Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Matthew A. Conte, Frances E. Clark, Reade B. Roberts, Luohao Xu, Wenjing Tao, Qi Zhou, Deshou Wang, Thomas D. Kocher
Summary: This study investigates the evolution of a giant sex chromosome in cichlid fish, finding that it consists of three distinct regions and contains unprecedented amounts of endogenous retroviral elements, immunoglobulin genes, and long non-coding RNAs. Comparative analysis across 69 teleost genomes supports the hypothesis that the giant sex chromosome originated from the fusion of a B chromosome.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Naoki Osada, Kazunari Matsudaira, Yuzuru Hamada, Suchinda Malaivijitnond
Summary: Sex-specific demography plays a crucial role in hybridization and admixture between genetically diverged species within the Macaca genus. The level of admixture on X chromosomes is more pronounced than on autosomes, indicating strong male-biased introgression. Genetic differentiation on X-chromosomal loci supports the nuclear swamping hypothesis, showing incongruencies between mitochondrial and nuclear genealogies due to continuous male-biased introgression.
GENOME BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Martina Hejnickova, Martina Dalikova, Pavel Potocky, Toomas Tammaru, Marharyta Trehubenko, Svatava Kubickova, Frantisek Marec, Magda Zrzava
Summary: The study investigated the presence of sex chromatin in 50 species of Geometridae, revealing a high diversity of W chromosomes and clarifying the reasons for atypical sex chromatin patterns. It also detected intraspecific variability in the sex chromatin status and sex chromosome constitution in two species, emphasizing that sex chromatin is not a sufficient marker of the W chromosome presence but can be used to identify species with atypical sex chromosomes.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Wenwen Wang, Yujia Yang, Suxu Tan, Tao Zhou, Yang Liu, Changxu Tian, Lisui Bao, De Xing, Baofeng Su, Jinhai Wang, Yu Zhang, Shikai Liu, Huitong Shi, Dongya Gao, Rex Dunham, Zhanjiang Liu
Summary: The X and Y chromosomes of channel catfish have the same gene contents. The X-borne hydin-1 gene is silenced, while the Y-borne hydin-1 gene is expressed, resulting in monoallelic expression of hydin-1 responsible for sex determination, similar to genomic imprinting. Treatment with a methylation inhibitor, 5-aza-dC, erases the epigenetic marks and causes sex reversal.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jie Gong, Bijun Li, Ji Zhao, Zhixiong Zhou, Qiaozhen Ke, Qihui Zhu, Dongdong Xu, Tao Zhou, Peng Xu
Summary: In this study, a PCR method was developed to identify sex-specific sequences in rock bream using next-generation sequencing. Sex-specific genomic regions/loci were discovered on chromosomes 2 and 6, and candidate sex-determining genes were detected. A male-specific 34-bp deletion on chromosome 2 was identified as a molecular marker for sex determination in rock bream. This study provides insights into the mechanism of sex determination in rock bream and is important for future genomic research and aquaculture practice.
MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Felix E. G. Beaudry, Joanna L. Rifkin, Amanda L. Peake, Deanna Kim, Madeline Jarvis-Cross, Spencer C. H. Barrett, Stephen Wright
Summary: This study investigates the gene flow between different geographic types of the plant species Rumex hastatulus, revealing that hybrids readily form and survive multiple backcross generations in the field. The study also suggests that the neo-sex chromosomes play a role in reproductive isolation between different geographic types.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Silu Wang, Matthew J. Nalley, Kamalakar Chatla, Reema Aldaimalani, Ailene MacPherson, Kevin H-C Wei, Russell B. Corbett-Detig, Dat Mai, Doris Bachtrog
Summary: This study describes the conflicting roles of nascent sex chromosomes on introgression patterns in an experimental hybrid swarm. The researchers found that a large block containing overlapping inversions on the neo-sex chromosome acted as the strongest barrier to introgression. The study also investigated the interplay of sex chromosome drive, heterospecific pairing incompatibility, neo-Y disadvantage, and neo-X advantage in generating the observed introgression patterns.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Francisco Panzera, Angeles Cuadrado, Pablo Mora, Teresa Palomeque, Pedro Lorite, Sebastian Pita
Summary: This study analyzed the distribution of microsatellites in the holocentric chromosomes of Triatominae, which are vectors of Chagas disease. The results showed that there are differences in microsatellite distribution between Triatomini and Rhodniini species, with higher abundance and diversity in Triatomini. Additionally, a high abundance of GATA repeats was found in the Y chromosome of all Triatomini species, suggesting it is an ancestral trait specific to Triatomini.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jason M. Sardell, Matthew P. Josephson, Anne C. Dalziel, Catherine L. Peichel, Mark Kirkpatrick
Summary: By comparing closely related species with homologous sex chromosomes, researchers have found that the sex chromosomes of the blackspotted stickleback experienced independent and more extensive recombination suppression, greater X-Y differentiation, and a much higher rate of Y degeneration than the other two species. This could be due to the smaller effective population size in the blackspotted stickleback. Additionally, a recent fusion between the ancestral blackspotted stickleback Y chromosome and Chromosome 12 may have been favored by the very small size of the recombining region on the ancestral sex chromosome.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jianying Sun, Dan Su, Rengang Ma, Lei Chen, Qinghe Cao, Zongyun Li, Yonghua Han
Summary: This study investigated the chromosome behavior of sweetpotato and its possible polyploid ancestral species. The results suggest that tetraploid I. tabascana is likely an autotetraploid, while hexaploid I. trifida is more likely an autohexaploid. Sweetpotato may be a segmental allohexaploid.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Elena A. Pazhenkova, Vladimir A. Lukhtanov
Summary: Introgressive hybridization is more common in nature than previously thought, occurring more frequently in sympatric populations of recently diverged taxa. The study on Levant fritillary butterflies shows significant unidirectional gene flow from a distant congener Melitaea didyma to M. acentria, despite at least 5 million years of independent evolution. Elevated differentiation and lower level of introgression on the Z chromosome suggest intrinsic postzygotic barriers.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gaorui Gong, Yang Xiong, Shijun Xiao, Xi-Yin Li, Peipei Huang, Qian Liao, Qingqing Han, Qiaohong Lin, Cheng Dan, Li Zhou, Fan Ren, Qi Zhou, Jian-Fang Gui, Jie Mei
Summary: We assembled highly homomorphic Y and X chromosomes in yellow catfish and discovered that the Y chromosome is at an early stage of differentiation with no clear evidence of evolutionary strata and recombination suppression. The accumulation of sex-antagonistic mutations and repetitive elements in the sex-determining region suggests their role in recombination suppression between young X and Y chromosomes. Additionally, we found distinct chromatin organizations and nuclear spatial organization in the YY supermales and XX females, indicating chromatin remodeling after sex reversal.
NATIONAL SCIENCE REVIEW
(2023)
Review
Biology
Matthias Stoeck, Dmitrij Dedukh, Radka Reifova, Dunja K. Lamatsch, Zuzana Starostova, Karel Janko
Summary: The roles of sex chromosomes in vertebrate hybridization and speciation are dependent on the level of divergence, affecting the degree of reproductive isolation. Undifferentiated sex chromosomes are more susceptible to introgression and may give rise to new sex chromosome systems.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Fan Yu, Xinwang Zhao, Jin Chai, Xueer Ding, Xueting Li, Yongji Huang, Xianhong Wang, Jiayun Wu, Muqing Zhang, Qinghui Yang, Zuhu Deng, Jiming Jiang
Summary: Karyotypes provide important cytogenetic information for understanding phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary origins in related eukaryotic species. Oligonucleotide-based chromosome painting has emerged as a powerful tool for cytogenetic studies, especially in plant species with a large number of chromosomes. By developing oligo-based chromosome painting probes for Saccharum officinarum and conducting comparative chromosome analysis among different species within the Saccharum complex, novel cytotypes and chromosome rearrangements were discovered, shedding light on the evolution of these species.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Christophe Dufresnes, Alan Brelsford, Daniel L. Jeffries, Glib Mazepa, Tomasz Suchan, Daniele Canestrelli, Alfredo Nicieza, Luca Fumagalli, Sylvain Dubey, Inigo Martinez-Solano, Spartak N. Litvinchuk, Miguel Vences, Nicolas Perrin, Pierre-Andre Crochet
Summary: Research on frog and toad hybrid zones suggests that as lineages diverge, parts of the genome resist introgression, indicating that anuran speciation involves the gradual accumulation of multiple barrier loci scattered across the genome. This highly polygenic nature of reproductive isolation, along with the lack of hemizygous sex chromosomes, may explain the slower speciation clock in amphibians compared to other vertebrates.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Milena Paneque, Thomas Liehr, Clara Serra Juhe, Ute Moog, Bela Melegh, Isabel Carreira
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN GENETICS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Andre Weber, Thomas Liehr, Ahmed Al-Rikabi, Simal Bilgen, Uwe Heinrich, Jenny Schiller, Markus Stumm
Summary: This study reported a unique, complex, and discontinuous small supernumerary marker chromosome (sSMC) in a patient with multiple diseases.
Review
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Gilda Alves, Maria Helena Ornellas, Thomas Liehr
Summary: The CAMTA1 gene plays a central role in the human nervous system and is associated with brain tumors and neurological disorders. Mutations and variants of CAMTA1 are linked to neurodegenerative diseases, while single nucleotide polymorphisms are associated with memory problems and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. However, further research is needed to understand the rearrangements and expression of CAMTA1 in different cases.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Thays Duarte de Oliveira, Natasha Avila Bertocchi, Rafael Kretschmer, Edivaldo H. C. de Oliveira, Marcelo de Bello Cioffi, Thomas Liehr, Thales R. O. de Freitas
Summary: In this study, molecular cytogenetic analysis was used to investigate the genomic elements involved in the population variation observed in the Neotropical underground rodents of the genus Ctenomys. The results suggest that there is a correlation between repetitive genomic content and localization of evolutionary breakpoint regions, highlighting their direct impact on promoting chromosomal rearrangements.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sandra Classen, Elena Rahlf, Johannes Jungwirth, Nina Albers, Luca Philipp Hebestreit, Alexandra Zielinski, Lena Poole, Marco Groth, Philipp Koch, Thomas Liehr, Stefanie Kankel, Nils Cordes, Cordula Petersen, Kai Rothkamm, Helmut Pospiech, Kerstin Borgmann
Summary: By introducing BRCA1 mutations using CRISPR/Cas9, this study found that these mutations increased both sensitivity and resistance to exogenous DNA damage in breast cancer cells. Resistance was associated with improved DNA double-strand break repair and reduction in replication stress.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Cell Biology
Thomas Liehr
Summary: Chromosomal heteromorphisms (CHs) are part of genetic variation in humans. Recent research has raised questions about the potential role of CHs in cancer susceptibility. However, the current routine cytogenetic analysis does not give CHs sufficient consideration, which highlights the need for more attention in future research, particularly in the study of solid tumors.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Mariane Gavazzoni, Carla S. Pavanelli, Weferson J. Graca, Ezequiel A. De Oliveira, Orlando Moreira-Filho, Vladimir P. Margarido
Summary: The study conducted cytogenetic and molecular analyses on Psalidodon fasciatus complex in Brazilian hydrographic systems, revealing its high taxonomic complexity and genetic variability. Chromosomal markers and DNA barcoding analyses identified multiple distinct species and operational taxonomic units (OTUs), highlighting the importance of chromosomal markers in integrative taxonomy studies.
BIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Pian Zhang, Peng Tan, Lei Zhang, Wenliang Zhu, Ruiyi Chen, Ligai Wang, Dongdong Xu
Summary: This study aimed to optimize the enrichment of soybean lecithin (SL) in Artemia nauplii and compare the growth, body composition, and liver metabolism of rock bream larvae fed SL-enriched Artemia nauplii or SL-enriched microdiet (MD). The results showed that 12-hour enrichment with 10 g SL/m(3) seawater yielded desirable results. At stage 1 (25-40 dph), larvae fed live prey exhibited significantly higher growth performance, while at stage 2 (41-55 dph), MD-fed larvae had increased length and growth rate. MD-fed larvae showed decreased lipolysis-related enzyme activity and liver amino acid catabolism-related enzyme activities. RNA sequencing revealed increased expression of lipogenesis and protein translation-related genes in the liver tissue of MD-fed larvae. The findings suggest that SL enrichment protocols and feeding strategies have significant effects on the growth and metabolism of rock bream larvae.
AQUACULTURE NUTRITION
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Gustavo A. Toma, Natalia dos Santos, Rodrigo dos Santos, Petr Rab, Rafael Kretschmer, Tariq Ezaz, Luiz A. C. Bertollo, Thomas Liehr, Fabio Porto-Foresti, Terumi Hatanaka, Alongklod Tanomtong, Ricardo Utsunomia, Marcelo B. Cioffi
Summary: The study investigated the karyotypes of different color phenotypes in Scleropages formosus using molecular cytogenetic techniques. The results revealed population genetic structure and microstructure differences in the karyotypes of the color phenotypes, but did not conclusively support the hypothesis of discrete lineages or evolutionary units among them.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Dagmar Heydeck, Christoph Ufer, Kumar R. Kakularam, Michael Rothe, Thomas Liehr, Philippe Poulain, Hartmut Kuhn
Summary: The researchers created transgenic mice expressing human ALOX15 under the control of the aP2 promoter, which showed high expression in adipocytes, bone marrow cells, and peritoneal macrophages. The catalytic activity of the transgenic enzyme was confirmed through activity assays and plasma metabolite analysis. The aP2-ALOX15 mice exhibited gender-specific differences in body-weight kinetics compared to the wildtype controls.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Jhon A. D. Vidal, Francisco de M. C. Sassi, Renata L. R. de Moraes, Roberto F. Artoni, Thomas Liehr, Marcelo B. Cioffi, Mara C. de Almeida
Summary: In this study, the similarity of X and Y chromosomes in four Omophoita species was examined, and genomic differentiation was compared to better understand the evolutionary process of the giant sex chromosomes. The results showed significant genomic similarity between the sexes and a sex-specific region on the Y chromosome, as well as genomic divergence between species. However, whole chromosome painting experiments revealed high intra- and interspecific similarity of the sex chromosomes in O. octoguttata. Our data support a common origin and canonical evolution of the sex chromosomes in this group, as they have high genomic similarity between them.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Galina Hovhannisyan, Tigran Harutyunyan, Rouben Aroutiounian, Thomas Liehr
Summary: Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) has become a commonly used diagnostic marker in various pathologies, including viral infections like COVID-19, due to its higher sensitivity compared to standard biochemical parameters. This review focuses on the identification, sources, molecular features, and mechanisms of release and clearance of cfDNA. It discusses the general suitability of cfDNA for diagnostic purposes, potential limitations, and future directions, with a special emphasis on coronavirus infection.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Francisco de Menezes Cavalcante Sassi, Alexandr Sember, Geize Aparecida Deon, Thomas Liehr, Niklas Padutsch, Osvaldo Takeshi Oyakawa, Marcelo Ricardo Vicari, Luiz Antonio Carlos Bertollo, Orlando Moreira-Filho, Marcelo de Bello Cioffi
Summary: The study investigates the chromosomal rearrangements and associated synteny blocks in the origin of a multiple X1X2Y sex chromosome system in the Neotropical catfish genus Harttia. The results suggest that the X1X2Y sex chromosome systems in H. punctata, H. duriventris and H. villasboas represent the same linkage groups which also form the putative XY sex chromosomes of H. rondoni. The study also indicates that the X1X2Y sex chromosome system may have formed through an X chromosome fission rather than a previously proposed Y-autosome fusion.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Biology
Mariannah Pravatti Barcellos de Oliveira, Rafael Kretschmer, Geize Aparecida Deon, Gustavo Akira Toma, Tariq Ezaz, Caio Augusto Gomes Goes, Fabio Porto-Foresti, Thomas Liehr, Ricardo Utsunomia, Marcelo de Bello Cioffi
Summary: In this study, the dynamics of satellite DNAs (SatDNAs) accumulation and elimination during W chromosome differentiation in Triportheus fish were investigated. The majority of repetitive sequences were eliminated as speciation occurred in five additional Triportheus species. While the W chromosomes continued to degenerate, the Z chromosomes in some species began to accumulate TauSatDNAs. Species-specific SatDNAs were likely amplified in the heterochromatic regions of both Z and W chromosomes in each species. Thus, the W chromosomes of various Triportheus species underwent significant evolutionary changes within a short period of time (15-25 Myr) after divergence.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Renata Luiza Rosa de Moraes, Francisco de Menezes Cavalcante Sassi, Jhon Alex Dziechciarz Vidal, Caio Augusto Gomes Goes, Rodrigo Zeni dos Santos, Jose Henrique Forte Stornioli, Fabio Porto-Foresti, Thomas Liehr, Ricardo Utsunomia, Marcelo de Bello Cioffi
Summary: Chromosomal rearrangements play a significant role in the evolution of fish genomes, and satellite DNA sequences have potential relevance in both sex and karyotype evolution. This study investigated the association of satDNAs with chromosome-shuffling events and their involvement in the evolution of sex chromosomes in Pyrrhulina fish. In addition, a large collection of satDNAs for both species was characterized for the first time, and their potential involvement in karyotype evolution was demonstrated.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
