Eighty million years of rapid evolution of the primate Y chromosome

Abstract

The Y chromosome usually plays a critical role in determining male sex and comprises sequence classes that have experienced unique evolutionary trajectories. Here we generated 19 new primate sex chromosome assemblies, analysed them with 10 existing assemblies and report rapid evolution of the Y chromosome across primates. The pseudoautosomal boundary has shifted at least six times during primate evolution, leading to the formation of a Simiiformes-specific evolutionary stratum and to the independent start of young strata in Catarrhini and Platyrrhini. Different primate lineages experienced different rates of gene loss and structural and chromatin change on their Y chromosomes. Selection on several Y-linked genes has contributed to the evolution of male developmental traits across the primates. Additionally, lineage-specific expansions of ampliconic regions have further increased the diversification of the structure and gene composition of the Y chromosome. Overall, our comprehensive analysis has broadened our knowledge of the evolution of the primate Y chromosome.