Evolution And Genetic Architecture Of Sex-Limited Polymorphism In Cuckoos

    April 2024 in “ Science Advances ”
    Justin Meröndun, Cristiana I. Marques, Pedro Andrade, Swetlana G. Meshcheryagina, Ismael Galván, Sandra Afonso, Joel M. Alves, Pedro M. Araújo, Г. Н. Бачурин, Jennifer Balacco, Miklós Bán, Olivier Fédrigo, Giulio Formenti, Frode Fossøy, Attila Fülöp, М. Г. Головатин, Sofia Granja, Chris M. Hewson, Marcel Honza, Kerstin Howe, Greger Larson, Attila Marton, Csaba Moskát, Jacquelyn Mountcastle, Petr Procházka, Yaroslav A. Red’kin, Ying Sims, Michal Šulc, Alan Tracey, Jonathan Wood, Erich D. Jarvis, Márk E. Hauber, Miguel Carneiro, Jochen B. W. Wolf
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    TLDR Female cuckoo color differences are linked to their unique genes and help avoid male harassment.
    The study investigates the genetic basis and evolutionary processes behind female-limited color polymorphism in common and oriental cuckoos, focusing on the W chromosome. Whole-genome resequencing of 22 female common cuckoos revealed significant genetic differentiation between gray and rufous morphs, linked to the W chromosome. The research supports that this polymorphism is maintained by negative frequency-dependent selection, protecting the rarer female morph from male harassment or mobbing by host species. The rufous phenotype shares ancestry with the oriental cuckoo, indicating a shared evolutionary origin. The study highlights the role of non-recombining sex chromosomes in controlling non-reproductive traits and suggests that similar genetic architectures may exist for other sex-limited traits.
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