Genomic origins of insect sex chromosomes. Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • Recent efforts to catalog the diversity of sex chromosome systems coupled with genome sequencing projects are adding a new level of resolution to our understanding of insect sex chromosome origins. Y-chromosome degeneration makes sequencing difficult and may erase homology so rapidly that their origins will often remain enigmatic. X-chromosome origins are better understood, but thus far prove to be remarkably labile, often lacking homology even among close relatives. Furthermore, evidence now suggests that differentiated X or Y-chromosomes may both revert to autosomal inheritance. Data for ZW systems is scarcer, but W and Y-chromosomes seem to share many characteristics. Limited evidence suggests that Z-chromosome homology is more conserved than X counterparts, but broader sampling of both sex chromosome systems is needed.

published proceedings

  • Curr Opin Insect Sci

altmetric score

  • 2

author list (cited authors)

  • Blackmon, H., & Demuth, J. P.

citation count

  • 16

complete list of authors

  • Blackmon, Heath||Demuth, Jeffery P

publication date

  • February 2015