CHAPTER 1

Introduction
In biology, the term Hermaphrodite is defined as any living organism which possesses
male and female reproductive organs during their life span. The main advantage of
Hermaphrodism is the assurance of having a reproductive partner. It possesses both sex organs;
so as a result, animals with this kind of situation can reproduce with an increasing chance of rate.
There are two main categories of Hermaphrodites; these are Synchronous hermaphrodites and
Sequential hermaphrodites.
Synchronous hermaphrodites, organisms possess both active sex organs at the same time.
It is sometimes called as simultaneous or homogamous hermaphrodite. Self-fertilization does not
occur in this kind of hermaphrodite. Some examples of this category are gastropods, banana
slugs, hamlets and earthworms. Self-fertilization does not occur to some of their reproductive
system which involves the fusion of the two gametes where all cells will merge and form one
new gamete. However, if self-fertilization is needed in order to reproduce then it should be
practiced to animals under the synchronous hermaphrodites.
Sequential hermaphrodites, both sex organs are present but only one is active and viable
at any given time. It is a kind of hermaphrodism where one sex organ is only functioning and
later on it will switch in the opposite sex which is contrast to synchronous hermaphrodites where
both sex organs are functioning at the same time. Moreover, sometimes sequential
hermaphrodites can switch to their opposite sex for multiple times but most of them can only do
it once. There are three categories under sequential hermaphrodites: Protandry, protogyny, and
bidirectional sex changers. In the protandry category, organisms that were born with male sex
organ will change to female sex organ while protogyny is the opposite of this category where
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organisms were born with female sex organ and later on will change in to male sex organ. On the
other hand, bidirectional sex changers is a kind of sequential hermaphrodite where there are two
sex organs but act as either male or female during stages in life.

An endangered species is a population of organisms which is facing a high risk of

becoming extinct because of many possible causes. The major reason of species being
endangered is habitat loss which is the result of construction of homes, buildings, and roads that
threatens many ecosystems large or small. Other reasons are pollution on water, air, and ground
and competition from other species just like what happened with woodrats in New Jersey that
were threatened by the large population of raccoons. Predation which is the hunting of a specie
to another specie to have them as a food is also a popular cause. For example, a peregrine
falcon will kill small rodents (like mice & voles) and even kill other birds to get food. Human
beings may also have contribution to the extinction of animals. Some people enjoy hunting and
killing of animals for food supplementation or they introduce some animals to areas where they
never existed before that may lead for the ecosystem to upset.

Endangered species may or may not be protected by national or international law. World
famous organizations like the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) are known to intervene and fight for
the rights of the animals and come up with solutions to enhance the population of the endangered
animals.

The effects of a species getting extinct can result in catastrophic effects in an ecosystem.
Point in case is the British bumblebee. It is dying out from the ecosystem, the result of which can
be seen. In the UK, there has already been the loss of three noteworthy species since the last fifty
years and another 9 have found their way to the list of endangered species. Bumblebees are
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known to pollinate a majority of the wild flowers and their extinction can ultimately result in the
death of those species of flowers. In Canada, where the bee industry is estimated to be worth 1
billion dollars, there has been a loss of around 90 percent in the commercial colonies of the bees,
situated in the Niagara region. This has been a concern to the fruit growers in the Niagara region
especially during the period of pollination in May.

The polar bear is a figure of prestige in Canada. It is found mostly in the northern region in
Canada that is enveloped by ice and water. It is being endangered by the greenhouse gases and
the presence of the harmful toxins in the air. If polar bears get extinct, it would be definitely be a
loss to Canadas national identity.

To minimize the increasing rate of endangered species in this planet, the Endangered
Species Act passed in 1971 prohibits the taking of species deemed to be in danger of going
extinct without explicit permission. Taking in this instance means killing, harassing, or damaging
habitat necessary for the survival and recovery of the species. Yet, this only prevents complete
extinction but does not help on increasing the number of such endangered animals again.

The research is about modifying and transforming an endangered animal into a

hermaphrodite endangered animal. EndangeredSpecie.com, 2002, Causes of Endangerment,
para. 2 states that one cause of endangerement is the destruction of habitat. Due to the constant
changing of the environment, habitats of different organisms are being altered and modify thus
making an impact on the worlds natural resources. This altering and modifying of habitats cause
animals to lose their home and find for shelter that leads to death and endangerment.
All About Wildlife indicates that the ten most endangered animals in the world are the
Ivory Billed Woodpecker, Amur Leopard, Javan Rhinoceros, Greater Bamboo Lemur, Northern
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Right Whale, Western Lowland Gorilla, Leatherback Sea Turtle, Siberian Tiger, Chinese Giant
Salamander, and the Kakapo Parrot. These animals are near extinction and some of them are still
hunted down up to now.
The research about hermaphrodite endangered animals will not only modify and alter the
physical attributes of the organism, but also help the reproduction of offspring of the animals.
Because of the rapid decrease of the endangered animals, there might be a time wherein the only
ones left are both of the same gender and may not produce offspring and that specie will lead to
extinction. The study helps these endangered animals to produce both male and female genitalia
so that when the time comes that only two of the same gender are left, they can still reproduce
offspring by themselves.

CHAPTER 2
Process
The sex of humans, some mammals, some insects and some plants can be determined
through the XY sex determination system. This system tells that females have the same
chromosome, XX chromosomes or homogametic sex and males have distinct XY chromosomes
or heterogametic sex. The XY chromosomes are different in size and shape and are called
allosomes. However, there are humans, animals, etc. who have both female and male sex organs.
They are called hermaphrodites. Hermaphrodites can be classified into two: sequential
hermaphrodites and simultaneous hermaphrodites.
Sequential hermaphrodites are those who are born either male of female but are
transformed into another sex later in their lifetime. Sequential hermaphrodites can be further
divided into three categories namely: protandry, protogyny and bidirectional sex changers.
Protandry hermaphrodites are organisms born as males but transforms into female. On the other
hand, protogyny hermaphrodites are the opposite of protandry while bidirectional sex changers
are organisms born with both female and male organs but acts as either male or female during
different stages of their lives. Then, simultaneous hermaphrodites are organisms with both male
and female sex organs at the same time.
The process of transforming a male or a female animal into a hermaphrodite basically
revolves around the modification of their chromosomes. So, to transform endangered species into
hermaphrodites and make them capable of self-fertilization, their chromosomes must be first
altered.
Most male organisms have a single X chromosome and female organisms have two. The
X chromosome is rich in genes and it bears genes needed in both male and female organisms. On
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the contrary, the Y chromosome is gene-poor and at most times, it only holds genes that are
needed in male organisms. If not dealt with early in life, the resulting disparity in the amount of
X-linked genes is lethal. Equalization of expression involving the sexes is a vital attribute of
differentiation in mammals, flies, and the worm Caenorhabditis elegans. To make equal
expression between C. elegans males (XO; one X chromosome, no Y chromosome) and XX
hermaphrodites, hermaphrodites lessen transcription from both X chromosomes by half. The left
over X chromosome is transcriptionally equal to the males X chromosome. In contrast,
expression from the single X chromosome augments to double for Drosophila males. Every
organism standardizes the X chromosome by lilt of chromatin structure, even though these
processes for equalizing expression are clearly so dissimilar.
These organisms should selectively and precisely adapt a single or a pair of chromosomes
in one sex. Flies and mammals make use of big noncoding RNAs to lead chromatin-modifying
proteins which control expression. The huge Xist (X inactive specific transcript) is recorded from
and leads silencing to the dormant X chromosome of female mammals (reviewed by Plath et al.,
2002). Silencing of both X chromosomes could be fatal, and this is a method that is limited to
chromatin in cist to a sole Xist allele. Drosophila males possess two big, noncoding transcripts,
roX1 (RNA on the XT), and roX2 (RNA on the X2), that are both required to localize a complex
of proteins and roX RNA to the male X chromosome (Meller and Rattner, 2002). This method
presumably comprises two phases in both flies and mammals: conscription of a protein complex,
and subsequently, inflection of gene expression.

Figure 1 To reimburse sex chromosome gene dosage, organisms utilize different approaches.
(a) C. elegans hermaphrodites (right) have 2 X chromosomes, while males have a sole X
chromosome and no Y chromosome (left). Association of the oppressive DCC complex
decreases expression of both hermaphrodite X chromosomes by half.
(b) Mammalian females (right) arbitrarily silence one X chromosome. The residual active
X chromosome is transcriptionally equal to the males sole X chromosome.
(c) Drosophila males amplify expression from the X chromosome through inflection of
chromatin architecture (left). X chromosomes of the female stay unaffected.

In flies, most genes that are required for dosage compensation were recognized by malespecific lethal (msl) mutations. The male-specific lethal are recognized to be these genes,
maleless (mle), the male-specific lethals 1, -2, and -3 (msll, -2, and -3), and males absent on first
(mof) (recently reviewed by Mendjan and Akhtar, 2007). In these genes, transformations bring
about deferral in development and fatality in males, although none is necessary in females. The
genes that program the roX RNAs are X connected and functionally outmoded for amount
return. These properties cause them to be unlikely recognized by conservative mutagenesis and
phenotypic analysis. Hence, the roX genes were uncovered unexpectedly (Amrein and Axel,
1997; Meller et al., 1997). Immunolocalization of MSL proteins or in situ hybridization to roX
on polytene preparations shows thinly banded enhancement down the X chromosome (Figure 2).
Revealing that they construct a complex, the MSL proteins and roX RNA coimmunoprecipitate
(Meller et al., 2000; Smith etal., 2000). Eliminating particular parts of the complex interrupts its
localization and it may lessen the constancy of the residual molecules (Meller etal., 1997;
Amrein and Axel, 1997). X-chromosome binding is decreased by alteration of mle, msl3, or mof,

by left over parts of the complex, but a subset of sites capable of binding the outstanding proteins
is kept on the X chromosome. Of these sites, the roX genes are the most famous (reviewed by
Kelley, 2004). Since removal of any of these proteins stops all chromatin binding by residual
complex parts, MSL1 and MSL2 have a more essential task in assembly and control of the MSL
complex (Lyman etal., 1997). On the contrary, concurrent removal of both roX RNAs moves the
MSL proteins from the X chromosome to ectopic autosomal sites and effects in diminished Xlinked gene expression (Deng and Meller, 2006; Deng et al., 2005; Meller and Rattner, 2002).
Therefore, identification of the X chromosome is a property of the whole MSL complex and does
not attribute only to a single contributing molecule.

Figure 2 MSL proteins and roX RNA create a complex which connects to the Drosophila X
chromosome.

(a) Immunodetection of MSL2 on a polytene chromosome preparation from a male larva.

MSL2, MSL3 are connected by the X chromosome, distinguished with red color. DNA
looks blue.

(b) Molecular contact between MSL proteins and RNA. Interface among proteins are
indicated by teeth. Potential contacts are modeled between a roX transcript (black line)
and proteins have RNA-binding activity.
Enhanced expression of the male X chromosome resulted from transformations in
chromatin structure made by MSL complex. MOF, a part of the MSL complex, is an
acetyltransferase specific for lysine 16 of H4 (Akhtar and Becker, 2000; Hilfiker etal., 1997;
Smith etal., 2000). This alteration is related with active chromatin, and is exceedingly augmented
on the flies male X chromosome (Turner etal., 1992). Acetylation of H4K16 by MOF boosts
record in vitro and in vivo (Akhtar and Becker, 2000). Effector proteins that arbitrate
transcriptional modification connect to some adapted histones, but nothing particular for
H4K16Ac has been discovered. In a modern study, acetylation of H4K16 slows down the
development of extremely compact chromatin by interrupting charge-based internucleosomal
relations (Shogren-Knaak et al., 2006). This architectural result partly decondenses chromatin;
thus, augmenting the convenience of the DNA template. In humans, H4acK16 is seen on all
chromosomes except for the dormant X chromosome (Jeppesen and Turner, 1993). In flies,
H4AcK16 colocalizes with the MSL complex (Bone etal., 1994; Turner etal., 1992).
A succeeding alteration connected to increased expression, phosphorylation of H3 on
serine 10 (H3pS10) is supplemented on the male X chromosome as well (Jin etal., 1999;
Mahadevan et al., 2004). H3pS10 in interphase cells is directed by the JIL-1 kinase (Wang etal.,
2001). Appropriate dosage return of the X-linked white gene needs JIL-1 function (Lerach et al.,
2005). In addition, JIL-1 has a function of maintaining the chromatin architecture and controling
the spread of heterochromatin into euchromatic regions (Zhang et al., 2005). JIL-1 is a gene
needed in both sexes (Wang etal., 2001). At least two histone alterations associated with lifted

transcription and diminished chromatin condensation denotes the male X chromosome. The main
function of the MSL complex is most likely to lead and manage these alterations.
X chromosome return influences hundreds of genes with dissimilar expression levels and
profiles. Hence, it should be placed over on genes with clear regulatory strategies. Chromatin
immuno and affinity precipitation of DNA connected by the MSL complex senses moderate
stages of these proteins in promoter regions, but soaring stages inside the body of most actively
transcribed genes (Alekseyenko et al., 2006; Gilfillan et al., 2006; Legube et al., 2006). H4Ac16
has been discovered to be excessive in the body of X-linked genes (Smith et al., 2001).
Diminished chromatin compaction can raise the pace of RNA polymerase. Therefore, improved
expression is possible to effect from facilitation of transcriptional elongation than enhanced
instigation (Henikoff and Meneely, 1993). On the other hand, alterations at the transcription
units 3 end can improve reinitiation by recycled RNA polymerase (Dieci and Sentenac, 2003).
A second theory of how the MSL complex improves expression stems from a study that
recognized nuclear pore components copurifying with tagged MOF and MSL3 (Mendjan etal.,
2006). This review did not discover any classical transcriptional aspects but recognized exosome
parts and interband connecting proteins in connection with MSL proteins.
Regulatory RNAs that cover the X chromosome has an important function in amount
compensation in Drosophila and mammals. How roX transcripts relate with the MSL proteins
and how this alters the properties of the MSL complex stays tentative. Xist shares strange
properties with the roX RNAs. Both RNAs cover the amount-compensated X chromosomes, lead
protein complexes to chromatin, and are capable to hire chromatin-modifying activities in cis to
the site of RNA synthesis.

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Xist is recorded from the Xic (X inactivation center) and is necessary for the start and
spread of X-chromosome inactivation (reviewed by Plath et al., 2002). Xist is carefully
expressed from one X chromosome and broadens in cis from the site of synthesis to cover most
chromosomes. Xist takes on polycomb proteins which launches repressive histone alterations
(Plath etal., 2004; Silva et al., 2003). Days after, the inactivation happens to be largely
independent of Xist. Added modifications in chromatin distinguish the differentiated Xi
(reviewed by Lucchesi etal., 2005). Separate series in Xist are accountable for localization to the
X chromosome and for silencing (Figure 3a; Wutz etal., 2002). Numerous separated Xist series
lead X localization and a frequent constituent which creases into shortstem rings arbitrates
silencing and localization (Wutz et al., 2002).

Figure 3 roX1 and Xist have separate areas relevant for gene function.
(a) The Xist transcript has a sequence of 15 shortstem loops by the 5 end which are
essential for silencing. Distributed components which play a role in X localization are

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presented as white and gray boxes. The strongest are darkest (Wutz, 2003; Wutz etal.,
2002).
(b) Purposeful and preserved areas of roX1 RNA (top) and DNA (bottom) are signified.
One kb at the 5 end of roX1 (open box on left) is required for wild-type localization of
the MSL complex. There is no recognized component required for RNA function
between this and the 3 stem loop (right). The 200 bp roX1 DNase hypersensitive site
(DHS) is presented as a gray box on the roX1 DNA and this draws the MSL complex.

The major roX2 splice form is 600 bp, and purposeful areas in this molecule stay to be
recognized. A large amount of substitute roX2 splice forms having diminished activity has been
discovered (Park etal., 2005). roX2 molecules with dissimilar stages of activity can adapt the
MSL complexs activity, fine-tuning the level of X chromosome activation.

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Conclusion
The steps may lead to a true hermaphrodism which will be able to reproduce itself or
might change to different genders like other species of animals like the worms. When the process
of transforming these endangered species into true hermaphrodism will become successful, the
problem of the endangered species will be mostly become a minor because their production and
birth rate will be higher. Saving the endangered species is very helpful to the environment or to
the cycle in the animal world. Preserving a race or species will contribute much to the
environment because the climate change that is occurring nowadays is killing more animals and
make more of them to extinction. The study of more species will lead to more info about
different organisms which build up their genetics and even some posses different characteristics
that may also be studied using the genetic make-up of the specie. These are only some reasons to
why preserving the endangered species are very important. Also the process can be made to
different animals where we commonly get food products just like the cow, pig or chicken which
will make the production of food products lot faster. If the process had flaws or mistakes, this
research may be helpful to some others who are also researching about hermaphrodism which is
not very clear to scientists and biologists especially to mammals. But there are also many risk
and problems that may be encountered after the transformation to hermaphrodism.
One major risk that will greatly affect the next generation species is the genetic make-up
of the offspring which will also be a Hermaphrodite, which might cause another problem
because Hermaphrodite is not as deeply known compared to other genetic mutations. And this
might also lead to different types of Hermaphrodite that will result to pseudo-male, those who
have the reproductive system of a male with the sperm but the outer physical appearance is that
of the female, or pseudo- female, those who have the ovaries but have the outer physical
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appearance of the male, which will also cause confusions in the gender of the animals. Also
problems like improper formation or development of the sex organs will also occur. These
problems might also lead to further problems like animals being unable to fertilize which will be
the perfect opposite of the objective of making the specie grow in number but instead will be
making the animals become extinct in a faster rate.
Another problem is the uncontrolled number of the specie when released into the wild.
Just like how the different genetic treated animals will take over the environment. The
endangered species which when released into the wild will grow in number and might dominate
the animal kingdom which will distract the food chains and webs in the environment as most
likely the endangered species are the predators in the wild. They might also dominate the humans
which will be another problem of where humans will become extinct but that problem is very
minor. They may also dominate the plants as the plants will be eaten by the animals and they will
have competence over other animals. But this problem can be solved when the production of the
species can be controlled.
The process of changing the genetic make-up of species might also lead to different
problems in the physical appearance or also affect other genes of the animal which might cause
mutations. Changing the make-up of the sex hormones might also lead to different reactions of
the body or of the other genes causing other mutations to happen which might be a good or bad
effect. But when more mutations happen other than what is desired, problems will occur which
might lead to different effects on the animal.
Most species that are turned to be hermaphrodite or most mammals that are
hermaphrodite are sterile which cannot produce offspring because of the lack of testosterone or

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eggs produced. Which will make the primary objective useless but the animal can be furthered
researched for information and facts regarding hermaphrodite animals.
Confusions in gender will occur. The role of the male and female might be confusing to
the animals. Females might produce larger and broader body and become more aggressive while
males might grow mammary glands and will also produced offspring. Female might become the
hunters and while the male might play the role of the mothers. These effects will make different
behavioral patterns in the animals which will be again needed to be studied. The behavioral
patterns might also lead to more aggressiveness of the animal.
The problems which might come up might be hard but a research on hermaphrodite and
preserving the endangered species will be needed and transforming them hermaphrodite by
changing their genetic will be a possible solution. This research will take years to be successful
but it will be very helpful to the endangered species and other researches pertaining to
Hermaphrodite.

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Bibliography
http://www.allaboutwildlife.com/ten-most-endangered-animals
http://www.endangeredspecie.com/causes_of_endangerment.htm
http://misc.thefullwiki.org/Hermaphrodite
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001669.htm
http://hermaphrodites.us/info.htm
http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/hermaphrodite.aspx
http://suite101.com/article/human-hermaphrodites-a76785
http://biologyjunction.com/hermaphrodite_article.htm

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