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The X chromosome of insects likely predates the origin of Class Insecta.

Toups, M. A. and Vicoso, B., 2023. The X chromosome of insects likely predates the origin of Class Insecta. Evolution, 77 (11), 2504-2511.

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DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpad169

Abstract

Sex chromosomes have evolved independently multiple times, but why some are conserved for more than 100 million years whereas others turnover rapidly remains an open question. Here, we examine the homology of sex chromosomes across nine orders of insects, plus the outgroup springtails. We find that the X chromosome is likely homologous across insects and springtails; the only exception is in the Lepidoptera, which has lost the X and now has a ZZ/ZW sex chromosome system. These results suggest the ancestral insect X chromosome has persisted for more than 450 million years – the oldest known sex chromosome to date. Further, we propose that the shrinking of gene content the dipteran X chromosome has allowed for a burst of sex-chromosome turnover that is absent from other speciose insect orders.

Item Type:Article
ISSN:0014-3820
Uncontrolled Keywords:chromosomal evolution; evolutionary genomics; sex chromosomes
Group:Faculty of Science & Technology
ID Code:39008
Deposited By: Symplectic RT2
Deposited On:04 Oct 2023 15:52
Last Modified:05 Jun 2024 09:31

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