The relationship between the Y chromosome size and the amount of autosomal Q-heterochromatin in human populations.

Abstract

The relationship between the basic quantitative characteristics of the Q-heterochromatin (Q-HR) region variability of autosomes and of the Y chromosome in human populations was examined. A definite relationship between the mean number of Q-HR per individual, the distribution and frequencies of Q-HR on autosomes and the size of the Q-heterochromatin segment of the Y chromosome at the population level was shown to exist. The amount of autosomal Q-HR was lower in individuals with larger Q-heterochromatin segments on Y chromosomes, and vice versa. The hypothesis that the amount of chromosomal Q-HR in the genome of modern human populations may be under the control of natural selection, is discussed.