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Heterochiasmy facilitated the establishment of gsdf as a novel sex determining gene in Atlantic halibut

Edvardsen, R. B.; Wallerman, O.; Furmanek, T.; Kleppe, L.; Jern, P.; Wallberg, A.; Kjaerner-Semb, E.; Maehle, S.; Olausson, S. K.; Sundstrom, E.; Harboe, T.; Mangor-Jensen, R.; Mogster, M.; Perrichon, P.; Norberg, B.; Rubin, C.-J.

2020-11-24 genomics
10.1101/2020.11.24.396218 bioRxiv
Show abstract

Atlantic Halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) has a X/Y genetic sex determination system, but the sex determining factor is not known. We produced a high-quality genome assembly and identified parts of chromosome 13 as the Y chromosome due to sequence divergence between sexes and segregation of sex genotypes in pedigrees. Linkage analysis revealed that all chromosomes exhibit heterochiasmy, i.e. male- and female restricted meiotic recombination intervals (MRR/FRR). We show that FRR/MRR intervals differ in nucleotide diversity and repeat class content and that this is true also for other Pleuronectidae species. We further show that remnants of a Gypsy-like transposable element insertion on chr13 promotes early male specific expression of gonadal somatic cell derived factor (gsdf). Less than 4 MYA, this male-determining element evolved on an autosomal FRR segment featuring pre-existing male meiotic recombination barriers, thereby creating a Y chromosome. We propose that heterochiasmy may facilitate the evolution of genetic sex determination systems.

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