ABSTRACT
Several studies have demonstrated that genes differentially expressed between sexes (sex-biased genes) tend to evolve faster than unbiased genes, particularly in males. The reason for this accelerated evolution is not clear, but several explanations have involved adaptive and nonadaptive mechanisms. Furthermore, the differences of sex-biased expression patterns of closely related species are also little explored out of Drosophila. To address the evolutionary processes involved with sex-biased expression in species with incipient differentiation, we analyzed male and female transcriptomes of Anastrepha fraterculus and Anastrepha obliqua, a pair of species that have diverged recently, likely in the presence of gene flow. Using these data, we inferred differentiation indexes and evolutionary rates and tested for signals of selection in thousands of genes expressed in head and reproductive transcriptomes from both species. Our results indicate that sex-biased and reproductive-biased genes evolve faster than unbiased genes in both species, which is due to both adaptive pressure and relaxed constraints. Furthermore, among male-biased genes evolving under positive selection, we identified some related to sexual functions such as courtship behavior and fertility. These findings suggest that sex-biased genes may have played important roles in the establishment of reproductive isolation between these species, due to a combination of selection and drift, and unveil a plethora of genetic markers useful for more studies in these species and their differentiation.
Subject(s)
Evolution, Molecular , Genes, Insect , Tephritidae/genetics , Animals , Female , Gene Flow , Male , Reproductive Isolation , Selection, Genetic , Sex Characteristics , Tephritidae/physiology , TranscriptomeABSTRACT
As hemoglobinopatias têm provido uma das poucas demonstrações convincentes da seleção, influenciando a freqüência de único gene na população humana. A alta taxa de desordens, tais como a anemia falciforme e a beta-talassemia, ocorridas em áreas subtropicais ou tropicais dentro do cinturão da malária, levou Haldane a propor que a malária pode ser o agente seletivo responsável que balanceia a perda dos genes para a talassemia e a anemia falciforme, por morte prematura dos homozigotos a partir do aumento do valor adaptativo de heterozigotos no ambiente com malária. Mas uma nova proposta surgiu para explicar a manutenção deste polimorfismo, baseada na fertilidade diferencial ou efeito parental. Alguns autores observaram uma distorção favorecendo a transmissão de alelos mutantes em áreas não endêmicas de malária. Com base nestas observações, esses autores propuseram um efeito materno para explicar tais distorções. Este estudo tem como objetivo apresentar uma revisão destes mecanismos envolvidos na manutenção do polimorfismo de hemoglobinopatias, desde seu modelo clássico até hipóteses alternativas que surgiram recentemente na literatura.
Subject(s)
Humans , Anemia , Hemoglobinopathies , Malaria , Polymorphism, GeneticABSTRACT
In malaria endemic regions of Africa, resistance to infection by Plasmodium has been observed in under 6-month-old children, when there are higher fetal hemoglobin (Hb F) levels. Research performed in the São José do Rio Preto region, central-east Brazil, reported increased levels of Hb F in blood donors. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the A2 hemoglobin (Hb A2) and Hb F concentrations in blood donors deriving from the Brazilian malaria endemic region. Forty-five blood donor samples from Macapá, from patients with varying genders, ages and ethnic origins, were collected by venous puncture after informed consent was obtained. The samples were analyzed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) - System Variant (Bio-Rad). The HPLC demonstrated sensitivity and rapidity in the identification and measurement of the hemoglobins and gave precise results. Moreover, it provided measurement of hemoglobin variants, even when they were present in small amounts, providing a diagnosis of hemoglobinopathies. Hb F levels above the normal were observed in 33.3 percent of the analyzed samples. The presence of increased Hb F can suggest resistance to infection by Plasmodium falciparum, as there have been reports that infected red blood cells interfere in the development of the parasite.