Roni Weiss

Abstract Mammalian sex determination is governed by two mutually antagonistic genetic programs that must be precisely balanced. Activation of Sox9 initiates testis development, while its repression is essential for ovarian fate. The distal enhancer, Enh13, is essential for testicular Sox9 expression, with its deletion or inactivation resulting in complete XY sex reversal.

Twenty years ago, when I first walked through the gates of a pre-military academy that combined Torah study with military service, we were a small handful. We were among the first cohorts, pioneers in a world where the options for a religious teenage girl in the IDF were limited to just a few roles, wrapped in a modest support framework provided by the academy. Today, when I look into the eyes of my students at the state-religious high school I lead, I see a completely different reality.

Abstract Gonadal sex determination relies on tipping a delicate balance involving the activation and repression of several transcription factors and signaling pathways. This is likely mediated by numerous noncoding regulatory elements that shape sex-specific transcriptomic programs.