title: Transcriptome analyses and differential gene expression in a non-model fish species with alternative mating tactics.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Social dominance is important for the reproductive success of males in many species. In the black-faced blenny (Tripterygion delaisi) during the reproductive season, some males change color and invest in nest making and defending a territory, whereas others do not change color and 'sneak' reproductions when females lay their eggs. Using RNAseq, we profiled differential gene expression between the brains of territorial males, sneaker males, and females to study the molecular signatures of male dimorphism.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that more genes were differentially expressed between the two male phenotypes than between males and females, suggesting that during the reproductive period phenotypic plasticity is a more important factor in differential gene expression than sexual dimorphism. The territorial male overexpresses genes related to synaptic plasticity and the sneaker male overexpresses genes involved in differentiation and development.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Previously suggested candidate genes for social dominance in the context of alternative mating strategies seem to be predominantly species-specific. We present a list of novel genes which are differentially expressed in Tripterygion delaisi. This is the first genome-wide study for a molecular non-model species in the context of alternative mating strategies and provides essential information for further studies investigating the molecular basis of social dominance.
authors.affiliation: Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Car, Acc, Cala St, Francesc 14 Blanes 17300 Girona, Spain. celiaschunter@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Celia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schunter
authors.forename: Steven V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Vollmer
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Macpherson
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pascual
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing; D000818:Animals; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D019295:Computational Biology / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes / Q000235:genetics*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D008297:Male; D058977:Molecular Sequence Annotation; D010641:Phenotype; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal; D013731:Territoriality; D059467:Transcriptome