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Kallmann syndrome gene on the X and Y chromosomes: implications for evolutionary divergence of human sex chromosomes

Nature Genetics volume 2, pages 311–314 (1992)Cite this article

Abstract

The recently identified gene for X–linked Kallmann syndrome (hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and anosmia) has a closely related homologue on the Y chromosome. The X and Y copies of this gene are located in a large region of X/Y homology, on Xp22.3 and Yq11.2, respectively. Comparison of the structure of the X–linked Kallmann syndrome gene and its Y homologue shed light on the evolutionary history of this region of the human sex chromosomes. Our data show that the Y homologue is not functional. Comparative analysis of X/Y sequence identity at several loci on Xp22.3 and Yq11.2 suggests that the homology between these two regions is the result of a complex series of events which occurred in the recent evolution of sex chromosomes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Molecular Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA

    B. Incerti, A. Pragliola, G. Borsani & A. Ballabio

  2. Biologia Generale e Genetica Medica, University of Pavia, 27100, Pavia, Italy

    S. Guioli, E. Zanaria, B. Bardoni & G. Camerino

  3. G. Gaslini Institute, Genoa, Italy

    R. Tonlorenzi & B. Franco

  4. Department of Cell Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, 77030, USA

    D. Wheeler

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  1. B. Incerti
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  2. S. Guioli
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  5. G. Borsani
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  7. B. Bardoni
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  8. B. Franco
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  9. D. Wheeler
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  10. A. Ballabio
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  11. G. Camerino
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Incerti, B., Guioli, S., Pragliola, A. et al. Kallmann syndrome gene on the X and Y chromosomes: implications for evolutionary divergence of human sex chromosomes. Nat Genet 2, 311–314 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1038/ng1292-311

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