1
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Zhang N, Zhang Y. Y-chromosome Degeneration due to Speciation and Founder Effect. Acta Biotheor 2024; 72:6. [PMID: 38819710 DOI: 10.1007/s10441-024-09482-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
The Y chromosome in the XY sex-determination system is often shorter than its X counterpart, a condition attributed to degeneration after Y recombination ceases. Contrary to the traditional view of continuous, gradual degeneration, our study reveals stabilization within large mating populations. In these populations, we demonstrate that both mutant and active alleles on the Y chromosome can reach equilibrium through a mutation-selection balance. However, the emergence of a new species, particularly through the founder effect, can disrupt this equilibrium. Specifically, if the male founders of a new species carry only a mutant allele for a particular Y-linked gene, this allele becomes fixed, leading to the loss of the corresponding active gene on the Y chromosome. Our findings suggest that the rate of Y-chromosome degeneration may be linked to the frequency of speciation events associated with single-male founder events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nianqin Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yongjun Zhang
- Science college, Liaoning Technical University, Fuxin, China.
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2
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Petrou EL, Scott LC, McKeeman CM, Ramey AM. Molecular sexing of birds using quantitative PCR (qPCR) of sex-linked genes and logistic regression models. Mol Ecol Resour 2024; 24:e13946. [PMID: 38436617 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13946] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
The ability to sex individuals is an important component of many behavioural and ecological investigations and provides information for demographic models used in conservation and species management. However, many birds are difficult to sex using morphological characters or traditional molecular sexing methods. In this study, we developed probabilistic models for sexing birds using quantitative PCR (qPCR) data. First, we quantified distributions of gene copy numbers at a set of six sex-linked genes, including the sex-determining gene DMRT1, for individuals across 17 species and seven orders of birds (n = 150). Using these data, we built predictive logistic models for sex identification and tested their performance with independent samples from 51 species and 13 orders (n = 209). Models using the two loci most highly correlated with sex had greater accuracy than models using the full set of sex-linked loci, across all taxonomic levels of analysis. Sex identification was highly accurate when individuals to be assigned were of species used in model building. Our analytical approach was widely applicable across diverse neognath bird lineages spanning millions of years of evolutionary divergence. Unlike previous methods, our probabilistic framework incorporates uncertainty around qPCR measurements as well as biological variation within species into decision-making rules. We anticipate that this method will be useful for sexing birds, including those of high conservation concern and/or subsistence value, that have proven difficult to sex using traditional approaches. Additionally, the general analytical framework presented in this paper may also be applicable to other organisms with sex chromosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleni L Petrou
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Laura C Scott
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Cherie M McKeeman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Andrew M Ramey
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
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3
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Jay P, Jeffries D, Hartmann FE, Véber A, Giraud T. Why do sex chromosomes progressively lose recombination? Trends Genet 2024:S0168-9525(24)00067-2. [PMID: 38677904 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2024.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
Progressive recombination loss is a common feature of sex chromosomes. Yet, the evolutionary drivers of this phenomenon remain a mystery. For decades, differences in trait optima between sexes (sexual antagonism) have been the favoured hypothesis, but convincing evidence is lacking. Recent years have seen a surge of alternative hypotheses to explain progressive extensions and maintenance of recombination suppression: neutral accumulation of sequence divergence, selection of nonrecombining fragments with fewer deleterious mutations than average, sheltering of recessive deleterious mutations by linkage to heterozygous alleles, early evolution of dosage compensation, and constraints on recombination restoration. Here, we explain these recent hypotheses and dissect their assumptions, mechanisms, and predictions. We also review empirical studies that have brought support to the various hypotheses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Jay
- Center for GeoGenetics, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Laboratoire Ecologie Systématique et Evolution, UMR 8079, Bâtiment 680, 12 route RD128, 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
| | - Daniel Jeffries
- Division of Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Fanny E Hartmann
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Laboratoire Ecologie Systématique et Evolution, UMR 8079, Bâtiment 680, 12 route RD128, 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Amandine Véber
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, MAP5, F-75006 Paris, France
| | - Tatiana Giraud
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Laboratoire Ecologie Systématique et Evolution, UMR 8079, Bâtiment 680, 12 route RD128, 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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4
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Uno Y, Matsubara K. Unleashing diversity through flexibility: The evolutionary journey of sex chromosomes in amphibians and reptiles. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART A, ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 341:230-241. [PMID: 38155517 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
Sex determination systems have greatly diversified between amphibians and reptiles, with such as the different sex chromosome compositions within a single species and transition between temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) and genetic sex determination (GSD). In most sex chromosome studies on amphibians and reptiles, the whole-genome sequence of Xenopous tropicalis and chicken have been used as references to compare the chromosome homology of sex chromosomes among each of these taxonomic groups, respectively. In the present study, we reviewed existing reports on sex chromosomes, including karyotypes, in amphibians and reptiles. Furthermore, we compared the identified genetic linkages of sex chromosomes in amphibians and reptiles with the chicken genome as a reference, which is believed to resemble the ancestral tetrapod karyotype. Our findings revealed that sex chromosomes in amphibians are derived from genetic linkages homologous to various chicken chromosomes, even among several frogs within single families, such as Ranidae and Pipidae. In contrast, sex chromosomes in reptiles exhibit conserved genetic linkages with chicken chromosomes, not only across most species within a single family, but also within closely related families. The diversity of sex chromosomes in amphibians and reptiles may be attributed to the flexibility of their sex determination systems, including the ease of sex reversal in these animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshinobu Uno
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazumi Matsubara
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chubu University, Kasugai, Aichi, Japan
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5
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Miura I, Shams F, Ohki J, Tagami M, Fujita H, Kuwana C, Nanba C, Matsuo T, Ogata M, Mawaribuchi S, Shimizu N, Ezaz T. Multiple Transitions between Y Chromosome and Autosome in Tago's Brown Frog Species Complex. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:300. [PMID: 38540359 PMCID: PMC10969965 DOI: 10.3390/genes15030300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Sex chromosome turnover is the transition between sex chromosomes and autosomes. Although many cases have been reported in poikilothermic vertebrates, their evolutionary causes and genetic mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we report multiple transitions between the Y chromosome and autosome in the Japanese Tago's brown frog complex. Using chromosome banding and molecular analyses (sex-linked and autosomal single nucleotide polymorphisms, SNPs, from the nuclear genome), we investigated the frogs of geographic populations ranging from northern to southern Japan of two species, Rana tagoi and Rana sakuraii (2n = 26). Particularly, the Chiba populations of East Japan and Akita populations of North Japan in R. tagoi have been, for the first time, investigated here. As a result, we identified three different sex chromosomes, namely chromosomes 3, 7, and 13, in the populations of the two species. Furthermore, we found that the transition between the Y chromosome (chromosome 7) and autosome was repeated through hybridization between two or three different populations belonging to the two species, followed by restricted chromosome introgression. These dynamic sex chromosome turnovers represent the first such findings in vertebrates and imply that speciation associated with inter- or intraspecific hybridization plays an important role in sex chromosome turnover in frogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ikuo Miura
- Amphibian Research Center, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8526, Japan; (C.K.); (C.N.)
- Institute for Applied Ecology, Centre for Conservation Ecology and Genomics, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2617, Australia; (F.S.); (T.E.)
| | - Foyez Shams
- Institute for Applied Ecology, Centre for Conservation Ecology and Genomics, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2617, Australia; (F.S.); (T.E.)
| | - Jun’ichi Ohki
- Natural History Museum and Institute, Chiba 260-8682, Japan;
| | - Masataka Tagami
- Gifu World Freshwater Aquarium, Kakamigahara, Gifu 501-6021, Japan;
| | - Hiroyuki Fujita
- Saitama Museum of Rivers, Yorii-Machi, Oosato-Gun, Saitama 369-1217, Japan;
| | - Chiao Kuwana
- Amphibian Research Center, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8526, Japan; (C.K.); (C.N.)
| | - Chiyo Nanba
- Amphibian Research Center, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8526, Japan; (C.K.); (C.N.)
| | - Takanori Matsuo
- Department of Preschool Education, Nagasaki Women’s Junior College, Nagasaki 850-0823, Japan;
| | - Mitsuaki Ogata
- Preservation and Research Center, City of Yokohama, Yokohama 241-0804, Japan;
| | - Shuuji Mawaribuchi
- National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba 305-8568, Japan;
| | - Norio Shimizu
- Hiroshima University Museum, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8524, Japan;
| | - Tariq Ezaz
- Institute for Applied Ecology, Centre for Conservation Ecology and Genomics, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2617, Australia; (F.S.); (T.E.)
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6
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Xu L, Ren Y, Wu J, Cui T, Dong R, Huang C, Feng Z, Zhang T, Yang P, Yuan J, Xu X, Liu J, Wang J, Chen W, Mi D, Irwin DM, Yan Y, Xu L, Yu X, Li G. Evolution and expression patterns of the neo-sex chromosomes of the crested ibis. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1670. [PMID: 38395916 PMCID: PMC10891136 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46052-x] [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: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Bird sex chromosomes play a unique role in sex-determination, and affect the sexual morphology and behavior of bird species. Core waterbirds, a major clade of birds, share the common characteristics of being sexually monomorphic and having lower levels of inter-sexual conflict, yet their sex chromosome evolution remains poorly understood. Here, by we analyse of a chromosome-level assembly of a female crested ibis (Nipponia nippon), a typical core waterbird. We identify neo-sex chromosomes resulting from fusion of microchromosomes with ancient sex chromosomes. These fusion events likely occurred following the divergence of Threskiornithidae and Ardeidae. The neo-W chromosome of the crested ibis exhibits the characteristics of slow degradation, which is reflected in its retention of abundant gametologous genes. Neo-W chromosome genes display an apparent ovary-biased gene expression, which is largely driven by genes that are retained on the crested ibis W chromosome but lost in other bird species. These results provide new insights into the evolutionary history and expression patterns for the sex chromosomes of bird species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lulu Xu
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yandong Ren
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jiahong Wu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Tingting Cui
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Rong Dong
- Research Center for Qinling Giant Panda, Shaanxi Academy of Forestry, Xi'an, China
| | - Chen Huang
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zhe Feng
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Tianmin Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Peng Yang
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jiaqing Yuan
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiao Xu
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jiao Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jinhong Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Wu Chen
- Guangzhou Wildlife Research Center, Guangzhou Zoo, Guangzhou, China
| | - Da Mi
- Xi'an Haorui Genomics Technology Co., LTD, Xi'an, China
| | - David M Irwin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Yaping Yan
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Luohao Xu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
| | - Xiaoping Yu
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China.
| | - Gang Li
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China.
- Guangzhou Wildlife Research Center, Guangzhou Zoo, Guangzhou, China.
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7
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Behrens KA, Zimmermann H, Blažek R, Reichard M, Koblmüller S, Kocher TD. Turnover of sex chromosomes in the Lake Tanganyika cichlid tribe Tropheini (Teleostei: Cichlidae). Sci Rep 2024; 14:2471. [PMID: 38291228 PMCID: PMC10828463 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53021-3] [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: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Sex chromosome replacement is frequent in many vertebrate clades, including fish, frogs, and lizards. In order to understand the mechanisms responsible for sex chromosome turnover and the early stages of sex chromosome divergence, it is necessary to study lineages with recently evolved sex chromosomes. Here we examine sex chromosome evolution in a group of African cichlid fishes (tribe Tropheini) which began to diverge from one another less than 4 MYA. We have evidence for a previously unknown sex chromosome system, and preliminary indications of several additional systems not previously reported in this group. We find a high frequency of sex chromosome turnover and estimate a minimum of 14 turnovers in this tribe. We date the origin of the most common sex determining system in this tribe (XY-LG5/19) near the base of one of two major sub-clades of this tribe, about 3.4 MY ago. Finally, we observe variation in the size of one sex-determining region that suggests independent evolution of evolutionary strata in species with a shared sex-determination system. Our results illuminate the rapid rate of sex chromosome turnover in the tribe Tropheini and set the stage for further studies of the dynamics of sex chromosome evolution in this group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen A Behrens
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
| | - Holger Zimmermann
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Květná 8, 603 00, Brno, Czech Republic
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Radim Blažek
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Květná 8, 603 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Reichard
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Květná 8, 603 00, Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Ecology and Vertebrate Zoology, University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland
| | - Stephan Koblmüller
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Thomas D Kocher
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
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8
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Filatov DA. Evolution of a plant sex chromosome driven by expanding pericentromeric recombination suppression. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1373. [PMID: 38228625 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-51153-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Recombination suppression around sex-determining gene(s) is a key step in evolution of sex chromosomes, but it is not well understood how it evolves. Recently evolved sex-linked regions offer an opportunity to understand the mechanisms of recombination cessation. This paper analyses such a region on Silene latifolia (Caryophyllaceae) sex chromosomes, where recombination was suppressed in the last 120 thousand years ("stratum 3"). Locating the boundaries of the stratum 3 in S. latifolia genome sequence revealed that this region is far larger than assumed previously-it is about 14 Mb long and includes 202 annotated genes. A gradient of X:Y divergence detected in the stratum 3, with divergence increasing proximally, indicates gradual recombination cessation, possibly caused by expansion of pericentromeric recombination suppression (PRS) into the pseudoautosomal region. Expansion of PRS was also the likely cause for the formation of the older stratum 2 on S. latifolia sex chromosomes. The role of PRS in sex chromosome evolution has been underappreciated, but it may be a significant factor, especially in the species with large chromosomes where PRS is often extensive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry A Filatov
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3RB, UK.
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9
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Xu XW, Sun P, Gao C, Zheng W, Chen S. Assembly of the poorly differentiated Verasper variegatus W chromosome by different sequencing technologies. Sci Data 2023; 10:893. [PMID: 38092799 PMCID: PMC10719390 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-023-02790-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The assembly of W and Y chromosomes poses significant challenges in vertebrate genome sequencing and assembly. Here, we successfully assembled the W chromosome of Verasper variegatus with a length of 20.48 Mb by combining population and PacBio HiFi sequencing data. It was identified as a young sex chromosome and showed signs of expansion in repetitive sequences. The major component of the expansion was Ty3/Gypsy. The ancestral Osteichthyes karyotype consists of 24 protochromosomes. The sex chromosomes in four Pleuronectiformes species derived from a pair of homologous protochromosomes resulting from a whole-genome duplication event in teleost fish, yet with different sex-determination systems. V. variegatus and Cynoglossus semilaevis adhere to the ZZ/ZW system, while Hippoglossus stenolepis and H. hippoglossus follow the XX/XY system. Interestingly, V. variegatus and H. hippoglossus derived from one protochromosome, while C. semilaevis and H. stenolepis derived from another protochromosome. Our study provides valuable insights into the evolution of sex chromosomes in flatfish and sheds light on the important role of whole-genome duplication in shaping the evolution of sex chromosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi-Wen Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Biobreeding and Sustainable Goods, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China
- Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao, 266237, China
| | - Pengchuan Sun
- Key Laboratory for Bio-resources and Eco-environment & Sichuan Zoige Alpine Wetland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China
| | - Chengbin Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Biobreeding and Sustainable Goods, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Weiwei Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Biobreeding and Sustainable Goods, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Songlin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Biobreeding and Sustainable Goods, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China.
- Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao, 266237, China.
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10
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Luo H, Jiang X, Li B, Wu J, Shen J, Xu Z, Zhou X, Hou M, Huang Z, Ou X, Xu L. A high-quality genome assembly highlights the evolutionary history of the great bustard (Otis tarda, Otidiformes). Commun Biol 2023; 6:746. [PMID: 37463976 PMCID: PMC10354230 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05137-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Conservation genomics often relies on non-invasive methods to obtain DNA fragments which limit the power of multi-omic analyses for threatened species. Here, we report multi-omic analyses based on a well-preserved great bustard individual (Otis tarda, Otidiformes) that was found dead in the mountainous region in Gansu, China. We generate a near-complete genome assembly containing only 18 gaps scattering in 8 out of the 40 assembled chromosomes. We characterize the DNA methylation landscape which is correlated with GC content and gene expression. Our phylogenomic analysis suggests Otidiformes and Musophagiformes are sister groups that diverged from each other 46.3 million years ago. The genetic diversity of great bustard is found the lowest among the four available Otidiformes genomes, possibly due to population declines during past glacial periods. As one of the heaviest migratory birds, great bustard possesses several expanded gene families related to cardiac contraction, actin contraction, calcium ion signaling transduction, as well as positively selected genes enriched for metabolism. Finally, we identify an extremely young evolutionary stratum on the sex chromosome, a rare case among birds. Together, our study provides insights into the conservation genomics, adaption and chromosome evolution of the great bustard.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoran Luo
- MOE Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science of Chongqing, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
- Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for the Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Xinrui Jiang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science of Chongqing, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Boping Li
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Protection and Utilization for Biological Resources and Ecological Restoration, Longdong University, Qingyang, Gansu Province, 745000, China
| | - Jiahong Wu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science of Chongqing, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Jiexin Shen
- MOE Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science of Chongqing, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Zaoxu Xu
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Protection and Utilization for Biological Resources and Ecological Restoration, Longdong University, Qingyang, Gansu Province, 745000, China
| | - Xiaoping Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for the Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Minghao Hou
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Protection and Utilization for Biological Resources and Ecological Restoration, Longdong University, Qingyang, Gansu Province, 745000, China
| | - Zhen Huang
- Fujian-Macao Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Traditional Chinese Medicine-Oriented Chronic Disease Prevention and Treatment, Innovation and Transformation Center, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350108, China.
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Developmental and Neural Biology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350117, China.
| | - Xiaobin Ou
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Protection and Utilization for Biological Resources and Ecological Restoration, Longdong University, Qingyang, Gansu Province, 745000, China.
| | - Luohao Xu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science of Chongqing, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
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11
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Zhou Y, Zhan X, Jin J, Zhou L, Bergman J, Li X, Rousselle MMC, Belles MR, Zhao L, Fang M, Chen J, Fang Q, Kuderna L, Marques-Bonet T, Kitayama H, Hayakawa T, Yao YG, Yang H, Cooper DN, Qi X, Wu DD, Schierup MH, Zhang G. Eighty million years of rapid evolution of the primate Y chromosome. Nat Ecol Evol 2023; 7:1114-1130. [PMID: 37268856 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-022-01974-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The Y chromosome usually plays a critical role in determining male sex and comprises sequence classes that have experienced unique evolutionary trajectories. Here we generated 19 new primate sex chromosome assemblies, analysed them with 10 existing assemblies and report rapid evolution of the Y chromosome across primates. The pseudoautosomal boundary has shifted at least six times during primate evolution, leading to the formation of a Simiiformes-specific evolutionary stratum and to the independent start of young strata in Catarrhini and Platyrrhini. Different primate lineages experienced different rates of gene loss and structural and chromatin change on their Y chromosomes. Selection on several Y-linked genes has contributed to the evolution of male developmental traits across the primates. Additionally, lineage-specific expansions of ampliconic regions have further increased the diversification of the structure and gene composition of the Y chromosome. Overall, our comprehensive analysis has broadened our knowledge of the evolution of the primate Y chromosome.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Long Zhou
- Centre for Evolutionary & Organismal Biology, and Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, China
| | - Juraj Bergman
- Section for Ecoinformatics & Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus C., Denmark
- Bioinformatics Research Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus C., Denmark
| | - Xuemei Li
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | | | | | - Lan Zhao
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | | | | | - Qi Fang
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lukas Kuderna
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (UPF-CSIC), PRBB, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Tomas Marques-Bonet
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (UPF-CSIC), PRBB, Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institution of Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
- CNAG-CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain
- Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Haruka Kitayama
- Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Takashi Hayakawa
- Faculty of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Japan Monkey Centre, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Yong-Gang Yao
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- National Resource Center for Non-Human Primates, Kunming Primate Research Center, and National Research Facility for Phenotypic & Genetic Analysis of Model Animals (Primate Facility), Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Huanming Yang
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- James D. Watson Institute of Genome Sciences, Hangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Academician Workstation of BGI Synthetic Genomics, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - David N Cooper
- Institute of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Xiaoguang Qi
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Dong-Dong Wu
- Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- National Resource Center for Non-Human Primates, Kunming Primate Research Center, and National Research Facility for Phenotypic & Genetic Analysis of Model Animals (Primate Facility), Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | | | - Guojie Zhang
- Centre for Evolutionary & Organismal Biology, and Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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12
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Yazdi HP, Olito C, Kawakami T, Unneberg P, Schou MF, Cloete SWP, Hansson B, Cornwallis CK. The evolutionary maintenance of ancient recombining sex chromosomes in the ostrich. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1010801. [PMID: 37390104 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex chromosomes have evolved repeatedly across the tree of life and often exhibit extreme size dimorphism due to genetic degeneration of the sex-limited chromosome (e.g. the W chromosome of some birds and Y chromosome of mammals). However, in some lineages, ancient sex-limited chromosomes have escaped degeneration. Here, we study the evolutionary maintenance of sex chromosomes in the ostrich (Struthio camelus), where the W remains 65% the size of the Z chromosome, despite being more than 100 million years old. Using genome-wide resequencing data, we show that the population scaled recombination rate of the pseudoautosomal region (PAR) is higher than similar sized autosomes and is correlated with pedigree-based recombination rate in the heterogametic females, but not homogametic males. Genetic variation within the sex-linked region (SLR) (π = 0.001) was significantly lower than in the PAR, consistent with recombination cessation. Conversely, genetic variation across the PAR (π = 0.0016) was similar to that of autosomes and dependent on local recombination rates, GC content and to a lesser extent, gene density. In particular, the region close to the SLR was as genetically diverse as autosomes, likely due to high recombination rates around the PAR boundary restricting genetic linkage with the SLR to only ~50Kb. The potential for alleles with antagonistic fitness effects in males and females to drive chromosome degeneration is therefore limited. While some regions of the PAR had divergent male-female allele frequencies, suggestive of sexually antagonistic alleles, coalescent simulations showed this was broadly consistent with neutral genetic processes. Our results indicate that the degeneration of the large and ancient sex chromosomes of the ostrich may have been slowed by high recombination in the female PAR, reducing the scope for the accumulation of sexually antagonistic variation to generate selection for recombination cessation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Colin Olito
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Takeshi Kawakami
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Embark Veterinary, Inc., Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Per Unneberg
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, National Bioinformatics Infrastructure Sweden, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mads F Schou
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Schalk W P Cloete
- Directorate Animal Sciences, Western Cape Department of Agriculture, Elsenburg, South Africa
- Department of Animal Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa
| | - Bengt Hansson
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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13
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Yue J, Krasovec M, Kazama Y, Zhang X, Xie W, Zhang S, Xu X, Kan B, Ming R, Filatov DA. The origin and evolution of sex chromosomes, revealed by sequencing of the Silene latifolia female genome. Curr Biol 2023:S0960-9822(23)00678-4. [PMID: 37290443 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.05.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
White campion (Silene latifolia, Caryophyllaceae) was the first vascular plant where sex chromosomes were discovered. This species is a classic model for studies on plant sex chromosomes due to presence of large, clearly distinguishable X and Y chromosomes that originated de novo about 11 million years ago (mya), but lack of genomic resources for this relatively large genome (∼2.8 Gb) remains a significant hurdle. Here we report S. latifolia female genome assembly integrated with sex-specific genetic maps of this species, focusing on sex chromosomes and their evolution. The analysis reveals a highly heterogeneous recombination landscape with strong reduction in recombination rate in the central parts of all chromosomes. Recombination on the X chromosome in female meiosis primarily occurs at the very ends, and over 85% of the X chromosome length is located in a massive (∼330 Mb) gene-poor, rarely recombining pericentromeric region (Xpr). The results indicate that the non-recombining region on the Y chromosome (NRY) initially evolved in a relatively small (∼15 Mb), actively recombining region at the end of the q-arm, possibly as a result of inversion on the nascent X chromosome. The NRY expanded about 6 mya via linkage between the Xpr and the sex-determining region, which may have been caused by expanding pericentromeric recombination suppression on the X chromosome. These findings shed light on the origin of sex chromosomes in S. latifolia and yield genomic resources to assist ongoing and future investigations into sex chromosome evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Yue
- Centre for Genomics and Biotechnology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Education, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Marc Krasovec
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RB, UK; Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UMR 7232 Biologie Intégrative des Organismes Marins (BIOM), Observatoire Océanologique, 66650 Banyuls-sur-Mer, France
| | - Yusuke Kazama
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Fukui Prefectural University, 4-1-1 Kenjojima, Matsuoka, Eiheiji-cho, Fukui 910-1195, Japan
| | - Xingtan Zhang
- Centre for Genomics and Biotechnology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Education, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518100, China
| | - Wangyang Xie
- Centre for Genomics and Biotechnology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Education, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Shencheng Zhang
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518100, China
| | - Xiuming Xu
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361100, China
| | - Baolin Kan
- Centre for Genomics and Biotechnology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Education, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Ray Ming
- Centre for Genomics and Biotechnology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Ministry of Education, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
| | - Dmitry A Filatov
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RB, UK.
