Human sex differences arise from gonadal hormones and sex chromosomes. Studying the direct effects of sex chromosomes in humans is still challenging. Here we studied how the sex chromosomes can modulate gene expression and the outcome of mutations across the genome by exploiting the tendency of cancer cell lines to lose or gain sex chromosomes. We inferred the dosage of the sex chromosomes in 355 female and 408 male cancer cell lines and used it to dissect the contribution of the Y and X Chromosomes to sex-biased gene expression. Furthermore, based on genome-wide CRISPR screens, we identified genes whose essentiality is different between male and female cells depending on the sex chromosomes. The most significant genes were X-linked genes compensated by Y-linked paralogs. Our sex-based analysis identifies genes that, when mutated, can affect male and female cells differently and reinforces the role of the X and Y-Chromosomes in sex-specific cell function.
Human sex differences are thought to arise from gonadal hormones and genes on the sex chromosomes. Here we studied how sex and the sex chromosomes can modulate the outcome of mutations across the genome. We used the results of genome-wide CRISPR-based screens on 306 female and 396 male cancer cell lines to detect differences in gene essentiality between the sexes. By exploiting the tendency of cancer cells to lose or gain sex chromosomes, we were able to dissect the contribution of the Y and X chromosomes to variable gene essentiality. Using this approach, we identified 178 differentially essential genes that depend on the biological sex or the sex chromosomes. Integration with sex bias in gene expression and the rate of somatic mutations in human tumors highlighted genes that escape from X-inactivation, cancer-testis antigens, and Y-linked paralogs as central to the functional genetic differences between males and females.
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