Gene expression differentiation in the reproductive tissues of Drosophila willistoni subspecies and their hybrids.

Early lineage diversification is central to understand what mutational events drive species divergence. Particularly, gene misregulation in interspecific hybrids can inform about what genes and pathways underlie hybrid dysfunction. In Drosophila hybrids, how regulatory evolution impacts different reproductive tissues remains understudied.

Functional divergence of the miRNA transcriptome at the onset of Drosophila metamorphosis.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous RNA molecules that regulate gene expression posttranscriptionally. To date, the emergence of miRNAs and their patterns of sequence evolution have been analyzed in great detail. However, the extent to which miRNA expression levels have evolved over time, the role different evolutionary forces play in shaping these changes, and whether this variation in miRNA expression can reveal the interplay between miRNAs and mRNAs remain poorly understood.

Functional evidence that a recently evolved Drosophila sperm-specific gene boosts sperm competition.

In many species, both morphological and molecular traits related to sex and reproduction evolve faster in males than in females. Ultimately, rapid male evolution relies on the acquisition of genetic variation associated with differential reproductive success. Many newly evolved genes are associated with novel functions that might enhance male fitness.