De Novo assembly of the Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum transcriptome provides new insights into expression bias, mitochondrial doubly uniparental inheritance and sex determination.

ABSTRACT: Males and females share the same genome, thus, phenotypic divergence requires differential gene expression and sex-specific regulation. Accordingly, the analysis of expression patterns is pivotal to the understanding of sex determination mechanisms. Many bivalves are stable gonochoric species, but the mechanism of gonad sexualization and the genes involved are still unknown. Moreover, during the period of sexual rest, a gonad is not present and sex cannot be determined. A mechanism associated with germ line differentiation in some bivalves, including the Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum, is the doubly uniparental inheritance (DUI) of mitochondria, a variation of strict maternal inheritance. Two mitochondrial lineages are present, one transmitted through eggs and the other through sperm,

SUBMITTER: Ghiselli F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3258041 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature