1
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Vigneau J, Martinho C, Godfroy O, Zheng M, Haas FB, Borg M, Coelho SM. Interactions between U and V sex chromosomes during the life cycle of Ectocarpus. Development 2024; 151:dev202677. [PMID: 38512707 PMCID: PMC11057875 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
In many animals and flowering plants, sex determination occurs in the diploid phase of the life cycle with XX/XY or ZW/ZZ sex chromosomes. However, in early diverging plants and most macroalgae, sex is determined by female (U) or male (V) sex chromosomes in a haploid phase called the gametophyte. Once the U and V chromosomes unite at fertilization to produce a diploid sporophyte, sex determination no longer occurs, raising key questions about the fate of the U and V sex chromosomes in the sporophyte phase. Here, we investigate genetic and molecular interactions of the UV sex chromosomes in both the haploid and diploid phases of the brown alga Ectocarpus. We reveal extensive developmental regulation of sex chromosome genes across its life cycle and implicate the TALE-HD transcription factor OUROBOROS in suppressing sex determination in the diploid phase. Small RNAs may also play a role in the repression of a female sex-linked gene, and transition to the diploid sporophyte coincides with major reconfiguration of histone H3K79me2, suggesting a more intricate role for this histone mark in Ectocarpus development than previously appreciated.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Olivier Godfroy
- Roscoff Biological Station, CNRS-Sorbonne University, Place Georges Teissier, Roscoff 29680, France
| | - Min Zheng
- Max Planck Institute for Biology, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Fabian B. Haas
- Max Planck Institute for Biology, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Michael Borg
- Max Planck Institute for Biology, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
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2
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Filatov DA. Recent expansion of the non-recombining sex-linked region on Silene latifolia sex chromosomes. J Evol Biol 2022; 35:1696-1708. [PMID: 35834179 PMCID: PMC10083954 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Evolution of a non-recombining sex-specific region on the Y (or W) chromosome (NRY) is a key step in sex chromosome evolution, but how recombination suppression evolves is not well understood. Studies in many different organisms indicated that NRY evolution often involves several expansion steps. Why such NRY expansions occur remains unclear, although it is though that they are likely driven by sexually antagonistic selection. This paper describes a recent NRY expansion due to shift of the pseudoautosomal boundary on the sex chromosomes of a dioecious plant Silene latifolia. The shift resulted in inclusion of at least 16 pseudoautosomal genes into the NRY. This region is pseudoautosomal in closely related Silene dioica and Silene diclinis, indicating that the NRY expansion occurred in S. latifolia after it speciated from the other species ~120 thousand years ago. As S. latifolia and S. dioica actively hybridise across Europe, interspecific gene flow could blur the PAR boundary in these species. The pseudoautosomal genes have significantly elevated genetic diversity (π ~ 3% at synonymous sites), which is consistent with balancing selection maintaining diversity in this region. The recent shift of the PAR boundary in S. latifolia offers an opportunity to study the process of on-going NRY expansion.
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3
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Gueno J, Borg M, Bourdareau S, Cossard G, Godfroy O, Lipinska A, Tirichine L, Cock J, Coelho S. Chromatin landscape associated with sexual differentiation in a UV sex determination system. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:3307-3322. [PMID: 35253891 PMCID: PMC8989524 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In many eukaryotes, such as dioicous mosses and many algae, sex is determined by UV sex chromosomes and is expressed during the haploid phase of the life cycle. In these species, the male and female developmental programs are initiated by the presence of the U- or V-specific regions of the sex chromosomes but, as in XY and ZW systems, sexual differentiation is largely driven by autosomal sex-biased gene expression. The mechanisms underlying the regulation of sex-biased expression of genes during sexual differentiation remain elusive. Here, we investigated the extent and nature of epigenomic changes associated with UV sexual differentiation in the brown alga Ectocarpus, a model UV system. Six histone modifications were quantified in near-isogenic lines, leading to the identification of 16 chromatin signatures across the genome. Chromatin signatures correlated with levels of gene expression and histone PTMs changes in males versus females occurred preferentially at genes involved in sex-specific pathways. Despite the absence of chromosome scale dosage compensation and the fact that UV sex chromosomes recombine across most of their length, the chromatin landscape of these chromosomes was remarkably different to that of autosomes. Hotspots of evolutionary young genes in the pseudoautosomal regions appear to drive the exceptional chromatin features of UV sex chromosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josselin Gueno
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, F-29688 Roscoff, France
| | - Michael Borg
- Department of Algal Development and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Simon Bourdareau
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, F-29688 Roscoff, France
| | - Guillaume Cossard
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, F-29688 Roscoff, France
| | - Olivier Godfroy
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, F-29688 Roscoff, France
| | - Agnieszka Lipinska
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, F-29688 Roscoff, France
