Abstract
Sex chromosomes carry the master sex-determining genes. In many diploid species, one sex carries two similar sex chromosomes (X or Z), whereas the other sex carries two different ones (Y and X in males or W and Z in females). Sex chromosomes originate from autosomes through gain of a sex-determining function. They undergo a series of evolutionary transitions including association with sexually antagonistic genes, suppression of recombination, genomic degeneration as a result of mutation accumulation, and inactivation and loss of genes. At some point, a mutation-loaded sex chromosome may be replaced by a new proto-sex chromosome, restarting this cycle of birth, maturation, and decay.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Biology |
| Editors | Richard M. Kliman |
| Place of Publication | London, UK |
| Publisher | Academic Press |
| Pages | 72-80 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Volume | 4 |
| Edition | 1 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 978-0-12-800426-5 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2016 |