THE GENETIC BASIS OF SEX DETERMINATION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: STARGATE
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79-00999A000200010014-0
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 4, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 9, 2014
• Sequence Number: 14
• Publication Date: December 6, 1975
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

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Declassified and Approved For Release 2014/01/09: CIA-RDP79-00999A000200010014-0
SCIENCE NEW OF THE WEEK
The Genetic Basis of Sex Determination
Human sex is known to be determined
at the chromosomal level. If a fetus con-
tains two X chromosomes in each cell, it
will become a female. If it contains one
X chromosome and one Y chromosome
in each cell, it will become a male. How-
ever, it stands to reason that sex determi-
nation depends not just on the presence
of a particular kind of chromosome, but
on genes present on that chromosome.
Research reported in the Nov. 20 NEW
ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE sug-
gests that a major sex determinant gene
may have been found.
Some years ago, investigators discov-
ered that skin from a male mouse grafted
onto a female mouse elicited an antibody
response. Subsequently they found that
the female mouse's antibodies were react-
ing to a particular antigen present on cells
in the male mouse, but not in the female
mouse. They named the antigen "H-Y"
antigen, because it induced graft rejection.
Last year, Stephen S. Wachtel of the
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
and his colleagues found that the H-Y
antigeh is present on the cells of the
human male as well as on the cells of male
mice, because male mouse antiserum to
the H-Y antigen bound to male human
cells. Consequently Wachtel and his col-
leagues decided to use a related serologi-
cal technique to see whether the H-Y
antigen might be coded by a gene on the
human Y chromosome.
They took white cells from three men
with abnormal chromosomal patterns?
specifically two Y chromosomes instead
of one in each cell. They put the cells
in the presence of mouse antiserum to H-Y
antigen. Then they put cells from men
with the normal XY chromosomal pattern
in the presence of the same kind of anti-
serum. The cells with the YY chromoso-
mal pattern bound much more to the H-Y
antibodies than did the cells with the XY
chromosomal pattern, suggesting that the
former contained more H-Y antigen.
The amount of antigen present on the
cell surface is usually related directly to
the number of determinant genes that are
present. So in reporting their results,
Wachtel and his team conclude: "The fact
that human males possessing two Y chro-
mosomes have excess WY antigen indi-
cates therefore that a structural [gene]
locus or positive regulatory locus for H-Y
antigen is located on the Y chromosome
in man. . . ."
The results of this particular study, in
fact, are bolstered by several clinical ob-
servations Wachtel and his co-workers
have made of women with a Y chromo-
some. These women had testes, and they
had H-Y antigen on their cells.
356
Human Y and X chromosomes compared.
With one possible exception, this is the
first gene to be assigned to the human Y
chromosome. In an editorial in the same
journal, Park S. Gerald, a physician at
Children's Hospital Medical Center in
Boston, hails the report as "a major event
in human genetics." But even more intri-
guing and potentially important is the
possibility that this gene may play a major
role in sex determination.
Wachtel and his team explain why.
During the past year or two, they have
also found that the H-Y antigen is present
in many different animal species, sug-
gesting that the gene for this antigen has
played a crucial role in evolution. What's
more, they have found that the antigen is
linked with sex within a species. For ex-
ample, if the male in a species has the
antigen, the female does not. If the female
has the antigen, which is the case with
birds and some amphibian species, the
Male does not. Now that they have found
that the gene for the H-Y antigen is
present on the human Y chromosome,
they are all the more inclined to believe
that it may be a major determinant of sex.
How might the gene determine sex?
They speculate that the H-Y gene may be
concerned with the development of the
undifferentiated embryonic sex organs
into either male or female sex organs,
depending on the species. In humans, the
H-Y gene would decide that the primitive
sex organs becorhe testes rather than
ovaries.
Meanwhile, Wachtel and his co-
workers want to learn more about the
location of the H-Y gene on the human
Y chromosome. They are studying the
expression of the H-Y antigen in persons
with structurally modified Y chromosomes
to learn more about the precise location
of the H-Y gene. For instance, they re-
cently observed one woman with Turner's
syndrome. She had both an X chromo-
some and a Y chromosome and the H-Y
antigen. The Y chromosome, however,
appeared hot to be a total chromosome,
but only its short arms. If this was really
the case, then the H-Y gene probably lies
on one of the two short arms of the Y
chromosome. They are now looking at a
male patient whose Y chromosome con-
sists of only short arms.. If he too ex-
presses the H-Y antigen, then they can be
more confident that the H-Y gene resides
on one of the chromosome's short arms.
Wachtel and his colleagues are also
continuing to explore the H-Y gene's ap-
parent role in sex determination. As
Wachtel told SCIENCE NEWS: "We want
to study strange animals, like the lem-
mings that dive into the sea. For some
reason?it's not clear?the females of that
species have both an X and a Y chromo-
swine. They are normal females in ever
respect. They just happen to have a Y
chromosome which does not make any
sense in the context of what we understand
about sex determination. But according to
our theory, they should have no H-Y
antigen, even though they have the Y
chromosome. So far, we have looked at
three of these lemmings, and none of them
has the antigen." 111
Requiem for a star
or baptism of fire
Out in the constellation Perseus a star
is dying?or perhaps being born. Astron-
omers are not quite sure which, but there
seems to be more opinion on the side of
dying. Both births and deaths continually
occur in the life of the galaxy. But the
exact process under observation, which
may be either the beginning of the forma-
tion of a planetary nebula (death throes)
or the last stages of the implosion of an
interstellar cloud (birth pangs), is esti-
mated to last no more than 25,000 years
in the several billion that the average star
survives. So the chance of catching one
in either act is rather slim.
The object is an infrared source called
CRL-618. (CRL is for the Air Force
Cambridge Research Laboratory's cata-
logue of infrared sources.) It was identi-
fied by William E. Westbrook, a graduate
student at the California Institute of Tech-
nology, who died before his paper could
be published in the Dec. 1 ASTROPHYSI-
CAL JOURNAL (not yet received at the time
of this writing). Westbrook found CRL-
618 during a search of infrared sources
discovered in an Air Force rocket survey.
Apparently CRL-618 consists of an in-
visible, hot, condensed object with a sur-
face temperature above 32,000 degrees.
K. (the sun's surface temperature is about
SCIENCE NEWS, VOL. 108
Declassified and Approved For Release 2014/01/09: CIA-RDP79-00999A000200010014-0
Declassified and Approved For Release 2014/01/09: CIA-RDP79-00996A060200010014-0
SCIENCE NEM ?
A Science Service Publication.
Vol. 108/December 6, 1975/No. 23
Incorporating Science News Letter
OF THE WEEK
Genetic sex determinant
356
Infrared witnesses astral cycles
356
Antarctic mishaps
357
Planet info exchange
358
Space briefs: Biosat, Soyuz
358
Daddario to head AAAS
358
Soviet Academy shuffle
358
RESEARCH NOTES
Environment
359
Science and Society
359
Biomedicine
360
Behavior
360
ARTICLES
Israel digs its past
361
DEPARTMENTS
Books
354
Letters
355
Off the Beat: New SI units
363
COVER: The caves of Qumran are where an ancient
Jewish sect hid copies of the Scripture and other
documents, now known as the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Archaeology in Israel, such as the delicate work
required here, has illuminated many previously ob-
scure portions of the history of the Palestine area?
the crossroads of the ancient world, along which
passed conquering armies and innumerable cara-
vans. See p. 361. (Photo: John H. Douglas)
Publisher E. G. Sherburne Jr.
Editor Kendrick Frazier
Senior Editor and
Physical Sciences Dietrick E. Thomsen
Senior Editor and
Behavioral Sciences Robert J. Trotter
Biomedical Sciences Joan Arehart-Treichel
Biology/Chemistry Janet L. Hopson
Science and Society John H. Douglas
Space Sciences Jonathan Eberhart
Contributing Editor/
Mathematics
Copy Editor
Art Director
Assistant to the
Books
Advertising
Lynn Arthur Steen
Michelle Galler Riegel
Dale Appleman
Editor Susan Strasburger
Margit Friedrich
Scherago Associates, Inc.
