The epigenome of evolving Drosophila neo-sex chromosomes: dosage compensation and heterochromatin formation.

ABSTRACT: Sex chromosomes originated from autosomes but have evolved a highly specialized chromatin structure. Drosophila Y chromosomes are composed entirely of silent heterochromatin, while male X chromosomes have highly accessible chromatin and are hypertranscribed as a result of dosage compensation. Here, we dissect the molecular mechanisms and functional pressures driving heterochromatin formation and dosage compensation of the recently formed neo-sex chromosomes of Drosophila miranda. We show that the onset of heterochromatin formation on the neo-Y is triggered by an accumulation of repetitive DNA. The neo-X has evolved partial dosage compensation and we find that diverse mutational paths have been utilized to establish several dozen novel binding consensus motifs for the dosage compensation co

SUBMITTER: Zhou Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3825665 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature