Inversions are bigger on the X chromosome. Issue 6 (29th August 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cheng, Changde; Kirkpatrick, Mark
• Other Names: Wellenreuther Maren guestEditor.; Mérot Claire guestEditor.; Berdan Emma guestEditor.; Bernatchez Louis guestEditor.
• Is Part Of: Molecular ecology. Volume 28:Issue 6(2019)
• Page Start: 1238
• Page End: 1245
• Publication Date: 2018-08-29
• Subjects: evolution -- population genetics -- sex chromosomes; Molecular ecology -- Periodicals; Molecular population biology -- Periodicals; 576
• DOI: 10.1111/mec.14819
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0962-1083

Abstract

Abstract: In many insects, X‐linked inversions fix at a higher rate and are much less polymorphic than autosomal inversions. Here, we report that in Drosophila, X‐linked inversions also capture 67% more genes. We estimated the number of genes captured through an approximate Bayesian computational analysis of gene orders in nine species of Drosophila . X‐linked inversions fixed with a significantly larger gene content. Further, X‐linked inversions of intermediate size enjoy highest fixation rate, while the fixation rate of autosomal inversions decreases with size. A less detailed analysis in Anopheles suggests a similar pattern holds in mosquitoes. We develop a population genetic model that assumes the fitness effects of inversions scale with the number of genes captured. We show that the same conditions that lead to a higher fixation rate also produce a larger size for inversions on the X.