Natural Selection and Gene Expression in Arabidopsis
Author Information
Author(s): Qi Cheng, Wei Qiang, Ye Yuting, Liu Jing, Li Guishuang, Liang Jane W., Huang Haiyan, Wu Guang
Primary Institution: College of Life Science, Shaanxi Normal University
Hypothesis
Whether and how expression divergences and coding sequence divergences coevolve is not clear.
Conclusion
The study suggests that expression divergences of coding genes are selectively fixed by natural selection, providing a framework for trait diversification and speciation.
Supporting Evidence
- Gene expression divergences are anti-correlated with gene ages.
- New genes have lower expression levels.
- Genes specifically expressed in a sample have a higher phylostratum than broadly expressed genes.
- Positive selection is a major driver for the origin and evolution of Arabidopsis genes.
- Lower expression abundance is associated with faster gene evolution.
Takeaway
This study found that genes that change how much they are expressed can help plants adapt and evolve, showing that natural selection plays a big role in this process.
Methodology
The study used transcriptomes and evolutionary proxies to analyze gene expression divergences among differentiated cells and tissues in Arabidopsis.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website