- Department of Algal Development and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Leila Tirichine
- Nantes Universite, CNRS, US2B, UMR 6286, F-44000, Nantes, France
| | - J Mark Cock
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, F-29688 Roscoff, France
| | - Susana M Coelho
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, F-29688 Roscoff, France
- Department of Algal Development and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen72076, Tübingen, Germany
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4
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Foe VE. Does the Pachytene Checkpoint, a Feature of Meiosis, Filter Out Mistakes in Double-Strand DNA Break Repair and as a side-Effect Strongly Promote Adaptive Speciation? Integr Org Biol 2022; 4:obac008. [PMID: 36827645 PMCID: PMC8998493 DOI: 10.1093/iob/obac008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
This essay aims to explain two biological puzzles: why eukaryotic transcription units are composed of short segments of coding DNA interspersed with long stretches of non-coding (intron) DNA, and the near ubiquity of sexual reproduction. As is well known, alternative splicing of its coding sequences enables one transcription unit to produce multiple variants of each encoded protein. Additionally, padding transcription units with non-coding DNA (often many thousands of base pairs long) provides a readily evolvable way to set how soon in a cell cycle the various mRNAs will begin being expressed and the total amount of mRNA that each transcription unit can make during a cell cycle. This regulation complements control via the transcriptional promoter and facilitates the creation of complex eukaryotic cell types, tissues, and organisms. However, it also makes eukaryotes exceedingly vulnerable to double-strand DNA breaks, which end-joining break repair pathways can repair incorrectly. Transcription units cover such a large fraction of the genome that any mis-repair producing a reorganized chromosome has a high probability of destroying a gene. During meiosis, the synaptonemal complex aligns homologous chromosome pairs and the pachytene checkpoint detects, selectively arrests, and in many organisms actively destroys gamete-producing cells with chromosomes that cannot adequately synapse; this creates a filter favoring transmission to the next generation of chromosomes that retain the parental organization, while selectively culling those with interrupted transcription units. This same meiotic checkpoint, reacting to accidental chromosomal reorganizations inflicted by error-prone break repair, can, as a side effect, provide a mechanism for the formation of new species in sympatry. It has been a long-standing puzzle how something as seemingly maladaptive as hybrid sterility between such new species can arise. I suggest that this paradox is resolved by understanding the adaptive importance of the pachytene checkpoint, as outlined above.
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Coelho SM, Umen J. Switching it up: algal insights into sexual transitions. PLANT REPRODUCTION 2021; 34:287-296. [PMID: 34181073 PMCID: PMC8566403 DOI: 10.1007/s00497-021-00417-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
While the process of meiosis is highly conserved across eukaryotes, the sexual systems that govern life cycle phase transitions are surprisingly labile. Switches between sexual systems have profound evolutionary and ecological consequences, in particular for plants, but our understanding of the fundamental mechanisms and ultimate causes underlying these transitions is still surprisingly incomplete. We explore here the idea that brown and green algae may be interesting comparative models that can increase our understanding of relevant processes in plant reproductive biology, from evolution of gamete dimorphism, gametogenesis, sex determination and transitions in sex-determining systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susana M Coelho
- Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Max-Planck-Ring 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - James Umen
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, MO, 63132, USA
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Zhang J, Li Y, Luo S, Cao M, Zhang L, Li X. Differential gene expression patterns during gametophyte development provide insights into sex differentiation in the dioicous kelp Saccharina japonica. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2021; 21:335. [PMID: 34261451 PMCID: PMC8278619 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-021-03117-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In brown algae, dioicy is the prevalent sexual system, and phenotypic differences between male and female gametophytes have been found in many dioicous species. Saccharina japonica show remarkable sexual dimorphism in gametophytes before gametogenesis. A higher level of phenotypic differentiation was also found in female and male gametes after gametogenesis. However, the patterns of differential gene expression throughout gametophyte development and how these changes might relate to sex-specific fitness at the gamete stage in S. japonica are not well known. RESULTS In this study, differences in gene expression between male and female gametophytes in different developmental stages were investigated using comparative transcriptome analysis. Among the 20,151 genes expressed in the haploid gametophyte generation, 37.53% were sex-biased. The abundance of sex-biased genes in mature gametophytes was much higher than that in immature gametophytes, and more male-biased than female-biased genes were observed in the mature stage. The predicted functions of most sex-biased genes were closely related to the sex-specific characteristics of gametes, including cell wall biosynthesis, sperm motility, and sperm and egg recognition. In addition, 51 genes were specifically expressed in males in both stages, showing great potential as candidate male sex-determining region (SDR) genes. CONCLUSIONS This study describes a