Sex-biased gene expression across mammalian organ development and evolution.

ABSTRACT: Sexually dimorphic traits are common among mammals and are specified during development through the deployment of sex-specific genetic programs. Because little is known about these programs, we investigated them using a resource of gene expression profiles in males and females throughout the development of five organs in five mammals (human, mouse, rat, rabbit, and opossum) and a bird (chicken). We found that sex-biased gene expression varied considerably across organs and species and was often cell-type specific. Sex differences increased abruptly around sexual maturity instead of increasing gradually during organ development. Finally, sex-biased gene expression evolved rapidly at the gene level, with differences between organs in the evolutionary mechanisms used, but more slowly at the c

SUBMITTER: Rodriguez-Montes L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7615307 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature