Abb. 1: Schematic picture designed by the authors: During evolution, different chromosome elements represented by the Lego bricks (NA, NB, NX..etc. in the figure) were added onto the ancestral sex chromosomes in different species, forming the great diversity of nematode sex chromosomes. These ’Lego’ combinations of chromosome elements are shown as corresponding colors for each ’clade’ of nematode species. (C: Quzijian)
Abb. Schematic picture designed by the authors: During evolution, different chromosome elements represented by the Lego bricks (NA, NB, NX.etc. in the figure) were added onto the ancestral sex chromosomes in different species, forming the great diversity of nematode sex chromosomes. These 'Lego' combinations of chromosome elements are shown as corresponding colors for each 'clade' of nematode species. (C: Quzijian) - Two unrelated worm phyla give clues on how sex chromosomes might have evolved Studying two highly divergent phyla of worms that contain numerous parasites that cause human and livestock diseases, the research group of Qi Zhou from the University of Vienna and Zhejiang University, sheds light on how sexual reproduction and subsequent great diversity of sex chromosomes might have evolved. Animals or plants with separate sexes are widespread in nature, and result from independent transitions from their hermaphroditic ancestor. The actual mechanism involved in the transitions between asexual and sexual reproductive modes, in other words, how is sex originated, remains an important and unanswered question.
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