A conserved trans regulatory loop involving an odorant binding protein controls male mating behavior in flies

Code and data to perform analyses of house fly RNA-seq and behavioral data. The house fly, <i>Musca domestica</i>, is a promising system to investigate different hypotheses that explain how genetic variation is maintained in sexually selected traits. Two common Y chromosomes (Y<sup>M</sup> and III<sup>M</sup>) segregate as stable polymorphisms in natural house fly populations, appear to be locally adapted to different thermal habitats, and differentially affect male mating success. To identify candidate genetic mechanisms implicated in the maintenance of the behavioral polymorphism, we performed a meta-analysis of RNA-seq data to identify differences in gene expression between the heads of males carrying the Y<sup>M</sup> and III<sup>M</sup> chromosomes. We also conducted single-choice and competitive mating assays to characterize the effects of genotype and developmental temperature on male house fly mating behavior.