ZZ/ZW Sex Chromosomes in the Endemic Puerto Rican Leaf-Toed Gecko (Phyllodactylus wirshingi)

2019 ◽  
Vol 157 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 89-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuart V. Nielsen ◽  
Juan D. Daza ◽  
Brendan J. Pinto ◽  
Tony Gamble

Investigating the evolutionary processes influencing the origin, evolution, and turnover of vertebrate sex chromosomes requires the classification of sex chromosome systems in a great diversity of species. Among amniotes, squamates (lizards and snakes) - and gecko lizards in particular - are worthy of additional study. Geckos possess all major vertebrate sex-determining systems, as well as multiple transitions among them, yet we still lack data on the sex-determining systems for the vast majority of species. We here utilize restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) to identify the sex chromosome system of the Puerto Rican endemic leaf-toed gecko (Phyllodactylidae: Phyllodactylus wirshingi), in order to confirm a ZZ/ZW sex chromosome system within the genus, as well as to better categorize the diversity within this poorly characterized family. RADseq has proven an effective alternative to cytogenetic methods for determining whether a species has an XX/XY or ZZ/ZW sex chromosome system - particularly in taxa with non-differentiated sex chromosomes - but can also be used to identify which chromosomes in the genome are the sex chromosomes. We here identify a ZZ/ZW sex chromosome system in P. wirshingi. Furthermore, we show that 4 of the female-specific markers contain fragments of genes found on the avian Z and discuss homology with P. wirshingi sex chromosomes.

2020 ◽  
Vol 111 (3) ◽  
pp. 307-313 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuart V Nielsen ◽  
Brendan J Pinto ◽  
Irán Andira Guzmán-Méndez ◽  
Tony Gamble

Abstract Squamate reptiles (lizards, snakes, and amphibians) are an outstanding group for studying sex chromosome evolution—they are old, speciose, geographically widespread, and exhibit myriad sex-determining modes. Yet, the vast majority of squamate species lack heteromorphic sex chromosomes. Cataloging the sex chromosome systems of species lacking easily identifiable, heteromorphic sex chromosomes, therefore, is essential before we are to fully understand the evolution of vertebrate sex chromosomes. Here, we use restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) to classify the sex chromosome system of the granite night lizard, Xantusia henshawi. RADseq is an effective alternative to traditional cytogenetic methods for determining a species’ sex chromosome system (i.e., XX/XY or ZZ/ZW), particularly in taxa with non-differentiated sex chromosomes. Although many xantusiid lineages have been karyotyped, none possess heteromorphic sex chromosomes. We identified a ZZ/ZW sex chromosome system in X. henshawi—the first such data for this family. Furthermore, we report that the X. henshawi sex chromosome contains fragments of genes found on Gallus gallus chromosomes 7, 12, and 18 (which are homologous to Anolis carolinensis chromosome 2), the first vertebrate sex chromosomes to utilize this linkage group.


Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 661
Author(s):  
Ikuo Miura ◽  
Foyez Shams ◽  
Si-Min Lin ◽  
Marcelo de Bello Cioffi ◽  
Thomas Liehr ◽  
...  

Translocation between sex-chromosomes and autosomes generates multiple sex-chromosome systems. It happens unexpectedly, and therefore, the evolutionary meaning is not clear. The current study shows a multiple sex chromosome system comprising three different chromosome pairs in a Taiwanese brown frog (Odorrana swinhoana). The male-specific three translocations created a system of six sex-chromosomes, ♂X1Y1X2Y2X3Y3 -♀X1X1X2X2X3X3. It is unique in that the translocations occurred among three out of the six members of potential sex-determining chromosomes, which are known to be involved in sex-chromosome turnover in frogs, and the two out of three include orthologs of the sex-determining genes in mammals, birds and fishes. This rare case suggests sex-specific, nonrandom translocations and thus provides a new viewpoint for the evolutionary meaning of the multiple sex chromosome system.


