Trending Now - Single DNA Change Causes Testes Development in Female Mice
WHO:
The Times of Israel - Principal investigator Dr. Nitzan Gonen is from the Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials at Bar-Ilan University.
The Times of Israel - Lead author of the study is doctoral student Elisheva Abberbock, along with Dr. Ariel Afek of the Weizmann Institute and Dr. Francis Poulat of the University of Montpellier.
Nature - Nitzan Gonen, a researcher at Bar-Ilan University in Ramat Gan, Israel, and her colleagues conducted the study.
Nature - Katie Ayers, a genetics researcher at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia, commented on the study.
WHAT:
The Times of Israel - The study found that changing just one letter in DNA can prevent the ability to create an ovary, leading to the development of testes in XX mice.
Phys.org - The study demonstrated that a single-letter insertion in a non-coding regulatory region caused XX mice to develop as males with testes and male genitalia.
Nature - A study published in Nature Communications found that a single letter change in the DNA of female mouse embryos can lead to the development of male reproductive organs, including testes.
Phys.org - The study demonstrated that a single-letter insertion in a non-coding regulatory region caused XX mice, which typically develop as females, to develop as males with testes and male genitalia.
WHERE:
Nature - The research was conducted at Bar-Ilan University in Ramat Gan, Israel.
Nature - The findings are relevant to human sex determination, as noted by Katie Ayers.
WHEN:
Nature - The study was published on April 10th, 2026.
Nature - Previous research by Gonen's team in 2018 showed that deleting the Enh13 enhancer caused male mice with XY chromosomes to develop female organs.
Nature - In 2024, the team made a smaller modification to Enh13 that also resulted in sex reversal in XY mice.
WHY:
The Times of Israel - Gonen stated that understanding the mechanisms of sex determination could help the approximately one in 4,000 children born with Differences of Sex Development (DSD).
Nature - The study suggests that Enh13 acts as both an enhancer and a silencer of the Sox9 gene, influencing whether an embryo develops ovaries or testes.
Nature - The research aims to identify genetic alterations responsible for disorders of sex development, as around 50% of individuals with such disorders do not have a genetic diagnosis.
HOW:
The Times of Israel - The researchers used CRISPR technology to change “just one DNA letter out of about 2.8 billion” in the Enh13 region.
Nature - The researchers modified both copies of the Enh13 region in female mice, leading to the development of male genitals and small testes.
Phys.org - The study involved altering a specific non-coding regulatory region of DNA to observe its effects on sex development in mice.
(UPDATED April 10, 2026 05:41 UTC)
A groundbreaking study led by doctoral student Elisheva Abberbock and principal investigator Dr. Nitzan Gonen from Bar-Ilan University has revealed that altering a single letter in DNA can prevent the formation of ovaries, resulting in the development of testes in XX mice. Using CRISPR technology, the researchers modified one DNA letter in a non-coding regulatory region, demonstrating that this small change can lead to male development in these mice. Gonen emphasized that understanding the mechanisms behind sex determination could significantly benefit the approximately one in 4,000 children born with Differences of Sex Development.
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(UPDATED April 10, 2026 04:01 UTC)
A groundbreaking study published in Nature Communications on Friday reveals that a single letter change in the DNA of female mouse embryos can trigger the development of male reproductive organs, including testes. Conducted by Nitzan Gonen and her team at Bar-Ilan University in Israel, the research highlights the role of the Enh13 region in influencing whether embryos develop ovaries or testes, which could have significant implications for understanding human sex determination. Katie Ayers from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Australia noted that this work aims to identify genetic alterations linked to disorders of sex development, as many individuals affected by these disorders lack a genetic diagnosis.