Divergent evolution of male-determining loci on proto-Y chromosomes of the housefly

Houseflies provide a good experimental model to study the initial evolutionary stages of a primary sex-determining locus because they possess different recently evolved proto-Y chromosomes that contain male-determining loci ( M ) with the same male-determining gene, Mdmd . We investigate M -loci genomically and cytogenetically revealing distinct molecular architectures among M -loci. M on chromosome V ( M V ) has two intact Mdmd copies in a palindrome. M on chromosome III ( M III ) has tandem duplications containing 88 Mdmd copies (only one intact) and various repeats, including repeats that are XY-prevalent. M on chromosome II ( M II ) and the Y ( M Y ) share M III -like architecture, but with fewer repeats. M Y additionally shares M V -specific sequence arrangements. Based on these data and karyograms using two probes, one derives from M III and one Mdmd -specific, we infer evolutionary histories of polymorphic M -loci, which have arisen from unique translocations of Mdmd , embedded in larger DNA fragments, and diverged independently into regions of varying complexity.