Decoding sexual dimorphism of the sex-shared nervous system at single-neuron resolution.

ABSTRACT: Sex-specific behaviors are often attributed to differences in neuronal wiring and molecular composition, yet how genetic sex shapes the molecular architecture of the nervous system at the individual neuron level remains unclear. Here, we use single-cell RNA sequencing to profile the transcriptome of sex-shared neurons in adult Caenorhabditis elegans males and hermaphrodites. We uncover widespread molecular dimorphism across the nervous system, including in previously unrecognized neuron-types such as the touch receptors. Neuropeptides and signaling-related genes exhibit strong sex-biased expression, particularly in males, reinforcing the notion that neuropeptides are crucial for diversifying connectome outputs. Despite these differences, neurotransmitter identities remain largely co

SUBMITTER: Haque R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12247729 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature