The Chromosomal Distribution of Sex-Biased MicroRNAs in Drosophila is Nonadaptive.

ABSTRACT: Genes are often differentially expressed between males and females. In Drosophila melanogaster, the analysis of sex-biased microRNAs (short noncoding regulatory molecules) has revealed striking differences with protein-coding genes. Mainly, the X chromosome is enriched in male-biased microRNA genes, although it is depleted of male-biased protein-coding genes. The paucity of male-biased genes in the X chromosome is generally explained by an evolutionary process called demasculinization. I suggest that the excess of male-biased microRNAs in the X chromosome is due to high rates of de novo emergence of microRNAs (mostly in other neighboring microRNAs), a tendency of novel microRNAs in the X chromosome to be expressed in testis, and to a lack of a demasculinization process. To test this hypoth

SUBMITTER: Marco A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9290354 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature