Gene co-expression network connectivity is an important determinant of selective constraint.

ABSTRACT: While several studies have investigated general properties of the genetic architecture of natural variation in gene expression, few of these have considered natural, outbreeding populations. In parallel, systems biology has established that a general feature of biological networks is that they are scale-free, rendering them buffered against random mutations. To date, few studies have attempted to examine the relationship between the selective processes acting to maintain natural variation of gene expression and the associated co-expression network structure. Here we utilised RNA-Sequencing to assay gene expression in winter buds undergoing bud flush in a natural population of Populus tremula, an outbreeding forest tree species. We performed expression Quantitative Trait Locus (eQTL) mappin

SUBMITTER: Mahler N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5407845 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature