title: Transcriptomics of Intralocus Sexual Conflict: Gene Expression Patterns in Females Change in Response to Selection on a Male Secondary Sexual Trait in the Bulb Mite.
abstract: Intralocus sexual conflict (IASC) prevents males and females from reaching their disparate phenotypic optima and is widespread, but little is known about its genetic underpinnings. In Rhizoglyphus robini, a mite species with alternative male morphs, elevated sexual dimorphism of the armored fighter males (compared to more feminized scramblers males) was previously reported to be associated with increased IASC. Because IASC persists if gene expression patterns are correlated between sexes, we compared gene expression patterns of males and females from the replicate lines selected for increased proportion of fighter or scrambler males (F- and S-lines, respectively). Specifically, we tested the prediction that selection for fighter morph caused correlated changes in gene expression patterns in females. We identified 532 differentially expressed genes (FDR < 0.05) between the F-line and S-line males. Consistent with the prediction, expression levels of these genes also differed between females from respective lines. Thus, significant proportion of genes differentially expressed between sexually selected male phenotypes showed correlated expression levels in females, likely contributing to elevated IASC in F-lines reported in a previous study.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Richa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Joag
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, Krakow, Poland Integrative Animal Sciences, Scotland's Rural College, Easter Bush Campus, Midlothian, Scotland.
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stuglik
authors.affiliation: Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, Barcelona, Spain Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Mateusz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Konczal
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Agata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Plesnar-Bielak
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Skrzynecka
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Wieslaw
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Babik
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biology, Evolutionary Biology Group, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland jradwan@amu.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Radwan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D008297:Male; D008925:Mites / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D010641:Phenotype; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D019849:Sex Determination Processes
keywords: alternative reproductive tactics (ARTs); differential gene expression; ontogenetic conflict; polyphenism; sexual selection