Unique sex chromosome translocations and evolutionary strata in two Sylvioidea songbird families
Brown, Thomas J. LU ; Ellerstrand, Simon J. LU
; Sigeman, Hanna
; Melo, Martim
; Lundberg, Max
LU
and Hansson, Bengt
LU
(2026)
In BMC Genomics
27(1).
- Abstract
Avian genomes are typically stable, yet instances of chromosome fissions, fusions and translocations are known across various lineages. For example, multiple sex chromosome translocations have been described in the superfamily Sylvioidea. In this study, we examine the sex chromosomes in two Sylvioidea families, Nicatoridae and Cisticolidae, using whole-genome data. We found sex-linkage of chromosomes Z and 4A, consistent with findings in other Sylvioidea species. We also identify sex-linkage of parts of chromosome 4, marking a novel discovery for Nicatoridae and a previously documented feature in Cisticolidae. These families are non-sister taxa, and the size of the translocated region of chromosome 4 differs between them, supporting... (More)
Avian genomes are typically stable, yet instances of chromosome fissions, fusions and translocations are known across various lineages. For example, multiple sex chromosome translocations have been described in the superfamily Sylvioidea. In this study, we examine the sex chromosomes in two Sylvioidea families, Nicatoridae and Cisticolidae, using whole-genome data. We found sex-linkage of chromosomes Z and 4A, consistent with findings in other Sylvioidea species. We also identify sex-linkage of parts of chromosome 4, marking a novel discovery for Nicatoridae and a previously documented feature in Cisticolidae. These families are non-sister taxa, and the size of the translocated region of chromosome 4 differs between them, supporting independent translocation events. We uncover variation in recombination suppression and evolutionary strata on chromosome 4 between families, as well as between two genera within Cisticolidae. This study reveals both recurrent and independent trajectories in sex chromosome evolution, deepening our understanding of complex genomes.
(Less)
- author
- Brown, Thomas J.
LU
; Ellerstrand, Simon J.
LU
; Sigeman, Hanna
; Melo, Martim
; Lundberg, Max
LU
and Hansson, Bengt
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2026-12
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Birds, Evolutionary strata, Neo-sex chromosomes, Recombination suppression, Sex chromosome evolution
- in
- BMC Genomics
- volume
- 27
- issue
- 1
- article number
- 401
- publisher
- BioMed Central (BMC)
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:105036540507
- pmid:42010480
- ISSN
- 1471-2164
- DOI
- 10.1186/s12864-026-12861-1
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 1ab2b3d5-4223-4fff-a53a-843943c9621e
- date added to LUP
- 2026-05-25 14:37:45
- date last changed
- 2026-06-08 15:33:36
@article{1ab2b3d5-4223-4fff-a53a-843943c9621e,
abstract = {{<p>Avian genomes are typically stable, yet instances of chromosome fissions, fusions and translocations are known across various lineages. For example, multiple sex chromosome translocations have been described in the superfamily Sylvioidea. In this study, we examine the sex chromosomes in two Sylvioidea families, Nicatoridae and Cisticolidae, using whole-genome data. We found sex-linkage of chromosomes Z and 4A, consistent with findings in other Sylvioidea species. We also identify sex-linkage of parts of chromosome 4, marking a novel discovery for Nicatoridae and a previously documented feature in Cisticolidae. These families are non-sister taxa, and the size of the translocated region of chromosome 4 differs between them, supporting independent translocation events. We uncover variation in recombination suppression and evolutionary strata on chromosome 4 between families, as well as between two genera within Cisticolidae. This study reveals both recurrent and independent trajectories in sex chromosome evolution, deepening our understanding of complex genomes.</p>}},
author = {{Brown, Thomas J. and Ellerstrand, Simon J. and Sigeman, Hanna and Melo, Martim and Lundberg, Max and Hansson, Bengt}},
issn = {{1471-2164}},
keywords = {{Birds; Evolutionary strata; Neo-sex chromosomes; Recombination suppression; Sex chromosome evolution}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{1}},
publisher = {{BioMed Central (BMC)}},
series = {{BMC Genomics}},
title = {{Unique sex chromosome translocations and evolutionary strata in two Sylvioidea songbird families}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12864-026-12861-1}},
doi = {{10.1186/s12864-026-12861-1}},
volume = {{27}},
year = {{2026}},
}