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The evolutionary genomics of meiotic drive
Daven C Presgraves1, R Kelly Dawe2, Kelly A Dyer2
1Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA.
Molecular Biology and Evolution
|January 27, 2026
Summary
Meiotic drivers, selfish genetic elements, are more common than previously thought and significantly impact genome evolution. Studying their effects can help discover new drive elements using genomic data.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Genetics
- Molecular biology
Background:
- Meiotic drivers are selfish genetic elements that bias inheritance, traditionally viewed as rare.
- Recent findings indicate meiotic drive is widespread across taxa and phylogenetically diverse.
- Understanding meiotic drive is crucial for explaining genome evolution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the evolutionary genomic consequences of meiotic drive.
- To highlight how meiotic drive influences genome content and organization.
- To explore the potential of using genomic data to discover novel meiotic drive elements.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of meiotic drive research.
- Analysis of genomic features potentially shaped by meiotic drive.
- Exploration of interactions between meiotic drivers and host genomes.
Main Results:
- Meiotic drive significantly affects sequence evolution, gene copy number, and chromosome structure.
- Drive elements interact with other selfish genetic elements and host suppression genes.
- Recurrent meiotic drive histories can explain seemingly anomalous genomic features.
Conclusions:
- Meiotic drive is a major force shaping genome evolution, impacting various genomic aspects.
- Genome data can be leveraged to identify new meiotic drive elements, reversing the traditional discovery direction.
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