Taxonomic context and genomic architecture jointly shape expression divergence across animals.

ABSTRACT: Gene expression divergence is a major source of phenotypic variation, yet the factors that shift regulatory optima remain incompletely understood. In particular, it is unclear how broad taxonomic differences and local genomic architecture interact to shape the tempo and mode of expression evolution. Here, we analyze single-copy orthologs between species pairs in Drosophila and mammals to quantify taxon-specific rates and magnitudes of expression divergence, assess the influence of genome architecture, and evaluate tissue-specific and functional patterns. Using a computational framework that predicts expression divergence and species-specific expression optima, we identify markedly higher divergence rates in Drosophila than in mammals, consistent with theoretical expectations

SUBMITTER: LaBoone PA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12776118 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature