1
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Rovatsos M, Mazzoleni S, Augstenová B, Altmanová M, Velenský P, Glaw F, Sanchez A, Kratochvíl L. Heteromorphic ZZ/ZW sex chromosomes sharing gene content with mammalian XX/XY are conserved in Madagascan chameleons of the genus Furcifer. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4898. [PMID: 38418601 PMCID: PMC10901801 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55431-9] [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: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Chameleons are well-known lizards with unique morphology and physiology, but their sex determination has remained poorly studied. Madagascan chameleons of the genus Furcifer have cytogenetically distinct Z and W sex chromosomes and occasionally Z1Z1Z2Z2/Z1Z2W multiple neo-sex chromosomes. To identify the gene content of their sex chromosomes, we microdissected and sequenced the sex chromosomes of F. oustaleti (ZZ/ZW) and F. pardalis (Z1Z1Z2Z2/Z1Z2W). In addition, we sequenced the genomes of a male and a female of F. lateralis (ZZ/ZW) and F. pardalis and performed a comparative coverage analysis between the sexes. Despite the notable heteromorphy and distinctiveness in heterochromatin content, the Z and W sex chromosomes share approximately 90% of their gene content. This finding demonstrates poor correlation of the degree of differentiation of sex chromosomes at the cytogenetic and gene level. The test of homology based on the comparison of gene copy number variation revealed that female heterogamety with differentiated sex chromosomes remained stable in the genus Furcifer for at least 20 million years. These chameleons co-opted for the role of sex chromosomes the same genomic region as viviparous mammals, lacertids and geckos of the genus Paroedura, which makes these groups excellent model for studies of convergent and divergent evolution of sex chromosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michail Rovatsos
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Sofia Mazzoleni
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Barbora Augstenová
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Marie Altmanová
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- Laboratory of Fish Genetics, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Liběchov, Czech Republic
| | | | - Frank Glaw
- Zoologische Staatssammlung München (ZSM-SNSB), Munich, Germany
| | - Antonio Sanchez
- Department of Experimental Biology, University of Jaén, Jaén, Spain
| | - Lukáš Kratochvíl
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
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2
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Davalos-Dehullu E, Baty SM, Fisher RN, Scott PA, Dolby GA, Munguia-Vega A, Cortez D. Chromosome-Level Genome Assembly of the Blacktail Brush Lizard, Urosaurus nigricaudus, Reveals Dosage Compensation in an Endemic Lizard. Genome Biol Evol 2023; 15:evad210. [PMID: 38056449 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evad210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Urosaurus nigricaudus is a phrynosomatid lizard endemic to the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico. This work presents a chromosome-level genome assembly and annotation from a male individual. We used PacBio long reads and HiRise scaffolding to generate a high-quality genomic assembly of 1.87 Gb distributed in 327 scaffolds, with an N50 of 279 Mb and an L50 of 3. Approximately 98.4% of the genome is contained in 14 scaffolds, with 6 large scaffolds (334-127 Mb) representing macrochromosomes and 8 small scaffolds (63-22 Mb) representing microchromosomes. Using standard gene modeling and transcriptomic data, we predicted 17,902 protein-coding genes on the genome. The repeat content is characterized by a large proportion of long interspersed nuclear elements that are relatively old. Synteny analysis revealed some microchromosomes with high repeat content are more prone to rearrangements but that both macro- and microchromosomes are well conserved across reptiles. We identified scaffold 14 as the X chromosome. This microchromosome presents perfect dosage compensation where the single X of males has the same expression levels as two X chromosomes in females. Finally, we estimated the effective population size for U. nigricaudus was extremely low, which may reflect a reduction in polymorphism related to it becoming a peninsular endemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Davalos-Dehullu
- Centro de Ciencias Genómicas, Programa de Biología de Sistemas, UNAM, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
- Baja GeoGenomics Consortium
| | - Sarah M Baty
- Baja GeoGenomics Consortium
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Robert N Fisher
- Western Ecological Research Center, U.S. Geological Survey, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Peter A Scott
- Natural Sciences Collegium, Eckerd College, St Petersburg, Florida, USA
| | - Greer A Dolby
- Baja GeoGenomics Consortium
- Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Alabama USA
| | - Adrian Munguia-Vega
- Baja GeoGenomics Consortium
- Conservation Genetics Laboratory, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
- Applied Genomics Lab, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico
| | - Diego Cortez
- Centro de Ciencias Genómicas, Programa de Biología de Sistemas, UNAM, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
- Baja GeoGenomics Consortium
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3
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Gessler TB, Wu Z, Valenzuela N. Transcriptomic thermal plasticity underlying gonadal development in a turtle with ZZ/ZW sex chromosomes despite canalized genotypic sex determination. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e9854. [PMID: 36844670 PMCID: PMC9951354 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9854] [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: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding genome-wide responses to environmental conditions during embryogenesis is essential for discerning the evolution of developmental plasticity and canalization, two processes generating phenotypic variation targeted by natural selection. Here, we present the first comparative trajectory analysis of matched transcriptomic developmental time series from two reptiles incubated under identical conditions, a turtle with a ZZ/ZW system of genotypic sex determination (GSD), Apalone spinifera, and a turtle with temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), Chrysemys picta. Results from our genome-wide, hypervariate gene expression analysis of sexed embryos across five developmental stages revealed that substantial transcriptional plasticity in the developing gonads can persist for >145 Myr, long after the canalization of sex determination via the evolution of sex chromosomes, while some gene-specific thermal sensitivity drifts or evolves anew. Such standing thermosensitivity represents an underappreciated evolutionary potential harbored by GSD species that may be co-opted during future adaptive shifts in developmental programing, such as a GSD to TSD reversal, if favored by ecological conditions. Additionally, we identified novel candidate regulators of vertebrate sexual development in GSD reptiles, including sex-determining candidate genes in a ZZ/ZW turtle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thea B. Gessler
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal BiologyIowa State UniversityAmesIowaUSA,Genetics and Genomics ProgramIowa State UniversityAmesIowaUSA
| | - Zhiqiang Wu
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal BiologyIowa State UniversityAmesIowaUSA,Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at ShenzhenChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesShenzhenChina
| | - Nicole Valenzuela
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal BiologyIowa State UniversityAmesIowaUSA
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4
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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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5
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Rovatsos M, Galoyan E, Spangenberg V, Vassilieva A, Kratochvíl L. XX
/
XY
sex chromosomes in a blind lizard (Dibamidae): Towards understanding the evolution of sex determination in squamates. J Evol Biol 2022; 35:1791-1796. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michail Rovatsos
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science Charles University in Prague Praha 2 Czech Republic
| | - Eduard Galoyan
- A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences Moscow Russia
- Joint Russian‐Vietnamese Tropical Research and Technological Centre Hanoi Vietnam
- Zoological museum of Moscow State University Moscow State Regional University Mytishchi Russia
| | - Victor Spangenberg
- Zoological museum of Moscow State University Moscow State Regional University Mytishchi Russia
- Vavilov Institute of General Genetics Russian Academy of Sciences Moscow Russia
- Moscow State Regional University Mytishchi Russia
| | - Anna Vassilieva
- A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences Moscow Russia
- Joint Russian‐Vietnamese Tropical Research and Technological Centre Hanoi Vietnam
| | - Lukáš Kratochvíl
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science Charles University in Prague Praha 2 Czech Republic
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6
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Chromosome-scale genome assembly of the brown anole (Anolis sagrei), an emerging model species. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1126. [PMID: 36284162 PMCID: PMC9596491 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04074-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapid technological improvements are democratizing access to high quality, chromosome-scale genome assemblies. No longer the domain of only the most highly studied model organisms, now non-traditional and emerging model species can be genome-enabled using a combination of sequencing technologies and assembly software. Consequently, old ideas built on sparse sampling across the tree of life have recently been amended in the face of genomic data drawn from a growing number of high-quality reference genomes. Arguably the most valuable are those long-studied species for which much is already known about their biology; what many term emerging model species. Here, we report a highly complete chromosome-scale genome assembly for the brown anole, Anolis sagrei – a lizard species widely studied across a variety of disciplines and for which a high-quality reference genome was long overdue. This assembly exceeds the vast majority of existing reptile and snake genomes in contiguity (N50 = 253.6 Mb) and annotation completeness. Through the analysis of this genome and population resequence data, we examine the history of repetitive element accumulation, identify the X chromosome, and propose a hypothesis for the evolutionary history of fusions between autosomes and the X that led to the sex chromosomes of A. sagrei. A highly-complete chromosome-scale genome assembly of the brown anole, Anolis sagrei, provides insight into the evolution of sex chromosomes and is a crucial resource for this model lizard species.
