DNA Repeats on Y Chromosome Contribute to a Shorter Lifespan in Male Flies

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Y Chromosome Contributes to a Shorter Lifespan in Male Flies

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Heterochromatin enrichment throughout chromosomes. Immunofluorescence staining for H3K9me3 in male mitotic chromosomes. Scale bar is 50μm. Credit: Nguyen AH et al., 2021, PLOS Genetics

DNA repeats on the Y chromosome end up being more active and harmful as male flies age.

Males might have much shorter life expectancies than women due to repeated areas of the Y chromosome that produce harmful results as males grow older. These brand-new findings appear in a research study by Doris Bachtrog of the University of California, Berkeley released today (April 22, 20210 in PLOS Genetics.

In human beings and other types with XY sex chromosomes, women typically live longer than males. One possible description for this variation might be repeated series within the genome. While both males and women bring these repeat series, researchers have actually believed that the a great deal of repeats on the Y chromosome might produce a “toxic y effect” that reduces males’ lives. To test this concept, Bachtrog studied male fruit flies from the types Drosophila miranda, which have about two times as much repeated DNA as women and a much shorter life expectancy. They revealed that when the DNA remains in its firmly jam-packed type inside the cells of young male flies, the repeat areas are shut off. But as the flies age, the DNA presumes a looser type that can trigger the repeat areas, leading to harmful negative effects.

The brand-new research study shows that Y chromosomes that are abundant in repeats are a genomic liability for males. The findings likewise support a more basic link in between repeat DNA and aging, which presently, is badly comprehended. Previous research studies in fruit flies have actually revealed that when repeat areas end up being active, they hinder memory, reduce the life expectancy and cause DNA damage. This damage most likely adds to aging’s physiological results, however more research study will be required to reveal the systems underlying repeat DNA’s harmful results.

Reference: “Toxic Y chromosome: Increased repeat expression and age-associated heterochromatin loss in male Drosophila with a young Y chromosome” by Alison H. Nguyen and Doris Bachtrog, 22 April 2021, PLOS Genetics.
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009438

Funding: This work was supported by NIH grants (nos. R01GM076007, R01GM101255 and R01AG057029) to DB. The funders had no function in research study style, information collection and analysis, choice to release, or preparation of the manuscript.