Sex-specific population structure, natural selection, and linkage disequilibrium in a wild bird population as revealed by genome-wide microsatellite analyses.
BACKGROUND: Sexual dimorphism in ecologically important traits is widespread, yet the differences in the genomic architecture between the two sexes are largely unexplored. We employed a genome-wide multilocus approach to examine the sexual differences in population subdivision, natural selection and linkage disequilibrium (LD) in a wild Siberian jay (Perisoreus infaustus) population, using genotypes at a total of 107 autosomal and Z-chromosomal microsatellites. RESULTS: Mean observed heterozygosity was significantly higher in females (HO = 0.567) than in males (HO = 0.532), and autosomal markers (HO = 0.561) were more variable than Z-chromosomal markers (HO = 0.512). Genetic differentiation (FST = 0.002, P