Premise:

The heritability of gene expression is critical in understanding heterosis and is dependent on allele-specific regulation by local and remote factors in the genome.  In this study, we used RNA-Seq to test whether variation in gene expression among F₁ and F₂ intraspecific Salix purpurea progeny is attributable to cis– and trans-regulatory divergence using two distinct tissue types: shoot tip and stem internode.  In addition, we explored sexually dimorphic patterns of gene expression inheritance and regulatory divergence among F₁ individuals.

Altogether, our results offer insight into the inheritance of gene expression in S. purpurea as well as evidence of sexually dimorphic expression which may have contributed to the evolution of dioecy in Salix.

Get the Advanced Access article now:  Carlson CH, Choi Y, Chan AP, Serapiglia MJ, Town CD, Smart LB. 2017. Dominance and sexual dimorphism pervade the Salix purpurea L. transcriptome. Genome Biology and Evolution, evx174.