A gene for color differences between sexes.
A gene for color differences between sexes.
复制标题
性别之间颜色差异的基因。
DOI：
10.1126/science.abc2242
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发表时间：
2020
期刊：
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
Chen,Nancy
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Chen,Nancy
性二型性是指同一物种中两性之间的表型差异，是自然界中一种普遍而又令人困惑的现象。自达尔文以来，这些特征是如何进化的一直吸引着进化生物学家，达尔文对雄性精心装饰的思考促使他发展了性选择理论，许多研究试图解释这些特征的进化。关于允许物种从几乎相同的基因组产生不同形态的遗传和分子机制知之甚少（3）。在第1270页，Gazdaet al. (4)表明杂交金丝雀的性别特异性羽毛颜色是由含有编码β-胡萝卜素加氧酶2（BCO 2）的基因的单个基因组区域控制的。两性之间的颜色差异是由于BCO 2表达的上调和随之而来的雌性色素降解，表明雄性和雌性之间的颜色差异可以通过一个简单的分子机制进化。
Sexual dimorphism—phenotypic differences between sexes of the same species—is a widespread yet puzzling phenomenon in nature. How such traits evolve has fascinated evolutionary biologists since Darwin, whose ponderings about elaborate ornaments in males prompted him to develop the theory of sexual selection (1), and numerous studies have sought to explain the evolution of these traits (2). Less is known about the genetic and molecular mechanisms that allow species to generate divergent morphologies from nearly identical genomes (3). On page 1270 of this issue, Gazdaet al.(4) show that sex-specific plumage coloration in hybrid canaries is controlled by a single genomic region containing the gene encoding β-carotene oxygenase 2 (BCO2). Differences in coloration between the sexes are due to the up-regulation ofBCO2expression and consequent degradation of pigments in females, demonstrating that color differences between males and females can evolve through a simple molecular mechanism.