division into males and females. While the different systems of sex-determination—involving genetic or environmental control—are fairly well understood, transitions between these systems remain enigmatic in evolutionary biology. This project aims to address this gap by revealing the molecular change required to transition between systems, using one of only two known lizard species exhibiting both genetic and temperature control of sex. This knowledge will have important implications for species conservation, facilitating predictions of highly biased sex ratios under climate change, plus potential commercial applications for species where production of one sex is favoured.