Mating system variation and gene expression in the male reproductive
tract of Peromyscus mice
Abstract
Genes involved in reproduction often evolve rapidly due to
postcopulatory sexual selection (PCSS) driven by male-male competition
and male-female sexual conflict, but the impact of PCSS on gene
expression has been under-explored. Further, though multiple tissues
contribute to male reproductive success, most studies have focused on
the testes. To explore the influence of mating system variation on gene
expression in the Peromyscus male reproductive tract, we generated
RNAseq libraries and quantified gene expression in the testis, seminal
vesicle, epididymis, and liver of wild-caught monogamous P. californicus
and polygynandrous P. boylii and P. maniculatus males and tested for
positive and relaxed selection on Peromyscus-expressed genes using
published rodent genomes. We identified 3,627 mating-system associated
differentially expressed genes (MS-DEGs), where expression shifted in
the same direction in P. maniculatus and P. boylii relative to P.
californicus. Gene expression variation was most strongly associated
with mating behavior in the seminal vesicles, where 89% of
differentially expressed genes were MS-DEGs, including two key seminal
fluid proteins, Svs2 and Pate4. Though but most genes showing evidence
of positive selection or differential expression did not overlap, 203
MS-DEGs showed evidence of positive selection. Additionally, fourteen
reproductive genes were under tree-wide positive selection but showed
evidence of convergent relaxed selection in P. californicus and Microtus
ochrogaster, a distantly related monogamous species. Changes in
transcript abundance and gene sequence evolution in association with
mating behavior suggest that male mice may respond to variation in
sexual selection by altering aspects of sperm motility, sperm-egg
binding, and copulatory plug formation.