The Story Of X: Evolution Of A Sex Chromosome
Friday, April 24, 2009 - 19:35
in Biology & Nature
The sex chromosomes -- XX in women and XY in men -- date from the earliest mammals, but how did they evolve to look as they do today? While the male-determining Y has received lots of attention, a biologist has now focused on the X, and finds that it tells a fascinating story of adaptation to a shrinking Y. Such adaptation involves dosage compensation and de-masculinization -- loss of genes important only to males.