Sex linkage in salmonids: Evidence from a hybridized genome of brook trout and arctic charr

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
In second-generation sparctics (Salvelinus fontinalis × Salvelinus alpinus) backcrossed toS. fontinalis, we have identified tight classical linkage of phenotypic sex withLdh-1, Aat-5, andGpi-3. We designate this locusSex-1 and suggest that it may be the primary sex-determining locus in salmonids. Cumulative salmonid gene-to-centromere map distances for the three biochemical loci put the order as centromere—Ldh-1—(Aat-5 andGpi-3), with the latter two loci being tightly linked. An absence of association of phenotypic sex (presumably Sex-1) with these same three loci and other loci known to be linked to these loci is shown in splakes (S. fontinalis × Salvelinus namaycush) and cutbows (Salmo gairdneri × Salmo clarki). These data imply that the linkage ofSex-1 with these loci is found only inS. alpinus and support the view thatSex-1 lies across the centromere from these three loci inS. alpinus, representing a Robertsonian fusion not found in any of the other four species. A similar specific Robertsonian fusion is argued forS. gairdneri, whereSex-1 may be linked across a centromere to another biochemical locus (Ha). These linkage results and chromosomal observations of other investigators suggest thatSex-1 lies on an information-depauperate arm.