2006 ◽  
Vol 66 (1b) ◽  
pp. 205-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. G. Born ◽  
L. A. C. Bertollo

Specimens of Hoplias malabaricus from Lagoa Carioca, an isolated lake of the Rio Doce State Park (state of Minas Gerais, Brazil), were cytogenetically studied. The diploid number was found to be constant, i.e., 2n = 42 chromosomes, although two karyotypic forms were found: karyotype A, characterized by 22M + 20SM chromosomes, observed only in a male specimen, and karyotype B, characterized by 24M + 16SM + 2ST and 24M + 17SM + 1ST chromosomes in female and male specimens, respectively. This sex difference found in karyotype B is related to an XX/XY sex chromosome system. Another female specimen of H. malabaricus, also carrying karyotype A, had previously been found in the same lake. The available data indicate that two sympatric cytotypes of H. malabaricus exist in the Lagoa Carioca, with cytotype A occurring at a lower frequency and differing from cytotype B by undifferentiated sex chromosomes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 376 (1832) ◽  
pp. 20200089
Author(s):  
Heiner Kuhl ◽  
Yann Guiguen ◽  
Christin Höhne ◽  
Eva Kreuz ◽  
Kang Du ◽  
...  

Several hypotheses explain the prevalence of undifferentiated sex chromosomes in poikilothermic vertebrates. Turnovers change the master sex determination gene, the sex chromosome or the sex determination system (e.g. XY to WZ). Jumping master genes stay main triggers but translocate to other chromosomes. Occasional recombination (e.g. in sex-reversed females) prevents sex chromosome degeneration. Recent research has uncovered conserved heteromorphic or even homomorphic sex chromosomes in several clades of non-avian and non-mammalian vertebrates. Sex determination in sturgeons (Acipenseridae) has been a long-standing basic biological question, linked to economical demands by the caviar-producing aquaculture. Here, we report the discovery of a sex-specific sequence from sterlet ( Acipenser ruthenus ). Using chromosome-scale assemblies and pool-sequencing, we first identified an approximately 16 kb female-specific region. We developed a PCR-genotyping test, yielding female-specific products in six species, spanning the entire phylogeny with the most divergent extant lineages ( A. sturio, A. oxyrinchus versus A. ruthenus, Huso huso ), stemming from an ancient tetraploidization. Similar results were obtained in two octoploid species ( A. gueldenstaedtii, A. baerii ). Conservation of a female-specific sequence for a long period, representing 180 Myr of sturgeon evolution, and across at least one polyploidization event, raises many interesting biological questions. We discuss a conserved undifferentiated sex chromosome system with a ZZ/ZW-mode of sex determination and potential alternatives. 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)’.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. 20200648
Author(s):  
Nathan W. Anderson ◽  
Carl E. Hjelmen ◽  
Heath Blackmon

Chromosome fusion and fission are primary mechanisms of karyotype evolution. In particular, the fusion of a sex chromosome and an autosome has been proposed as a mechanism to resolve intralocus sexual antagonism. If sexual antagonism is common throughout the genome, we should expect to see an excess of fusions that join sex chromosomes and autosomes. Here, we present a null model that provides the probability of a sex chromosome autosome fusion, assuming all chromosomes have an equal probability of being involved in a fusion. This closed-form expression is applicable to both male and female heterogametic sex chromosome systems and can accommodate unequal proportions of fusions originating in males and females. We find that over 25% of all chromosomal fusions are expected to join a sex chromosome and an autosome whenever the diploid autosome count is fewer than 16, regardless of the sex chromosome system. We also demonstrate the utility of our model by analysing two contrasting empirical datasets: one from Drosophila and one from the jumping spider genus Habronattus . We find that in the case of Habronattus , there is a significant excess of sex chromosome autosome fusions but that in Drosophila there are far fewer sex chromosome autosome fusions than would be expected under our null model.


Genes ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 302
Author(s):  
Liang ◽  
Wang ◽  
Sha ◽  
Zou

The sex of an animal influences its economic traits, especially in species displaying sexual dimorphism. The Chinese soft-shelled turtle, Pelodiscus sinensis, is an economically important aquatic species that shows significant male sexual dimorphism, with a large body size, faster growth, a thick and wide calipash, and lower body fat. In this study, ten male and ten female turtles were subjected to restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq) using the Hi-Seq 4000 sequencing platform to isolate female-specific DNA fragments. We identified 5967 bp and 6532 bp fragments using genome walking. Three female-specific markers designed from these two fragments were confirmed to separate the sexes of Pelodiscus sinensis perfectly. One of the female-specific markers showed dosage association in female and male individuals. Individuals from different populations (n = 296) were used to validate that the female-specific markers could identify the genetic sex of Pelodiscus sinensis with 100% accuracy. The results of the present study demonstrated that RAD-seq was useful to develop sex-related markers in animals, and verified that the sex determination system of Pelodiscus sinensis belonged to the ZZ/ZW heterogametic system. Importantly, the developed markers could lead to a method for sex-controlled breeding in the Chinese soft-shelled turtle.


