Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41529688›Full record

ArticleCell genomics2026

Differential neuronal survival defines a novel axis of sexual dimorphism in the Drosophila brain.

Aaron M Allen, Megan C Neville, Tetsuya Nojima, Faredin Alejevski, Stephen F Goodwin

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cell genomics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Organization and evolution of sex-biased gene expression inbioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Aaron M AllenCentre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3TA, UK. Electronic address: aaron.allen@cncb.ox.ac.uk.
Megan C NevilleCentre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3TA, UK.
Tetsuya NojimaCentre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3TA, UK.
Faredin AlejevskiCentre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3TA, UK.
Stephen F GoodwinCentre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3TA, UK. Electronic address: stephen.goodwin@cncb.ox.ac.uk.

Funding

Resource Component: Acquisition, maintenance and distribution of Drosophila stocksP40OD018537 · OD · TRUSTEES OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY · PI Annette L. Parks · 2014 to 2026
$13.5M
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council BB/Y001869/1NIH HHS P40 OD018537Wellcome Trust 106189Wellcome Trust 209235
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Sex differences in behaviors arise from variations in female and male nervous systems, yet the cellular and molecular bases of these differences remain poorly defined. Here, we employ an unbiased, single-cell transcriptomic approach to investigate how sex influences the adult Drosophila melanogaster brain. We demonstrate that sex differences do not result from large-scale transcriptional reprogramming, but rather from selective modifications within shared developmental lineages mediated by the sex-differentiating transcription factors Doublesex and Fruitless. We reveal, with unprecedented resolution, the extraordinary genetic diversity within these sexually dimorphic cell types and find that birth order represents a novel axis of sexual differentiation. Neuronal identity in the adult reflects spatiotemporal patterning and sex-specific survival, with female-biased neurons emerging early and male-biased neurons arising later. This pattern reframes dimorphic neurons as "paralogous" rather than "orthologous," suggesting sex leverages distinct developmental windows to build behavioral circuits, and highlights a role for exaptation in diversifying the brain.

Indexed as

BrainDrosophila melanogasterNeuronsSex CharacteristicsAnimalsCell SurvivalDNA-Binding ProteinsDrosophila ProteinsFemaleGene Expression Regulation, DevelopmentalMaleNerve Tissue ProteinsSex DifferentiationTranscription FactorsTranscriptomeDNA-Binding ProteinsDrosophila ProteinsDSX protein, Drosophilafru protein, DrosophilaNerve Tissue ProteinsTranscription Factorsbirth orderbraindevelopmentDrosophila melanogasterhemilineagelineagenervous systemneuronscRNA-seqsex

Identifiers

PMID41529688
PMCPMC7618834

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.