DOI

10.30707/1734473246.481567

Document Type

Senior Thesis

Publication Date

Spring 2024

Committee Chair

Thomas Hammond

Committee Member

Jan Dahl

Abstract

Meiotic drive elements, sometimes called selfish genes, are genetic elements that are passed on to their offspring more favorably than other genes. Meiotic drive elements have been observed in many organisms, including fungi of the Neurospora genus. Three different meiotic drive elements, called Spore killers, have been identified in Neurospora fungi. One of these Spore killers is called Spore killer 3 (Sk-3), and the molecular mechanism by which Sk-3 acts as a meiotic drive element is poorly understood. Previous work has identified a genetic locus within Sk-3 that may control spore killing. In this thesis, I investigate an interval of DNA within this locus called v375. Through gene deletion and spore killing assays, I show that deletion of v375 disrupts Sk-3-based spore killing in N. crassa. Possible explanations for why interval v375 is required for spore killing by Sk-3 are discussed.

Funding Source

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation (Award Number 200595, Elucidating the mechanism of meiotic drive by mRNA editing-mediated spore killing in Neurospora fungi).

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