Abstract: In order to study the role of the MAP2K1 (MEK1) gene in the sex determination of Hyriopsis cumingii, we applied RACE (Rapid-amplification of cDNA ends) method to clone the MAP2K1 gene sequence. We conducted a real-time fluorescence quantitative analysis to compare MAP2K1 gene in six tissues (Gonads, adductor muscle, hepatopancreas, gills, mantle, foot), gonads at early developmental stage (1−8 month old) and the 1−3 years' level of expression in male and female glands of H. cumingii. We determined the location of MAP2K1 gene in the gonads of 2-year-old H.cumingii by in situ hybridization. The results show that the ORF region of MAP2K1 gene was 1 194 bp in length and encoded 397 amino acids. MAP2K1 gene was highly expressed in the ovary; the expression level was the highest at 2 months of age at early developmental stage; the expression results from 1−3 years of age show that the expression of MAP2K1 gene in the ovary was higher than that in the spermatozoa for the same period (P<0.05). The in situ hybridization results show that the MAP2K1 gene had a significant hybridization signal in the oocytes and eggs of female H. cumingii. RNAi results show that the expression of the downstream gene MAP2K1 gene decreased by 82.31% in females and 73.60% in males after interfering with the upstream gene C-MOS gene of MAP2K1 gene. In conclusion, MAP2K1 gene may be involved in the ovarian development process and is a female-biased gene in H. cumingii, and C-MOS gene affects its expression.