Sex dimorphism and gene expression were studied in developing catkins in 159 F2 individuals from the bioenergy crop Salix purpurea, and potential mechanisms and pathways for regulating sex development were explored. Differential expression, eQTL, bisulfite sequencing, and network analysis were used to characterize sex dimorphism, detect candidate master regulator genes, and identify pathways through which the sex determination region (SDR) may mediate sex dimorphism. Eleven genes are presented as candidates for master regulators of sex, supported by gene expression and network analyses. These include genes putatively involved in hormone signaling, epigenetic modification, and regulation of transcription. eQTL analysis revealed a suite of transcription factors and genes involved in secondary metabolism and floral development that were predicted to be under direct control of the sex determination region. Furthermore, data from bisulfite sequencing and small RNA sequencing revealed strong differences in expression between males and females that would implicate both of these processes in sex dimorphism pathways. These data indicate that the mechanism of sex determination in Salix purpurea is likely different from that observed in the related genus Populus. This further demonstrates the dynamic nature of SDRs in plants, which involves a multitude of mechanisms of sex determination and a high rate of turnover.

中文翻译：

---

整合基因组学揭示了紫柳性别二态性的途径


研究了 159 F 发育中柔荑花的性别二态性和基因表达2来自生物能源作物的个体紫柳，并探讨了调节性发育的潜在机制和途径。使用差异表达、eQTL、亚硫酸氢盐测序和网络分析来表征性别二态性，检测候选主调节基因，并确定性别决定区（SDR）可能介导性别二态性的途径。十一个基因被提出作为性主调节因子的候选基因，并得到基因表达和网络分析的支持。这些包括推测与激素信号传导、表观遗传修饰和转录调控有关的基因。 eQTL 分析揭示了一系列参与次生代谢和花发育的转录因子和基因，预计它们受到性别决定区域的直接控制。此外，来自亚硫酸氢盐测序和小RNA测序的数据揭示了雄性和雌性之间表达的强烈差异，这可能暗示性别二态性途径中的这两个过程。这些数据表明，性别决定机制紫柳可能与相关属中观察到的不同胡杨属。这进一步证明了植物中 SDR 的动态性质，其中涉及多种性别决定机制和高周转率。