Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2021
Department
Coastal Sciences, Gulf Coast Research Laboratory
School
Ocean Science and Engineering
Abstract
The understanding of the evolution of variable sex determination mechanisms across taxa requires comparative studies among closely related species. Following the fate of a known master sex-determining gene, we traced the evolution of sex determination in an entire teleost order (Esociformes). We discovered that the northern pike (Esox lucius) master sex-determining gene originated from a 65 to 90 million-year-old gene duplication event and that it remained sex-linked on undifferentiated sex chromosomes for at least 56 million years in multiple species. We identified several independent species-or population-specific sex determination transitions, including a recent loss of a Y-chromosome. These findings highlight the diversity of evolutionary fates of master sex-determining genes and the importance of population demographic history in sex determination studies. We hypothesize that occasional sex reversals and genetic bottlenecks provide a non-adaptive explanation for sex determination transitions.
Publication Title
eLife
Volume
10
First Page
1
Last Page
50
Recommended Citation
Pan, Q.,
Feron, R.,
Jouanno, E.,
Darras, H.,
Herpin, A.,
Koop, B.,
Rondeau, E.,
Goetz, F.,
Larson, W.,
Bernatchez, L.,
Tringali, M.,
Curran, S.,
Saillant, E.,
Denys, G.,
von Hippel, F.,
Chen, S.,
López, J.,
Verreycken, H.,
Ocalewicz, K.,
Guyomard, R.,
Eche, C.,
Lluch, J.,
Roques, C.,
Hu, H.,
Tabor, R.,
Dehaan, P.,
Nichols, K.,
Journot, L.,
Parrinello, H.,
Klopp, C.,
Interesova, E.,
Trifonov, V.,
Schartl, M.,
Postlethwait, J.,
Guiguen, Y.
(2021). The Rise and Fall of the Ancient Northern Pike Master Sex Determining Gene. eLife, 10, 1-50.
Available at: https://aquila.usm.edu/fac_pubs/18981