Gene drive occurs when alleles evolve selfishly and gain a transmission advantage during meiosis. Genetic engineering of gene drivers holds tremendous promise for managing pathogenic, invasive, endangered and pesticide-resistant species. Yet, the long-term effects of gene drive are not well understood. By understanding the factors that influence gene drive in natural systems, we can offer insight into the design and application of engineered drive systems, as well as illuminate the causes of variation in reproductive fitness--a central issue in evolutionary biology, agriculture, and human health.
In Mimulus, populations vary for the presence of a driving centromere that evolves selfishly by exploiting the fundamental asymmetry of female meiosis. This creates a natural laboratory to investigate the mechanistic basis, as well as the long-term effects, of female meiotic drive. In the Finseth lab, we combine bioinformatics, genetic , and molecular genetic approaches to understand the causes and consequences of female meiotic drive in Mimulus.
A selfishly evolving centromere (red bars) dramatically affects molecular variation across chromosome 11 in Mimulus guttatus. The centromere spans a large, re-arranged region with elevated linkage disequilibrium (boxed) and exhibits a striking reduction in nucleotide diversity (horizontal bar, purple) for individuals with the selfish centromere.