Sexual selection drives evolution and rapid turnover of male gene expression.

ABSTRACT: The profound and pervasive differences in gene expression observed between males and females, and the unique evolutionary properties of these genes in many species, have led to the widespread assumption that they are the product of sexual selection and sexual conflict. However, we still lack a clear understanding of the connection between sexual selection and transcriptional dimorphism, often termed sex-biased gene expression. Moreover, the relative contribution of sexual selection vs. drift in shaping broad patterns of expression, divergence, and polymorphism remains unknown. To assess the role of sexual selection in shaping these patterns, we assembled transcriptomes from an avian clade representing the full range of sexual dimorphism and sexual selection. We use these species to test th

SUBMITTER: Harrison PW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4394296 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature