Show Notes
Yu C et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A - Genetic mapping and comparative genomics show the lncRNA ANTSR multiallelic locus in Aculeata directs female development via heterozygosity despite lacking sequence homology.
Study Highlights:
The study analyzed 41 hymenopteran genomes and performed whole-genome resequencing and genetic mapping in Bombus terrestris and Vespa velutina nigrithorax to locate the sex-determining region. The ANTSR locus is a multiallelic noncoding interval between CRELD2 and THUMPD3 that is highly polymorphic and heterozygous in females but homozygous in diploid males across ants, bumblebees, and hornets. Comparative synteny shows the CRELD2–THUMPD3 block originated ~160–200 Mya and the locus has functioned as a zygosity-based female determinant for over 150 million years. Despite this deep functional conservation, alignments and phastCons analyses reveal no detectable sequence homology among distant aculeate lineages, and heterozygosity at ANTSR provides an actionable molecular sex marker for breeding and conservation.
Conclusion:
The ANTSR multiallelic noncoding locus is an ancient, positionally conserved zygosity-based sex determinant across Aculeata that has retained function for over 150 million years despite complete sequence divergence.
Music:
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Reference:
Yu C, Moog S, Pan Q, Keller Valsecchi CI, Dupont S, Darrouzet E, Darras H, Hodapp D, Colgan TJ, et al. Deep evolutionary conservation of a sex-determining locus without sequence homology. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2026;123:e2522417123. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2522417123
License:
This episode is based on an open-access article published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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