Leigh Stewart, Thorpe Peter, Snook Rhonda R, Ritchie Michael G
Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, UK.
The Data Analysis Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK.
Proc Biol Sci. 2025 Apr;292(2044):20242744. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2024.2744. Epub 2025 Apr 2.
Sexual selection shapes the genome in unique ways. It is also likely to have significant fitness consequences, such as purging deleterious mutations from the genome or conversely maintaining genetic load in a population via sexual conflict. Here, we examined what the influence of sexual selection has on genomic variation potentially underlying population fitness using experimentally evolved populations. Sexual selection was manipulated by keeping replicate lines in elevated polyandry or strict monogamy for approximately 200 generations followed by individual-based sequencing. Using pi (), fixation index ()and recombination rate measures, we confirmed signatures of selection were not dispersed but mainly localized to the third and X chromosome. Overall mutational load was similar between lines but our analysis of the distribution of fitness effects revealed considerable variation between lines and chromosomes. Furthermore, we found that the distribution of transposable elements differs between the lines, with a higher load in monogamous lines. Our results suggest that complex interactions between purifying selection and sexual conflict are shaping the genome, particularly on chromosome 3 and the sex chromosome; sexual selection influences divergence across chromosomes but in a more complex way than proposed by simple 'purging' of deleterious loci.
性选择以独特的方式塑造基因组。它也可能产生重大的适应性后果,例如从基因组中清除有害突变,或者相反,通过性冲突在种群中维持遗传负荷。在这里,我们使用实验进化种群研究了性选择对可能潜在影响种群适应性的基因组变异有何影响。通过将重复品系保持在高多配偶制或严格单配偶制中大约200代,然后进行基于个体的测序来操纵性选择。使用π(π)、固定指数(FST)和重组率测量方法,我们证实选择特征并非分散,而是主要定位于第三条染色体和X染色体。品系间的总体突变负荷相似,但我们对适应性效应分布的分析揭示了品系和染色体之间存在相当大的差异。此外,我们发现转座元件的分布在品系间有所不同,单配偶制品系中的负荷更高。我们的结果表明,纯化选择和性冲突之间的复杂相互作用正在塑造基因组,特别是在第三条染色体和性染色体上;性选择影响染色体间的差异,但方式比简单地“清除”有害基因座所提出的更为复杂。