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 S. 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 Davis, Angela E. Lin, Nicole Tartaglia, Carole Samango‐Sprouse, Maximilian Muenke, David C. Page
Abstract
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.