Genes)are)distributed)non-randomly)across)the)genome.)One)intriguing)pattern)to) emerge)from)genome-wide)expression)profiling)is)that)genes)with)sex-biased) expression)(that)is,)genes)that)are)differentially)expressed)between)the)sexes))show) a)biased)distribution)on)sex)chromosomes.)In)particular,)male-biased)genes)are) depleted)from)the)Drosophila)X)chromosome,)such)that)the)X)has)become) demasculinized.)The)deficiency)of)male-biased)genes)can)partly)be)explained)by) movement)of)male)genes)off)the)X)chromosome.)The)evolutionary)forces)underlying) these)patterns)are)controversial)and)may)involve)male)germline)X)inactivation,) sexual)antagonism)or)dosage)compensation)mechanisms.)Drosophila)miranda)-)a) species)for)which)we)recently)generated)a)de)novo)genome)sequence)assembly)-)has) a)newly)formed)sex)chromosome)system.)Its)neo-Y)chromosome)is)in)transition) from)an)ordinary)autosome)to)a)degenerate)Y.)In)response,)the)neo-X)is)evolving)the) stereotypical)properties)of)a)differentiated)X,)including)the)acquisition)of)partial) dosage)compensation)and)-)as)suggested)by)preliminary)data-an)excess)of)gene) translocations)originating)from)its)neo-X.)D.)miranda)therefore)provides)a)unique) system)to)study)the)mechanisms)of)gene)trafficking)on)an)evolving)X)chromosome) and)its)evolutionary)causes)in)action)using)a)comparative)and)functional)genomics) approach.)
Evidence for the importance of genetic factors in male fertility is accumulating, and is often associated with genes that are expressed in testis. Comparative genome analysis has shown that testis genes show rapid turnover between species (that is, many novel genes unique to humans show testis-specific expression) and often avoiding linkage to sex chromosomes. We will use the model species Drosophila to investigate the underlying causes for the rapid evolution of testis genes and their biased distribution in the genome, which will help to understand male infertility associated with defects in testis genes.
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