title: Sex-Biased Gene Expression.
abstract: Methods of transcriptional profiling have made it possible to compare gene expression between females and males on a genome-wide scale. Such studies have revealed that sex-biased gene expression is abundant in many species, although its extent may vary greatly among tissues or developmental stages. In species with genetic sex determination, sex chromosome-specific processes, such as dosage compensation, also may influence sex-biased gene expression. Sex-biased genes, especially those with male-biased expression, often show elevated rates of both protein sequence and gene expression divergence between species, which could have a number of causes, including sexual selection, sexual antagonism, and relaxed selective constraint. Here, we review our current knowledge of sex-biased gene expression in both model and nonmodel organisms, as well as the biological and technical factors that should be considered when analyzing sex-biased expression. We also discuss current approaches to uncover the evolutionary forces that govern the evolution of sex-biased genes.
authors: Department of Biology II, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 82152 Planegg, Germany; email: grath@bio.lmu.de , parsch@bio.lmu.de.
authors: Sonja
authors: S
authors: Grath
authors: Department of Biology II, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 82152 Planegg, Germany; email: grath@bio.lmu.de , parsch@bio.lmu.de.
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Parsch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D004303:Dosage Compensation, Genetic; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012730:Sex Chromosomes; D019849:Sex Determination Processes
keywords: dosage compensation; epigenetics; evolution; sex chromosomes; sexual dimorphism; transcriptomics