Scientists identify DNA 'hotspots' that tell zebrafish to change sex in warmer waters
Published Date: 7/20/2022
Source: phys.org
Higher water temperatures induce specific chemical tags at targeted locations on the DNA of embryonic zebrafish. These "epigenetic" changes can then reroute genetic pathways, so that the embryos change sex. This finding, in Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, is not just of fundamental scientific interest. It's also relevant for conservation, since an influence of temperature on sex determination could be recipe for disaster for species living through rapid climatic change.