CAREER: The genetic mechanisms of sex-ratio meiotic drive and resistance

It is widely recognized that parasites are a major burden for their hosts, but many people don’t recognize that much of the parasite burden comes from within the host’s own genome. This proposal aims to understand the genetic basis of one such intragenomic parasite. Intragenomic parasites are associated with general biological processes such as the creation of new species and the chromosomal makeup of the genome as well as human health issues like infertility.

Recently, researchers have worked to adopt genomic parasites to control pest populations such as mosquitoes. Thus, understanding the genetic basis of these parasites may inform a) our understanding of basic biological processes, b) issues related to infertility, and c) applications of intragenomic parasites for biocontrol measures. Part of the project will involve providing research opportunities to recent transfer students in an attempt to improve retention and satisfaction of this historically vulnerable population.

This project specifically examines sex-ratio meiotic drive, a phenomenon where males carrying a specific gene or mutation on the X chromosome produce female-biased sex ratios because the paternal X chromosome is somehow able to interfere with the development of Y-bearing sperm. The approach is to use gene expression, cytology and genomic techniques followed by genome editing to develop and test hypotheses about the genes involved in sex-ratio meiotic drive.

The second part of the project will dissect the genetic basis of Y-linked resistance to sex-ratio meiotic drive using similar techniques. The third goal of the proposal is to understand how these intragenomic parasites might cause natural selection to actually favor improper segregation of chromosomes during meiosis leading to gametes missing sex chromosomes.

This award was co-funded by the Genetic Mechanisms Cluster in the Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences and the Evolutionary Processes Cluster in the Division of Environmental Biology.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.