XY sex reversal associated with a nonsense mutation in SRY

Genomics. 1992 Jul;13(3):838-40. doi: 10.1016/0888-7543(92)90164-n.

Abstract

Sex determination in humans is mediated through the expression of a testis-determining gene on the Y chromosome. In humans, a candidate gene for the testis-determining factor (TDF) that encodes a protein with a putative DNA-binding motif and has been isolated is termed SRY. Here we describe an XY sex-reversed female with pure gonadal dysgenesis who harbors a de novo nonsense mutation in the SRY open reading frame (SRY-orf). This single-basepair substitution results directly in the formation of a termination codon in the putative SRY DNA-binding motif, presumably leading to a nonfunctional gene product. This brings the number of reported XY sex-reversed females with de novo mutations in the known SRY-orf to three, each occurring in the putative DNA-binding domain. This provides further evidence to support SRY being TDF in humans and also indicates the functional importance of the putative DNA-binding domain of the SRY protein.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Base Sequence
  • DNA / genetics
  • DNA Mutational Analysis
  • Disorders of Sex Development*
  • Female
  • Gonadal Dysgenesis, 46,XY / genetics*
  • Gonadal Dysgenesis, 46,XY / pathology
  • Gonads / pathology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Open Reading Frames
  • Pedigree
  • X Chromosome
  • Y Chromosome

Substances

  • DNA