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14
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Heterochiasmy and Sex Chromosome Evolution in Silene. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14030543. [PMID: 36980816 PMCID: PMC10048291 DOI: 10.3390/genes14030543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The evolution of a non-recombining sex-specific region is a key step in sex chromosome evolution. Suppression of recombination between the (proto-) X- and Y-chromosomes in male meiosis creates a non-recombining Y-linked region (NRY), while the X-chromosome continues to recombine in females. Lack of recombination in the NRY defines its main properties—genetic degeneration and accumulation of repetitive DNA, making X and Y chromosomes very different from each other. How and why recombination suppression on sex chromosomes evolves remains controversial. A strong difference in recombination rates between the sexes (heterochiasmy) can facilitate or even cause recombination suppression. In the extreme case—complete lack of recombination in the heterogametic sex (achiasmy)—the entire sex-specific chromosome is automatically non-recombining. In this study, I analyse sex-specific recombination rates in a dioecious plant Silene latifolia (Caryophyllaceae), which evolved separate sexes and sex chromosomes ~11 million years ago. I reconstruct high-density RNAseq-based genetic maps including over five thousand genic markers for the two sexes separately. The comparison of the male and female maps reveals only modest heterochiasmy across the genome, with the exception of the sex chromosomes, where recombination is suppressed in males. This indicates that heterochiasmy likely played only a minor, if any, role in NRY evolution in S. latifolia, as recombination suppression is specific to NRY rather than to the entire genome in males. Other mechanisms such as structural rearrangements and/or epigenetic modifications were likely involved, and comparative genome analysis and genetic mapping in multiple Silene species will help to shed light on the mechanism(s) of recombination suppression that led to the evolution of sex chromosomes.
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15
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Abstract
Microchromosomes are prevalent in nonmammalian vertebrates [P. D. Waters et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 118 (2021)], but a few of them are missing in bird genome assemblies. Here, we present a new chicken reference genome containing all autosomes, a Z and a W chromosome, with all gaps closed except for the W. We identified ten small microchromosomes (termed dot chromosomes) with distinct sequence and epigenetic features, among which six were newly assembled. Those dot chromosomes exhibit extremely high GC content and a high level of DNA methylation and are enriched for housekeeping genes. The pericentromeric heterochromatin of dot chromosomes is disproportionately large and continues to expand with the proliferation of satellite DNA and testis-expressed genes. Our analyses revealed that the 41-bp CNM repeat frequently forms higher-order repeats (HORs) at the centromeres of acrocentric chromosomes. The centromere core regions where the kinetochore attaches often encompass telomeric sequence (TTAGGG)n, and in a one of the dot chromosomes, the centromere core recruits an endogenous retrovirus (ERV). We further demonstrate that the W chromosome shares some common features with dot chromosomes, having large arrays of hypermethylated tandem repeats. Finally, using the complete chicken chromosome models, we reconstructed a fine picture of chordate karyotype evolution, revealing frequent chromosomal fusions before and after vertebrate whole-genome duplications. Our sequence and epigenetic characterization of chicken chromosomes shed insights into the understanding of vertebrate genome evolution and chromosome biology.
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16
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Sultanova Z, Downing PA, Carazo P. Genetic sex determination, sex chromosome size and sex-specific lifespans across tetrapods. J Evol Biol 2023; 36:480-494. [PMID: 36537352 PMCID: PMC10107984 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Sex differences in lifespan are ubiquitous across the tree of life and exhibit broad taxonomic patterns that remain a puzzle, such as males living longer than females in birds and vice versa in mammals. The prevailing unguarded X hypothesis explains sex differences in lifespan by differential expression of recessive mutations on the X or Z chromosome of the heterogametic sex, but has only received indirect support to date. An alternative hypothesis is that the accumulation of deleterious mutations and repetitive elements on the Y or W chromosome might lower the survival of the heterogametic sex ('toxic Y' hypothesis). Here, we use a new database to report lower survival of the heterogametic relative to the homogametic sex across 136 species of birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians, as expected if sex chromosomes shape sex-specific lifespans, and consistent with previous findings. We also found that the relative sizes of both the X and the Y chromosomes in mammals (but not the Z or the W chromosomes in birds) are associated with sex differences in lifespan, as predicted by the unguarded X and the 'toxic Y'. Furthermore, we report that the relative size of the Y is negatively associated with male lifespan in mammals, so that small Y size correlates with increased male lifespan. In theory, toxic Y effects are expected to be particularly strong in mammals, and we did not find similar effects in birds. Our results confirm the role of sex chromosomes in explaining sex differences in lifespan across tetrapods and further suggest that, at least in mammals, 'toxic Y' effects may play an important part in this role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahida Sultanova
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - Philip A Downing
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.,Ecology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Pau Carazo
- Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
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17
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Pensabene E, Yurchenko A, Kratochvíl L, Rovatsos M. Madagascar Leaf-Tail Geckos ( Uroplatus spp.) Share Independently Evolved Differentiated ZZ/ZW Sex Chromosomes. Cells 2023; 12:cells12020260. [PMID: 36672195 PMCID: PMC9856856 DOI: 10.3390/cells12020260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Geckos are an excellent group to study the evolution of sex determination, as they possess a remarkable variability ranging from a complete absence of sex chromosomes to highly differentiated sex chromosomes. We explored sex determination in the Madagascar leaf-tail geckos of the genus Uroplatus. The cytogenetic analyses revealed highly heterochromatic W chromosomes in all three examined species (Uroplatus henkeli, U. alluaudi, U. sikorae). The comparative gene coverage analysis between sexes in U. henkeli uncovered an extensive Z-specific region, with a gene content shared with the chicken chromosomes 8, 20, 26 and 28. The genomic region homologous to chicken chromosome 28 has been independently co-opted for the role of sex chromosomes in several vertebrate lineages, including monitors, beaded lizards and monotremes, perhaps because it contains the amh gene, whose homologs were repeatedly recruited as a sex-determining locus. We demonstrate that all tested species of leaf-tail geckos share homologous sex chromosomes despite the differences in shape and size of their W chromosomes, which are not homologous to the sex chromosomes of other closely related genera. The rather old (at least 40 million years), highly differentiated sex chromosomes of Uroplatus geckos can serve as a great system to study the convergence of sex chromosomes evolved from the same genomic region.
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18
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Moreira LR, Klicka J, Smith BT. Demography and linked selection interact to shape the genomic landscape of codistributed woodpeckers during the Ice Age. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:1739-1759. [PMID: 36617622 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The influence of genetic drift on population dynamics during Pleistocene glacial cycles is well understood, but the role of selection in shaping patterns of genomic variation during these events is less explored. We resequenced whole genomes to investigate how demography and natural selection interact to generate the genomic landscapes of Downy and Hairy Woodpecker, species codistributed in previously glaciated North America. First, we explored the spatial and temporal patterns of genomic diversity produced by neutral evolution. Next, we tested (i) whether levels of nucleotide diversity along the genome are correlated with intrinsic genomic properties, such as recombination rate and gene density, and (ii) whether different demographic trajectories impacted the efficacy of selection. Our results revealed cycles of bottleneck and expansion, and genetic structure associated with glacial refugia. Nucleotide diversity varied widely along the genome, but this variation was highly correlated between the species, suggesting the presence of conserved genomic features. In both taxa, nucleotide diversity was positively correlated with recombination rate and negatively correlated with gene density, suggesting that linked selection played a role in reducing diversity. Despite strong fluctuations in effective population size, the maintenance of relatively large populations during glaciations may have facilitated selection. Under these conditions, we found evidence that the individual demographic trajectory of populations modulated linked selection, with purifying selection being more efficient in removing deleterious alleles in large populations. These results highlight that while genome-wide variation reflects the expected signature of demographic change during climatic perturbations, the interaction of multiple processes produces a predictable and highly heterogeneous genomic landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas R Moreira
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.,Department of Ornithology, American Museum of Natural History, New York City, New York, USA.,Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - John Klicka
- Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture and Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Brian Tilston Smith
- Department of Ornithology, American Museum of Natural History, New York City, New York, USA
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19
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Long X, Charlesworth D, Qi J, Wu R, Chen M, Wang Z, Xu L, Fu H, Zhang X, Chen X, He L, Zheng L, Huang Z, Zhou Q. Independent Evolution of Sex Chromosomes and Male Pregnancy-Related Genes in Two Seahorse Species. Mol Biol Evol 2022; 40:6964685. [PMID: 36578180 PMCID: PMC9851323 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msac279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Unlike birds and mammals, many teleosts have homomorphic sex chromosomes, and changes in the chromosome carrying the sex-determining locus, termed "turnovers", are common. Recent turnovers allow studies of several interesting questions. One question is whether the new sex-determining regions evolve to become completely non-recombining, and if so, how and why. Another is whether (as predicted) evolutionary changes that benefit one sex accumulate in the newly sex-linked region. To study these questions, we analyzed the genome sequences of two seahorse species of the Syngnathidae, a fish group in which many species evolved a unique structure, the male brood pouch. We find that both seahorse species have XY sex chromosome systems, but their sex chromosome pairs are not homologs, implying that at least one turnover event has occurred. The Y-linked regions occupy 63.9% and 95.1% of the entire sex chromosome of the two species and do not exhibit extensive sequence divergence with their X-linked homologs. We find evidence for occasional recombination between the extant sex chromosomes that may account for their homomorphism. We argue that these Y-linked regions did not evolve by recombination suppression after the turnover, but by the ancestral nature of the low crossover rates in these chromosome regions. With such an ancestral crossover landscape, a turnover can instantly create an extensive Y-linked region. Finally, we test for adaptive evolution of male pouch-related genes after they became Y-linked in the seahorse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Long
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis and Protection and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China,Research Center for Intelligent Computing Platforms, Zhejiang Lab, Hangzhou 311100, China
| | - Deborah Charlesworth
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3LF, UK
| | - Jianfei Qi
- Department of Aquaculture, Fisheries Research Institute of Fujian, Xiamen 361013, China
| | - Ruiqiong Wu
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Developmental and Neural Biology & Southern Center for Biomedical Research, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Meiling Chen
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Developmental and Neural Biology & Southern Center for Biomedical Research, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Zongji Wang
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis and Protection and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Luohao Xu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science of Chongqing, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Honggao Fu
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Developmental and Neural Biology & Southern Center for Biomedical Research, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Xueping Zhang
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Developmental and Neural Biology & Southern Center for Biomedical Research, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Xinxin Chen
- Department of Aquaculture, Fisheries Research Institute of Fujian, Xiamen 361013, China
| | - Libin He
- Department of Aquaculture, Fisheries Research Institute of Fujian, Xiamen 361013, China
| | | | | | - Qi Zhou
- Corresponding authors: E-mails: ; ;
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20
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Kostmann A, Kratochvíl L, Rovatsos M. ZZ/ZW Sex Chromosomes in the Madagascar Girdled Lizard, Zonosaurus madagascariensis (Squamata: Gerrhosauridae). Genes (Basel) 2022; 14:genes14010099. [PMID: 36672840 PMCID: PMC9859402 DOI: 10.3390/genes14010099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Scincoidea, the reptilian clade that includes girdled lizards, night lizards, plated lizards and skinks, are considered as a lineage with diversity in sex-determining systems. Recently, the hypothesis on the variability in sex determination in skinks and even more the absence of sex chromosomes in some of them has been rivalling. Homologous, evolutionary stable XX/XY sex chromosomes were documented to be widespread across skinks. However, sex determination in the other scincoidean families is highly understudied. ZZ/ZW sex chromosomes have been identified only in night lizards and a single species of plated lizards. It seems that although there are different sex chromosome systems among scincoidean lineages, they share one common trait: they are mostly poorly differentiated and often undetectable by cytogenetic methods. Here, we report one of the exceptions, demonstrating for the first time ZZ/ZW sex chromosomes in the plated lizard Zonosaurus madagascariensis. Its sex chromosomes are morphologically similar, but the W is clearly detectable by comparative genomic hybridization (CGH), suggesting that the Z and W chromosomes highly differ in sequence content. Our findings confirm the presence of female heterogamety in plated lizards and provides novel insights to expand our understanding of sex chromosome evolution in scincoidean lizards.
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21
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Han W, Liu L, Wang J, Wei H, Li Y, Zhang L, Guo Z, Li Y, Liu T, Zeng Q, Xing Q, Shu Y, Wang T, Yang Y, Zhang M, Li R, Yu J, Pu Z, Lv J, Lian S, Hu J, Hu X, Bao Z, Bao L, Zhang L, Wang S. Ancient homomorphy of molluscan sex chromosomes sustained by reversible sex-biased genes and sex determiner translocation. Nat Ecol Evol 2022; 6:1891-1906. [PMID: 36280781 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-022-01898-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Contrary to classic theory prediction, sex-chromosome homomorphy is prevalent in the animal kingdom but it is unclear how ancient homomorphic sex chromosomes avoid chromosome-scale degeneration. Molluscs constitute the second largest, Precambrian-originated animal phylum and have ancient, uncharacterized homomorphic sex chromosomes. Here, we profile eight genomes of the bivalve mollusc family of Pectinidae in a phylogenetic context and show 350 million years sex-chromosome homomorphy, which is the oldest known sex-chromosome homomorphy in the animal kingdom, far exceeding the ages of well-known heteromorphic sex chromosomes such as 130-200 million years in mammals, birds and flies. The long-term undifferentiation of molluscan sex chromosomes is potentially sustained by the unexpected intertwined regulation of reversible sex-biased genes, together with the lack of sexual dimorphism and occasional sex chromosome turnover. The pleiotropic constraint of regulation of reversible sex-biased genes is widely present in ancient homomorphic sex chromosomes and might be resolved in heteromorphic sex chromosomes through gene duplication followed by subfunctionalization. The evolutionary dynamics of sex chromosomes suggest a mechanism for 'inheritance' turnover of sex-determining genes that is mediated by translocation of a sex-determining enhancer. On the basis of these findings, we propose an evolutionary model for the long-term preservation of homomorphic sex chromosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wentao Han
- Sars-Fang Centre & MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Liangjie Liu
- Sars-Fang Centre & MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Sars-Fang Centre & MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Huilan Wei
- Sars-Fang Centre & MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Yuli Li
- Sars-Fang Centre & MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Lijing Zhang
- Sars-Fang Centre & MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Zhenyi Guo
- Sars-Fang Centre & MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Yajuan Li
- Sars-Fang Centre & MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Tian Liu
- Sars-Fang Centre & MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Qifan Zeng
- Sars-Fang Centre & MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Aquatic Germplasm of Hainan Province, Sanya Oceanographic Institution, Ocean University of China, Sanya, China
| | - Qiang Xing
- Sars-Fang Centre & MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Ya Shu
- Sars-Fang Centre & MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Tong Wang
- Sars-Fang Centre & MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Yaxin Yang
- Sars-Fang Centre & MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Meiwei Zhang
- Sars-Fang Centre & MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Ruojiao Li
- Sars-Fang Centre & MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Jiachen Yu
- Sars-Fang Centre & MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Zhongqi Pu
- Sars-Fang Centre & MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Jia Lv
- Sars-Fang Centre & MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Shanshan Lian
- Sars-Fang Centre & MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Jingjie Hu
- Sars-Fang Centre & MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Aquatic Germplasm of Hainan Province, Sanya Oceanographic Institution, Ocean University of China, Sanya, China
| | - Xiaoli Hu
- Sars-Fang Centre & MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Zhenmin Bao
- Sars-Fang Centre & MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Aquatic Germplasm of Hainan Province, Sanya Oceanographic Institution, Ocean University of China, Sanya, China
| | - Lisui Bao
- Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China.
| | - Lingling Zhang
- Sars-Fang Centre & MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China.
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China.
| | - Shi Wang
- Sars-Fang Centre & MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China.
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China.
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Aquatic Germplasm of Hainan Province, Sanya Oceanographic Institution, Ocean University of China, Sanya, China.
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22
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Ma W, Rovatsos M. Sex chromosome evolution: The remarkable diversity in the evolutionary rates and mechanisms. J Evol Biol 2022; 35:1581-1588. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Wen‐Juan Ma
- Department of Molecular Biosciences University of Kansas Lawrence Kansas USA
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23
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Nath S, Welch LA, Flanagan MK, White MA. Meiotic pairing and double-strand break formation along the heteromorphic threespine stickleback sex chromosomes. Chromosome Res 2022; 30:429-442. [PMID: 35635635 DOI: 10.1007/s10577-022-09699-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Double-strand break repair during meiosis is normally achieved using the homologous chromosome as a repair template. Heteromorphic sex chromosomes share little sequence homology, presenting unique challenges to the repair of double-strand breaks. Our understanding of how heteromorphic sex chromosomes behave during meiosis has been focused on ancient sex chromosomes, where the X and Y differ markedly in overall structure and gene content. It remains unclear how more recently evolved sex chromosomes that share considerably more sequence homology with one another pair and form double-strand breaks. One possibility is barriers to pairing evolve rapidly. Alternatively, recently evolved sex chromosomes may exhibit pairing and double-strand break repair that more closely resembles that of their autosomal ancestors. Here, we use the recently evolved X and Y chromosomes of the threespine stickleback fish (Gasterosteus aculeatus) to study patterns of pairing and double-stranded break formation using molecular cytogenetics. We found that the sex chromosomes of threespine stickleback fish did not pair exclusively in the pseudoautosomal region. Instead, the chromosomes fully paired in a non-homologous fashion. To achieve this, the X chromosome underwent synaptic adjustment during pachytene to match the axis length of the Y chromosome. Double-strand break formation and repair rate also matched that of the autosomes. Our results highlight that recently evolved sex chromosomes exhibit meiotic behavior that is reminiscent of autosomes and argues for further work to identify the homologous templates that are used to repair double-strand breaks on the X and Y chromosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivangi Nath
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, 120 Green St, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Lucille A Welch
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, 120 Green St, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Mary K Flanagan
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, 120 Green St, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Michael A White
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, 120 Green St, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
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24
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Evans BJ, Mudd AB, Bredeson JV, Furman BLS, Wasonga DV, Lyons JB, Harland RM, Rokhsar DS. New insights into Xenopus sex chromosome genomics from the Marsabit clawed frog X. borealis. J Evol Biol 2022; 35:1777-1790. [PMID: 36054077 PMCID: PMC9722552 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
In many groups, sex chromosomes change frequently but the drivers of their rapid evolution are varied and often poorly characterized. With an aim of further understanding sex chromosome turnover, we investigated the polymorphic sex chromosomes of the Marsabit clawed frog, Xenopus borealis, using genomic data and a new chromosome-scale genome assembly. We confirmed previous findings that 54.1 Mb of chromosome 8L is sex-linked in animals from east Kenya and a laboratory strain, but most (or all) of this region is not sex-linked in natural populations from west Kenya. Previous work suggests possible degeneration of the Z chromosomes in the east population because many sex-linked transcripts of this female heterogametic population have female-biased expression, and we therefore expected this chromosome to not be present in the west population. In contrast, our simulations support a model where most or all of the sex-linked portion of the Z chromosome from the east acquired autosomal segregation in the west, and where much genetic variation specific to the large sex-linked portion of the W chromosome from the east is not present in the west. These recent changes are consistent with the hot-potato model, wherein sex chromosome turnover is favoured by natural selection if it purges a (minimally) degenerate sex-specific sex chromosome, but counterintuitively suggest natural selection failed to purge a Z chromosome that has signs of more advanced and possibly more ancient regulatory degeneration. These findings highlight complex evolutionary dynamics of young, rapidly evolving Xenopus sex chromosomes and set the stage for mechanistic work aimed at pinpointing additional sex-determining genes in this group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben J Evans
- Biology Department, Life Sciences Building Room 328, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Austin B Mudd
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Jessen V Bredeson
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Benjamin L S Furman
- Biology Department, Life Sciences Building Room 328, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Canexia Health, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - Jessica B Lyons
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Richard M Harland
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Dan S Rokhsar
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna, Japan
- Chan-Zuckerberg BioHub, San Francisco, California, USA
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25
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Zhang S, Wu Z, Ma D, Zhai J, Han X, Jiang Z, Liu S, Xu J, Jiao P, Li Z. Chromosome-scale assemblies of the male and female Populus euphratica genomes reveal the molecular basis of sex determination and sexual dimorphism. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1186. [PMCID: PMC9636151 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04145-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Reference-quality genomes of both sexes are essential for studying sex determination and sex-chromosome evolution, as their gene contents and expression profiles differ. Here, we present independent chromosome-level genome assemblies for the female (XX) and male (XY) genomes of desert poplar (Populus euphratica), resolving a 22.7-Mb X and 24.8-Mb Y chromosome. We also identified a relatively complete 761-kb sex-linked region (SLR) in the peritelomeric region on chromosome 14 (Y). Within the SLR, recombination around the partial repeats for the feminizing factor ARR17 (ARABIDOPSIS RESPONSE REGULATOR 17) was potentially suppressed by flanking palindromic arms and the dense accumulation of retrotransposons. The inverted small segments S1 and S2 of ARR17 exhibited relaxed selective pressure and triggered sex determination by generating 24-nt small interfering RNAs that induce male-specific hyper-methylation at the promoter of the autosomal targeted ARR17. We also detected two male-specific fusion genes encoding proteins with NB-ARC domains at the breakpoint region of an inversion in the SLR that may be responsible for the observed sexual dimorphism in immune responses. Our results show that the SLR appears to follow proposed evolutionary dynamics for sex chromosomes and advance our understanding of sex determination and the evolution of sex chromosomes in Populus. Reference-quality genomes of both sexes of the dioecious tree species, Populus euphratica, provide further insight into the evolution of Populus sex chromosomes and highlight male-specific fusion genes that may contribute to sexual dimorphism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanhe Zhang
- grid.443240.50000 0004 1760 4679College of Life Sciences and Technology, Tarim University/Key Laboratory of Protection and Utilization of Biological Resources in Tarim Basin, Xinjiang Production & Construction Corps/Research Center of Populus Euphratica, Aral, 843300 China
| | - Zhihua Wu
- grid.453534.00000 0001 2219 2654College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004 China
| | - De Ma
- grid.410753.4Novogene Bioinformatics Institute, Beijing, 100083 China
| | - Juntuan Zhai
- grid.443240.50000 0004 1760 4679College of Life Sciences and Technology, Tarim University/Key Laboratory of Protection and Utilization of Biological Resources in Tarim Basin, Xinjiang Production & Construction Corps/Research Center of Populus Euphratica, Aral, 843300 China
| | - Xiaoli Han
- grid.443240.50000 0004 1760 4679College of Life Sciences and Technology, Tarim University/Key Laboratory of Protection and Utilization of Biological Resources in Tarim Basin, Xinjiang Production & Construction Corps/Research Center of Populus Euphratica, Aral, 843300 China
| | - Zhenbo Jiang
- grid.443240.50000 0004 1760 4679College of Life Sciences and Technology, Tarim University/Key Laboratory of Protection and Utilization of Biological Resources in Tarim Basin, Xinjiang Production & Construction Corps/Research Center of Populus Euphratica, Aral, 843300 China
| | - Shuo Liu
- Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory for Protection and Application of Special Plant Germplasm in Wuling Area of China, College of Life Sciences, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan, 430074 China
| | - Jingdong Xu
- Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory for Protection and Application of Special Plant Germplasm in Wuling Area of China, College of Life Sciences, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan, 430074 China
| | - Peipei Jiao
- grid.443240.50000 0004 1760 4679College of Life Sciences and Technology, Tarim University/Key Laboratory of Protection and Utilization of Biological Resources in Tarim Basin, Xinjiang Production & Construction Corps/Research Center of Populus Euphratica, Aral, 843300 China
| | - Zhijun Li
- grid.443240.50000 0004 1760 4679College of Life Sciences and Technology, Tarim University/Key Laboratory of Protection and Utilization of Biological Resources in Tarim Basin, Xinjiang Production & Construction Corps/Research Center of Populus Euphratica, Aral, 843300 China
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26
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Gong G, Xiong Y, Xiao S, Li XY, Huang P, Liao Q, Han Q, Lin Q, Dan C, Zhou L, Ren F, Zhou Q, Gui JF, Mei J. Origin and chromatin remodeling of young X/Y sex chromosomes in catfish with sexual plasticity. Natl Sci Rev 2022; 10:nwac239. [PMID: 36846302 PMCID: PMC9945428 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwac239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Assembly of a complete Y chromosome is a significant challenge in animals with an XX/XY sex-determination system. Recently, we created YY-supermale yellow catfish by crossing XY males with sex-reversed XY females, providing a valuable model for Y-chromosome assembly and evolution. Here, we assembled highly homomorphic Y and X chromosomes by sequencing genomes of the YY supermale and XX female in yellow catfish, revealing their nucleotide divergences with only less than 1% and with the same gene compositions. The sex-determining region (SDR) was identified to locate within a physical distance of 0.3 Mb by FST scanning. Strikingly, the incipient sex chromosomes were revealed to originate via autosome-autosome fusion and were characterized by a highly rearranged region with an SDR downstream of the fusion site. We found that the Y chromosome was at a very early stage of differentiation, as no clear evidence of evolutionary strata and classical structure features of recombination suppression for a rather late stage of Y-chromosome evolution were observed. Significantly, a number of sex-antagonistic mutations and the accumulation of repetitive elements were discovered in the SDR, which might be the main driver of the initial establishment of recombination suppression between young X and Y chromosomes. Moreover, distinct three-dimensional chromatin organizations of the Y and X chromosomes were identified in the YY supermales and XX females, as the X chromosome exhibited denser chromatin structure than the Y chromosome, while they respectively have significantly spatial interactions with female- and male-related genes compared with other autosomes. The chromatin configuration of the sex chromosomes as well as the nucleus spatial organization of the XX neomale were remodeled after sex reversal and similar to those in YY supermales, and a male-specific loop containing the SDR was found in the open chromatin region. Our results elucidate the origin of young sex chromosomes and the chromatin remodeling configuration in the catfish sexual plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaorui Gong
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Yang Xiong
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Shijun Xiao
- Jiaxing Key Laboratory for New Germplasm Breeding of Economic Mycology, Jiaxing 314000, China
| | - Xi-Yin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Peipei Huang
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China,School of Animal Science and Nutritional Engineering, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan 430023, China
| | - Qian Liao
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Qingqing Han
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Qiaohong Lin
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China,State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Cheng Dan
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Li Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Fan Ren
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Qi Zhou
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | | | - Jie Mei
- Corresponding author. E-mail:
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27
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Wang D, Li Y, Li M, Yang W, Ma X, Zhang L, Wang Y, Feng Y, Zhang Y, Zhou R, Sanderson BJ, Keefover-Ring K, Yin T, Smart LB, DiFazio SP, Liu J, Olson M, Ma T. Repeated turnovers keep sex chromosomes young in willows. Genome Biol 2022; 23:200. [PMID: 36151581 PMCID: PMC9502649 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-022-02769-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Salicaceae species have diverse sex determination systems and frequent sex chromosome turnovers. However, compared with poplars, the diversity of sex determination in willows is poorly understood, and little is known about the evolutionary forces driving their turnover. Here, we characterized the sex determination in two Salix species, S. chaenomeloides and S. arbutifolia, which have an XY system on chromosome 7 and 15, respectively. Results Based on the assemblies of their sex determination regions, we found that the sex determination mechanism of willows may have underlying similarities with poplars, both involving intact and/or partial homologs of a type A cytokinin response regulator (RR) gene. Comparative analyses suggested that at least two sex turnover events have occurred in Salix, one preserving the ancestral pattern of male heterogamety, and the other changing heterogametic sex from XY to ZW, which could be partly explained by the “deleterious mutation load” and “sexually antagonistic selection” theoretical models. We hypothesize that these repeated turnovers keep sex chromosomes of willow species in a perpetually young state, leading to limited degeneration. Conclusions Our findings further improve the evolutionary trajectory of sex chromosomes in Salicaceae species, explore the evolutionary forces driving the repeated turnovers of their sex chromosomes, and provide a valuable reference for the study of sex chromosomes in other species. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13059-022-02769-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deyan Wang
- Key Laboratory for Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education & Sichuan Zoige Alpine Wetland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yiling Li
- Key Laboratory for Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education & Sichuan Zoige Alpine Wetland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Mengmeng Li
- Key Laboratory for Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education & Sichuan Zoige Alpine Wetland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Wenlu Yang
- Key Laboratory for Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education & Sichuan Zoige Alpine Wetland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xinzhi Ma
- Key Laboratory for Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education & Sichuan Zoige Alpine Wetland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education & Sichuan Zoige Alpine Wetland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yubo Wang
- Key Laboratory for Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education & Sichuan Zoige Alpine Wetland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yanlin Feng
- Key Laboratory for Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education & Sichuan Zoige Alpine Wetland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuanyuan Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education & Sichuan Zoige Alpine Wetland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ran Zhou
- Department of Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Brian J Sanderson
- Department of Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Ken Keefover-Ring
- Departments of Botany and Geography, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Tongming Yin
- The Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Biotechnology of Jiangsu Province and Education Department of China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lawrence B Smart
- Horticulture Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Cornell AgriTech, Geneva, NY, USA
| | - Stephen P DiFazio
- Department of Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Jianquan Liu
- Key Laboratory for Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education & Sichuan Zoige Alpine Wetland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
| | - Matthew Olson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA.
| | - Tao Ma
- Key Laboratory for Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education & Sichuan Zoige Alpine Wetland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
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28
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Li X, Gao R, Chen G, Price AL, Øksnebjerg DB, Hosner PA, Zhou Y, Zhang G, Feng S. Draft genome assemblies of four manakins. Sci Data 2022; 9:564. [PMID: 36100590 PMCID: PMC9470731 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-022-01680-0] [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] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Manakins are a family of small suboscine passerine birds characterized by their elaborate courtship displays, non-monogamous mating system, and sexual dimorphism. This family has served as a good model for the study of sexual selection. Here we present genome assemblies of four manakin species, including Cryptopipo holochlora, Dixiphia pipra (also known as Pseudopipra pipra), Machaeropterus deliciosus and Masius chrysopterus, generated by Single-tube Long Fragment Read (stLFR) technology. The assembled genome sizes ranged from 1.10 Gb to 1.19 Gb, with average scaffold N50 of 29 Mb and contig N50 of 169 Kb. On average, 12,055 protein-coding genes were annotated in the genomes, and 9.79% of the genomes were annotated as repetitive elements. We further identified 75 Mb of Z-linked sequences in manakins, containing 585 to 751 genes and an ~600 Kb pseudoautosomal region (PAR). One notable finding from these Z-linked sequences is that a possible Z-to-autosome/PAR reversal could have occurred in M. chrysopterus. These de novo genomes will contribute to a deeper understanding of evolutionary history and sexual selection in manakins. Measurement(s) | whole genome sequencing | Technology Type(s) | BGISEQ-500 Sequencing | Sample Characteristic - Organism | Pipridae |
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuemei Li
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.,BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518083, China
| | - Rongsheng Gao
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.,BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518083, China
| | - Guangji Chen
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.,BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518083, China
| | - Alivia Lee Price
- Villum Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaløes Vej 5, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Daniel Bilyeli Øksnebjerg
- GLOBE Institute, Section for Evolutionary Genomics, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5, 1014, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Peter Andrew Hosner
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Villum Center for Global Mountain Biodiversity, Biodiversity Section, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Yang Zhou
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518083, China
| | - Guojie Zhang
- Villum Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaløes Vej 5, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Evolutionary & Organismal Biology Research Center, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China.,Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, 1369 West Wenyi Road, Hangzhou, 311121, China.,Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta, Zhejiang University, Jiashan, 314102, China
| | - Shaohong Feng
- Evolutionary & Organismal Biology Research Center, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China. .,Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, 1369 West Wenyi Road, Hangzhou, 311121, China. .,Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta, Zhejiang University, Jiashan, 314102, China.
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29
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Lovell JT, Sreedasyam A, Schranz ME, Wilson M, Carlson JW, Harkess A, Emms D, Goodstein DM, Schmutz J. GENESPACE tracks regions of interest and gene copy number variation across multiple genomes. eLife 2022; 11:78526. [PMID: 36083267 PMCID: PMC9462846 DOI: 10.7554/elife.78526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of multiple chromosome-scale reference genome sequences in many taxonomic groups has yielded a high-resolution view of the patterns and processes of molecular evolution. Nonetheless, leveraging information across multiple genomes remains a significant challenge in nearly all eukaryotic systems. These challenges range from studying the evolution of chromosome structure, to finding candidate genes for quantitative trait loci, to testing hypotheses about speciation and adaptation. Here, we present GENESPACE, which addresses these challenges by integrating conserved gene order and orthology to define the expected physical position of all genes across multiple genomes. We demonstrate this utility by dissecting presence–absence, copy-number, and structural variation at three levels of biological organization: spanning 300 million years of vertebrate sex chromosome evolution, across the diversity of the Poaceae (grass) plant family, and among 26 maize cultivars. The methods to build and visualize syntenic orthology in the GENESPACE R package offer a significant addition to existing gene family and synteny programs, especially in polyploid, outbred, and other complex genomes. The genome is the complete DNA sequence of an individual. It is a crucial foundation for many studies in medicine, agriculture, and conservation biology. Advances in genetics have made it possible to rapidly sequence, or read out, the genome of many organisms. For closely related species, scientists can then do detailed comparisons, revealing similar genes with a shared past or a common role, but comparing more distantly related organisms remains difficult. One major challenge is that genes are often lost or duplicated over evolutionary time. One way to be more confident is to look at ‘synteny’, or how genes are organized or ordered within the genome. In some groups of species, synteny persists across millions of years of evolution. Combining sequence similarity with gene order could make comparisons between distantly related species more robust. To do this, Lovell et al. developed GENESPACE, a software that links similarities between DNA sequences to the order of genes in a genome. This allows researchers to visualize and explore related DNA sequences and determine whether genes have been lost or duplicated. To demonstrate the value of GENESPACE, Lovell et al. explored evolution in vertebrates and flowering plants. The software was able to highlight the shared sequences between unique sex chromosomes in birds and mammals, and it was able to track the positions of genes important in the evolution of grass crops including maize, wheat, and rice. Exploring the genetic code in this way could lead to a better understanding of the evolution of important sections of the genome. It might also allow scientists to find target genes for applications like crop improvement. Lovell et al. have designed the GENESPACE software to be easy for other scientists to use, allowing them to make graphics and perform analyses with few programming skills.
