The non-Mendelian behavior of plant B chromosomes

B chromosomes, also known as supernumerary chromosomes, are dispensable elements in the genome of many plants, animals, and fungi. Many B chromosomes have evolved one or more drive mechanisms to transmit themselves at a higher frequency than predicted by Mendelian genetics, and these mechanisms counteract the tendency of non-essential genetic elements to be lost over time. The frequency of Bs in a population results from a balance between their effect on host fitness and their transmission rate. Here, we will summarize the findings of the drive process of plant B chromosomes, focusing on maize and rye.

A supernumerary "B-sex" chromosome drives male sex determination in the Pachón cavefish, Astyanax mexicanus

Sex chromosomes are generally derived from a pair of classical type-A chromosomes, and relatively few alternative models have been proposed up to now.^1,2 B chromosomes (Bs) are supernumerary and dispensable chromosomes with non-Mendelian inheritance found in many plant and animal species^3,4 that have often been considered as selfish genetic elements that behave as genome parasites.^5,6 The observation that in some species Bs can be either restricted or predominant in one sex^7-14 raised the interesting hypothesis that Bs could play a role in sex determination.¹⁵ The characterization of putative B master sex-determining (MSD) genes, however, has not yet been provided to support this hypothesis. Here, in Astyanax mexicanus cavefish originating from Pachón cave, we show that Bs are strongly male predominant. Based on a high-quality genome assembly of a B-carrying male, we characterized the Pachón cavefish B sequence and found that it contains two duplicated loci of the putative MSD gene growth differentiation factor 6b (gdf6b). Supporting its role as an MSD gene, we found that the Pachón cavefish gdf6b gene is expressed specifically in differentiating male gonads, and that its knockout induces male-to-female sex reversal in B-carrying males. This demonstrates that gdf6b is necessary for triggering male sex determination in Pachón cavefish. Altogether these results bring multiple and independent lines of evidence supporting the conclusion that the Pachón cavefish B is a "B-sex" chromosome that contains duplicated copies of the gdf6b gene, which can promote male sex determination in this species.

Wide dispersion of B chromosomes in Rhammatocerus brasiliensis (Orthoptera, Acrididae)

The grasshopper Rhammatocerus brasiliensis shows polymorphism of B chromosomes, but the magnitude of B-chromosome occurrence and the factors that may contribute to their dispersion in the species remain unknown thus far. The present study analyzed the occurrence and dispersion of B chromosomes in R. brasiliensis individuals from 21 populations widely distributed in the Brazilian Northeast. The genetic connectivity between 10 populations was verified through analysis of ISSR markers from 200 individuals. Of the 21 populations, 19 presented individuals with one B chromosome, three with two, and one with three B chromosomes. The B chromosome is of medium size and constitutive heterochromatin (CH) located in the pericentromeric region. A variant B chromosome was observed in three populations, similar in size to that of chromosome X, gap and CH, and located in the terminal region. B chromosome frequencies in different populations varied from 0% to 18,8%, mean 8,5%. The wide distribution of the B chromosome is likely a consequence of the positive gene flow among the analyzed populations. B-chromosome occurrence in populations of R. brasiliensis possibly follows the population genetic structure of the species and, owing to the existence of a variant, its origin may not be recent.

Nondisjunction and unequal spindle organization accompany the drive of Aegilops speltoides B chromosomes

B chromosomes (Bs) are supernumerary chromosomes, which are often preferentially inherited. When transmission rates of chromosomes are higher than 0.5, not obeying the Mendelian law of equal segregation, the resulting transmission advantage is collectively referred to as 'chromosome drive'. Here we analysed the drive mechanism of Aegilops speltoides Bs. The repeat AesTR-183 of A. speltoides Bs, which also can be detected on the Bs of Aegilops mutica and rye, was used to track Bs during pollen development. Nondisjunction of CENH3-positive, tubulin interacting B sister chromatids and an asymmetric spindle during first pollen grain mitosis are key for the accumulation process. A quantitative flow cytometric approach revealed that, independent of the number of Bs present in the mother plant, Bs accumulate in the generative nuclei to > 93%. Nine out of 11 tested (peri)centromeric repeats were shared by A and B chromosomes. Our findings provide new insights into the process of chromosome drive. Quantitative flow cytometry is a useful and reliable method to study the drive frequency of Bs. Nondisjunction and unequal spindle organization accompany during first pollen mitosis the drive of A. speltoides Bs. The prerequisites for the drive process seems to be common in Poaceae.

Origin, Behaviour, and Transmission of B Chromosome with Special Reference to Plantago lagopus

B chromosomes have been reported in many eukaryotic organisms. These chromosomes occur in addition to the standard complement of a species. Bs do not pair with any of the A chromosomes and they have generally been considered to be non-essential and genetically inert. However, due to tremendous advancements in the technologies, the molecular composition of B chromosomes has been determined. The sequencing data has revealed that B chromosomes have originated from A chromosomes and they are rich in repetitive elements. In our laboratory, a novel B chromosome was discovered in Plantago lagopus. Using molecular cytogenetic techniques, the B chromosome was found to be composed of ribosomal DNA sequences. However, further characterization of the chromosome using next generation sequencing (NGS) etc. revealed that the B chromosome is a mosaic of sequences derived from A chromosomes, 5S ribosomal DNA (rDNA), 45S rDNA, and various types of repetitive elements. The transmission of B chromosome through the female sex track did not follow the Mendelian principles. The chromosome was found to have drive due to which it was perpetuating in populations. The present paper attempts to summarize the information on nature, transmission, and origin of B chromosomes, particularly the current status of our knowledge in P. lagopus.

Satellite DNAs Unveil Clues about the Ancestry and Composition of B Chromosomes in Three Grasshopper Species

Supernumerary (B) chromosomes are dispensable genomic elements occurring frequently among grasshoppers. Most B chromosomes are enriched with repetitive DNAs, including satellite DNAs (satDNAs) that could be implicated in their evolution. Although studied in some species, the specific ancestry of B chromosomes is difficult to ascertain and it was determined in only a few examples. Here we used bioinformatics and cytogenetics to characterize the composition and putative ancestry of B chromosomes in three grasshopper species, Rhammatocerus brasiliensis, Schistocerca rubiginosa, and Xyleus discoideus angulatus. Using the RepeatExplorer pipeline we searched for the most abundant satDNAs in Illumina sequenced reads, and then we generated probes used in fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) to determine chromosomal position. We used this information to infer ancestry and the events that likely occurred at the origin of B chromosomes. We found twelve, nine, and eighteen satDNA families in the genomes of R. brasiliensis, S. rubiginosa, and X. d. angulatus, respectively. Some satDNAs revealed clustered organization on A and B chromosomes varying in number of sites and position along chromosomes. We did not find specific satDNA occurring in the B chromosome. The satDNAs shared among A and B chromosomes support the idea of putative intraspecific ancestry from small autosomes in the three species, i.e., pair S11 in R. brasiliensis, pair S9 in S. rubiginosa, and pair S10 in X. d. angulatus. The possibility of involvement of other chromosomal pairs in B chromosome origin is also hypothesized. Finally, we discussed particular aspects in composition, origin, and evolution of the B chromosome for each species.