Genetic and molecular insights into the development and evolution of sexual dimorphism Export

@article{citeulike:5971656, abstract = {Sexual dimorphism is common throughout the animal kingdom. However, a molecular understanding of how sex-specific traits develop and evolve has been elusive. Recently, substantial progress has been made in elucidating how diverse sex-determination systems are integrated into developmental gene networks. One common theme from these studies is that sex-limited traits and gene expression are produced by the combined action of transcriptional effectors of sex-determination pathways and other transcription factors on target gene cis-regulatory elements. Sex-specific traits evolve by the gain, loss or modification of linkages in the genetic networks regulated by sex-determination transcription factors.}, author = {Williams, Thomas M. and Carroll, Sean B.}, citeulike-article-id = {5971656}, citeulike-linkout-0 = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nrg2687}, citeulike-linkout-1 = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nrg2687}, comment = {Summary Sexual dimorphism, or the morphological and behavioural differentiation of the two sexes of the same species, is widespread in nature. Sex-limited traits are the product of sex-limited gene expression. Although the mechanisms that initiate sexually dimorphic development are remarkably diverse, these pathways generally converge upon more conserved genetic components. Gene cis-regulatory elements that possess binding sites for both sex- and tissue-specific transcription factors function as sexually dimorphic genetic switches in pathways for sexually dimorphic traits. Effectors of the sexual differentiation pathway that are expressed specifically in the neural region can collaborate with other factors to generate sexually dimorphic neural morphology and hence behaviour. New patterns of sex-limited gene expression and traits can evolve by the modification of ancestral cis-regulatory elements that control other dimorphic traits. The gain and loss of binding sites for the transcriptional effectors of sexual differentiation pathways in cis-regulatory elements can result in the transition between sexually dimorphic and monomorphic gene expression. The evolution of sexually dimorphic cis-regulatory elements in genes explains how the development of the two sexes can become uncoupled and allow for the independent evolution of traits between the sexes. Evolutionary-developmental biologists have shown how sexually dimorphic traits arise, and ecologists have shown the importance of such traits in nature. An important future goal is to bridge the findings of these two disciplines.}, day = {01}, doi = {10.1038/nrg2687}, issn = {1471-0056}, journal = {Nature Reviews Genetics}, keywords = {gender, genetics, review, sexual\_dimorphism}, month = {November}, number = {11}, pages = {797--804}, posted-at = {2009-11-02 15:23:34}, priority = {2}, publisher = {Nature Publishing Group}, title = {Genetic and molecular insights into the development and evolution of sexual dimorphism}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nrg2687}, volume = {10}, year = {2009} }

TY - JOUR ID - citeulike:5971656 L3 - citeulike-article-id:5971656 N2 - Sexual dimorphism is common throughout the animal kingdom. However, a molecular understanding of how sex-specific traits develop and evolve has been elusive. Recently, substantial progress has been made in elucidating how diverse sex-determination systems are integrated into developmental gene networks. One common theme from these studies is that sex-limited traits and gene expression are produced by the combined action of transcriptional effectors of sex-determination pathways and other transcription factors on target gene cis-regulatory elements. Sex-specific traits evolve by the gain, loss or modification of linkages in the genetic networks regulated by sex-determination transcription factors. IS - 11 JF - Nature Reviews Genetics SN - 1471-0056 EP - 804 TI - Genetic and molecular insights into the development and evolution of sexual dimorphism PB - Nature Publishing Group VL - 10 SP - 797 KW - gender KW - genetics KW - review KW - sexual_dimorphism N1 - Summary Sexual dimorphism, or the morphological and behavioural differentiation of the two sexes of the same species, is widespread in nature. Sex-limited traits are the product of sex-limited gene expression. Although the mechanisms that initiate sexually dimorphic development are remarkably diverse, these pathways generally converge upon more conserved genetic components. Gene cis-regulatory elements that possess binding sites for both sex- and tissue-specific transcription factors function as sexually dimorphic genetic switches in pathways for sexually dimorphic traits. Effectors of the sexual differentiation pathway that are expressed specifically in the neural region can collaborate with other factors to generate sexually dimorphic neural morphology and hence behaviour. New patterns of sex-limited gene expression and traits can evolve by the modification of ancestral cis-regulatory elements that control other dimorphic traits. The gain and loss of binding sites for the transcriptional effectors of sexual differentiation pathways in cis-regulatory elements can result in the transition between sexually dimorphic and monomorphic gene expression. The evolution of sexually dimorphic cis-regulatory elements in genes explains how the development of the two sexes can become uncoupled and allow for the independent evolution of traits between the sexes. Evolutionary-developmental biologists have shown how sexually dimorphic traits arise, and ecologists have shown the importance of such traits in nature. An important future goal is to bridge the findings of these two disciplines. AU - Williams, Thomas AU - Carroll, Sean PY - 2009/11/01/ UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nrg2687 ER -