Evolutionary dynamics of sex‐biased gene expression in a young XY system: insights from the brown alga genus Fucus

• DOI: 10.1111/nph.18710
• Publication Date: 2023-01-04T08:27:56Z
• Authors: William J. Hatchett; Alexander O. Juet...; Martina Kopp; James A. Coyer; Susana M. Coelho; Galice Hoarau; Agnieszka P. Lipi...
• Keywords: Fucus vesiculosus; Fucus; Sexual dimorphism; Gamete; Brown algae; plant evolution

Sex-biased gene expression is considered to be an underlying cause of sexually dimorphic traits. Although the nature and degree sex-biased have been well documented in several animal plant systems, far less known about evolution genes more distant eukaryotic groups. Here, we investigate two brown algal dioecious species, Fucus serratus vesiculosus, where male heterogamety (XX/XY) has recently emerged. We find that contrast evolutionary lineages, male-biased do not experience high turnover rates, but instead reveal remarkable conservation bias levels between suggesting their importance sexual differentiation. Genes with consistent were enriched functions related gamete production, along sperm competition include three flagellar proteins under positive selection. present one first reports, outside kingdom, showing display accelerated rates coding sequence compared female-biased or unbiased genes. Our results imply forces affect female differently on structural regulatory levels, resulting unique properties differentially expressed transcripts during reproductive development algae.