'Selfish' gene may undermine genome police
Tuesday, March 5, 2013 - 12:01
in Biology & Nature
Biologists have been observing the "selfish" genetic entity segregation distorter (SD) in fruit flies for decades. Its story is a thriller among molecules, in which the SD gene destroys maturing sperm that have a rival chromosome. A new study reveals a tactic that gives SD's villainy an extra edge.