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The evolutionary causes and consequences of sex-biased gene expression

Nature Reviews Genetics volume 14, pages 83–87 (2013)Cite this article

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Abstract

Females and males often differ extensively in their physical traits. This sexual dimorphism is largely caused by differences in gene expression. Recent advances in genomics, such as RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), have revealed the nature and extent of sex-biased gene expression in diverse species. Here we highlight new findings regarding the causes of sex-biased expression, including sexual antagonism and incomplete dosage compensation. We also discuss how sex-biased expression can accelerate the evolution of sex-linked genes.

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Figure 1: Sex-biased expression and differential fitness of males and females.
Figure 2: Male-biased expression of Z-linked genes.
Figure 3: Sex-biased expression and the 'faster-X' effect.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge funding (to J.P.) from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, and (to H.E.) from the European Research Council, the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation and the Swedish Research Council.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. John Parsch is at the Department of Biology II, University of Munich (LMU), Grosshaderner Strasse 2, 82152 Planegg–Martinsried, Germany. parsch@bio.lmu.de,

    John Parsch

  2. Hans Ellegren is at the Department of Evolutionary Biology, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden. Hans.Ellegren@ebc.uu.se,

    Hans Ellegren

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Glossary

Cis-regulatory changes

Changes in gene regulatory sequences, such as promoters and enhancers, that alter the expression of genes located nearby on the same chromosome.

Effective population size

(Ne). An idealized description of the number of breeding individuals in a population over many generations. Ne is usually much smaller than the current census population size. As Ne increases, the influence of natural selection becomes greater, whereas the influence of genetic drift is diminished.

Genetic drift

Stochastic variation in allele frequency in a population across generations. The effect of genetic drift is more pronounced when the effective population size is small.

Pleiotropy

The situation in which a single gene influences multiple phenotypic traits. This places more constraint on the gene and can reduce its rate of evolution.

Purifying selection

Negative selection against deleterious mutations. This is thought to be the most prevalent form of natural selection.

Retroduplication

A mechanism that creates duplicate gene copies in new genomic positions through the reverse transcription of mRNAs from source genes (also known as retroposition).

Sexual antagonism

Conflict arising from traits that are beneficial to one sex but harmful to the other.

Slightly deleterious mutations

Mutations with a very small negative effect on fitness. When effective population size is low, their probability of fixation is mainly governed by stochastic events.

Standing variation

Existing genetic variation that is the result of past mutations that have become neither lost nor fixed in a population.

Trans-regulatory changes

Sequence changes that alter the expression of genes located on different chromosomes or far away on the same chromosome.

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Parsch, J., Ellegren, H. The evolutionary causes and consequences of sex-biased gene expression. Nat Rev Genet 14, 83–87 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrg3376

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