Genome assembly of the basket willow, Salix viminalis, reveals earliest stages of sex chromosome expansion.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Sex chromosomes have evolved independently multiple times in eukaryotes and are therefore considered a prime example of convergent genome evolution. Sex chromosomes are known to emerge after recombination is halted between a homologous pair of chromosomes, and this leads to a range of non-adaptive modifications causing gradual degeneration and gene loss on the sex-limited chromosome. However, the proximal causes of recombination suppression and the pace at which degeneration subsequently occurs remain unclear.

Results

Here, we use long- and short-read single-molecule sequencing approaches to assemble and annotate a draft genome of the basket willow, Salix viminalis, a species with a female heterogametic system at the earliest stages of sex chromosome emergence. Ou

SUBMITTER: Almeida P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7329446 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature