Coupling and decoupling of evolutionary mode between X- and Y-chromosomal red-green opsin genes in owl monkeys.
We previously discovered Y-chromosomal red-green opsin genes in two types of owl monkeys with different chromosomal characteristics. In one type, the Y-linked opsin gene is a single-copy intact gene and in the other, the genes exist as multiple pseudogenes on a Y/autosome fusion chromosome. In the present study, we first distinguished the two types of monkeys as distinct allopatric species on the basis of karyotypic characteristics: Aotus lemurinus griseimembra (Karyotype III, diploid chromosome number [2n]=53) and Aotus azarae boliviensis (Karyotype VI; male 2n=49; female 2n=50), belonging to the northern and southern species groups, respectively, separated by the Amazon River system. Our sequence analysis revealed a common L1-Alu-Alu insertion between the two species in the 3'-flanking region of the X-linked opsin genes. The insertion was absent in the Y-linked opsin genes and in the human red and green opsin genes, indicating that it occurred in the X copy before the split into northern and southern species and after the X to Y duplication, i.e. duplication preceded speciation. We also show that in the northern species, the Y-linked opsin gene has evolved concomitantly with the X-linked copy whereas in the southern species, the Y-autosome fusion possibly led to decoupling evolutionary processes between X- and Y-linked copies and subsequent degeneration and duplications of the Y-linked opsin gene.
Nagao
Kenji
K
Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Seimeitou #502, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8562, Japan.
Takenaka
Naomi
N
Hirai
Momoki
M
Kawamura
Shoji
S
D020087:Alu Elements / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D016645:Aotidae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D002871:Chromosome Banding; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005091:Exons; D005260:Female; D005796:Genes / Q000235:genetics; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D007438:Introns; D007621:Karyotyping; D020084:Long Interspersed Nucleotide Elements / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008957:Models, Genetic; D005810:Multigene Family / Q000235:genetics; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D010802:Phylogeny; D017299:Rod Opsins / Q000235:genetics*; D013045:Species Specificity; D014178:Translocation, Genetic; D014960:X Chromosome / Q000235:genetics*; D014998:Y Chromosome / Q000235:genetics*
D017299:Rod Opsins