4.6 Article

Cytogenetic Analysis of Seven Species of Gekkonid and Phyllodactylid Geckos

Related references

Note: Only part of the references are listed.
Article Cell Biology

Madagascar Leaf-Tail Geckos (Uroplatus spp.) Share Independently Evolved Differentiated ZZ/ZW Sex Chromosomes

Eleonora Pensabene et al.

Summary: Geckos, especially the Madagascar leaf-tail geckos of the Uroplatus genus, provide a great model for studying the evolution of sex determination. Our research reveals the presence of highly heterochromatic W chromosomes in these geckos, with a specific region on the Z chromosome shared with chicken chromosomes. Despite differences in their W chromosomes, all tested species of leaf-tail geckos share homologous sex chromosomes. This finding highlights the importance of studying the convergence of sex chromosomes from the same genomic region.

CELLS (2023)

Article Genetics & Heredity

Cytogenetic Analysis of the Members of the Snake Genera Cylindrophis, Eryx, Python, and Tropidophis

Tomas Charvat et al.

Summary: The recent discovery of independently evolved XX/XY sex determination systems in Python and Boa snakes has prompted further research into poorly studied snake lineages to understand the evolution of sex chromosomes. In this study, seven species from different genera were examined, revealing variability in the distribution of heterochromatin, telomeric repeats, and rDNA loci. The results suggest that these species likely have homomorphic, poorly differentiated sex chromosomes, as no sex-specific differences were detected.

GENES (2022)

Article Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science

First Insights on the Karyotype Diversification of the Endemic Malagasy Leaf-Toed Geckos (Squamata: Gekkonidae: Uroplatus)

Marcello Mezzasalma et al.

Summary: The study provides the first karyotype description of eight Uroplatus species, revealing chromosome diversity in terms of chromosome number, heterochromatin composition, and NORs localization. Chromosome reduction is proposed to have occurred through translocations of microchromosomes on larger chromosomes, with independent sex chromosome diversification in different genera.

ANIMALS (2022)

Article Evolutionary Biology

Congruence and Conflict in the Higher-Level Phylogenetics of Squamate Reptiles: An Expanded Phylogenomic Perspective

Sonal Singhal et al.

Summary: Genome-scale data can clarify phylogenetic relationships but also reveal gene tree conflict, particularly in squamate reptiles. Identifying rate and compositional heterogeneity as primary factors driving discordance, a locus-by-locus and node-by-node approach helps confidently resolve contentious nodes in phylogenomic studies, building consensus on uncertain topological resolutions.

SYSTEMATIC BIOLOGY (2021)

Article Biology

Poorly differentiated XX/XY sex chromosomes are widely shared across skink radiation

Alexander Kostmann et al.

Summary: Research on skinks reveals that they have shared homologous XX/XY sex chromosomes for at least 85 million years, demonstrating the evolutionary stability of poorly differentiated sex chromosomes. This discovery also allows for the development of a molecular sexing method applicable to a wide range of skink species.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES (2021)

Article Genetics & Heredity

Sex Chromosome Turnover in Bent-Toed Geckos (Cyrtodactylus)

Shannon E. Keating et al.

Summary: Sex chromosome turnover appears to be common within geckos, particularly within the genus Cyrtodactylus, highlighting their exceptional diversity in sex determination systems within a group already known for diverse sex chromosomes.

GENES (2021)

Article Multidisciplinary Sciences

Microchromosomes are building blocks of bird and mammal chromosomes

Paul D. Waters et al.

Summary: The study found that microchromosomes, as elements of an ancient animal genome, are highly conserved in birds and share synteny with certain small chromosomes in the chordate amphioxus. Turtles and squamates have independently lost microchromosomes through fusion events, resulting in different fusion patterns in different lineages. Microchromosomes are spatially separated into a central compartment in cells, showing higher interaction between microchromosomes compared to macrochromosomes.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (2021)

Article Developmental Biology

First Report of Sex Chromosomes in Plated Lizards (Squamata: Gerrhosauridae)

Alexander Kostmann et al.

Summary: This study applied both conventional and molecular cytogenetic methods to investigate the sex chromosomes of the Peters' keeled plated lizard (Tracheloptychus petersi) and found accumulations of rDNA loci in a pair of microchromosomes in males, but only in a single microchromosome in females. The restriction of observed heterozygosity to females suggests a putative ZZ/ZW system of sex chromosomes in this species, which is the first report of sex chromosomes in a gerrhosaurid lizard. All other cytogenetic methods did not show sex-specific signals, indicating that the sex chromosomes of T. petersi are poorly differentiated in sequence content.

SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT (2021)

Article Cell Biology

Remnant of Unrelated Amniote Sex Chromosomal Linkage Sharing on the Same Chromosome in House Gecko Lizards, Providing a Better Understanding of the Ancestral Super-Sex Chromosome

Worapong Singchat et al.

Summary: This study investigated sex chromosomal linkage groups in amniotes using bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs) from chicken and zebra finch genomes. The results showed associations between BACs mapped on flat-tailed house gecko lizard (HPL) chromosomes and other amniote sex chromosomes, indicating transitions to sex chromosomes across amniotes. No BAC hybridization signals were found on male house gecko lizard (HFR) chromosomes. The study also suggested a large ancestral super-sex chromosome with correlations between squamate reptile chromosome 2 (SR2) and snake W sex chromosomes.

CELLS (2021)

Article Evolutionary Biology

Are Geckos Special in Sex Determination? Independently Evolved Differentiated ZZ/ZW Sex Chromosomes in Carphodactylid Geckos

Barbora Augstenova et al.

