Divergent Gene Expression Following Duplication of Meiotic Genes in the Stick Insect Clitarchus hookeri.

ABSTRACT: Some animal groups, such as stick insects (Phasmatodea), have repeatedly evolved alternative reproductive strategies, including parthenogenesis. Genomic studies have found modification of the genes underlying meiosis exists in some of these animals. Here we examine the evolution of copy number, evolutionary rate, and gene expression in candidate meiotic genes of the New Zealand geographic parthenogenetic stick insect Clitarchus hookeri. We characterized 101 genes from a de novo transcriptome assembly from female and male gonads that have homology with meiotic genes from other arthropods. For each gene we determined copy number, the pattern of gene duplication relative to other arthropod orthologs, and the potential for meiosis-specific expression. There are five genes duplicated in C. hook

SUBMITTER: Wu C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8155549 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature