Positive selection and relaxed purifying selection contribute to rapid evolution of sex-biased genes in green seaweed Ulva
This study highlights the selective pressures shaping anisogamy and provides insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying its evolution. The faster evolution of SBGs, particularly mt-BGs, and the positive selection on genes associated with motility, such as those related to flagella function, suggest the importance of enhanced gamete motility in the transition to anisogamy. These findings contribute to our understanding of sexual selection and the evolutionary forces that drive the differentiation of gamete size and number between sexes.
Authors
- Olivier De Clerck (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3699-8402)
- Thomas Wichard (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0061-4160)
- Jonas Blomme (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2941-0233)
- Kenny A. Bogaert (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1482-7618)
- Sofie D’hondt (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2128-0553)
- Emma Coulembier Vandelannoote
- Xiaojie Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0124-5785)
Institutions
- Ghent University (BE)
- VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology (BE)
- Friedrich Schiller University Jena (DE)
Publication Details
- Journal
- BMC Ecology and Evolution
- Published
- 2025-05-09
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-025-02382-y
- Citations
- 3
- Primary Topic
- Marine and coastal plant biology
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 5.38
Funders
- China Scholarship Council
- European Marine Biological Resource Centre Belgium