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Affiliation(s)
- John T Lovell
- Genome Sequencing Center, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, United States.,Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, United States
| | - Avinash Sreedasyam
- Genome Sequencing Center, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, United States
| | - M Eric Schranz
- Biosystematics Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Melissa Wilson
- Center for Evolution and Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, United States
| | - Joseph W Carlson
- Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, United States
| | - Alex Harkess
- Genome Sequencing Center, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, United States.,Department of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, United States
| | - David Emms
- Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - David M Goodstein
- Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, United States
| | - Jeremy Schmutz
- Genome Sequencing Center, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, United States.,Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, United States
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30
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Elkrewi M, Khauratovich U, Toups MA, Bett VK, Mrnjavac A, Macon A, Fraisse C, Sax L, Huylmans AK, Hontoria F, Vicoso B. ZW sex-chromosome evolution and contagious parthenogenesis in Artemia brine shrimp. Genetics 2022; 222:6670797. [PMID: 35977389 PMCID: PMC9526061 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyac123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Eurasian brine shrimp (genus Artemia) have closely related sexual and asexual lineages of parthenogenetic females, which produce rare males at low frequencies. Although they are known to have ZW chromosomes, these are not well characterized, and it is unclear whether they are shared across the clade. Furthermore, the underlying genetic architecture of the transmission of asexuality, which can occur when rare males mate with closely related sexual females, is not well understood. We produced a chromosome-level assembly for the sexual Eurasian species A. sinica and characterized in detail the pair of sex chromosomes of this species. We combined this new assembly with short-read genomic data for the sexual species A. sp. Kazakhstan and several asexual lineages of A. parthenogenetica, allowing us to perform an in-depth characterization of sex-chromosome evolution across the genus. We identified a small differentiated region of the ZW pair that is shared by all sexual and asexual lineages, supporting the shared ancestry of the sex chromosomes. We also inferred that recombination suppression has spread to larger sections of the chromosome independently in the American and Eurasian lineages. Finally, we took advantage of a rare male, which we backcrossed to sexual females, to explore the genetic basis of asexuality. Our results suggest that parthenogenesis is likely partly controlled by a locus on the Z chromosome, highlighting the interplay between sex determination and asexuality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marwan Elkrewi
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg, 3400, Austria
| | - Uladzislava Khauratovich
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg, 3400, Austria.,Department of Chromosome Biology, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, 1030, Austria
| | - Melissa A Toups
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg, 3400, Austria.,Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Bournemouth University, BH12 5BB, UK
| | | | - Andrea Mrnjavac
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg, 3400, Austria
| | - Ariana Macon
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg, 3400, Austria
| | - Christelle Fraisse
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg, 3400, Austria.,CNRS, Univ. Lille, UMR 8198-Evo-Eco-Paleo, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Luca Sax
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg, 3400, Austria.,Lewis and Clark College, Portland, OR 97219, USA
| | - Ann Kathrin Huylmans
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg, 3400, Austria.,Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Guttenberg Universität Mainz, Mainz, 55122, Germany
| | - Francisco Hontoria
- Instituto de Acuicultura de Torre de la Sal (IATS-CSIC), Ribera de Cabanes, 12595, Spain
| | - Beatriz Vicoso
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg, 3400, Austria
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31
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Meisel RP. Ecology and the evolution of sex chromosomes. J Evol Biol 2022; 35:1601-1618. [PMID: 35950939 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Sex chromosomes are common features of animal genomes, often carrying a sex determination gene responsible for initiating the development of sexually dimorphic traits. The specific chromosome that serves as the sex chromosome differs across taxa as a result of fusions between sex chromosomes and autosomes, along with sex chromosome turnover-autosomes becoming sex chromosomes and sex chromosomes 'reverting' back to autosomes. In addition, the types of genes on sex chromosomes frequently differ from the autosomes, and genes on sex chromosomes often evolve faster than autosomal genes. Sex-specific selection pressures, such as sexual antagonism and sexual selection, are hypothesized to be responsible for sex chromosome turnovers, the unique gene content of sex chromosomes and the accelerated evolutionary rates of genes on sex chromosomes. Sex-specific selection has pronounced effects on sex chromosomes because their sex-biased inheritance can tilt the balance of selection in favour of one sex. Despite the general consensus that sex-specific selection affects sex chromosome evolution, most population genetic models are agnostic as to the specific sources of these sex-specific selection pressures, and many of the details about the effects of sex-specific selection remain unresolved. Here, I review the evidence that ecological factors, including variable selection across heterogeneous environments and conflicts between sexual and natural selection, can be important determinants of sex-specific selection pressures that shape sex chromosome evolution. I also explain how studying the ecology of sex chromosome evolution can help us understand important and unresolved aspects of both sex chromosome evolution and sex-specific selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard P Meisel
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
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32
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Zhang H, Sigeman H, Hansson B. Assessment of phylogenetic approaches to study the timing of recombination cessation on sex chromosomes. J Evol Biol 2022; 35:1721-1733. [PMID: 35895083 PMCID: PMC10086819 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 06/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The evolution of sex chromosomes is hypothesized to be punctuated by consecutive recombination cessation events, forming "evolutionary strata" that ceased to recombine at different time points. The demarcation of evolutionary strata is often assessed by estimates of the timing of recombination cessation (tRC ) along the sex chromosomes, commonly inferred from the level of synonymous divergence or with species phylogenies at gametologous (X-Y or Z-W) sequence data. However, drift and selection affect sequences unpredictably and introduce uncertainty when inferring tRC . Here, we assess two alternative phylogenetic approaches to estimate tRC ; (i) the expected likelihood weight (ELW) approach that finds the most likely topology among a set of hypothetical topologies and (ii) the BEAST approach that estimates tRC with specified calibration priors on a reference species topology. By using Z and W gametologs of an old and a young evolutionary stratum on the neo-sex chromosome of Sylvioidea songbirds, we show that the ELW and BEAST approaches yield similar tRC estimates, and that both outperform two frequently applied approaches utilizing synonymous substitution rates (dS) and maximum likelihood (ML) trees, respectively. Moreover, we demonstrate that both ELW and BEAST provide more precise tRC estimates when sequences of multiple species are included in the analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongkai Zhang
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Hanna Sigeman
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Bengt Hansson
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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33
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Xu X, Wang Y, Wang C, Guo G, Yu X, Dai Y, Liu Y, Wei G, He X, Jin G, Zhang Z, Guan Q, Pain A, Wang S, Zhang W, Young ND, Gasser RB, McManus DP, Cao J, Zhou Q, Zhang Q. Chromosome-level genome assembly defines female-biased genes associated with sex determination and differentiation in the human blood fluke Schistosoma japonicum. Mol Ecol Resour 2022; 23:205-221. [PMID: 35844053 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease of humans caused by blood flukes of the genus Schistosoma, the only dioecious parasitic flatworm. Although aspects of sex determination, differentiation and reproduction have been studied in some Schistosoma species, almost nothing is known for Schistosoma japonicum, the causative agent of schistosomiasis japonica. This mainly reflects the lack of high-quality genomic and transcriptomic resources for this species. As current genomes for S. japonicum are highly fragmented, we assembled and report a chromosome-level reference genome (seven autosomes, the Z-chromosome and partial W-chromosome), achieving a substantially enhanced gene annotation. Utilizing this genome, we discovered that the sex chromosomes of S. japonicum and its congener S. mansoni independently suppressed recombination during evolution, forming five and two evolutionary strata, respectively. By exploring the W-chromosome and sex-specific transcriptomes, we identified 35 W-linked genes and 257 female-preferentially transcribed genes (FTGs) from our chromosomal assembly and uncovered a signature for sex determination and differentiation in S. japonicum. These FTGs clustering within autosomes or the Z-chromosome exhibit a highly dynamic transcription profile during the pairing of female and male schistosomula, thereby representing a critical phase for the maturation of the female worms and suggesting distinct layers of regulatory control of gene transcription at this development stage. Collectively, these data provide a valuable resource for further functional genomic characterization of S. japonicum, shed light on the evolution of sex chromosomes in this highly virulent human blood fluke, and provide a pathway to identify novel targets for development of intervention tools against schistosomiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xindong Xu
- Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration of Ministry of Education, Tongji Hospital, and Clinical Center for Brain and Spinal Cord Research School of Medicine, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yifeng Wang
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis and Protection and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Changhong Wang
- Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration of Ministry of Education, Tongji Hospital, and Clinical Center for Brain and Spinal Cord Research School of Medicine, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Gangqiang Guo
- Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration of Ministry of Education, Tongji Hospital, and Clinical Center for Brain and Spinal Cord Research School of Medicine, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinyu Yu
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology, Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Wuxi, China
| | - Yang Dai
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology, Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Wuxi, China
| | - Yaobao Liu
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology, Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Wuxi, China
| | - Guiying Wei
- Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration of Ministry of Education, Tongji Hospital, and Clinical Center for Brain and Spinal Cord Research School of Medicine, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaohui He
- Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration of Ministry of Education, Tongji Hospital, and Clinical Center for Brain and Spinal Cord Research School of Medicine, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ge Jin
- Novogene Bioinformatics Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Ziqiu Zhang
- Novogene Bioinformatics Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Qingtian Guan
- Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering (BESE) Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Arnab Pain
- Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering (BESE) Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Shengyue Wang
- National Research Center for Translational Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenbao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis, Prevention and Treatment of High Incidence Diseases in Central Asia, Clinical Medical Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China
| | - Neil D Young
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Robin B Gasser
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Donald P McManus
- Department of Immunology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jun Cao
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology, Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Wuxi, China.,Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qi Zhou
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis and Protection and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Department of Neuroscience and Developmental Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Center for Reproductive Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital School of Medicine and Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qingfeng Zhang
- Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration of Ministry of Education, Tongji Hospital, and Clinical Center for Brain and Spinal Cord Research School of Medicine, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
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34
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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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35
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Curzon AY, Shirak A, Benet-Perlberg A, Naor A, Low-Tanne SI, Sharkawi H, Ron M, Seroussi E. Absence of Figla-like Gene Is Concordant with Femaleness in Cichlids Harboring the LG1 Sex-Determination System. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23147636. [PMID: 35886982 PMCID: PMC9316214 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23147636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Oreochromis niloticus has been used as a reference genome for studies of tilapia sex determination (SD) revealing segregating genetic loci on linkage groups (LGs) 1, 3, and 23. The master key regulator genes (MKR) underlying the SD regions on LGs 3 and 23 have been already found. To identify the MKR in fish that segregate for the LG1 XX/XY SD-system, we applied short variant discovery within the sequence reads of the genomic libraries of the Amherst hybrid stock, Coptodon zillii and Sarotherodon galilaeus, which were aligned to a 3-Mbp-region of the O. aureus genome. We obtained 66,372 variants of which six were concordant with the XX/XY model of SD and were conserved across these species, disclosing the male specific figla-like gene. We further validated this observation in O. mossambicus and in the Chitralada hybrid stock. Genome alignment of the 1252-bp transcript showed that the figla-like gene’s size was 2664 bp, and that its three exons were capable of encoding 99 amino acids including a 45-amino-acid basic helix–loop–helix domain that is typical of the ovary development regulator—factor-in-the-germline-alpha (FIGLA). In Amherst gonads, the figla-like gene was exclusively expressed in testes. Thus, the figla-like genomic presence determines male fate by interrupting the female developmental program. This indicates that the figla-like gene is the long-sought SD MKR on LG1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arie Yehuda Curzon
- Institute of Animal Science, Agricultural Research Organization, Rishon LeTsiyon 75288, Israel; (A.Y.C.); (A.S.); (M.R.)
- Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Andrey Shirak
- Institute of Animal Science, Agricultural Research Organization, Rishon LeTsiyon 75288, Israel; (A.Y.C.); (A.S.); (M.R.)
| | - Ayana Benet-Perlberg
- Dor Research Station, Division of Fishery and Aquaculture, Hof HaCarmel 30820, Israel; (A.B.-P.); (A.N.); (S.I.L.-T.); (H.S.)
| | - Alon Naor
- Dor Research Station, Division of Fishery and Aquaculture, Hof HaCarmel 30820, Israel; (A.B.-P.); (A.N.); (S.I.L.-T.); (H.S.)
| | - Shay Israel Low-Tanne
- Dor Research Station, Division of Fishery and Aquaculture, Hof HaCarmel 30820, Israel; (A.B.-P.); (A.N.); (S.I.L.-T.); (H.S.)
| | - Haled Sharkawi
- Dor Research Station, Division of Fishery and Aquaculture, Hof HaCarmel 30820, Israel; (A.B.-P.); (A.N.); (S.I.L.-T.); (H.S.)
| | - Micha Ron
- Institute of Animal Science, Agricultural Research Organization, Rishon LeTsiyon 75288, Israel; (A.Y.C.); (A.S.); (M.R.)
| | - Eyal Seroussi
- Institute of Animal Science, Agricultural Research Organization, Rishon LeTsiyon 75288, Israel; (A.Y.C.); (A.S.); (M.R.)
- Correspondence:
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36
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Evolution of sexual systems, sex chromosomes and sex-linked gene transcription in flatworms and roundworms. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3239. [PMID: 35688815 PMCID: PMC9187692 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30578-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Many species with separate male and female individuals (termed ‘gonochorism’ in animals) have sex-linked genome regions. Here, we investigate evolutionary changes when genome regions become completely sex-linked, by analyses of multiple species of flatworms (Platyhelminthes; among which schistosomes recently evolved gonochorism from ancestral hermaphroditism), and roundworms (Nematoda) which have undergone independent translocations of different autosomes. Although neither the evolution of gonochorism nor translocations fusing ancestrally autosomal regions to sex chromosomes causes inevitable loss of recombination, we document that formerly recombining regions show genomic signatures of recombination suppression in both taxa, and become strongly genetically degenerated, with a loss of most genes. Comparisons with hermaphroditic flatworm transcriptomes show masculinisation and some defeminisation in schistosome gonad gene expression. We also find evidence that evolution of sex-linkage in nematodes is accompanied by transcriptional changes and dosage compensation. Our analyses also identify sex-linked genes that could assist future research aimed at controlling some of these important parasites. Transitions between hermaphroditic and separate sexes are relatively understudied in animals compared to pants. Here, Wang et al. reconstruct the evolution of separate sexes in the flatworms and complex changes of sex chromosomes in the roundworms.
