KUROIWA Asato
Professor
Biology for sex determination
Department of Biological Sciences, Reproductive and Developmental Biology
| Theme | Molecular mechanism of sex determination in mammals and birds |
| Field | Reproductive development, Genetics, Genome evolution |
| Keyword | sex determination, gene, sex chromosome, Y chromosome, X chromosome, gonad, mammal, bird, spiny rat, chicken, Japanese quail, emu |
Introduction of Research
My goal is to reveal molecular mechanism of sex determination in mammals and birds. In mammals, females have XX and males have XY sex chromosomes. The SRY gene determines male (testis) differentiation of embryo. SRY is a sex-determining gene located on the Y chromosome in placenta mammals. However, the Amami spiny rat (Tokudaia osimensis) which is a native wild rodent in Japan has no Y chromosome and SRY. I have studied two main topics in the spiny rat: why and how disappeared the Y chromosome, a new sex-determining mechanism independent of SRY.
On the other hand, birds have female heterogametic sex chromosomes (female: ZW, male: ZZ). It remains unknown mechanism of sex-determining in birds. The DMRT1 gene located on the Z chromosome is known as a testis determiner. However, the W-linked gene involved in female (ovary) determination has not found yet. I have tried to identify a novel W-linked gene using chicken, Japanese quail, and emu.
Representative Achievements
Kudo R, Yoshida I, Ceron LM, Mizushima S, Kuroki Y, Jogahara T, Kuroiwa A.
Cytogenet Genome Res. 162(11-12):632-643, 2023.
Terao M+, Ogawa Y+, Takada S, Kajitani R, Okuno M, Mochimaru Y, Matsuoka K, Itoh T, Toyoda A, Kono T, Jogahara T, Mizushima S, Kuroiwa A (+equally contribution)
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A.119(49):e2211574119, 2022.
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2211574119
Okuno M+, Miyamoto M+, Itoh T, Seki M, Suzuki Y, Mizushima S, Kuroiwa A (+equally contribution)
Sci Rep. 10:20073, 2020.
Ogata Y, Nishikata M, Kitada K, Mizushima S, Jogahara T, Kuroiwa A
Dev Dyn. 248:784-794, 2019.
Nakata T, Ishiguro M, Aduma N, Izumi H, Kuroiwa A
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A., 110:3417-3422. 2013.
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1218714110
| Academic degree | Ph.D. |
| Academic background | 2001 Researcher of Japan Society for the Promotion Science 2003 Lcturer, Hokkaido University 2009 Associate Professor, Hokkaido University 2016 Professor, Hokkaido University |
| Affiliated academic society | The Molecular Biology Society of Japan, The Society of Chromosome Research, The Genetic Society of Japan, The Society of Evolutionary Studies, Japan |
| Room address | Faculty of Science, Building 5 5-1105 |
| Notes | Books |
