The degenerate Y chromosome - Can conversion save it?

Jennifer A. Marshall Graves*

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    34 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    The human Y chromosome is running out of time. In the last 300 million years, it has lost 1393 of its original 1438 genes, and at this rate it will lose the last 45 in a mere 10 million years. But there has been a proposal that perhaps rescue is at hand in the form of recently discovered gene conversion within palindromes. However, I argue here that although conversion will increase the frequency of variation of the Y (particularly amplification) between Y chromosomes in a population, it will not lead to a drive towards a more functional Y. The forces of evolution have made the Y a genetically isolated, non-recombining entity, vulnerable to genetic drift and selection for favourable new variants sharing the Y with damaging mutations. Perhaps it will even speed up the decline of the Y chromosome and the onset of a new round of sex-chromosome differentiation. The struggle to preserve males may perhaps lead to hominid speciation.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)527-534
    Number of pages8
    JournalReproduction, Fertility and Development
    Volume16
    Issue number5
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2004

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