Patterns of synonymous codon usage in Drosophila melanogaster genes with sex-biased expression. 2005

Tina M Hambuch, and John Parsch
Section of Evolutionary Biology, Department of Biology II, University of Munich (LMU), 82152 Munich, Germany.

The nonrandom use of synonymous codons (codon bias) is a well-established phenomenon in Drosophila. Recent reports suggest that levels of codon bias differ among genes that are differentially expressed between the sexes, with male-expressed genes showing less codon bias than female-expressed genes. To examine the relationship between sex-biased gene expression and level of codon bias on a genomic scale, we surveyed synonymous codon usage in 7276 D. melanogaster genes that were classified as male-, female-, or non-sex-biased in their expression in microarray experiments. We found that male-biased genes have significantly less codon bias than both female- and non-sex-biased genes. This pattern holds for both germline and somatically expressed genes. Furthermore, we find a significantly negative correlation between level of codon bias and degree of sex-biased expression for male-biased genes. In contrast, female-biased genes do not differ from non-sex-biased genes in their level of codon bias and show a significantly positive correlation between codon bias and degree of sex-biased expression. These observations cannot be explained by differences in chromosomal distribution, mutational processes, recombinational environment, gene length, or absolute expression level among genes of the different expression classes. We propose that the observed codon bias differences result from differences in selection at synonymous and/or linked nonsynonymous sites between genes with male- and female-biased expression.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D003062 Codon A set of three nucleotides in a protein coding sequence that specifies individual amino acids or a termination signal (CODON, TERMINATOR). Most codons are universal, but some organisms do not produce the transfer RNAs (RNA, TRANSFER) complementary to all codons. These codons are referred to as unassigned codons (CODONS, NONSENSE). Codon, Sense,Sense Codon,Codons,Codons, Sense,Sense Codons
D004331 Drosophila melanogaster A species of fruit fly frequently used in genetics because of the large size of its chromosomes. D. melanogaster,Drosophila melanogasters,melanogaster, Drosophila
D005260 Female Females
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012641 Selection, Genetic Differential and non-random reproduction of different genotypes, operating to alter the gene frequencies within a population. Natural Selection,Genetic Selection,Selection, Natural
D012737 Sex Factors Maleness or femaleness as a constituent element or influence contributing to the production of a result. It may be applicable to the cause or effect of a circumstance. It is used with human or animal concepts but should be differentiated from SEX CHARACTERISTICS, anatomical or physiological manifestations of sex, and from SEX DISTRIBUTION, the number of males and females in given circumstances. Factor, Sex,Factors, Sex,Sex Factor
D015870 Gene Expression The phenotypic manifestation of a gene or genes by the processes of GENETIC TRANSCRIPTION and GENETIC TRANSLATION. Expression, Gene,Expressions, Gene,Gene Expressions
D017344 Genes, Insect The functional hereditary units of INSECTS. Insect Genes,Gene, Insect,Insect Gene
D049750 Genome, Insect The genetic complement of an insect (INSECTS) as represented in its DNA. Insect Genome,Genomes, Insect,Insect Genomes

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