11 W. 42nd St.
New York, N.Y. 10036
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Sales Director
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Retraction on Geller
On the basis of further experience in the
art of conjuring I wish to publicly retract
my endorsement of Uri Geller's psychoen-
ergetic authenticity ("Geller performs for
physicists," Off the Beat, SN: 7/20/74, p.
46). In particular, I retract my statement in
SCIENCE NEWS: "My personal professional
judgment as a Ph.D. physicist is that Geller
demonstrated genuine psychoenergetic abil-
ity at Birkbeck, which is beyond the doubt
of any reasonable man . . . ."
I have witnessed The Amazing Randi
fracture metal and move the hands of a
watch in a way that is indistinguishable from
my observation of Geller's "psychokinetic"
demonstrations. Also, I am advised of
Randi's demonstration of causing bursts in
a Geiger counter and of deflecting a compass
needle as reported in a letter from Kings
College, University of London (July 11,
1975) signed by Maurice Wilkins, F.R.S . ,
and four other faculty associated with the
Department of Biophysics. I am aware of
the positive metal fracture tests of Geller
reported by Wilber Franklin of Kent State,
but I cannot evaluate them because I am
ignorant of the art and science of metal
fracture. I am also aware of positive reports
of psychokinetic effects, not associated with
Geller, reported by Dr. Ed May of San
Francisco City College. Dr. May's research
seems promising. Dr. Ronald Hawke of
Lawrence Livermore Laboratory reports that
Geller seems to be able to erase magnetic
tapes psychokinetically. I cannot evaluate
Hawke's report.
I do know that Geller's report of the
Birkbeck tests in his book My Story is dis-
torted to Geller's advantage. I do not think
that Geller can be of any serious interest to
scientists who are currently investigating
paraphysical phenomena.
My own position is that the ambiguity in
the interpretation of quantum mechanics
leaves ample room for the possibility of
psychokinetic and telepathic effects. I have
personally experienced unusual "psychic"
effects, but not under controlled and repro-
ducible conditions.
Jack Sarfatti
Director
Physics/Consciousness Research Group
Suite 14, 273 Green St.
San Francisco, Calif. 94133
Decline in competence
Your reports about declining knowledge
of everyday science and health in our in-
creasiniiy'complex and incompetent society
are really depressing. My own experience
with many students in the past decade tells
me that they do not challenge their mental
abilities for solving nontrivial math and
science problems. They take only those
subjects in their study which require reading
and writing with trivial math and science.
Students spend more time in processing in-
formation rather than developing the opera-
tional character of their minds by trying
harder math problems. The use of computa-
tional devices at early stages in the education
process is contributing to the inability of
balancing checkbooks without a calculator.
It is frustrating to find a high school graduate
working in a grocery store who cannot add
correctly a list of prices on grocery items
when IBM registers break down.
M. A. Ijaz
Associate Head
Physics Department
Virginia Polytechnic Institute
and State University
Blacksburg, Va.
Re: the Incompetent Society (SN:
11/8/75, p. 294), I believe the principal
cause for decline in College Entrance Ex-
amination Board scores is television, partic-
ularly the commercial variety. No longer
even a mixed blessing, TV may represent
a national disaster.
Sandy Power
Santa Barbara, Calif.
Drug review feedback
The Domestic Council Drug Review Task
Force is to be commended for recognizing
the relative individual and social inno-
cuousness of cannabis (SN: 10/25/75, p.
263); it is unfortunate that there is no men-
tion of the most abused drug, which destroys
more individuals and poses the greatest
threat to society of them all?alcohol.
Nick Cramer
N. Hollywood, Calif.
Conference sponsors
In our articles on the Crop Productivity
Conference held near Harbor Springs,
Mich. (SN: 11/1/75, p. 279 and p. 281),
we failed to mention that this was a special
invitational meeting sponsored by the
Charles F. Kettering Foundation and the
Michigan State University Agricultural Ex-
periment Station, with additional funds from
the National Science Foundation.?Ed.
Address communications to Editor,
Science News, 1719 N Street, N. W.
Washington, D.C. 20036
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DECEMBER 6, 1975 355
Declassified and Approved For Release 2014/01/09: CIA-RDP79-00999A000200010014-0