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How sex shapes transcriptome evolution in the songbird brain.

Isaac Miller-Crews1, Sara E Lipshutz1,2, Ben Fulton1,3

  • 1Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA.

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Summary

The evolutionary rate of sex-biased gene expression in songbird brains was quantified. Sex-biased gene expression evolves faster on the Z chromosome and is influenced by nesting behaviors.

Keywords:
behaviorbrainevolutionsexsongbirdtranscriptome

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Genomics
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Sex differences in gene expression are widespread but their evolutionary dynamics are poorly understood.
  • Quantifying the evolutionary rate of sex-biased gene expression is crucial for understanding sexual selection and dimorphism.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify the evolutionary rate of sex-biased gene expression in songbird brains.
  • To investigate the influence of chromosomal location and reproductive ecology on the evolution of gene expression biases.

Main Methods:

  • Developed new evolutionary models for gene expression evolution in the CAGEE software package.
  • Analyzed brain gene expression data from 10 songbird species, including those with convergent evolution of cavity-nesting.
  • Compared evolutionary rates of sex-biased gene expression between Z-linked genes and autosomes.

Main Results:

  • Sex-biased gene expression evolves twice as fast on the Z chromosome compared to autosomes.
  • The rate of sex-biased gene expression evolution is accelerated in lineages with obligate cavity-nesting behavior.
  • Sex-balanced genes do not evolve at slower rates, challenging hypotheses of selection for balance.

Conclusions:

  • The Z chromosome plays a significant role in the rapid evolution of sex-biased gene expression.
  • Ecological factors, such as nesting strategies, can drive the evolution of sex-specific gene expression patterns in the brain.
  • New computational tools facilitate the study of gene expression evolution and its relationship with phenotypic divergence.