An evolutionary cost of separate genders revealed by male-limited evolution |
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Authors: | Prasad N G Bedhomme S Day T Chippindale A K |
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Institution: | Department of Biology, Queen's University at Kingston, Biosciences Complex, 116 Barrie Street, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada. prasad@biology.queensu.ca |
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Abstract: | Theory predicts that intralocus sexual conflict can constrain the evolution of sexual dimorphism, preventing each sex from independently maximizing its fitness. To test this idea, we limited genome-wide gene expression to males in four replicate Drosophila melanogaster populations, removing female-specific selection. Over 25 generations, male fitness increased markedly, as sexually dimorphic traits evolved in the male direction. When male-evolved genomes were expressed in females, their fitness displayed a nearly symmetrical decrease. These results suggest that intralocus conflict strongly limits sex-specific adaptation, promoting the maintenance of genetic variation for fitness. Populations may carry a heavy genetic load as a result of selection for separate genders. |
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