Slow evolution of sex-biased genes in the reproductive tissue of the dioecious plant Salix viminalis.

ABSTRACT: The relative rate of evolution for sex-biased genes has often been used as a measure of the strength of sex-specific selection. In contrast to studies in a wide variety of animals, far less is known about the molecular evolution of sex-biased genes in plants, particularly in dioecious angiosperms. Here, we investigate the gene expression patterns and evolution of sex-biased genes in the dioecious plant Salix viminalis. We observe lower rates of sequence evolution for male-biased genes expressed in the reproductive tissue compared to unbiased and female-biased genes. These results could be partially explained by the lower codon usage bias for male-biased genes leading to elevated rates of synonymous substitutions compared to unbiased genes. However, the stronger haploid selection in the rep

SUBMITTER: Darolti I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5901004 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature