Genetics. Published Articles Ahead of Print: April 2, 2006, Copyright © 2006
doi:10.1534/genetics.105.050203


A more recent version of this article appeared on June 1, 2006.


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Disentangling reasons for low Y chromosome variation in the greater-white toothed shrew (Crocidura russula)

1 University of Cambridge
2 University of Lausanne

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: ljl27{at}cam.ac.uk.

Submitted on August 29, 2005
Revised on October 27, 2005
Accepted on 31 March 2006


Abstract

Y chromosome variation is determined by several confounding factors including mutation rate, effective population size, demography and selection. Disentangling these factors is essential to better understand the evolutionary properties of the Y chromosome. We analyzed genetic variation on the Y chromosome, X chromosome and mtDNA of the greater white-toothed shrew, a species with low variance in male reproductive success and limited sex-biased dispersal, which enables us to control to some extent for life-history effects. We also compared ancestral (Moroccan) to derived (European) populations to investigate the role of demographic history in determining Y variation. Recent colonization of Europe by a small number of founders (combined with low mutation rates) is largely responsible for low diversity observed on the European Y and X chromosomes compared to mtDNA. After accounting for mutation rate, copy number and demography, the Y chromosome still displays a deficit in variation relative to the X in both populations. This is possibly influenced by directional selection, but the slightly higher variance in male reproductive success is also likely to play a role, even though the difference is small compared to highly polygynous species. This study illustrates that demography and life-history effects should be scrutinized before inferring strong selective pressure as a reason for low diversity on the Y chromosome.

Key Words: Y chromosome variation, demography, effective population size, mutation rate, selection




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