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The sex chromosomes of dioecious white campion, Silene latifolia (Caryophyllaceae), are of relatively recent origin (10-20 million years), providing a unique opportunity to trace the origin and evolution of sex chromosomes in this genus by comparing closely related Silene species with and without sex chromosomes. Here I demonstrate that four genes that are X-linked in S. latifolia are also linked in nondioecious S. vulgaris, which is consistent with Ohno's (1967) hypothesis that sex chromosomes evolve from a single pair of autosomes. I also report a genetic map for four S. latifolia X-linked genes, SlX1, DD44X, SlX4, and a new X-linked gene SlssX, which encodes spermidine synthase. The order of the genes on the S. latifolia X chromosome and divergence between the homologous X- and Y-linked copies of these genes supports the "evolutionary strata" model, with at least three consecutive expansions of the nonrecombining region on the Y chromosome (NRY) in this plant species.

Original publication

DOI

10.1534/genetics.104.037069

Type

Journal article

Journal

Genetics

Publication Date

06/2005

Volume

170

Pages

975 - 979

Keywords

Chromosome Mapping, Crosses, Genetic, DNA Primers, DNA, Plant, Evolution, Molecular, Genes, Plant, Models, Genetic, Plants, Polymerase Chain Reaction, Recombination, Genetic, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Sex Chromosomes, Silene, X Chromosome, Y Chromosome