Recombinant Drosophila subobscura Protein sex-lethal (Sxl)

Sex determination switch protein which controls sexual development by sex-specific splicing. Regulates dosage compensation in females by suppressing hyperactivation of X-linked genes. Expression of the embryo-specific isoform is under the control of primary sex-determining signal, which depends on the ratio of X chromosomes relative to autosomes (X:A ratio). Expression occurs in 2X:2A cells, but not in X:2A cells. The X:A ratio seems to be signaled by the relative concentration of the X-linked transcription factors SIS-A and SIS-B. As a result, the embryo-specific product is expressed early only in female embryos and specifies female-adult specific splicing; in the male where it is not expressed, the default splicing gives rise to a truncated nonfunctional protein. The female-specific isoform specifies the splicing of its own transcript, thereby initiating a positive autoregulatory feedback loop leading to female development pathway. The female-specific isoform controls the sex-specific splicing of transformer (TRA); acts as a translational repressor for male-specific lethal-2 (MSL-2) and prevents male-less (MLE), MSL-1 and MSL-3 proteins from associating with the female X chromosome.