Genetic constraints on microevolutionary divergence of sex-biased gene expression.

ABSTRACT: The evolution of sex-specific phenotypes is an important dimension of diversification and local adaptation. The sex-dependent regulation of gene expression is considered a key genomic mechanism facilitating sex-dependent adaptation. In many species, genes with male-biased expression evolve faster in DNA sequence and expression level than genes with female-biased or sexually monomorphic expression. While positive selection may be responsible for rapid DNA sequence evolution, why expression of male-biased genes also evolves rapidly remains unclear. Beyond sex differences in selection, some aspects of the genetic architecture of gene expression could contribute to the rapid evolution of male-biased gene expression. First, male-biased genes might simply have greater standing genetic variance t

SUBMITTER: Allen SL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6125734 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature