Dynamics of a sex-linked deleterious mutation in populations subject to sex reversal.

The heterogametic sex chromosomes (i.e. mammalian Y and avian W) do not usually recombine with the homogametic sex chromosomes which is known to lead into rapid degeneration of Y and W due to accumulation of deleterious mutations. On the other hand, some 96% of amphibian species have homomorphic, i....

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Main Author: Markku Karhunen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2011-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0025362&type=printable
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author Markku Karhunen
author_facet Markku Karhunen
author_sort Markku Karhunen
collection DOAJ
description The heterogametic sex chromosomes (i.e. mammalian Y and avian W) do not usually recombine with the homogametic sex chromosomes which is known to lead into rapid degeneration of Y and W due to accumulation of deleterious mutations. On the other hand, some 96% of amphibian species have homomorphic, i.e. non-degenerate Y chromosomes. Nicolas Perrin's fountain-of-youth hypothesis states that this is a result of recombination between X and Y chromosomes in sex-reversed individuals. In this study, I model the consequences of such recombination for the dynamics of a deleterious mutation occurring in Y chromosomes. As expected, even relatively low levels of sex reversal help to purge deleterious mutations. However, the population-dynamic consequences of this depend on the type of selection that operates on the population undergoing sex reversal. Under fecundity selection, sex reversal can be beneficial for some parameter values, whereas under survival selection, it seems to be always harmful.
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spelling doaj-art-79442274f9a54a679e4e6e09afe2224d2025-08-20T02:30:58ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032011-01-01610e2536210.1371/journal.pone.0025362Dynamics of a sex-linked deleterious mutation in populations subject to sex reversal.Markku KarhunenThe heterogametic sex chromosomes (i.e. mammalian Y and avian W) do not usually recombine with the homogametic sex chromosomes which is known to lead into rapid degeneration of Y and W due to accumulation of deleterious mutations. On the other hand, some 96% of amphibian species have homomorphic, i.e. non-degenerate Y chromosomes. Nicolas Perrin's fountain-of-youth hypothesis states that this is a result of recombination between X and Y chromosomes in sex-reversed individuals. In this study, I model the consequences of such recombination for the dynamics of a deleterious mutation occurring in Y chromosomes. As expected, even relatively low levels of sex reversal help to purge deleterious mutations. However, the population-dynamic consequences of this depend on the type of selection that operates on the population undergoing sex reversal. Under fecundity selection, sex reversal can be beneficial for some parameter values, whereas under survival selection, it seems to be always harmful.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0025362&type=printable
spellingShingle Markku Karhunen
Dynamics of a sex-linked deleterious mutation in populations subject to sex reversal.
PLoS ONE
title Dynamics of a sex-linked deleterious mutation in populations subject to sex reversal.
title_full Dynamics of a sex-linked deleterious mutation in populations subject to sex reversal.
title_fullStr Dynamics of a sex-linked deleterious mutation in populations subject to sex reversal.
title_full_unstemmed Dynamics of a sex-linked deleterious mutation in populations subject to sex reversal.
title_short Dynamics of a sex-linked deleterious mutation in populations subject to sex reversal.
title_sort dynamics of a sex linked deleterious mutation in populations subject to sex reversal
url https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0025362&type=printable
work_keys_str_mv AT markkukarhunen dynamicsofasexlinkeddeleteriousmutationinpopulationssubjecttosexreversal