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7
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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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8
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Basilicata MF, Keller Valsecchi CI. The good, the bad, and the ugly: Evolutionary and pathological aspects of gene dosage alterations. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009906. [PMID: 34882671 PMCID: PMC8659298 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Diploid organisms contain a maternal and a paternal genome complement that is thought to provide robustness and allow developmental progression despite genetic perturbations that occur in heterozygosity. However, changes affecting gene dosage from the chromosome down to the individual gene level possess a significant pathological potential and can lead to developmental disorders (DDs). This indicates that expression from a balanced gene complement is highly relevant for proper cellular and organismal function in eukaryotes. Paradoxically, gene and whole chromosome duplications are a principal driver of evolution, while heteromorphic sex chromosomes (XY and ZW) are naturally occurring aneuploidies important for sex determination. Here, we provide an overview of the biology of gene dosage at the crossroads between evolutionary benefit and pathogenicity during disease. We describe the buffering mechanisms and cellular responses to alterations, which could provide a common ground for the understanding of DDs caused by copy number alterations.
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9
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Sex Chromosomes and Master Sex-Determining Genes in Turtles and Other Reptiles. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12111822. [PMID: 34828428 PMCID: PMC8622242 DOI: 10.3390/genes12111822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Among tetrapods, the well differentiated heteromorphic sex chromosomes of birds and mammals have been highly investigated and their master sex-determining (MSD) gene, Dmrt1 and SRY, respectively, have been identified. The homomorphic sex chromosomes of reptiles have been the least studied, but the gap with birds and mammals has begun to fill. This review describes our current knowledge of reptilian sex chromosomes at the cytogenetic and molecular level. Most of it arose recently from various studies comparing male to female gene content. This includes restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RAD-Seq) experiments in several male and female samples, RNA sequencing and identification of Z- or X-linked genes by male/female comparative transcriptome coverage, and male/female transcriptomic or transcriptome/genome substraction approaches allowing the identification of Y- or W-linked transcripts. A few putative master sex-determining (MSD) genes have been proposed, but none has been demonstrated yet. Lastly, future directions in the field of reptilian sex chromosomes and their MSD gene studies are considered.
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10
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Rovatsos M, Gamble T, Nielsen SV, Georges A, Ezaz T, Kratochvíl L. Do male and female heterogamety really differ in expression regulation? Lack of global dosage balance in pygopodid geckos. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200102. [PMID: 34304587 PMCID: PMC8310713 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Differentiation of sex chromosomes is thought to have evolved with cessation of recombination and subsequent loss of genes from the degenerated partner (Y and W) of sex chromosomes, which in turn leads to imbalance of gene dosage between sexes. Based on work with traditional model species, theory suggests that unequal gene copy numbers lead to the evolution of mechanisms to counter this imbalance. Dosage compensation, or at least achieving dosage balance in expression of sex-linked genes between sexes, has largely been documented in lineages with male heterogamety (XX/XY sex determination), while ZZ/ZW systems are assumed to be usually associated with the lack of chromosome-wide gene dose regulatory mechanisms. Here, we document that although the pygopodid geckos evolved male heterogamety with a degenerated Y chromosome 32-72 Ma, one species in particular, Burton's legless lizard (Lialis burtonis), does not possess dosage balance in the expression of genes in its X-specific region. We summarize studies on gene dose regulatory mechanisms in animals and conclude that there is in them no significant dichotomy between male and female heterogamety. We speculate that gene dose regulatory mechanisms are likely to be related to the general mechanisms of sex determination instead of type of heterogamety. 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)'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michail Rovatsos
- Department of Ecology, Charles University, Prague, CZ 12844, Czech Republic
| | - Tony Gamble
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI 53201, USA
- Milwaukee Public Museum, 800 W. Wells Street, Milwaukee, WI 53233, USA
- Bell Museum of Natural History, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Stuart V. Nielsen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI 53201, USA
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Arthur Georges
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2617, Australia
| | - Tariq Ezaz
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2617, Australia
| | - Lukáš Kratochvíl
- Department of Ecology, Charles University, Prague, CZ 12844, Czech Republic
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11
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Kratochvíl L, Gamble T, Rovatsos M. Sex chromosome evolution among amniotes: is the origin of sex chromosomes non-random? Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200108. [PMID: 34304592 PMCID: PMC8310715 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
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)'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukáš Kratochvíl
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tony Gamble
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA
- Bell Museum of Natural History, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
- Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Michail Rovatsos
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague, Czech Republic
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12
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Stöck M, Kratochvíl L, Kuhl H, Rovatsos M, Evans BJ, Suh A, Valenzuela N, Veyrunes F, Zhou Q, Gamble T, Capel B, Schartl M, Guiguen Y. A brief review of vertebrate sex evolution with a pledge for integrative research: towards ' sexomics'. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200426. [PMID: 34247497 PMCID: PMC8293304 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Triggers and biological processes controlling male or female gonadal differentiation vary in vertebrates, with sex determination (SD) governed by environmental factors or simple to complex genetic mechanisms that evolved repeatedly and independently in various groups. Here, we review sex evolution across major clades of vertebrates with information on SD, sexual development and reproductive modes. We offer an up-to-date review of divergence times, species diversity, genomic resources, genome size, occurrence and nature of polyploids, SD systems, sex chromosomes, SD genes, dosage compensation and sex-biased gene expression. Advances in sequencing technologies now enable us to study the evolution of SD at broader evolutionary scales, and we now hope to pursue a sexomics integrative research initiative across vertebrates. The vertebrate sexome comprises interdisciplinary and integrated information on sexual differentiation, development and reproduction at all biological levels, from genomes, transcriptomes and proteomes, to the organs involved in sexual and sex-specific processes, including gonads, secondary sex organs and those with transcriptional sex-bias. The sexome also includes ontogenetic and behavioural aspects of sexual differentiation, including malfunction and impairment of SD, sexual differentiation and fertility. Starting from data generated by high-throughput approaches, we encourage others to contribute expertise to building understanding of the sexomes of many key vertebrate species. 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)'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Stöck
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries—IGB (Forschungsverbund Berlin), Müggelseedamm 301, 12587 Berlin, Germany
- Amphibian Research Center, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8526, Japan
| | - Lukáš Kratochvíl
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 12844 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Heiner Kuhl
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries—IGB (Forschungsverbund Berlin), Müggelseedamm 301, 12587 Berlin, Germany
| | - Michail Rovatsos
- Amphibian Research Center, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8526, Japan
| | - Ben J. Evans
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Life Sciences Building Room 328, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 4K1
| | - Alexander Suh
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TU, UK
- Department of Organismal Biology—Systematic Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, 75236 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Nicole Valenzuela
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Frédéric Veyrunes
- Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution de Montpellier, ISEM UMR 5554 (CNRS/Université de Montpellier/IRD/EPHE), Montpellier, France
| | - 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, Zhejiang 310058, People's Republic of China
- Department of Neuroscience and Developmental Biology, University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Tony Gamble
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI 53201, USA
| | - Blanche Capel
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Manfred Schartl
- Developmental Biochemistry, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
- The Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA
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13
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Augstenová B, Pensabene E, Veselý M, Kratochvíl L, Rovatsos M. Are Geckos Special in Sex Determination? Independently Evolved Differentiated ZZ/ZW Sex Chromosomes in Carphodactylid Geckos. Genome Biol Evol 2021; 13:evab119. [PMID: 34051083 PMCID: PMC8290109 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evab119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Amniotes possess astonishing variability in sex determination ranging from environmental sex determination (ESD) to genotypic sex determination (GSD) with highly differentiated sex chromosomes. Geckos are one of the few amniote groups with substantial variability in sex determination. What makes them special in this respect? We hypothesized that the extraordinary variability of sex determination in geckos can be explained by two alternatives: 1) unusual lability of sex determination, predicting that the current GSD systems were recently formed and are prone to turnovers; and 2) independent transitions from the ancestral ESD to later stable GSD, which assumes that geckos possessed ancestrally ESD, but once sex chromosomes emerged, they remain stable in the long term. Here, based on genomic data, we document that the differentiated ZZ/ZW sex chromosomes evolved within carphodactylid geckos independently from other gekkotan lineages and remained stable in the genera Nephrurus, Underwoodisaurus, and Saltuarius for at least 15 Myr and potentially up to 45 Myr. These results together with evidence for the stability of sex chromosomes in other gekkotan lineages support more our second hypothesis suggesting that geckos do not dramatically differ from the evolutionary transitions in sex determination observed in the majority of the amniote lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbora Augstenová
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Eleonora Pensabene
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Milan Veselý
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Lukáš Kratochvíl
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Michail Rovatsos
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
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