title: [The evolution of human Y chromosome].
abstract: The human Y chromosome is always intriguing for researchers, because of its role in gender determination and its unusual evolutionary history. The Y chromosome evolves from an autosome, and its evolution has been characterized by massive gene decay. The lack of recombination and protein-coding genes and high content of repetitive sequences have hindered the progress in our understanding of the Y chromosome biology. Recently, with the advances in comparative genomics and sequencing technology, the research on Y chromosome has become a hotspot, with an intensified debate about Y-chromosome final destination resulting from degeneration. This review focuses on the structure, inheritance characteristics, gene content, and the origin and evolution of Y chromosome. We also discuss the long-term destiny of Y chromosome.
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology Department, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot 010050, China.
authors.forename: Xianrong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Tuketuo County People's Hospital, Hohhot 010200, China.
authors.forename: Meiqin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: College of Basic Medicine, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot 010110, China.
authors.forename: Shaohua
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D041322:Chromosomes, Human, Y / Q000235:genetics*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D006801:Humans; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D014998:Y Chromosome / Q000235:genetics