TY - JOUR AU - Lang, Andrew S. AU - Austin, Suzanne H. AU - Harris, Rayna M. AU - Calisi, Rebecca M. AU - MacManes, Matthew D. PY - 2020 DA - 2020/03/23 TI - Stress-mediated convergence of splicing landscapes in male and female rock doves JO - BMC Genomics SP - 251 VL - 21 IS - 1 AB - The process of alternative splicing provides a unique mechanism by which eukaryotes are able to produce numerous protein products from the same gene. Heightened variability in the proteome has been thought to potentiate increased behavioral complexity and response flexibility to environmental stimuli, thus contributing to more refined traits on which natural and sexual selection can act. While it has been long known that various forms of environmental stress can negatively affect sexual behavior and reproduction, we know little of how stress can affect the alternative splicing associated with these events, and less still about how splicing may differ between sexes. Using the model of the rock dove (Columba livia), our team previously uncovered sexual dimorphism in the basal and stress-responsive gene transcription of a biological system necessary for facilitating sexual behavior and reproduction, the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. In this study, we delve further into understanding the mechanistic underpinnings of how changes in the environment can affect reproduction by testing the alternative splicing response of the HPG axis to an external stressor in both sexes. SN - 1471-2164 UR - https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-020-6600-6 DO - 10.1186/s12864-020-6600-6 ID - Lang2020 ER -