csd gene of honeybee: Genetic structure, functioning, and evolution

Abstract

At present, the sex in the honeybee is known to be controlled by the csd (complementary sex determiner) gene, which has a large allelic diversity. Heterozygotes of the csd gene develop into females, while homozygotes develop into males, which are removed by the workers at the larval stage, resulting in the observation of a “shot brood.” This review summarizes the current understanding of the genetic structure of the csd gene, the mechanism of its effect on the sex determination, and the evolution of this gene generated from the duplication of the feminizer gene. The study of the csd gene polymorphism would make it possible to develop allele specific markers for the selection of honeybee.