thorough investigation into differential gene expression between male and female gametophytes in the dioicous kelp S. japonica. A large number of sex-biased genes in mature gametophytes may be associated with the divergence of phenotypic traits and physiological functions between female gametes (eggs) and male gametes (sperm) during sexual differentiation. These genes may mainly come from new sex-biased genes that have recently evolved in the S. japonica lineage. The duplication of sex-biased genes was detected, which may increase the number of sex-biased genes after gametogenesis in S. japonica to some extent. The excess of male-biased genes over female-biased genes in the mature stage may reflect the different levels of sexual selection across sexes. This study deepens our understanding of the regulation of sex development and differentiation in the dioicous kelp S. japonica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxun Zhang
- School of Marine Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China
| | - Yan Li
- National Engineering Science Research & Development Center of Algae and Sea Cucumbers of China, Provincial Key Laboratory of Genetic Improvement & Efficient Culture of Marine Algae of Shandong, Shandong Oriental Ocean Sci-Tech Co., Ltd., Yantai, 264003, China
| | - Shiju Luo
- National Engineering Science Research & Development Center of Algae and Sea Cucumbers of China, Provincial Key Laboratory of Genetic Improvement & Efficient Culture of Marine Algae of Shandong, Shandong Oriental Ocean Sci-Tech Co., Ltd., Yantai, 264003, China
| | - Min Cao
- School of Marine Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China
| | - Linan Zhang
- School of Marine Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China.
| | - Xiaojie Li
- National Engineering Science Research & Development Center of Algae and Sea Cucumbers of China, Provincial Key Laboratory of Genetic Improvement & Efficient Culture of Marine Algae of Shandong, Shandong Oriental Ocean Sci-Tech Co., Ltd., Yantai, 264003, China
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7
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Abstract
Model organisms are extensively used in research as accessible and convenient systems for studying a particular area or question in biology. Traditionally, only a limited number of organisms have been studied in detail, but modern genomic tools are enabling researchers to extend beyond the set of classical model organisms to include novel species from less-studied phylogenetic groups. This review focuses on model species for an important group of multicellular organisms, the brown algae. The development of genetic and genomic tools for the filamentous brown alga Ectocarpus has led to it emerging as a general model system for this group, but additional models, such as Fucus or Dictyota dichotoma, remain of interest for specific biological questions. In addition, Saccharina japonica has emerged as a model system to directly address applied questions related to algal aquaculture. We discuss the past, present, and future of brown algal model organisms in relation to the opportunities and challenges in brown algal research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susana M Coelho
- Laboratory of Integrative Biology of Marine Models (LBI2M), Station Biologique de Roscoff (SBR), CNRS, Sorbonne Université, 29680 Roscoff, France;
- Current affiliation: Department of Algal Development and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, 72076 Tübingen, Germany;
| | - J Mark Cock
- Laboratory of Integrative Biology of Marine Models (LBI2M), Station Biologique de Roscoff (SBR), CNRS, Sorbonne Université, 29680 Roscoff, France;
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8
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Coelho SM, Mignerot L, Cock JM. Origin and evolution of sex-determination systems in the brown algae. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2019; 222:1751-1756. [PMID: 30667071 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Sexual reproduction is a nearly universal feature of eukaryotic organisms. Meiosis appears to have had a single ancient origin, but the mechanisms underlying male or female sex determination are diverse and have emerged repeatedly and independently in the different eukaryotic groups. The brown algae are a group of multicellular photosynthetic eukaryotes that have a distinct evolutionary history compared with animals and plants, as they have been evolving independently for over 1 billion yr. Here, we review recent work using the brown alga Ectocarpus as a model organism to study haploid sex chromosomes, and highlight how the diversity of reproductive and life cycle features of the brown algae offer unique opportunities to characterize the evolutionary forces and the mechanisms underlying the evolution of sex determination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susana M Coelho
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90c074, F-29688, Roscoff, France
| | - Laure Mignerot
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90c074, F-29688, Roscoff, France
| | - J Mark Cock
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90c074, F-29688, Roscoff, France
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9