2020 ◽  
Vol 160 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolina Crepaldi ◽  
Patricia P. Parise-Maltempi

The repetitive DNA content of fish sex chromosomes provides valuable insights into specificities and patterns of their genetic sex determination systems. In this study, we revealed the genomic satellite DNA (satDNA) content of Megaleporinuselongatus, a Neotropical fish species with Z1Z1Z2Z2/Z1W1Z2W2 multiple sex chromosomes, through high-throughput analysis and graph-based clustering, isolating 68 satDNA families. By physically mapping these sequences in female metaphases, we discovered 15 of the most abundant satDNAs clustered in its chromosomes, 9 of which were found exclusively in the highly heterochromatic W1. This heteromorphic sex chromosome showed the highest amount of satDNA accumulations in this species. The second most abundant family, MelSat02-26, shared FISH signals with the NOR-bearing pair in similar patterns and is linked to the multiple sex chromosome system. Our results demonstrate the diverse satDNA content in M. elongatus, especially in its heteromorphic sex chromosome. Additionally, we highlighted the different accumulation patterns and distribution of these sequences across species by physically mapping these satDNAs in other Anostomidae, Megaleporinusmacrocephalus and Leporinusfriderici (a species without differentiated sex chromosomes).


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah B. Carey ◽  
Jerry Jenkins ◽  
Adam C. Payton ◽  
Shenqiang Shu ◽  
John T. Lovell ◽  
...  

AbstractSex chromosomes occur in diverse organisms, but their structural complexity has often prevented evolutionary analyses. Here we use two chromosome-scale reference genomes of the moss Ceratodon purpureus to trace the evolution of the sex chromosomes in bryophytes. Comparative analyses show the moss genome comprises seven remarkably stable ancestral chromosomal elements. An exception is the sex chromosomes, which share thousands of broadly-expressed genes but lack any synteny. We show the sex chromosomes evolved over 300 million years ago and expanded via at least two distinct chromosomal fusions. These results link suppressed recombination between the sex chromosomes with rapid structural change and the evolution of distinct transposable element compositions, and suggest haploid gene expression promotes the evolution of independent female and male gene-regulatory networks.One Sentence SummaryMoss sex chromosomes retain thousands of broadly-expressed genes despite millions of years of suppressed recombination.


2011 ◽  
Vol 80 (2) ◽  
pp. 93-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dagmara Kwolek ◽  
Andrzej J. Joachimiak

Sex-ratio bias in seeds of dioecious <em>Rumex</em> species with sex chromosomes is an interesting and still unsettled issue. To resolve gender among seeds of <em>R. acetosa</em> and <em>R. thyrsiflorus</em> (two species with an XX/XY1Y2 sex chromosome system), this work applied a PCR-based method involving DNA markers located on Y chromosomes. Both species showed female-biased primary sex ratios, with female bias greater in <em>R. acetosa</em> than in <em>R. thyrsiflorus</em>. The observed predominance of female seeds is consistent with the view that the female biased sex ratios in <em>Rumex </em>are conditioned not only postzygotically but also prezygotically.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iulia Darolti ◽  
Alison E. Wright ◽  
Benjamin A. Sandkam ◽  
Jake Morris ◽  
Natasha I. Bloch ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTOnce recombination is halted between the X and Y chromosome, sex chromosomes begin to differentiate and transition to heteromorphism. While there is a remarkable variation across clades in the degree of sex chromosome divergence, far less is known about variation in sex chromosome differentiation within clades. Here, we combined whole genome and transcriptome sequencing data to characterise the structure and conservation of sex chromosome systems across Poeciliidae, the livebearing clade that includes guppies. We found that the Poecilia reticulata XY system is much older than previously thought, being shared not only with its sister species, Poecilia wingei, but also with Poecilia picta, which diverged 30 mya. Despite the shared ancestry, we uncovered an extreme heterogeneity across these species in the proportion of the sex chromosome with suppressed recombination, and the degree of Y chromosome decay. The sex chromosomes in P. reticulata are largely homomorphic, with recombination persisting over a substantial fraction. However, the sex chromosomes in P. picta are completely non-recombining and strikingly heteromorphic. ln addition to being highly divergent, the sex chromosome system in P. picta includes a neo-sex chromosome, the result of a fusion between the ancestral sex chromosome and part of chromosome 7. Remarkably, the profound degradation of the ancestral Y chromosome in P. picta is counterbalanced by the evolution of complete dosage compensation in this species, the first such documented case in teleost fish. Our results offer important insight into the initial stages of sex chromosome evolution and dosage compensation.


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