title: Extensive gene traffic on the mammalian X chromosome.
abstract: Mammalian sex chromosomes have undergone profound changes since evolving from ancestral autosomes. By examining retroposed genes in the human and mouse genomes, we demonstrate that, during evolution, the mammalian X chromosome has generated and recruited a disproportionately high number of functional retroposed genes, whereas the autosomes experienced lower gene turnover. Most autosomal copies originating from X-linked genes exhibited testis-biased expression. Such export is incompatible with mutational bias and is likely driven by natural selection to attain male germline function. However, the excess recruitment is consistent with a combination of both natural selection and mutational bias.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Emerson
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kaessmann
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Betrán
authors.forename: Manyuan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Long
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D002877:Chromosomes, Human / Q000235:genetics; D041321:Chromosomes, Human, X / Q000235:genetics*; D033481:Chromosomes, Mammalian / Q000235:genetics; D019295:Computational Biology; D004303:Dosage Compensation, Genetic; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D020131:Genes, Duplicate; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D016678:Genome; D015894:Genome, Human; D006801:Humans; D007438:Introns; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D009154:Mutation; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D010053:Ovary / Q000378:metabolism; D011544:Pseudogenes / Q000235:genetics*; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D018626:Retroelements / Q000235:genetics*; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism; D014960:X Chromosome / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D018626:Retroelements