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Sex chromosomes

Why Ys are not necessarily toxic

Nature Ecology & Evolution volume 7, pages 1177–1178 (2023)Cite this article

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Sex differences in physiology and longevity are widely observed. A study that manipulates heterochromatin content in Drosophila Y chromosomes shows no association between the length of the Y chromosome and longevity, thus challenging the hypothesis that Y chromosome-derived heterochromatin causes Y chromosome-bearing animals to live shorter lives.

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Fig. 1: The Y chromosome is highly heterochromatic.

Sebastian Kaulitzki/Alamy Stock Photo

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  1. Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA

    Yukiko M. Yamashita

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  1. Yukiko M. Yamashita
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Correspondence to Yukiko M. Yamashita.

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The author declares no competing interest.

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Yamashita, Y.M. Why Ys are not necessarily toxic. Nat Ecol Evol 7, 1177–1178 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-023-02079-9

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