Sex Reversal in Zebrafish fancl Mutants Is Caused by Tp53-Mediated Germ Cell Apoptosis
Figure 2
The absence of females in fancl homozygous mutants is due to sex reversal.
The bar graph represents percentages of expected (ex, grey bars) and observed (ob, black bars) females and males among 211 progeny from a cross of fancl heterozygous females (fancl+/−) to fancl homozygous mutant males (fancl−/−). Total numbers (n) and percentages (%) of animals in each category are indicated on the graph. The expected ratio of female heterozygotes to male heterozygotes to female homozygous mutants to male homozygous mutants is 1∶1∶1∶1, but we observed a ratio of about 1∶1∶0∶2 (46 fancl+/− females: 62 fancl+/− males: 0 fancl−/− females: 103 fancl−/− males). This result rules out the hypothesis that homozygous mutant females die, but is predicted by the hypothesis that homozygous mutants that otherwise would have become females develop instead as males.