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Bennett-Keki, Suzanne, Fowler, Emily K., Folkes, Leighton, Moxon, Simon 
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4644-1816 and Chapman, Tracey
(2023)
Sex-biased gene expression in nutrient-sensing pathways.
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 290 (1994).
ISSN 0962-8452
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Abstract
Differences in lifespan between males and females are found across many taxa and may be determined, at least in part, by differential responses to diet. Here we tested the hypothesis that the higher dietary sensitivity of female lifespan is mediated by higher and more dynamic expression in nutrient-sensing pathways in females. We first reanalysed existing RNA-seq data, focusing on 17 nutrient-sensing genes with reported lifespan effects. This revealed, consistent with the hypothesis, a dominant pattern of female-biased gene expression, and among sex-biased genes there tended to be a loss of female-bias after mating. We then tested directly the expression of these 17 nutrient-sensing genes in wild-type third instar larvae, once-mated 5- and 16-day-old adults. This confirmed sex-biased gene expression and showed that it was generally absent in larvae, but frequent and stable in adults. Overall, the findings suggest a proximate explanation for the sensitivity of female lifespan to dietary manipulations. We suggest that the contrasting selective pressures to which males and females are subject create differing nutritional demands and requirements, resulting in sex differences in lifespan. This underscores the potential importance of the health impacts of sex-specific dietary responses.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Faculty \ School: | Faculty of Science > School of Biological Sciences Faculty of Science > School of Computing Sciences |
| UEA Research Groups: | Faculty of Science > Research Centres > Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Organisms and the Environment |
| Related URLs: | |
| Depositing User: | LivePure Connector |
| Date Deposited: | 13 Nov 2024 09:30 |
| Last Modified: | 17 Nov 2024 07:30 |
| URI: | https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/97673 |
| DOI: | 10.1098/rspb.2022.2086 |
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