Gene-environment interactions in reptile sex determination

Sex determination has been subject to rigorous enquiry because of potential benefits for human health and intrinsic interest as a fundamental developmental process. This project will challenge the commonly-held view that genotypic and environmental sex determination in reptiles are discrete states with fundamentally different underlying mechanisms and are on independent evolutionary trajectories. We will use molecular and cytogenetic approaches to search for underlying genetic predisposition to be male or female in reptile species with temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD). Demonstration of gene-environment interactions in TSD species will better explain the astonishing diversity in modes of sex determination in reptiles.