Cell Genomics (Jan 2024)

The human Y and inactive X chromosomes similarly modulate autosomal gene expression

  • Adrianna K. San Roman,
  • Helen Skaletsky,
  • Alexander K. Godfrey,
  • Neha V. Bokil,
  • Levi Teitz,
  • Isani Singh,
  • Laura V. Blanton,
  • Daniel W. Bellott,
  • Tatyana Pyntikova,
  • Julian Lange,
  • Natalia Koutseva,
  • Jennifer F. Hughes,
  • Laura Brown,
  • Sidaly Phou,
  • Ashley Buscetta,
  • Paul Kruszka,
  • Nicole Banks,
  • Amalia Dutra,
  • Evgenia Pak,
  • Patricia C. Lasutschinkow,
  • Colleen Keen,
  • Shanlee M. Davis,
  • Angela E. Lin,
  • Nicole R. Tartaglia,
  • Carole Samango-Sprouse,
  • Maximilian Muenke,
  • David C. Page

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 4, no. 1
p. 100462

Abstract

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Summary: Somatic cells of human males and females have 45 chromosomes in common, including the “active” X chromosome. In males the 46th chromosome is a Y; in females it is an “inactive” X (Xi). Through linear modeling of autosomal gene expression in cells from individuals with zero to three Xi and zero to four Y chromosomes, we found that Xi and Y impact autosomal expression broadly and with remarkably similar effects. Studying sex chromosome structural anomalies, promoters of Xi- and Y-responsive genes, and CRISPR inhibition, we traced part of this shared effect to homologous transcription factors—ZFX and ZFY—encoded by Chr X and Y. This demonstrates sex-shared mechanisms by which Xi and Y modulate autosomal expression. Combined with earlier analyses of sex-linked gene expression, our studies show that 21% of all genes expressed in lymphoblastoid cells or fibroblasts change expression significantly in response to Xi or Y chromosomes.

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