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A selection index for gene expression evolution and its application to the divergence between humans and chimpanzees

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 12:10 authored by Maria Warnefors, Adam Eyre-WalkerAdam Eyre-Walker
The importance of gene regulation in animal evolution is a matter of long-standing interest, but measuring the impact of selection on gene expression has proven a challenge. Here, we propose a selection index of gene expression as a straightforward method for assessing the mode and strength of selection operating on gene expression levels. The index is based on the widely used McDonald-Kreitman test and requires the estimation of four quantities: the within-species and between-species expression variances as well as the sequence heterozygosity and divergence of neutrally evolving sequences. We apply the method to data from human and chimpanzee lymphoblastoid cell lines and show that gene expression is in general under strong stabilizing selection. We also demonstrate how the same framework can be used to estimate the proportion of adaptive gene expression evolution.

History

Publication status

  • Published

Journal

PLoS ONE

ISSN

1932-6203

Publisher

Public Library of Science

Issue

4

Volume

7

Article number

e34935

Department affiliated with

  • Evolution, Behaviour and Environment Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2012-08-06

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