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A synaptobrevin–like gene in the Xq28 pseudoautosomal region undergoes X inactivation

Nature Genetics volume 13, pages 227–229 (1996)Cite this article

Abstract

The X and Y chromosomes that maintain human dimorphism are thought to have descended from a single progenitor, with the Y chromosome becoming largely depleted of genes1. A number of genes, however, retain copies on both X and Y chromosomes and escape the inactivation that affects most X-linked genes in somatic cells2. Many of those genes are present in two pseudoautosomal regions (PARs) at the termini of the short (p)3 and long (q)4,5 arms of the sex chromosomes. For both PARs, pairing facilitates the .exchange of information, ensuring the homogeni-sation of X and Y chromosomal material in these regions6–10. We report here a strikingly different regulation of expression of a gene in Xq PAR. Unlike all Xp PAR genes studied so far, a synaptobrevin-like gene, tentatively named SYBL1, undergoes X inactivation. In addition, it is also inactive on the Y chromosome, thereby maintaining dosage compensation in an unprecedented way.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. International Institute of Genetics and Biophysics, CNR, Via Marconi 10, 80125, Naples, Italy

    Maurizio D'Esposito, Alfredo Ciccodicola, Fernando Gianfrancesco, Teresa Esposito, Luisa Flagiello & Michele D'Urso

  2. Sezione di Istologia-Embriologia e Genetica, Dipartimento di Scienze Morfologiche e Medico-Legali, Università di Modena, 41100, Modena, Italy

    Alfredo Ciccodicola & Teresa Esposito

  3. Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University Medical School, St.Louis, Missouri, 63110, USA

    Richard Mazzarella & David Schlessinger

Authors
  1. Maurizio D'Esposito
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  2. Alfredo Ciccodicola
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  3. Fernando Gianfrancesco
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  4. Teresa Esposito
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  8. Michele D'Urso
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Correspondence to Michele D'Urso.

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D'Esposito, M., Ciccodicola, A., Gianfrancesco, F. et al. A synaptobrevin–like gene in the Xq28 pseudoautosomal region undergoes X inactivation. Nat Genet 13, 227–229 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1038/ng0696-227

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