Research Focus
How are genomes transmitted between
generations and how do they evolve?
Our laboratory is interested in identifying and characterizing genes that affect sexual reproduction and understanding how those factors change over time.
One branch of our work focuses on genes required for sexual reproduction. These genes are considered ‘good genes’ as help they help the organism reproduce. We use genome-wide screens in tractable yeast species, like Schizosaccharomyces pombe, to identify genes contributing to successful sexual reproduction and characterize their mechanisms with targeted follow-up analyses. As many facets of sexual reproduction are deeply conserved, many of the genes we identify are conserved in humans and thus might also play a role in human reproduction.
A second branch of our work focuses on ‘selfish’ genes that exploit sexual reproduction. These parasitic genes can manipulate sexual reproduction to bias their own transmission to the next generation. We are particularly interested in killer meiotic drivers that kill or disable products of meiosis (e.g. sperm) that do not inherit them. For example, a killer meiotic drive allele on a male’s (XY) X chromosome could drive the male to father exclusively daughters by generating only X-bearing sperm. We work to identify mechanisms used by killer meiotic drivers and are exploring how these parasites can directly and indirectly contribute to disease and infertility. We primarily use the wtf meiotic drivers found in fission yeasts as models due to their high experimental tractability. Although the wtf genes are not found outside of fission yeasts, mechanistic themes and evolutionary signatures are broadly shared amongst killer meiotic drivers found in diverse eukaryotes.
We also work to understand how the conflict between selfish genes and genes required for sexual reproduction shapes the evolution of both sides. Specifically, we are exploring the idea that the genetic conflicts can lead to the spread or maintenance of non-optimal variants of good genes, thus impacting fertility.
