TY - JOUR
T1 - How the gene content of human sex chromosomes evolved
AU - Graves, Jennifer A.Marshall
AU - Koina, Edda
AU - Sankovic, Natasha
PY - 2006/6
Y1 - 2006/6
N2 - The X and Y chromosomes of humans and other mammals both have very atypical gene contents. The degenerate Y bears only a handful of genes that are specialized for male sex and reproduction. Now it seems that the X over-represents genes controlling reproductive traits and intelligence. This is hard to explain in terms of function but makes excellent sense in terms of evolution. Comparisons between the gene content of the X and Y in humans, distantly related mammals, and other vertebrates, define the evolutionary past of our sex chromosomes and suggest how special selective forces act on the X and Y.
AB - The X and Y chromosomes of humans and other mammals both have very atypical gene contents. The degenerate Y bears only a handful of genes that are specialized for male sex and reproduction. Now it seems that the X over-represents genes controlling reproductive traits and intelligence. This is hard to explain in terms of function but makes excellent sense in terms of evolution. Comparisons between the gene content of the X and Y in humans, distantly related mammals, and other vertebrates, define the evolutionary past of our sex chromosomes and suggest how special selective forces act on the X and Y.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33646513743&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.gde.2006.04.007
DO - 10.1016/j.gde.2006.04.007
M3 - Review article
SN - 0959-437X
VL - 16
SP - 219
EP - 224
JO - Current Opinion in Genetics and Development
JF - Current Opinion in Genetics and Development
IS - 3
ER -