The sex chromosome that refused to die.
Chromosomes that harbor dominant sex determination loci are predicted to erode over time--losing genes, accumulating transposable elements, degenerating into a functional wasteland and ultimately becoming extinct. The Drosophila melanogaster Y chromosome is fairly far along this path to oblivion. The few genes on largely heterochromatic Y chromosome are required for spermatocyte-specific functions, but have no role in other tissues. Surprisingly, a recent paper shows that divergent Y chromosomes can substantially influence gene expression throughout the D. melanogaster genome.1 These results show that variation on Y has an important influence on the deployment of the genome.
Malone
John H
JH
Laboratory of Cellular and Developmental Biology, National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
Oliver
Brian
B
D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005828:Genetics, Population; D049750:Genome, Insect; D008297:Male; D014998:Y Chromosome / Q000235:genetics*
D004251:DNA Transposable Elements