Sex chromosome evolution and population differentiation in the Eusimulium aureum group of black flies

Genome ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 543-549 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. G. Leonhardt ◽  
R. M. Feraday

The pattern of sex-chromosome variation within and between species of the Eusimulium aureum species group of black flies is examined and used to support the argument that speciation in black flies is often an adaptive process. A pair of homosequential species in this group is presented as an exceptional case in black flies that does not argue against the chromosomally mediated speciation model.Key words: black flies, sex chromosomes, evolution.




2017 ◽  
Vol 284 (1854) ◽  
pp. 20162806 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica K. Abbott ◽  
Anna K. Nordén ◽  
Bengt Hansson

Many separate-sexed organisms have sex chromosomes controlling sex determination. Sex chromosomes often have reduced recombination, specialized (frequently sex-specific) gene content, dosage compensation and heteromorphic size. Research on sex determination and sex chromosome evolution has increased over the past decade and is today a very active field. However, some areas within the field have not received as much attention as others. We therefore believe that a historic overview of key findings and empirical discoveries will put current thinking into context and help us better understand where to go next. Here, we present a timeline of important conceptual and analytical models, as well as empirical studies that have advanced the field and changed our understanding of the evolution of sex chromosomes. Finally, we highlight gaps in our knowledge so far and propose some specific areas within the field that we recommend a greater focus on in the future, including the role of ecology in sex chromosome evolution and new multilocus models of sex chromosome divergence.



2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thibault Leroy ◽  
Yoann Anselmetti ◽  
Marie-Ka Tilak ◽  
Sèverine Bérard ◽  
Laura Csukonyi ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTChromosomal organization is relatively stable among avian species, especially with regards to sex chromosomes. Members of the large Sylvioidea clade however have a pair of neo-sex chromosomes which is unique to this clade and originate from a parallel translocation of a region of the ancestral 4A chromosome on both W and Z chromosomes. Here, we took advantage of this unusual event to study the early stages of sex chromosome evolution. To do so, we sequenced a female (ZW) of two Sylvioidea species, a Zosterops borbonicus and a Z. pallidus. Then, we organized the Z. borbonicus scaffolds along chromosomes and annotated genes. Molecular phylogenetic dating under various methods and calibration sets confidently confirmed the recent diversification of the genus Zosterops (1-3.5 million years ago), thus representing one of the most exceptional rates of diversification among vertebrates. We then combined genomic coverage comparisons of five males and seven females, and homology with the zebra finch genome (Taeniopygia guttata) to identify sex chromosome scaffolds, as well as the candidate chromosome breakpoints for the two translocation events. We observed reduced levels of within-species diversity in both translocated regions and, as expected, even more so on the neoW chromosome. In order to compare the rates of molecular evolution in genomic regions of the autosomal-to-sex transitions, we then estimated the ratios of non-synonymous to synonymous polymorphisms (πN/πS) and substitutions (dN/dS). Based on both ratios, no or little contrast between autosomal and Z genes was observed, thus representing a very different outcome than the higher ratios observed at the neoW genes. In addition, we report significant changes in base composition content for translocated regions on the W and Z chromosomes and a large accumulation of transposable elements (TE) on the newly W region. Our results revealed contrasted signals of molecular evolution changes associated to these autosome-to-sex transitions, with congruent signals of a W chromosome degeneration yet a surprisingly weak support for a fast-Z effect.



2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Meisel

This article reviews and discusses ecological factors that affect sex chromosome evolution. Sex chromosomes are common features of animal genomes, and are often the location where master sex determination genes are found. Many important aspects of sex chromosome evolution are thought to be driven by sex-specific selection pressures, such as sexual antagonism and sexual selection. Sex-specific selection affects both the formation of sex chromosomes from autosomes and differences in the evolutionary trajectories between sex chromosomes and autosomes. Most population genetic models are agnostic as to whether the sex-specific selection pressures arise from intrinsic features of organismal biology or extrinsic factors that depend on environment. Here, I review the evidence that extrinsic, or ecological, factors are important determinants of sex-specific selection pressures that shape sex chromosome evolution.



2021 ◽  
Vol 376 (1833) ◽  
pp. 20200108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lukáš Kratochvíl ◽  
Tony Gamble ◽  
Michail Rovatsos

Sex chromosomes are a great example of a convergent evolution at the genomic level, having evolved dozens of times just within amniotes. An intriguing question is whether this repeated evolution was random, or whether some ancestral syntenic blocks have significantly higher chance to be co-opted for the role of sex chromosomes owing to their gene content related to gonad development. Here, we summarize current knowledge on the evolutionary history of sex determination and sex chromosomes in amniotes and evaluate the hypothesis of non-random emergence of sex chromosomes. The current data on the origin of sex chromosomes in amniotes suggest that their evolution is indeed non-random. However, this non-random pattern is not very strong, and many syntenic blocks representing putatively independently evolved sex chromosomes are unique. Still, repeatedly co-opted chromosomes are an excellent model system, as independent co-option of the same genomic region for the role of sex chromosome offers a great opportunity for testing evolutionary scenarios on the sex chromosome evolution under the explicit control for the genomic background and gene identity. Future studies should use these systems more to explore the convergent/divergent evolution of sex chromosomes. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Challenging the paradigm in sex chromosome evolution: empirical and theoretical insights with a focus on vertebrates (Part II)’.



2021 ◽  
Vol 376 (1832) ◽  
pp. 20200091 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiaowei Pan ◽  
Tomas Kay ◽  
Alexandra Depincé ◽  
Mateus Adolfi ◽  
Manfred Schartl ◽  
...  

To date, more than 20 different vertebrate master sex-determining genes have been identified on different sex chromosomes of mammals, birds, frogs and fish. Interestingly, six of these genes are transcription factors ( Dmrt1 - or Sox3 - related) and 13 others belong to the TGF-β signalling pathway ( Amh , Amhr2 , Bmpr1b , Gsdf and Gdf6 ). This pattern suggests that only a limited group of factors/signalling pathways are prone to become top regulators again and again. Although being clearly a subordinate member of the sex-regulatory network in mammals, the TGF-β signalling pathway made it to the top recurrently and independently. Facing this rolling wave of TGF-β signalling pathways, this review will decipher how the TGF-β signalling pathways cope with the canonical sex gene regulatory network and challenge the current evolutionary concepts accounting for the diversity of sex-determining mechanisms. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Challenging the paradigm in sex chromosome evolution: empirical and theoretical insights with a focus on vertebrates (Part I)’.



2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tariq Ezaz ◽  
Janine E. Deakin

Sex chromosomes are the most dynamic entity in any genome having unique morphology, gene content, and evolution. They have evolved multiple times and independently throughout vertebrate evolution. One of the major genomic changes that pertain to sex chromosomes involves the amplification of common repeats. It is hypothesized that such amplification of repeats facilitates the suppression of recombination, leading to the evolution of heteromorphic sex chromosomes through genetic degradation of Y or W chromosomes. Although contrasting evidence is available, it is clear that amplification of simple repetitive sequences played a major role in the evolution of Y and W chromosomes in vertebrates. In this review, we present a brief overview of the repetitive DNA classes that accumulated during sex chromosome evolution, mainly focusing on vertebrates, and discuss their possible role and potential function in this process.



2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanna L Rifkin ◽  
Solomiya Hnatovzka ◽  
Meng Yuan ◽  
Bianca M Sacchi ◽  
Baharul I Choudhury ◽  
...  

There is growing evidence across diverse taxa for sex differences in the genomic landscape of recombination, but the causes and consequences of these differences remain poorly understood. Strong recombination landscape dimorphism between the sexes could have important implications for the dynamics of sex chromosome evolution and turnover because low recombination in the heterogametic sex can help favour the spread of sexually antagonistic alleles. Here, we present a sex-specific linkage map and revised genome assembly of Rumex hastatulus, representing the first characterization of sex differences in recombination landscape in a dioecious plant. We provide evidence for strong sex differences in recombination, with pericentromeric regions of highly suppressed recombination in males that cover over half of the genome. These differences are found on autosomes as well as sex chromosomes, suggesting that pre-existing differences in recombination may have contributed to sex chromosome formation and divergence. Analysis of segregation distortion suggests that haploid selection due to pollen competition occurs disproportionately in regions with low male recombination. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that sex differences in the recombination landscape contributed to the formation of a large heteromorphic pair of sex chromosomes, and that pollen competition is an important determinant of recombination dimorphism.



Genome ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 538-542 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. M. Feraday ◽  
K. G. Leonhardt ◽  
C. L. Brockhouse

Sex chromosomes have been repeatedly implicated in the process of speciation of black flies and other nemotocerans. Arguments are presented here against the case that frequent differences between species in their sex chromosomes are based on (i) different average rates of differentiation of sex-linked and autosomal loci or (ii) the fact that the X and Y chromosomes are less numerous than autosomal chromosomes and so are more subject to the effects of drift and the random fixation of chromosome rearrangements. The argument is made that speciation in black flies and many other groups is an adaptive process and that differentiated sex-chromosome systems play a role in this process.Key words: black flies, sex chromosomes, speciation, evolution.



Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document