Comparative mapping ofYRRM- andTSPY-related cosmids in man and hominoid apes

Abstract

Using chromosomalin situ hybridization it has been demonstrated that specific members of theYRRM and theTSPY families are multicopy and Y chromosome specific in hominoids. After hybridization with theYRRM-related cosmid A5F and theTSPY-related cosmids cos36 and cY91, a reverse and complementary pattern of main and seconary signals is detected on the Y chromosomes of the human, the pygmy chimpanzee and the gorilla, while the location of signals coincides on the Y chromosomes of the chimpanzee, both orang-utan subspecies and the white hand gibbon. This complementary distribution ofYRRM andTSPY sequences on the hominoid Y chromosomes possibly originates from a similar sequence motif that is shared by and evolutionarily conserved between certain members of both gene families and/or repeated elements flanking those genes. Otherwise this complementary distribution could go back to a common organization of these genes next to each other on an ancient Y chromosome which was disrupted by chromosomal rearrangements and amplification of one or other of the genes at each of the locations.