title: Distorted segregation in plant hybrids and its implication for evolution.
abstract: During natural hybridization and introgression, offspring may obtain alleles from both parents unevenly, resulting in allelic segregation that significantly deviated from the Mendelian ratio, referred to as segregation distortion (SD). Segregation distortion is a common phenomenon and a number of factors can influence the ratio and pattern of segregation distortion in hybrid descendants. However, knowledge on the evolutionary implication of SD is still very limited. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge regarding mechanisms of SD such as genetic interaction, genetic divergence, cytoplasmic background, and environmental effect, and analyze its implication for evolution. In short, SD affects evolutionary potential, sex ratio, genetic diversity and maintenance of stable genetic divergence. Therefore, the effect of transgene on the evolutionary potential of wild relative populations through SD and the changes of the pattern of SD in continuous generations should be paid attention to in future studies.
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Ecological Engineering, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China.
authors.forename: Zhe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D005075:Biological Evolution; D020090:Chromosome Segregation / Q000235:genetics*; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics*; D006824:Hybridization, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D010944:Plants / Q000235:genetics*