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Mignerot L, Avia K, Luthringer R, Lipinska AP, Peters AF, Cock JM, Coelho SM. A key role for sex chromosomes in the regulation of parthenogenesis in the brown alga Ectocarpus. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1008211. [PMID: 31194744 PMCID: PMC6592573 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Revised: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 05/24/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Although evolutionary transitions from sexual to asexual reproduction are frequent in eukaryotes, the genetic bases of these shifts remain largely elusive. Here, we used classic quantitative trait analysis, combined with genomic and transcriptomic information to dissect the genetic basis of asexual, parthenogenetic reproduction in the brown alga Ectocarpus. We found that parthenogenesis is controlled by the sex locus, together with two additional autosomal loci, highlighting the key role of the sex chromosome as a major regulator of asexual reproduction. We identify several negative effects of parthenogenesis on male fitness, and different fitness effects of parthenogenetic capacity depending on the life cycle generation. Although allele frequencies in natural populations are currently unknown, we discuss the possibility that parthenogenesis may be under both sex-specific selection and generation/ploidally-antagonistic selection, and/or that the action of fluctuating selection on this trait may contribute to the maintenance of polymorphisms in populations. Importantly, our data provide the first empirical illustration, to our knowledge, of a trade-off between the haploid and diploid stages of the life cycle, where distinct parthenogenesis alleles have opposing effects on sexual and asexual reproduction and may help maintain genetic variation. These types of fitness trade-offs have profound evolutionary implications in natural populations and may structure life history evolution in organisms with haploid-diploid life cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laure Mignerot
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, Roscoff, France
| | - Komlan Avia
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, Roscoff, France
| | - Remy Luthringer
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, Roscoff, France
| | - Agnieszka P. Lipinska
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, Roscoff, France
| | | | - J. Mark Cock
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, Roscoff, France
| | - Susana M. Coelho
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, Roscoff, France
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10
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Zhang L, Li J, Wu H, Li Y. Isolation and expression analysis of a candidate gametophyte sex determination gene (sjhmg) of kelp (Saccharina japonica). JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY 2019; 55:343-351. [PMID: 30516826 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.12821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2018] [Accepted: 11/07/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Saccharina japonica undergoes an alternating life cycle during which the diploid sporophyte generation alternates with the happloid gametophyte generation. Saccharina japonica uses the UV sex determination system to determine the sex of its haploid gametophytes. However, the sex-determining genes and the sex-determining mechanisms of kelp gametophytes have not been thoroughly elucidated to date. In this study, a kelp HMG-box-containing gene (SjHMG), which is located within the sex determination region of S. japonica, was isolated and characterized. SjHMG contained an open reading frame of 1,266 bp in length and encoded a deduced protein of 421 amino acid residues with two HMG-box domains. Phylogenetic analysis showed the strongest relationship between SjHMG and its orthologs in brown algae. An alternatively spliced transcript (SjHMG isoform-2) encoding a protein of 256 amino acid residues was also identified. The two isoforms were specific for male gametophytes. A real-time quantitative PCR analysis showed significantly higher abundances of two isoforms in immature male gametophytes than in mature ones. These findings suggested that the SjHMG gene is a candidate male gametophyte determination gene of kelp. In addition, the abundance of SjHMG isoform-2 transcripts was significantly lower than that of SjHMG isoform-1 transcripts, and only an HMG-box domain was conserved among species in the order Laminariales, which indicated that the gene is specifically involved in sex regulation in some species of the order Laminariales by alternative splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linan Zhang
- Marine Science and Engineering College, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinku Li
- Marine Science and Engineering College, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, People's Republic of China
| | - Hao Wu
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, People's Republic of China
| | - Yingxia Li
- Marine Science and Engineering College, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, People's Republic of China
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11
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Coelho SM, Gueno J, Lipinska AP, Cock JM, Umen JG. UV Chromosomes and Haploid Sexual Systems. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 23:794-807. [PMID: 30007571 PMCID: PMC6128410 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2018.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2018] [Revised: 06/04/2018] [Accepted: 06/07/2018] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The evolution of sex determination continues to pose major questions in biology. Sex-determination mechanisms control reproductive cell differentiation and development of sexual characteristics in all organisms, from algae to animals and plants. While the underlying processes defining sex (meiosis and recombination) are conserved, sex-determination mechanisms are highly labile. In particular, a flow of new discoveries has highlighted several fascinating features of the previously understudied haploid UV sex determination and related mating systems found in diverse photosynthetic taxa including green algae, bryophytes, and brown algae. Analyses integrating information from these systems and contrasting them with classical XY and ZW systems are providing exciting insights into both the universality and the diversity of sex-determining chromosomes across eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susana Margarida Coelho
- Sorbonne Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Integrative Biology of Marine Models (LBI2M), Station Biologique de Roscoff (SBR), 29680 Roscoff, France.