Summary: Geckos exhibit remarkable variability in sex determination, with ZZ/ZW sex chromosomes evolving independently within certain genera and remaining stable for at least 15 million years and potentially up to 45 million years. These findings support the hypothesis that geckos do not significantly differ from the evolutionary transitions in sex determination observed in the majority of amniote lineages.

GENOME BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION (2021)

Article Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Cytogenetically Elusive Sex Chromosomes in Scincoidean Lizards

Alexander Kostmann et al.

Summary: Lizards of the Scincoidea clade, including cordylids, gerrhosaurids, skinks, and xantusiids, exhibit almost worldwide distribution and significant ecological and morphological diversity. Despite limited variability in cytogenetic traits, different species show conservation in diploid chromosome numbers but significant variation in chromosome morphology and the presence of interstitial telomeric sequences. Sex chromosomes, identified as XX/XY, are only found in Tiliqua scincoides within this clade, indicating a generally poor stage of differentiation in sex chromosomes among these lizards.

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES (2021)

Article Cell Biology

Cytogenetic Evidence for Sex Chromosomes and Karyotype Evolution in Anguimorphan Lizards

Barbora Augstenova et al.

Summary: Anguimorphan lizards are a group of squamate reptiles with wide geographical distribution and morphological variability. Their karyotypes show significant variation across different lineages, with Anguids exhibiting the most variability. The study documented differentiated sex chromosomes in monitors and helodermatids, as well as in some anguids, and also revealed a rare case of spontaneous triploidy in Varanus primordius.

CELLS (2021)

Review Cell Biology

Why Do Some Vertebrates Have Microchromosomes?

Kornsorn Srikulnath et al.

Summary: Vertebrates, with over 70,000 living species, play a significant role in biology and research, especially in the study of karyotype evolution. The mysterious presence of microchromosomes in many vertebrate karyotypes raises questions about their evolutionary origins and unique genome structure characteristics. Recent studies have shed light on the high gene densities, low heterochromatin levels, and high recombination rates of microchromosomes, expanding our understanding of karyotype evolution dynamics.

CELLS (2021)

Article Multidisciplinary Sciences

Sex is determined by XX/XY sex chromosomes in Australasian side-necked turtles (Testudines: Chelidae)

Sofia Mazzoleni et al.

SCIENTIFIC REPORTS (2020)

Article Genetics & Heredity

Interstitial Telomeric Repeats Are Rare in Turtles

Lorenzo Clemente et al.

GENES (2020)

Article Ecology

Conserved ZZ/ZW sex chromosomes in Caribbean croaking geckos (Aristelliger: Sphaerodactylidae)

Shannon E. Keating et al.

JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY (2020)

Review Genetics & Heredity

Telomeres and telomerase: three decades of progress

Jerry W. Shay et al.

NATURE REVIEWS GENETICS (2019)

Article Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

The rise and fall of differentiated sex chromosomes in geckos

Michail Rovatsos et al.

MOLECULAR ECOLOGY (2019)

Article Evolutionary Biology

XX/XY Sex Chromosomes in the South American Dwarf Gecko (Gonatodes humeralis)

Tony Gamble et al.

JOURNAL OF HEREDITY (2018)

Article Genetics & Heredity

Evolutionary Dynamics of the W Chromosome in Caenophidian Snakes

Barbora Augstenova et al.

GENES (2018)

Article Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

TimeTree: A Resource for Timelines, Timetrees, and Divergence Times

Sudhir Kumar et al.

MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION (2017)

Article Genetics & Heredity

Evolution of Karyotypes in Chameleons

Michail Rovatsos et al.

GENES (2017)

Article Multidisciplinary Sciences

Stable Cretaceous sex chromosomes enable molecular sexing in softshell turtles (Testudines: Trionychidae)

Michail Rovatsos et al.

SCIENTIFIC REPORTS (2017)

Article Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

The Discovery of XY Sex Chromosomes in a Boa and Python

Tony Gamble et al.

CURRENT BIOLOGY (2017)

Article Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Low rate of interchromosomal rearrangements during old radiation of gekkotan lizards (Squamata: Gekkota)

Martina Johnson Pokorna et al.

CHROMOSOME RESEARCH (2015)

Article Multidisciplinary Sciences

Sex reversal triggers the rapid transition from genetic to temperature-dependent sex

Clare E. Holleley et al.

NATURE (2015)

Article Multidisciplinary Sciences

Interstitial Telomeric Motifs in Squamate Reptiles: When the Exceptions Outnumber the Rule

Michail Rovatsos et al.

PLOS ONE (2015)

Article Cell Biology

Nascent ZW Sex Chromosomes in Thecadactylus rapicauda (Reptilia, Squamata, Phyllodactylidae)

Michael Schmid et al.

CYTOGENETIC AND GENOME RESEARCH (2014)

Article Evolutionary Biology

A phylogeny and revised classification of Squamata, including 4161 species of lizards and snakes

R. Alexander Pyron et al.

BMC EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY (2013)

Review Developmental Biology

A Review of Sex Determining Mechanisms in Geckos (Gekkota: Squamata)

T. Gamble

SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT (2010)

Article Cell Biology

Cytogenetics and Molecular Data in Snakes: A Phylogenetic Approach

N. Oguiura et al.

CYTOGENETIC AND GENOME RESEARCH (2009)

Review Genetics & Heredity

Mammalian karyotype evolution

Malcolm A. Ferguson-Smith et al.

NATURE REVIEWS GENETICS (2007)