Multilayered Tuning of Dosage Compensation and Z-Chromosome Masculinization in the Wood White (Leptidea sinapis) Butterfly.

ABSTRACT: In species with genetic sex determination, dosage compensation can evolve to equal expression levels of sex-linked and autosomal genes. Current knowledge about dosage compensation has mainly been derived from male-heterogametic (XX/XY) model organisms, whereas less is understood about the process in female-heterogametic systems (ZZ/ZW). In moths and butterflies, downregulation of Z-linked expression in males (ZZ) to match the expression level in females (ZW) is often observed. However, little is known about the underlying regulatory mechanisms, or if dosage compensation patterns vary across ontogenetic stages. In this study, we assessed dynamics of Z-linked and autosomal expression levels across developmental stages in the wood white (Leptidea sinapis). We found that although expression of

SUBMITTER: Hook L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6761951 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature