Does Sex-Differential Gene Expression Drive Sex-Differential Selection in Humans?

Abstract

Sex differences in human transcriptomes have been argued to drive sex-differential natural selection (SDS). Here, we show that previous evidence supporting this hypothesis has been largely unfounded. We develop a new method to test for a genome-wide relationship between sex differences in expression and selection on expression-influencing alleles (eQTLs). We apply it across 39 human tissues and find no evidence for a general relationship. We offer possible explanations for the lack of evidence, including that it is due in part to eQTL ascertainment bias towards sites under weak selection. We conclude that the drivers of ongoing SDS in humans remain to be identified.