Repeated co-option of HMG-box genes for sex determination in brown algae and animals

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Luthringer, Remy; Raphalen, Morgane; Guerra, Carla; Colin, Sebastien; Martinho, Claudia; Zheng, Min; Hoshino, Masakazu; Badis, Yacine; Lipinska, Agnieszka P.; Haas, Fabian B.; Barrera-Redondo, Josue; Alva, Vikram; Coelho, Susana M.
• 署名单位: Max Planck Society; Kobe University; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS); Sorbonne Universite; Max Planck Society
• 刊物名称: SCIENCE
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0036-11444
• DOI: 10.1126/science.adk5466
• 发表日期: 2024-03-22
• 关键词: ectocarpus-siliculosus; y-chromosome; EVOLUTION; sequence; genome; multicellularity; identification; phaeophyceae; reproduction; annotation

摘要

In many eukaryotes, genetic sex determination is not governed by XX/XY or ZW/ZZ systems but by a specialized region on the poorly studied U (female) or V (male) sex chromosomes. Previous studies have hinted at the existence of a dominant male-sex factor on the V chromosome in brown algae, a group of multicellular eukaryotes distantly related to animals and plants. The nature of this factor has remained elusive. Here, we demonstrate that an HMG-box gene acts as the male-determining factor in brown algae, mirroring the role HMG-box genes play in sex determination in animals. Over a billion-year evolutionary timeline, these lineages have independently co-opted the HMG box for male determination, representing a paradigm for evolution's ability to recurrently use the same genetic toolkit to accomplish similar tasks.