Masculinizer gene controls male sex determination in the codling moth, Cydia pomonella.

The molecular mechanisms of sex determination in moths and butterflies (Lepidoptera) with female heterogamety (WZ/ZZ) are poorly understood, except in the silkworm Bombyx mori. However, the Masculinizer (Masc) gene that controls male development and dosage compensation in B. mori, appears to be conserved in Lepidoptera, as its masculinizing function was recently confirmed in several moth species.