| | - Josselin Gueno
- Sorbonne Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Integrative Biology of Marine Models (LBI2M), Station Biologique de Roscoff (SBR), 29680 Roscoff, France
| | - Agnieszka Paulina Lipinska
- Sorbonne Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Integrative Biology of Marine Models (LBI2M), Station Biologique de Roscoff (SBR), 29680 Roscoff, France
| | - Jeremy Mark Cock
- Sorbonne Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Integrative Biology of Marine Models (LBI2M), Station Biologique de Roscoff (SBR), 29680 Roscoff, France
| | - James G Umen
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, MO 63132, USA.
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12
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Avia K, Lipinska AP, Mignerot L, Montecinos AE, Jamy M, Ahmed S, Valero M, Peters AF, Cock JM, Roze D, Coelho SM. Genetic Diversity in the UV Sex Chromosomes of the Brown Alga Ectocarpus. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:E286. [PMID: 29882839 PMCID: PMC6027523 DOI: 10.3390/genes9060286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2018] [Revised: 05/30/2018] [Accepted: 06/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Three types of sex chromosome system exist in nature: diploid XY and ZW systems and haploid UV systems. For many years, research has focused exclusively on XY and ZW systems, leaving UV chromosomes and haploid sex determination largely neglected. Here, we perform a detailed analysis of DNA sequence neutral diversity levels across the U and V sex chromosomes of the model brown alga Ectocarpus using a large population dataset. We show that the U and V non-recombining regions of the sex chromosomes (SDR) exhibit about half as much neutral diversity as the autosomes. This difference is consistent with the reduced effective population size of these regions compared with the rest of the genome, suggesting that the influence of additional factors such as background selection or selective sweeps is minimal. The pseudoautosomal region (PAR) of this UV system, in contrast, exhibited surprisingly high neutral diversity and there were several indications that genes in this region may be under balancing selection. The PAR of Ectocarpus is known to exhibit unusual genomic features and our results lay the foundation for further work aimed at understanding whether, and to what extent, these structural features underlie the high level of genetic diversity. Overall, this study fills a gap between available information on genetic diversity in XY/ZW systems and UV systems and significantly contributes to advancing our knowledge of the evolution of UV sex chromosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Komlan Avia
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, 29688 Roscoff, France.
- Evolutionary Biology and Ecology of Algae, CNRS, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC, University of Paris VI, UC, UACH, UMI 3614, 29688 Roscoff, France.
| | - Agnieszka P Lipinska
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, 29688 Roscoff, France.
| | - Laure Mignerot
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, 29688 Roscoff, France.
| | - Alejandro E Montecinos
- Evolutionary Biology and Ecology of Algae, CNRS, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC, University of Paris VI, UC, UACH, UMI 3614, 29688 Roscoff, France.
- Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Casilla 567, Valdivia, Chile.
| | - Mahwash Jamy
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, 29688 Roscoff, France.
| | - Sophia Ahmed
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, 29688 Roscoff, France.
| | - Myriam Valero
- Evolutionary Biology and Ecology of Algae, CNRS, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC, University of Paris VI, UC, UACH, UMI 3614, 29688 Roscoff, France.
| | | | - J Mark Cock
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, 29688 Roscoff, France.
| | - Denis Roze
- Evolutionary Biology and Ecology of Algae, CNRS, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC, University of Paris VI, UC, UACH, UMI 3614, 29688 Roscoff, France.
| | - Susana M Coelho
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, 29688 Roscoff, France.
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Godfroy O, Uji T, Nagasato C, Lipinska AP, Scornet D, Peters AF, Avia K, Colin S, Mignerot L, Motomura T, Cock JM, Coelho SM. DISTAG/TBCCd1 Is Required for Basal Cell Fate Determination in Ectocarpus. THE PLANT CELL 2017; 29:3102-3122. [PMID: 29208703 PMCID: PMC5757272 DOI: 10.1105/tpc.17.00440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2017] [Revised: 11/14/2017] [Accepted: 12/04/2017] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Brown algae are one of the most developmentally complex groups within the eukaryotes. As in many land plants and animals, their main body axis is established early in development, when the initial cell gives rise to two daughter cells that have apical and basal identities, equivalent to shoot and root identities in land plants, respectively. We show here that mutations in the Ectocarpus DISTAG (DIS) gene lead to loss of basal structures during both the gametophyte and the sporophyte generations. Several abnormalities were observed in the germinating initial cell in dis mutants, including increased cell size, disorganization of the Golgi apparatus, disruption of the microtubule network, and aberrant positioning of the nucleus. DIS encodes a TBCCd1 protein, which has a role in internal cell organization in animals, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, and trypanosomes. Our study highlights the key role of subcellular events within the germinating initial cell in the determination of apical/basal cell identities in a brown alga and emphasizes the remarkable functional conservation of TBCCd1 in regulating internal cell organization across extremely distant eukaryotic groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Godfroy
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Université Paris 06, CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, F-29688 Roscoff, France
| | - Toshiki Uji
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Université Paris 06, CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, F-29688 Roscoff, France
| | - Chikako Nagasato
- Muroran Marine Station, Hokkaido University, Hokkaido 060-0808, Japan
| | - Agnieszka P Lipinska
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Université Paris 06, CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, F-29688 Roscoff, France
| | - Delphine Scornet
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Université Paris 06, CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, F-29688 Roscoff, France
| | | | - Komlan Avia
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Université Paris 06, CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, F-29688 Roscoff, France
- UMI 3614 Evolutionary Biology and Ecology of Algae, CNRS, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Universidad Austral de Chile, Station Biologique Roscoff, 29688 Roscoff, France
| | - Sebastien Colin
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université Paris 06, CNRS, UMR7144, Station Biologique de Roscoff, 29680 Roscoff, France
| | - Laure Mignerot
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Université Paris 06, CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, F-29688 Roscoff, France
| | - Taizo Motomura
- Muroran Marine Station, Hokkaido University, Hokkaido 060-0808, Japan
| | - J Mark Cock
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Université Paris 06, CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, F-29688 Roscoff, France
| | - Susana M Coelho
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Université Paris 06, CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, F-29688 Roscoff, France
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14
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Brodie J, Chan CX, De Clerck O, Cock JM, Coelho SM, Gachon C, Grossman AR, Mock T, Raven JA, Smith AG, Yoon HS, Bhattacharya D. The Algal Revolution. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2017; 22:726-738. [PMID: 28610890 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2017.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2017] [Revised: 05/04/2017] [Accepted: 05/16/2017] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Algae are (mostly) photosynthetic eukaryotes that occupy multiple branches of the tree of life, and are vital for planet function and health. In this review, we highlight a transformative period in studies of the evolution and functioning of this extraordinary group of organisms and their potential for novel applications, wrought by high-throughput 'omic' and reverse genetic methods. We cover the origin and diversification of algal groups, explore advances in understanding the link between phenotype and genotype, consider algal sex determination, and review progress in understanding the roots of algal multicellularity. Experimental evolution studies to determine how algae evolve in changing environments are highlighted, as is their potential as production platforms for compounds of commercial interest, such as biofuel precursors, nutraceuticals, or therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliet Brodie
- Natural History Museum, Department of Life Sciences, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Cheong Xin Chan
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Olivier De Clerck
- Research Group Phycology, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281, S8, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - J Mark Cock
- CNRS, Sorbonne Université, UPMC University Paris 06, Algal Genetics Group, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, Roscoff F-29688, France
| | - Susana M Coelho
- CNRS, Sorbonne Université, UPMC University Paris 06, Algal Genetics Group, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, Roscoff F-29688, France
| | - Claire Gachon
- Scottish Association for Marine Science, Scottish Marine Institute, Oban, PA37 1QA, UK
| | - Arthur R Grossman
- Department of Plant Biology, The Carnegie Institution, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Thomas Mock
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - John A Raven
