IMIS | Lifewatch regional portal

You are here

IMIS

[ report an error in this record ]basket (0): add | show Print this page

Evidence for a genetic sex determination in Cnidaria, the Mediterranean red coral (Corallium rubrum)
Pratlong, M.; Haguenauer, A.; Chenesseau, S.; Brener, K.; Mitta, G.; Toulza, E.; Bonabaud, M.; Rialle, S.; Aurelle, D.; Pontarotti, P. (2017). Evidence for a genetic sex determination in Cnidaria, the Mediterranean red coral (Corallium rubrum). Royal Society Open Science 4(3): 160880. https://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.160880
In: Royal Society Open Science. The Royal Society: London. ISSN 2054-5703; e-ISSN 2054-5703, more
Peer reviewed article  

Available in  Authors | Dataset 

Keywords
    Cnidaria [WoRMS]; Corallium rubrum (Linnaeus, 1758) [WoRMS]
    Marine/Coastal
Author keywords
    genetic sex determination; Corallium rubrum; RAD-sequencing; Cnidaria

Authors  Top | Dataset 
  • Pratlong, M.
  • Haguenauer, A.
  • Chenesseau, S.
  • Brener, K.
  • Mitta, G.
  • Toulza, E.
  • Bonabaud, M.
  • Rialle, S.
  • Aurelle, D.
  • Pontarotti, P.

Abstract
    Sexual reproduction is widespread among eukaryotes, and the sex-determining processes vary greatly among species. While genetic sex determination (GSD) has been intensively described in bilaterian species, no example has yet been recorded among non-bilaterians. However, the quasi-ubiquitous repartition of GSD among multicellular species suggests that similar evolutionary forces can promote this system, and that these forces could occur also in non-bilaterians. Studying sex determination across the range of Metazoan diversity is indeed important to understand better the evolution of this mechanism and its lability. We tested the existence of sex-linked genes in the gonochoric red coral (Corallium rubrum, Cnidaria) using restriction site-associated DNA sequencing. We analysed 27 461 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 354 individuals from 12 populations including 53 that were morphologically sexed. We found a strong association between the allele frequencies of 472 SNPs and the sex of individuals, suggesting an XX/XY sex-determination system. This result was confirmed by the identification of 435 male-specific loci. An independent test confirmed that the amplification of these loci enabled us to identify males with absolute certainty. This is the first demonstration of a GSD system among non-bilaterian species and a new example of its convergence in multicellular eukaryotes.

Dataset
  • CorMedNet- Distribution and demographic data of habitat-forming invertebrate species from Mediterranean coralligenous assemblages between 1882 and 2019., more

All data in the Integrated Marine Information System (IMIS) is subject to the VLIZ privacy policy Top | Authors | Dataset