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37
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Keating SE, Greenbaum E, Johnson JD, Gamble T. Identification of a cis-sex chromosome transition in banded geckos (Coleonyx, Eublepharidae, Gekkota). J Evol Biol 2022; 35:1675-1682. [PMID: 35665979 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Sex-determination systems are highly variable amongst vertebrate groups, and the prevalence of genomic data has greatly expanded our knowledge of how diverse some groups truly are. Gecko lizards are known to possess a variety of sex-determination systems, and each new study increases our knowledge of this diversity. Here, we used RADseq to identify male-specific markers in the banded gecko Coleonyx brevis, indicating this species has a XX/XY sex-determination system. Furthermore, we show that these sex-linked regions are not homologous to the XX/XY sex chromosomes of two related Coleonyx species, C. elegans and C. mitratus, suggesting that a cis-sex chromosome turnover-a change in sex chromosomes without a concomitant change in heterogamety-has occurred within the genus. These findings demonstrate the utility of genome-scale data to uncover novel sex chromosomes and further highlight the diversity of gecko sex chromosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon E Keating
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Eli Greenbaum
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, USA
| | - Jerry D Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, USA
| | - Tony Gamble
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.,Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.,Bell Museum of Natural History, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
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38
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Li XY, Mei J, Ge CT, Liu XL, Gui JF. Sex determination mechanisms and sex control approaches in aquaculture animals. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2022; 65:1091-1122. [PMID: 35583710 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-021-2075-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Aquaculture is one of the most efficient modes of animal protein production and plays an important role in global food security. Aquaculture animals exhibit extraordinarily diverse sexual phenotypes and underlying mechanisms, providing an ideal system to perform sex determination research, one of the important areas in life science. Moreover, sex is also one of the most valuable traits because sexual dimorphism in growth, size, and other economic characteristics commonly exist in aquaculture animals. Here, we synthesize current knowledge of sex determination mechanisms, sex chromosome evolution, reproduction strategies, and sexual dimorphism, and also review several approaches for sex control in aquaculture animals, including artificial gynogenesis, application of sex-specific or sex chromosome-linked markers, artificial sex reversal, as well as gene editing. We anticipate that better understanding of sex determination mechanisms and innovation of sex control approaches will facilitate sustainable development of aquaculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi-Yin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Jie Mei
- College of Fisheries, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Chu-Tian Ge
- College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo, 315100, China
| | - Xiao-Li Liu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical & Subtropical Fishery Resource Application & Cultivation of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, 510380, China
| | - Jian-Fang Gui
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China.
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39
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Ponnikas S, Sigeman H, Lundberg M, Hansson B. Extreme variation in recombination rate and genetic diversity along the Sylvioidea neo-sex chromosome. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:3566-3583. [PMID: 35578784 PMCID: PMC9327509 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Recombination strongly impacts sequence evolution by affecting the extent of linkage and the efficiency of selection. Here, we study recombination over the Z chromosome in great reed warblers (Acrocephalus arundinaceus) using pedigree‐based linkage mapping. This species has extended Z and W chromosomes (“neo‐sex chromosomes”) formed by a fusion between a part of chromosome 4A and the ancestral sex chromosomes, which provides a unique opportunity to assess recombination and sequence evolution in sex‐linked regions of different ages. We assembled an 87.54 Mbp and 90.19 cM large Z with a small pseudoautosomal region (0.89 Mbp) at one end and the fused Chr4A‐part at the other end of the chromosome. A prominent feature in our data was an extreme variation in male recombination rate along Z with high values at both chromosome ends, but an apparent lack of recombination over a substantial central section, covering 78% of the chromosome. The nonrecombining region showed a drastic loss of genetic diversity and accumulation of repeats compared to the recombining parts. Thus, our data emphasize a key role of recombination in affecting local levels of polymorphism. Nonetheless, the evolutionary rate of genes (dN/dS) did not differ between high and low recombining regions, suggesting that the efficiency of selection on protein‐coding sequences can be maintained also at very low levels of recombination. Finally, the Chr4A‐derived part showed a similar recombination rate as the part of the ancestral Z that did recombine, but its sequence characteristics reflected both its previous autosomal, and current Z‐linked, recombination patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suvi Ponnikas
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.,Ecology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Hanna Sigeman
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Max Lundberg
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Bengt Hansson
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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40
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Jasonowicz AJ, Simeon A, Zahm M, Cabau C, Klopp C, Roques C, Iampietro C, Lluch J, Donnadieu C, Parrinello H, Drinan DP, Hauser L, Guiguen Y, Planas JV. Generation of a chromosome‐level genome assembly for Pacific halibut (
Hippoglossus stenolepis
) and characterization of its sex‐determining genomic region. Mol Ecol Resour 2022; 22:2685-2700. [PMID: 35569134 PMCID: PMC9541706 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis) is a key species in the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea ecosystems, where it also supports important fisheries. However, the lack of genomic resources limits our understanding of evolutionary, environmental and anthropogenic forces affecting key life history characteristics of Pacific halibut and prevents the application of genomic tools in fisheries management and conservation efforts. In the present study, we report on the first generation of a high‐quality chromosome‐level assembly of the Pacific halibut genome, with an estimated size of 602 Mb, 24 chromosome‐length scaffolds that contain 99.8% of the assembly and a N50 scaffold length of 27.3 Mb. In the first application of this important resource, we conducted genome‐wide analyses of sex‐specific genetic variation by pool sequencing and characterized a potential sex‐determining region in chromosome 9 with a high density of female‐specific SNPs. Within this region, we identified the bmpr1ba gene as a potential candidate for master sex‐determining (MSD) gene. bmpr1ba is a member of the TGF‐β family that in teleosts has provided the largest number of MSD genes, including a paralogue of this gene in Atlantic herring. The genome assembly constitutes an essential resource for future studies on Pacific halibut population structure and dynamics, evolutionary history and responses to environmental and anthropogenic influences. Furthermore, the genomic location of the sex‐determining region in Pacific halibut has been identified and a putative candidate MSD gene has been proposed, providing further support for the rapid evolution of sex‐determining mechanisms in teleost fish.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna Simeon
- International Pacific Halibut Commission Seattle, WA 98199 USA
- Present address: School of Aquatic and Fishery Science University of Washington Seattle WA
| | - Margot Zahm
- SIGENAE, Bioinfo Genotoul, UMIAT, INRAE Castanet‐Tolosan France
| | - Cédric Cabau
- SIGENAE, GenPhySE Université de Toulouse INRAE, ENVT, 31326 Castanet‐Tolosan France
| | | | - Céline Roques
- INRAE, GeT‐PlaGe, Genotoul, 31326 Castanet‐Tolosan France
| | | | - Jérôme Lluch
- INRAE, GeT‐PlaGe, Genotoul, 31326 Castanet‐Tolosan France
| | | | - Hugues Parrinello
- MGX‐Montpellier GenomiX, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM Montpellier France
| | - Daniel P. Drinan
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Science University of Washington Seattle, WA 98105 USA
| | - Lorenz Hauser
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Science University of Washington Seattle, WA 98105 USA
| | | | - Josep V. Planas
- International Pacific Halibut Commission Seattle, WA 98199 USA
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41
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Gong W, Filatov DA. Evolution of the sex-determining region in Ginkgo biloba. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210229. [PMID: 35306884 PMCID: PMC8935300 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex chromosomes or sex-determining regions (SDR) have been discovered in many dioecious plant species, including the iconic ‘living fossil' Ginkgo biloba, though the location and size of the SDR in G. biloba remain contradictory. Here we resolve these controversies and analyse the evolution of the SDR in this species. Based on transcriptome sequencing data from four genetic crosses we reconstruct male- and female-specific genetic maps and locate the SDR to the middle of chromosome 2. Integration of the genetic maps with the genome sequence reveals that recombination in and around the SDR is suppressed in a region of about 50 Mb in both males and females. However, occasional recombination does occur except a small, less than 5 Mb long region that does not recombine in males. Based on synonymous divergence between homologous X- and Y-linked genes in this region, we infer that the Ginkgo SDR is fairly old—at least of Cretaceous origin. The analysis of substitution rates and gene expression reveals only slight Y-degeneration. These results are consistent with findings in other dioecious plants with homomorphic sex chromosomes, where the SDR is typically small and evolves in a region with pre-existing reduced recombination, surrounded by long actively recombining pseudoautosomal regions. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Sex determination and sex chromosome evolution in land plants’.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Gong
- College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510642, People's Republic of China.,Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, UK
| | - Dmitry A Filatov
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, UK
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42
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Gu H, Wang L, Lv X, Yang W, Chen Y, Li K, Zhang J, Jia Y, Ning Z, Qu L. RNA-Seq Analysis Reveals Expression Regulatory Divergence of W-Linked Genes between Two Contrasting Chicken Breeds. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12091218. [PMID: 35565645 PMCID: PMC9103786 DOI: 10.3390/ani12091218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Understanding the mode of gene expression and regulation is essential for understanding the evolutionary process. Many previous studies tried to explain regulatory changes at the autosomal level, but little research has extended these explorations to the field of sex chromosomes due to their complex sex-limit features. Here, we first adopted an innovative method of identifying regulatory divergence of W-linked genes. Compared with cis-regulatory divergence, trans acting genes were more extensive in the W chromosome. We also found that divergent sex specific selection cannot strongly affect the expression evolution of the W chromosome. This insensitivity to selection may be one of the reasons why regulatory divergence is so small between autosomal and sex chromosomes. Abstract The regulation of gene expression is a complex process involving organism function and phenotypic diversity, and is caused by cis- and trans- regulation. While prior studies identified the regulatory pattern of the autosome rewiring in hybrids, the role of gene regulation in W sex chromosomes is not clear due to their degradation and sex-limit expression. Here, we developed reciprocal crosses of two chicken breeds, White Leghorn and Cornish Game, which exhibited broad differences in gender-related traits, and assessed the expression of the genes on the W chromosome to disentangle the contribution of cis- and trans-factors to expression divergence. We found that female-specific selection does not have a significant effect on W chromosome gene-expression patterns. For different tissues, there were most parental divergence expression genes in muscle, and also more heterosis compared with two other tissues. Notably, a broader pattern of trans regulation in the W chromosome was observed, which is consistent with autosomes. Taken together, this work describes the regulatory divergence of W-linked genes between two contrasting breeds and indicates sex chromosomes have a unique regulation and expression mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongchang Gu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (H.G.); (Z.N.)
| | - Liang Wang
- Beijing Municipal General Station of Animal Science, Beijing 100107, China; (L.W.); (X.L.); (W.Y.); (Y.C.); (K.L.); (J.Z.)
| | - Xueze Lv
- Beijing Municipal General Station of Animal Science, Beijing 100107, China; (L.W.); (X.L.); (W.Y.); (Y.C.); (K.L.); (J.Z.)
| | - Weifang Yang
- Beijing Municipal General Station of Animal Science, Beijing 100107, China; (L.W.); (X.L.); (W.Y.); (Y.C.); (K.L.); (J.Z.)
| | - Yu Chen
- Beijing Municipal General Station of Animal Science, Beijing 100107, China; (L.W.); (X.L.); (W.Y.); (Y.C.); (K.L.); (J.Z.)
| | - Kaiyang Li
- Beijing Municipal General Station of Animal Science, Beijing 100107, China; (L.W.); (X.L.); (W.Y.); (Y.C.); (K.L.); (J.Z.)
| | - Jianwei Zhang
- Beijing Municipal General Station of Animal Science, Beijing 100107, China; (L.W.); (X.L.); (W.Y.); (Y.C.); (K.L.); (J.Z.)
| | - Yaxiong Jia
- Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China;
| | - Zhonghua Ning
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (H.G.); (Z.N.)
| | - Lujiang Qu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (H.G.); (Z.N.)
- Correspondence:
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43
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Kocher TD, Behrens KA, Conte MA, Aibara M, Mrosso HDJ, Green ECJ, Kidd MR, Nikaido M, Koblmüller S. New Sex Chromosomes in Lake Victoria Cichlid Fishes (Cichlidae: Haplochromini). Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:804. [PMID: 35627189 PMCID: PMC9141883 DOI: 10.3390/genes13050804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
African cichlid fishes harbor an extraordinary diversity of sex-chromosome systems. Within just one lineage, the tribe Haplochromini, at least 6 unique sex-chromosome systems have been identified. Here we focus on characterizing sex chromosomes in cichlids from the Lake Victoria basin. In Haplochromis chilotes, we identified a new ZW system associated with the white blotch color pattern, which shows substantial sequence differentiation over most of LG16, and is likely to be present in related species. In Haplochromis sauvagei, we found a coding polymorphism in amh that may be responsible for an XY system on LG23. In Pundamilia nyererei, we identified a feminizing effect of B chromosomes together with XY- and ZW-patterned differentiation on LG23. In Haplochromis latifasciatus, we identified a duplication of amh that may be present in other species of the Lake Victoria superflock. We further characterized the LG5-14 XY system in Astatotilapia burtoni and identified the oldest stratum on LG14. This species also showed ZW differentiation on LG2. Finally, we characterized an XY system on LG7 in Astatoreochromis alluaudi. This report brings the number of distinct sex-chromosome systems in haplochromine cichlids to at least 13, and highlights the dynamic evolution of sex determination and sex chromosomes in this young lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas D. Kocher
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA; (K.A.B.); (M.A.C.)
| | - Kristen A. Behrens
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA; (K.A.B.); (M.A.C.)
| | - Matthew A. Conte
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA; (K.A.B.); (M.A.C.)
| | - Mitsuto Aibara
- Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan; (M.A.); (M.N.)
| | - Hillary D. J. Mrosso
- Mwanza Fisheries Research Center, Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute (TAFIRI), Mwanza P.O. Box 475, Tanzania;
| | - Elizabeth C. J. Green
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, Texas A&M International University, Laredo, TX 78041, USA; (E.C.J.G.); (M.R.K.)
| | - Michael R. Kidd
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, Texas A&M International University, Laredo, TX 78041, USA; (E.C.J.G.); (M.R.K.)
| | - Masato Nikaido
- Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan; (M.A.); (M.N.)
| | - Stephan Koblmüller
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010 Graz, Austria;
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44
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Pinto BJ, Keating SE, Nielsen SV, Scantlebury DP, Daza JD, Gamble T. Chromosome-Level Genome Assembly Reveals Dynamic Sex Chromosomes in Neotropical Leaf-Litter Geckos (Sphaerodactylidae: Sphaerodactylus). J Hered 2022; 113:272-287. [PMID: 35363859 PMCID: PMC9270867 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esac016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex determination is a critical element of successful vertebrate development, suggesting that sex chromosome systems might be evolutionarily stable across lineages. For example, mammals and birds have maintained conserved sex chromosome systems over long evolutionary time periods. Other vertebrates, in contrast, have undergone frequent sex chromosome transitions, which is even more amazing considering we still know comparatively little across large swaths of their respective phylogenies. One reptile group in particular, the gecko lizards (infraorder Gekkota), shows an exceptional lability with regard to sex chromosome transitions and may possess the majority of transitions within squamates (lizards and snakes). However, detailed genomic and cytogenetic information about sex chromosomes is lacking for most gecko species, leaving large gaps in our understanding of the evolutionary processes at play. To address this, we assembled a chromosome-level genome for a gecko (Sphaerodactylidae: Sphaerodactylus) and used this assembly to search for sex chromosomes among six closely related species using a variety of genomic data, including whole-genome re-sequencing, RADseq, and RNAseq. Previous work has identified XY systems in two species of Sphaerodactylus geckos. We expand upon that work to identify between two and four sex chromosome cis-transitions (XY to a new XY) within the genus. Interestingly, we confirmed two different linkage groups as XY sex chromosome systems that were previously unknown to act as sex chromosomes in tetrapods (syntenic with Gallus chromosome 3 and Gallus chromosomes 18/30/33), further highlighting a unique and fascinating trend that most linkage groups have the potential to act as sex chromosomes in squamates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan J Pinto
- Address correspondence to B. J. Pinto at the address above, or e-mail:
| | - Shannon E Keating
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI 53233, USA
| | - Stuart V Nielsen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University in Shreveport, Shreveport, LA 71115, USA,Division of Herpetology, Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | | | - Juan D Daza
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX 77340, USA
| | - Tony Gamble
- Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, WI 53233, USA,Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI 53233, USA,Bell Museum of Natural History, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN 55455, USA
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45
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Do Ty3/Gypsy Transposable Elements Play Preferential Roles in Sex Chromosome Differentiation? Life (Basel) 2022; 12:life12040522. [PMID: 35455013 PMCID: PMC9025612 DOI: 10.3390/life12040522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) comprise a substantial portion of eukaryotic genomes. They have the unique ability to integrate into new locations and serve as the main source of genomic novelties by mediating chromosomal rearrangements and regulating portions of functional genes. Recent studies have revealed that TEs are abundant in sex chromosomes. In this review, we propose evolutionary relationships between specific TEs, such as Ty3/Gypsy, and sex chromosomes in different lineages based on the hypothesis that these elements contributed to sex chromosome differentiation processes. We highlight how TEs can drive the dynamics of sex-determining regions via suppression recombination under a selective force to affect the organization and structural evolution of sex chromosomes. The abundance of TEs in the sex-determining regions originates from TE-poor genomic regions, suggesting a link between TE accumulation and the emergence of the sex-determining regions. TEs are generally considered to be a hallmark of chromosome degeneration. Finally, we outline recent approaches to identify TEs and study their sex-related roles and effects in the differentiation and evolution of sex chromosomes.
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46
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The Length Polymorphism of the 9th Intron in the Avian CHD1 Gene Allows Sex Determination in Some Species of Palaeognathae. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13030507. [PMID: 35328061 PMCID: PMC8954394 DOI: 10.3390/genes13030507] [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] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 03/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
In palaeognathous birds, several PCR-based methods and a range of genes and unknown genomic regions have been studied for the determination of sex. Many of these methods have proven to be unreliable, complex, expensive, and time-consuming. Even the most widely used PCR markers for sex typing in birds, the selected introns of the highly conserved CHD1 gene (primers P2/P8, 1237L/1272H, and 2550F/2718R), have rarely been effective in palaeognathous birds. In this study we used eight species of Palaeognathae to test three PCR markers: CHD1i9 (CHD1 gene intron 9) and NIPBLi16 (NIPBL gene intron 16) that performed properly as Psittaciformes sex differentiation markers, but have not yet been tested in Palaeognathae, as well as the CHD1iA intron (CHD1 gene intron 16), which so far has not been used effectively to sex palaeognathous birds. The results of our research indicate that the CHD1i9 marker effectively differentiates sex in four of the eight species we studied. In Rhea americana, Eudromia elegans, and Tinamus solitarius, the electrophoretic patterns of the amplicons obtained clearly indicate the sex of tested individuals, whereas in Crypturellus tataupa, sexing is possible based on poorly visible female specific bands. Additionally, we present and discuss the results of our in silico investigation on the applicability of CHD1i9 to sex other Palaeognathae that were not tested in this study.
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47
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Hansen CCR, Westfall KM, Pálsson S. Evaluation of four methods to identify the homozygotic sex chromosome in small populations. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:160. [PMID: 35209843 PMCID: PMC8867824 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08393-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Whole genomes are commonly assembled into a collection of scaffolds and often lack annotations of autosomes, sex chromosomes, and organelle genomes (i.e., mitochondrial and chloroplast). As these chromosome types differ in effective population size and can have highly disparate evolutionary histories, it is imperative to take this information into account when analysing genomic variation. Here we assessed the accuracy of four methods for identifying the homogametic sex chromosome in a small population using two whole genome sequences (WGS) and 133 RAD sequences of white-tailed eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla): i) difference in read depth per scaffold in a male and a female, ii) heterozygosity per scaffold in a male and a female, iii) mapping to the reference genome of a related species (chicken) with annotated sex chromosomes, and iv) analysis of SNP-loadings from a principal components analysis (PCA), based on the low-depth RADseq data. RESULTS The best performing approach was the reference mapping (method iii), which identified 98.12% of the expected homogametic sex chromosome (Z). Read depth per scaffold (method i) identified 86.41% of the homogametic sex chromosome with few false positives. SNP-loading scores (method iv) identified 78.6% of the Z-chromosome and had a false positive discovery rate of more than 10%. Heterozygosity per scaffold (method ii) did not provide clear results due to a lack of diversity in both the Z and autosomal chromosomes, and potential interference from the heterogametic sex chromosome (W). The evaluation of these methods also revealed 10 Mb of putative PAR and gametologous regions. CONCLUSION Identification of the homogametic sex chromosome in a small population is best accomplished by reference mapping or examining differences in read depth between sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kristen M Westfall
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland.,Current: Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Biological Station, Nanaimo, BC, Canada
| | - Snæbjörn Pálsson
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
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48
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Recurrent chromosome reshuffling and the evolution of neo-sex chromosomes in parrots. Nat Commun 2022; 13:944. [PMID: 35177601 PMCID: PMC8854603 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28585-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The karyotype of most birds has remained considerably stable during more than 100 million years’ evolution, except for some groups, such as parrots. The evolutionary processes and underlying genetic mechanism of chromosomal rearrangements in parrots, however, are poorly understood. Here, using chromosome-level assemblies of four parrot genomes, we uncover frequent chromosome fusions and fissions, with most of them occurring independently among lineages. The increased activities of chromosomal rearrangements in parrots are likely associated with parrot-specific loss of two genes, ALC1 and PARP3, that have known functions in the repair of double-strand breaks and maintenance of genome stability. We further find that the fusion of the ZW sex chromosomes and chromosome 11 has created a pair of neo-sex chromosomes in the ancestor of parrots, and the chromosome 25 has been further added to the sex chromosomes in monk parakeet. Together, the combination of our genomic and cytogenetic analyses characterizes the complex evolutionary history of chromosomal rearrangements and sex chromosomes in parrots. Parrots have undergone substantial karyotype evolution compared to most other birds. Here, Huang et al. analyze chromosome-level genome assemblies for four parrot species and elucidate the complex evolutionary history of parrot chromosomes.
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49
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Kirkpatrick M, Sardell JM, Pinto BJ, Dixon G, Peichel CL, Schartl M. Evolution of the canonical sex chromosomes of the guppy and its relatives. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2022; 12:6472354. [PMID: 35100353 PMCID: PMC9335935 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkab435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
The sex chromosomes of the guppy, Poecilia reticulata, and its close relatives are of particular interest: they are much younger than the highly degenerate sex chromosomes of model systems such as humans and Drosophila melanogaster, and they carry many of the genes responsible for the males' dramatic coloration. Over the last decade, several studies have analyzed these sex chromosomes using a variety of approaches including sequencing genomes and transcriptomes, cytology, and linkage mapping. Conflicting conclusions have emerged, in particular concerning the history of the sex chromosomes and the evolution of suppressed recombination between the X and Y. Here, we address these controversies by reviewing the evidence and reanalyzing data. We find no evidence of a nonrecombining sex-determining region or evolutionary strata in P. reticulata. Furthermore, we find that the data most strongly support the hypothesis that the sex-determining regions of 2 close relatives of the guppy, Poecilia wingei and Micropoecilia picta, evolved independently after their lineages diverged. We identify possible causes of conflicting results in previous studies and suggest best practices going forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Kirkpatrick
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Jason M Sardell
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Brendan J Pinto
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA.,Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, WI 53233, USA
| | - Groves Dixon
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Catherine L Peichel
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern 3012, Switzerland
| | - Manfred Schartl
- Developmental Biochemistry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg97074, Germany.,Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA
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50
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Dynamic Patterns of Sex Chromosome Evolution in Neognath Birds: Many Independent Barriers to Recombination at the ATP5F1A Locus. BIRDS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/birds3010004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Avian sex chromosomes evolved after the divergence of birds and crocodilians from their common ancestor, so they are younger than the better-studied chromosomes of mammals. It has long been recognized that there may have been several stages to the evolution of avian sex chromosomes. For example, the CHD1 undergoes recombination in paleognaths but not neognaths. Genome assemblies have suggested that there may be variation in the timing of barriers to recombination among Neognathae, but there remains little understanding of the extent of this variability. Here, we look at partial sequences of ATP5F1A, which is on the avian Z and W chromosomes. It is known that recombination of this gene has independently ceased in Galliformes, Anseriformes, and at least five neoavian orders, but whether there are other independent cessations of recombination among Neoaves is not understood. We analyzed a combination of data extracted from published chromosomal-level genomes with data collected using PCR and cloning to identify Z and W copies in 22 orders. Our results suggest that there may be at least 19 independent cessations of recombination within Neognathae, and 3 clades that may still be undergoing recombination (or have only recently ceased recombination). Analyses of ATP5F1A protein sequences revealed an increased amino acid substitution rate for W chromosome gametologs, suggesting relaxed purifying selection on the W chromosome. Supporting this hypothesis, we found that the increased substitution rate was particularly pronounced for buried residues, which are expected to be more strongly constrained by purifying selection. This highlights the dynamic nature of avian sex chromosomes, and that this level of variation among clades means they should be a good system to understand sex chromosome evolution.
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