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. 2010 Sep 28;8(9):e1000501.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1000501.

How and why chromosome inversions evolve

Mark Kirkpatrick  1
Affiliations

How and why chromosome inversions evolve

Mark Kirkpatrick. PLoS Biol. .

Abstract

Chromosome inversions are a major engine of genome evolution. New genomic and ecological data are beginning to reveal the evolutionary forces that drive the evolution of inversions.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author has declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Chromosome inversions that distinguish humans and chimpanzees inferred from a comparison of their genomic sequences .
The human chromosome is shown on the left and its chimpanzee homologue on the right for the autosomes and the two sex chromosomes (X and Y). Each red line corresponds to an inversion, with larger inversions (>100 kb) represented by multiple lines.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Schematic showing the suppression of recombination in an inversion heterozygote.
Two loci segregate for the alleles (A, a) and (B, b). An individual that is heterozygous at both loci and for the inversion does not produce the recombinant gametes A/b and a/B.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment on

  • PLoS Biol. 8:e1000500.

References

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