Selfish Genetic Elements and Meiotic Drive in Drosophila

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Selfish Genetic Elements and Meiotic Drive in Drosophila

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Nature Research Intelligence,  2025.

Selfish genetic elements are segments of DNA that can enhance their own transmission to the next generation, often at a cost to the organism’s overall fitness. In Drosophila, or fruit flies, these elements can lead to a phenomenon known as meiotic drive, where certain alleles are preferentially passed on during reproduction, violating Mendel’s law of equal segregation. Recent research has focused on understanding the mechanisms behind these selfish elements, their evolutionary implications, and how they can affect the fitness and reproductive success of their hosts.