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SRY


 
 

SRY (Sex-determining Region Y) is a sexSex

Sex refers to the male and female duality of biology and reproduction, a process in biological DNA that dates back 4.6 -...
-determining geneGene

A gene is the unit of heredity in living organisms....
 on the Y chromosomeY chromosome

The Y chromosome is one of the two sex-determining chromosomes in humans and most other mammals....
 in the theriansTheria

Theria is a subclass of mammals that give birth to live young without using a shelled egg, including both placentals and mar...
 (placental mammals and marsupials).

This intronlessIntron

Introns are sections of DNA that will be spliced out after transcription, but before the RNA is used....
 gene encodes a transcription factorTranscription factor

In molecular biology, a transcription factor is a protein that regulates the activation of transcription in the eukaryotic ...
 that is a member of the high mobility groupHigh mobility group

High Mobility Group or HMG is a group of chromosomal proteins that help with...
 (HMG)-box family of DNA-binding proteins. This protein is the testis determining factorTestis determining factor

Testis-determining factor is a general term for the gene that results in maleness in humans and some other species....
 (TDF), also referred to as the SRY protein, which initiates male sex determination. Mutations in this gene give rise to XY females with gonadal dysgenesis; translocation of part of the Y chromosome containing this gene to the X chromosome causes XX male syndromeXX male syndrome

XX male syndrome is a rare sex chromosomal disorder in men....
.

Impact upon anatomical sex

Since its discovery, the importance of the SRY gene in sex determination has been extensively documented:
  • Humans with one Y chromosome and multiple X chromosomeX chromosome

    The X chromosome is one of the two sex-determining chromosomes in many animal species, including mammals....
    s are usually males.
  • Individuals with a male phenotypePhenotype

    The phenotype of an individual organism is either its total physical appearance and constitution or a specific manifestation...
     and an XX (female) genotypeGenotype

    The genotype is the specific genetic makeup of an individual, in the form of DNA....
     have been observed; these males have the SRY gene in one or both X chromosomes, moved there by chromosomal translocationChromosomal translocation

    In genetics, a chromosome translocation is an abnormal chromosomal rearrangement caused by the interchange of parts between ...
    . (However, these males are infertile.)
  • Similarly, there are females with an XXY or XY genotype. These females have no SRY gene in their Y chromosome, or the SRY gene exists but is defective (mutated).

SRY and the Olympics

One of the most controversial uses of this discovery was as a means for gender verification at the Olympic GamesOlympic Games

The Olympic Games, or Olympics, are an international multi-sport event taking place every four years and comprising su...
, under a system implemented by the International Olympic CommitteeInternational Olympic Committee

The International Olympic Committee is an organization based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin and De...
 in 1992. Athletes with a SRY gene were not permitted to participate as females, although all athletes in whom this was "detected" at the 1996 Summer Olympics1996 Summer Olympics

The 1996 Summer Olympics, formally known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and informally known as the Centennial O...
 were ruled false positiveType I and type II errors

Scientists recognize two different sorts of error:Excluding other sorts of intentional misrepresentation such as fraud....
s and were not disqualified. In the late 1990s, a number of relevant professional societies in United States called for elimination of gender verification, including the American Medical AssociationAmerican Medical Association

The American Medical Association is the largest association of medical doctors in the United States....
, the American Academy of PediatricsAmerican Academy of Pediatrics

The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of pediatricians....
, the American College of PhysiciansAmerican College of Physicians

The American College of Physicians is a national organization of doctors of internal medicine, physicians who specialize in ...
, the American College of Obstetricians and GynecologistsAmerican College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Overview

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is a professional association of over 49,000 members providing healt...
, the Endocrine Society and the American Society of Human Genetics, stating that the method used was uncertain and ineffective. The screening was eliminated as of the 2000 Summer Olympics2000 Summer Olympics

The 2000 Summer Olympics or the Millennium Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were the ...
.

SRY-related diseases and defects

Individuals with XY genotype and functional SRY gene can have a female phenotypePhenotype

The phenotype of an individual organism is either its total physical appearance and constitution or a specific manifestation...
, where the underlying cause is androgen insensitivity syndromeAndrogen insensitivity syndrome Overview

Androgen insensitivity syndrome is a set of disorders of sexual differentiation that results from mutations of the gene enc...
 (AIS).

SRY has been linked to the fact that men are more likely than women to develop dopamineDopamine

Dopamine is a chemical naturally produced in the body....
-related diseases such as schizophreniaSchizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a mental disorder characterized by impairments in the perception or ...
 and Parkinson's diseaseFacts About Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that affects the control of muscles, and so may...
. SRY makes a protein that controls concentrations of dopamine, the neurotransmitter that carries signals from the brain that control movement and coordination.

See also

  • Y chromosomeY chromosome

    The Y chromosome is one of the two sex-determining chromosomes in humans and most other mammals....
  • Sex-determination systemSex-determination system Summary

    A sex-determination system is a biological system that determines the development of sexual characteristics in an organism....
  • Testis-determining factor

Further reading

External links