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Sequence and Structural Diversity of Mouse Y Chromosomes
Andrew P Morgan1, Fernando Pardo-Manuel de Villena1
1Department of Genetics, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.
Molecular Biology and Evolution
|October 14, 2017
Summary
Mouse sex chromosomes show reduced genetic diversity, suggesting recent positive selection and ongoing intragenomic conflict, particularly in genes vital for sperm production.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary genetics
- Mammalian reproductive biology
- Genomics
Background:
- Mammalian sex chromosomes evolved specialized gene repertoires for male germline function.
- The mouse Y chromosome is notably large, gene-rich, and euchromatic compared to other mammals.
- Limited data exists on the diversity of mouse sex chromosomes in natural populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the sequence and copy number diversity of sex-linked genes in natural populations of house mice.
- To determine the evolutionary forces shaping sex-linked gene diversity in mice.
- To test the hypothesis of ongoing intragenomic conflict on mouse sex chromosomes.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of published whole-genome sequencing data from three house mouse subspecies.
- Comparative analysis of sequence diversity and gene copy number variation.
- Population genetics simulations and theoretical modeling.
Main Results:
- Gene copy number on the repetitive long arm of sex chromosomes is highly variable.
- Sequence diversity in nonrepetitive regions of sex-linked genes is reduced compared to autosomes.
- The observed reduction in diversity is inconsistent with neutral evolution and supports recent positive selection.
Conclusions:
- Mouse sex chromosomes exhibit reduced diversity, indicative of recent positive selection on spermatogenesis genes.
- The findings support the hypothesis of ongoing intragenomic conflict shaping mouse sex chromosome evolution.