- Permanent address: Division of Plant Sciences, University of Dundee at the James Hutton Institute, Dundee DD2 5DA, UK; School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Alison G Smith
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EA, UK
| | - Hwan Su Yoon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Korea
| | - Debashish Bhattacharya
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
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15
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Lipinska AP, Toda NRT, Heesch S, Peters AF, Cock JM, Coelho SM. Multiple gene movements into and out of haploid sex chromosomes. Genome Biol 2017; 18:104. [PMID: 28595587 PMCID: PMC5463336 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-017-1201-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2016] [Accepted: 03/27/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Long-term evolution of sex chromosomes is a dynamic process shaped by gene gain and gene loss. Sex chromosome gene traffic has been studied in XY and ZW systems but no detailed analyses have been carried out for haploid phase UV sex chromosomes. Here, we explore sex-specific sequences of seven brown algal species to understand the dynamics of the sex-determining region (SDR) gene content across 100 million years of evolution. RESULTS A core set of sex-linked genes is conserved across all the species investigated, but we also identify modifications of both the U and the V SDRs that occurred in a lineage-specific fashion. These modifications involve gene loss, gene gain and relocation of genes from the SDR to autosomes. Evolutionary analyses suggest that the SDR genes are evolving rapidly and that this is due to relaxed purifying selection. Expression analysis indicates that genes that were acquired from the autosomes have been retained in the SDR because they confer a sex-specific role in reproduction. By examining retroposed genes in Saccharina japonica, we demonstrate that UV sex chromosomes have generated a disproportionate number of functional orphan retrogenes compared with autosomes. Movement of genes out of the UV sex chromosome could be a means to compensate for gene loss from the non-recombining region, as has been suggested for Y-derived retrogenes in XY sexual systems. CONCLUSION This study provides the first analysis of gene traffic in a haploid UV system and identifies several features of general relevance to the evolution of sex chromosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka P Lipinska
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, F-29688, Roscoff, France
| | - Nicholas R T Toda
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, F-29688, Roscoff, France
| | - Svenja Heesch
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, F-29688, Roscoff, France
| | | | - J Mark Cock
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, F-29688, Roscoff, France
| | - Susana M Coelho
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, F-29688, Roscoff, France.
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16
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Cormier A, Avia K, Sterck L, Derrien T, Wucher V, Andres G, Monsoor M, Godfroy O, Lipinska A, Perrineau MM, Van De Peer Y, Hitte C, Corre E, Coelho SM, Cock JM. Re-annotation, improved large-scale assembly and establishment of a catalogue of noncoding loci for the genome of the model brown alga Ectocarpus. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2017; 214:219-232. [PMID: 27870061 DOI: 10.1111/nph.14321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2016] [Accepted: 10/08/2016] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The genome of the filamentous brown alga Ectocarpus was the first to be completely sequenced from within the brown algal group and has served as a key reference genome both for this lineage and for the stramenopiles. We present a complete structural and functional reannotation of the Ectocarpus genome. The large-scale assembly of the Ectocarpus genome was significantly improved and genome-wide gene re-annotation using extensive RNA-seq data improved the structure of 11 108 existing protein-coding genes and added 2030 new loci. A genome-wide analysis of splicing isoforms identified an average of 1.6 transcripts per locus. A large number of previously undescribed noncoding genes were identified and annotated, including 717 loci that produce long noncoding RNAs. Conservation of lncRNAs between Ectocarpus and another brown alga, the kelp Saccharina japonica, suggests that at least a proportion of these loci serve a function. Finally, a large collection of single nucleotide polymorphism-based markers was developed for genetic analyses. These resources are available through an updated and improved genome database. This study significantly improves the utility of the Ectocarpus genome as a high-quality reference for the study of many important aspects of brown algal biology and as a reference for genomic analyses across the stramenopiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Cormier
- Algal Genetics Group, CNRS, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, F-29688, Roscoff, France
| | - Komlan Avia
- Algal Genetics Group, CNRS, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, F-29688, Roscoff, France
| | - Lieven Sterck
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, B-9052, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium
- Bioinformatics Institute Ghent, Technologiepark 927, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | | | - Gwendoline Andres
- Abims Platform, CNRS-UPMC, FR2424, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, 29688, Roscoff, France
| | - Misharl Monsoor
- Abims Platform, CNRS-UPMC, FR2424, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, 29688, Roscoff, France
| | - Olivier Godfroy
- Algal Genetics Group, CNRS, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, F-29688, Roscoff, France
| | - Agnieszka Lipinska
- Algal Genetics Group, CNRS, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, F-29688, Roscoff, France
| | - Marie-Mathilde Perrineau
- Algal Genetics Group, CNRS, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, F-29688, Roscoff, France
| | - Yves Van De Peer
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, B-9052, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium
- Bioinformatics Institute Ghent, Technologiepark 927, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Genetics, Genomics Research Institute, University of Pretoria, 0028, Pretoria, South Africa
| | | | - Erwan Corre
- Abims Platform, CNRS-UPMC, FR2424, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, 29688, Roscoff, France
| | - Susana M Coelho
- Algal Genetics Group, CNRS, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, F-29688, Roscoff, France
| | - J Mark Cock
- Algal Genetics Group, CNRS, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, F-29688, Roscoff, France
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17
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Mignerot L, Coelho SM. The origin and evolution of the sexes: Novel insights from a distant eukaryotic linage. C R Biol 2016; 339:252-7. [PMID: 27236828 DOI: 10.1016/j.crvi.2016.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2016] [Revised: 04/14/2016] [Accepted: 04/14/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Sexual reproduction is an extraordinarily widespread phenomenon that assures the production of new genetic combinations in nearly all eukaryotic lineages. Although the core features of sexual reproduction (meiosis and syngamy) are highly conserved, the control mechanisms that determine whether an individual is male or female are remarkably labile across eukaryotes. In genetically controlled sexual systems, gender is determined by sex chromosomes, which have emerged independently and repeatedly during evolution. Sex chromosomes have been studied in only a handful of classical model organism, and empirical knowledge on the origin and evolution of the sexes is still surprisingly incomplete. With the advent of new generation sequencing, the taxonomic breadth of model systems has been rapidly expanding, bringing new ideas and fresh views on this fundamental aspect of biology. This mini-review provides a quick state of the art of how the remarkable richness of the sexual characteristics of the brown algae is helping to increase our knowledge about the evolution of sex determination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laure Mignerot
- CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC (Université Paris-6, station biologique de Roscoff, place George-Teissier, CS 90074, 29688 Roscoff cedex, France
| | - Susana M Coelho
- CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC (Université Paris-6, station biologique de Roscoff, place George-Teissier, CS 90074, 29688 Roscoff cedex, France.
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18
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Lipinska AP, Ahmed S, Peters AF, Faugeron S, Cock JM, Coelho SM. Development of PCR-Based Markers to Determine the Sex of Kelps. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0140535. [PMID: 26496392 PMCID: PMC4619726 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2015] [Accepted: 09/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex discriminating genetic markers are commonly used to facilitate breeding programs in economically and ecologically important animal and plant species. However, despite their considerable economic and ecological value, the development of sex markers for kelp species has been very limited. In this study, we used the recently described sequence of the sex determining region (SDR) of the brown algal model Ectocarpus to develop novel DNA-based sex-markers for three commercially relevant kelps: Laminaria digitata, Undaria pinnatifida and Macrocystis pyrifera. Markers were designed within nine protein coding genes of Ectocarpus male and female (U/V) sex chromosomes and tested on gametophytes of the three kelp species. Seven primer pairs corresponding to three loci in the Ectocarpus SDR amplified sex-specific bands in the three kelp species, yielding at least one male and one female marker for each species. Our work has generated the first male sex-specific markers for L. digitata and U. pinnatifida, as well as the first sex markers developed for the genus Macrocystis. The markers and methodology presented here will not only facilitate seaweed breeding programs but also represent useful tools for population and demography studies and provide a means to investigate the evolution of sex determination across this largely understudied eukaryotic group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka P. Lipinska
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Algal Genetics Group, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, F-29688, Roscoff, France
- CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, F-29688, Roscoff, France
| | - Sophia Ahmed
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Algal Genetics Group, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, F-29688, Roscoff, France
- CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, F-29688, Roscoff, France
| | | | - Sylvain Faugeron
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC University Paris 06, UMI 3614, Evolutionary Biology and Ecology of Algae, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, F-29688, Roscoff, France
- CNRS, Evolutionary Biology and Ecology of Algae, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, F-29688, Roscoff, France
- Centro de Conservación Marina and CeBiB, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - J. Mark Cock
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Algal Genetics Group, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, F-29688, Roscoff, France
- CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, F-29688, Roscoff, France
| | - Susana M. Coelho
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Algal Genetics Group, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, F-29688, Roscoff, France
- CNRS, Algal Genetics Group, UMR 8227, Integrative Biology of Marine Models, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS 90074, F-29688, Roscoff, France
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