Data from: Masculinisation of gene expression is associated with male quality in Drosophila melanogaster

The signature of sexual selection has been revealed through the study of differences in patterns of genome-wide gene expression, both between the sexes and between alternative reproductive morphs within a single sex. What remains unclear, however, is whether differences in gene expression patterns between individuals of a given sex consistently map to variation in individual quality. Such a pattern, particularly if found in males, would provide unambiguous evidence that the phenotypic response to sexual selection is shaped through sex-specific alterations to the transcriptome. To redress this knowledge gap, we explored whether patterns of sex-biased gene expression are associated with variation in male reproductive quality in Drosophila melanogaster. We measured two male reproductive phenotypes, and their association with sex-biased gene expression, across a selection of inbred lines from the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel. Genotypes with higher expression of male-biased genes produced males exhibiting shorter latencies to copulation, and higher capacity to inseminate females. Conversely, female-biased genes tended to show negative associations with these male reproductive traits across genotypes. We uncovered similar patterns, by reanalysing a published dataset from a second D. melanogaster population. Our results reveal the footprint of sexual selection in masculinising the male transcriptome.科研人员通过研究两性间以及单一性别内不同替代性生殖形态间的全基因组基因表达（genome-wide gene expression）模式差异，已揭示了性选择的印记。然而目前仍不明确的是，特定性别个体间的基因表达模式差异，是否能稳定对应个体质量的变异。这类模式若在雄性群体中被发现，尤其能为"性选择的表型响应是通过性别特异性的转录组（transcriptome）调控形成"这一结论提供明确证据。为填补这一认知空白，我们以黑腹果蝇（Drosophila melanogaster）为研究对象，探究了性别偏向性基因表达模式与雄性生殖质量变异间的关联。我们对果蝇遗传参考面板（Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel）的多个近交系开展分析，测定了两种雄性生殖表型，并考察了它们与性别偏向性基因表达的相关性。结果显示，雄性偏向基因表达水平更高的基因型，其所产生的雄性个体交配潜伏期更短，且使雌性受精的能力更强。反之，雌性偏向基因则在不同基因型间与这些雄性生殖性状呈负相关。通过重新分析另一黑腹果蝇种群的已发表数据集，我们发现了相似的模式。本研究结果揭示了性选择促使雄性转录组雄性化的印记。