Effect of DSX knock down by RNA intereference on sex-bias gene expression at different larval stages and adul parts in the parasitoid wasp Nasonia vitripennis

Sexual dimorphism is particularly well-known in insects, where differences in colors, shape, behavior, neurophysiology, and much more have been studied. However, little is known about the genetic and molecular mechanisms leading to these differences, and most of our knowledge relies on the Drosophila melanogaster model.

The current model presents the transcription factor Doublesex (DSX) as the main switch to control male and female-specific gene expression across development. In this study, we uncover sex-biased gene expression in Nasonia vitripennis with a unique level of detail by comparing male and female transcriptomes at different developmental stages, from 1-day-old embryos to adults separated into head, thorax, and abdomen. Additionally, we knocked down dsx by RNA interference and analyzed its effects on gene expression in males and females at different developmental stages and adult body parts, revealing hundreds of genes under the control of DSX.