The sex chromosome that refused to die.
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. BioEssays 30:409-411, 2008. (c) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Malone JH, Oliver B.
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.