Journal article
Using a meiosis detection toolkit to investigate ancient asexual "scandals" and the evolution of sex
BioEssays, Vol.30(6), pp.579-589
06/2008
DOI: 10.1002/bies.20764
PMID: 18478537
Abstract
Sexual reproduction is the dominant reproductive mode in eukaryotes but, in many taxa, it has never been observed. Molecular methods that detect evidence of sex are largely based on the genetic consequences of sexual reproduction. Here we describe a powerful new approach to directly search genomes for genes that function in meiosis. We describe a "meiosis detection toolkit", a set of meiotic genes that represent the best markers for the presence of meiosis. These genes are widely present in eukaryotes, function only in meiosis and can be isolated by degenerate PCR. The presence of most, or all, of these genes in a genome would suggest they have been maintained for meiosis and, implicitly, sexual reproduction. In contrast, their absence would be consistent with the loss of meiosis and asexuality. This approach will help to understand both meiotic gene evolution and the capacity for meiosis and sex in putative obligate asexuals.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Using a meiosis detection toolkit to investigate ancient asexual "scandals" and the evolution of sex
- Creators
- Andrew M Schurko - Department of Biology and Roy J. Carver Center for Comparative Genomics, University of Iowa, IAJohn M Logsdon Jr - Department of Biology and Roy J. Carver Center for Comparative Genomics, University of Iowa, IA
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- BioEssays, Vol.30(6), pp.579-589
- Publisher
- Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company
- DOI
- 10.1002/bies.20764
- PMID
- 18478537
- ISSN
- 0265-9247
- eISSN
- 1521-1878
- Number of pages
- 11
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 06/2008
- Academic Unit
- Biology
- Record Identifier
- 9984217415302771
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