Identification of a novel sex determining chromosome in cichlid fishes that acts as XY or ZW in different lineages
Publisher DOI
Abstract
Sex determination systems are highly conserved among most vertebrates with genetic sex
determination, but can be variable and evolve rapidly in some. Here, we study sex determination in a clade with exceptionally high sex chromosome turnover rates. We identify the sex determining chromosomes in three interspecific crosses of haplochromine cichlid fishes from Lakes Victoria and Malawi. We find evidence for different sex determiners in each cross. In the Malawi cross and one Victoria cross the same chromosome is sex-linked but while females are the heterogametic sex in the Malawi species, males are the
heterogametic sex in the Victoria species. This chromosome has not previously been reported to be sex determining in cichlids, increasing the number of different chromosomes shown to be sex determining in cichlids to 12. All Lake Victoria species of our crosses
are less than 15,000 years divergent, and we identified different sex determiners among them. Our study provides further evidence for the diversity and evolutionary flexibility of sex determination in cichlids, factors which might contribute to their rapid adaptive
radiations.
determination, but can be variable and evolve rapidly in some. Here, we study sex determination in a clade with exceptionally high sex chromosome turnover rates. We identify the sex determining chromosomes in three interspecific crosses of haplochromine cichlid fishes from Lakes Victoria and Malawi. We find evidence for different sex determiners in each cross. In the Malawi cross and one Victoria cross the same chromosome is sex-linked but while females are the heterogametic sex in the Malawi species, males are the
heterogametic sex in the Victoria species. This chromosome has not previously been reported to be sex determining in cichlids, increasing the number of different chromosomes shown to be sex determining in cichlids to 12. All Lake Victoria species of our crosses
are less than 15,000 years divergent, and we identified different sex determiners among them. Our study provides further evidence for the diversity and evolutionary flexibility of sex determination in cichlids, factors which might contribute to their rapid adaptive
radiations.
Date Issued
2021
Publication Type
Article
Subject(s)
Language(s)
en
Journal
Hydrobiologia
Publisher
Springer Netherlands
ISSN
0018-8158
Access(Rights)
open.access