RT Journal
A1 Mulugeta, Eskeatnaf
A1 Wassenaar, Evelyne
A1 Sleddens-Linkels, Esther
A1 van IJcken, Wilfred F.J.
A1 Heard, Edith
A1 Grootegoed, J. Anton
A1 Just, Walter
A1 Gribnau, Joost
A1 Baarends, Willy M.
T1 Genomes of Ellobius species provide insight into the evolutionary dynamics of mammalian sex chromosomes
JF Genome Research 
JO Genome Research 
YR 2016 
FD September 01 
VO 26 
IS 9 
SP 1202 
OP 1210 
DO 10.1101/gr.201665.115 
UL http://genome.cshlp.org/content/26/9/1202.abstract 
AB The X and Y sex chromosomes of placental mammals show hallmarks of a tumultuous evolutionary past. The X Chromosome has a rich and conserved gene content, while the Y Chromosome has lost most of its genes. In the Transcaucasian mole vole Ellobius lutescens, the Y Chromosome including Sry has been lost, and both females and males have a 17,X diploid karyotype. Similarly, the closely related Ellobius talpinus, has a 54,XX karyotype in both females and males. Here, we report the sequencing and assembly of the E. lutescens and E. talpinus genomes. The results indicate that the loss of the Y Chromosome in E. lutescens and E. talpinus occurred in two independent events. Four functional homologs of mouse Y-Chromosomal genes were detected in both female and male E. lutescens, of which three were also detected in the E. talpinus genome. One of these is Eif2s3y, known as the only Y-derived gene that is crucial for successful male meiosis. Female and male E. lutescens can carry one and the same X Chromosome with a largely conserved gene content, including all genes known to function in X Chromosome inactivation. The availability of the genomes of these mole vole species provides unique models to study the dynamics of sex chromosome evolution.