Non-random genomic integration - an intrinsic property of retrogenes in Drosophila?

ABSTRACT:

Background

The Drosophila X-chromosome shows a significant underrepresentation of genes with male-biased gene expression (demasculinization). This trend is matched by retrogenes, which typically have a male biased gene expression pattern and show a significant movement bias from X-chromosomes to autosomes. It is currently assumed that these patterns are best explained by selection, either mediated by male meiotic sex chromosome inactivation (MSCI) or sexually antagonistic forces. We scrutinized the evolutionary dynamics of retroposition by focusing on retrogenes for which the parental copy has degenerated.

Results

Consistent with a functional substitution of the degenerated gene by the retrogene, patterns of sequence evolution and gene expression were similar between retropo

SUBMITTER: Metta M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2879276 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature