title: Dynamic analysis of the evolution of a novel genetic system: the evolution of ciliate meiosis.
abstract: Many ciliates undergo a peculiar form of meiosis in which four haploid nuclei are produced, three are digested, and the single remaining nucleus undergoes mitosis. It is paradoxical that such a meiotic process occurs, since one could imagine several other less costly ways of producing two nuclei. Here we investigate a possible resolution of this paradox. It is shown that the spread of a selfish gene that kills the mate not containing it, provides the conditions for the spread of a costly modifier of the form of meiosis. We investigate the conditions under which the modifier can fixate.
authors: Department of Genetics, Cambridge, U.K.
authors: J N
authors: JN
authors: Reed
authors: L D
authors: LD
authors: Hurst
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D016798:Ciliophora / Q000166:cytology* / Q000235:genetics; D017125:Genes, Protozoan; D008433:Mathematics; D008540:Meiosis / Q000235:genetics*; D008957:Models, Genetic