Genetics-driving genes and chromosomes

Tags: Chromosomal drive, Ecology, Evolution, Fruit fly, Gene drive, Gene drive mechanisms, Gene drive synthetic, History, Replicator/site directed nuclease, Risk and safety, Toxin-antidote, Transmission distortion, Underdominance, X chromosome, Y-chromosome
Charlesworth, B, Nature, 332:394-395. 1988.

Thereare several genetic and chromosomal systems in which Mendel’s first law – the equal probability of transmission of maternal and paternal alternative alleles or homologues – is violated. This phenomenon was named ‘meiotic drive’ in 1957 by Sandler and Novitski, who drew attention to the fact that it operates as an evolutionary force which can cause an increase in the population frequency of the allele or chromosome which is favoured in transmission, even if it confers a disadvantage on its carriers in terms of fitness at the level of the individual