The Developmental and Genetic Architecture of the Sexually Selected Male Ornament of Swordtails.
Curr Biol
; 31(5): 911-922.e4, 2021 03 08.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-33275891
ABSTRACT
Sexual selection results in sex-specific characters like the conspicuously pigmented extension of the ventral tip of the caudal fin-the "sword"-in males of several species of Xiphophorus fishes. To uncover the genetic architecture underlying sword formation and to identify genes that are associated with its development, we characterized the sword transcriptional profile and combined it with genetic mapping approaches. Results showed that the male ornament of swordtails develops from a sexually non-dimorphic prepattern of transcription factors in the caudal fin. Among genes that constitute the exclusive sword transcriptome and are located in the genomic region associated with this trait we identify the potassium channel, Kcnh8, as a sword development gene. In addition to its neural function kcnh8 performs a known role in fin growth. These findings indicate that during evolution of swordtails a brain gene has been co-opted for an additional novel function in establishing a male ornament.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Ciprinodontiformes
/
Caracteres Sexuales
/
Preferencia en el Apareamiento Animal
/
Aletas de Animales
Tipo de estudio:
Prognostic_studies
Límite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Curr Biol
Asunto de la revista:
BIOLOGIA
Año:
2021
Tipo del documento:
Article