Functional analyses of mouse sex chromosome palindromes

描述(申请人提供)：人类的性染色体已经进化出一个复杂的基因组结构，由大量高度同源的回文序列组成，其中含有睾丸表达的基因。回文臂之间的高水平核苷酸序列同源性被认为是回文臂到臂重组的结果。Y基因特异的回文臂之间的重组可能导致关键睾丸基因的大量缺失，从而导致男性不育。最近的小鼠性染色体序列显示，它们也包含大回文，从而为研究性染色体回文提供了一个很好的模式系统。AIMS 1 2研究臂对臂重组，也称为基因转换，是否作用于小鼠的Y特异回文。检测小鼠Y回文中的基因转换可以解释回文臂之间的高水平核苷酸序列同源性。目的研究小鼠性染色体回文相关基因的表达模式，以阐明回文在精子发生中的作用。性染色体回文及其相关基因的特征对于理解基因转换和男性生育的机制将是相关的。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The human sex chromosomes have evolved a complex genomic architecture consisting of a plethora of highly homogenous palindromic sequences harboring testis expressed genes. The high level of nucleotide sequence identity between palindrome arms is believed to be the result of palindrome arm-to-arm recombination. Recombination between Y-specific palindrome arms can cause large deletions of critical testis genes resulting in male infertility. The recent mouse sex chromosome sequences reveal that they also contain large palindromes, thus, providing an excellent model system to study sex chromosome palindromes. Aims 1+2 investigates whether arm-to-arm recombination, also known as gene conversion, is acting on the mouse Y-specific palindromes. Detection of gene conversion within the mouse Y-palindromes would explain the high levels of nucleotide sequence identity between palindrome arms. Aim 3 examines the expression patterns of mouse sex chromosome palindrome associated genes to elucidate palindromes functions during spermatogenesis. Characterization of sex-chromosome palindromes and their associated genes will be of relevance to understanding the mechanisms of gene conversion and male fertility.