Professor Nina Wedell | Hidden Conflict Between Sexes Maintains Genetic Diversity

Apr 10, 2024 | biology

About this episode

Far from being harmonious, the reproductive relationship between males and females is full of conflict. Differing optimal states for traits shared between the sexes leads to unseen conflict within the very molecular blueprint for life – the genes. Sexual conflict arising in certain alleles – alternative forms of a gene – could help to maintain genetic variation in populations. Research aiming to characterise this process of balancing selection is fundamental to our understanding of evolution. However, the theory has attracted controversy, because specific alleles producing sexual antagonistic selection have not been identified in natural populations… until now. Read More

Original Article Reference

Summary of the paper ‘Sexual conflict maintains variation at an insecticide resistance locus’, in BMC Biology, doi.org/10.1186/s12915-015-0143-3

Financial support for this research was provided by NERC, BBSRC, The Royal Society, and The University of Exeter

Contact

For further information, you can connect with Professor Nina Wedell at nina.wedell@unimelb.edu.au

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International LicenseCreative Commons License

What does this mean?

Share: You can copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format

Adapt: You can change, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.

Credit: You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made.

Are you ready to increase the impact of your research?

More episodes

Investigating Neural Networks Through Microfluidics

In our brains, neurons form intricate networks that allow electrical signals to flow in an efficient and directional...

Professor Michael Shapira | Investigating the Role of Gut Microbes in Aging and Disease Using Tiny Worms

Our gut microbiome plays critical roles in health and disease. While our health typically deteriorates with age, the...

Dr Juan José Martínez-García | Unlocking the Secrets of Sepsis: How Early Immune Responses Hold the Key to Survival

Inflammation is a coordinated response to bacterial and viral infections, involving the activation of white blood...

Dr. Jennifer Wilson | A New Approach for Identifying Drug Interactions

Understanding how different drugs can interact with one another is vital for patient wellbeing. While some drug...

Dr Yong Cheng | New Insights into How Blood Cells are Produced

During the production of new blood cells, stem cells first develop into progenitor cells. These progenitor cells...

Professor Margie Lee | Combating Salmonella Infection by Exploring Microbial Competition in Chicken Guts

In the intricate dance of life, organisms vie for dominance, whether in vast forests or within the microcosm of your...

Stay Up To Date With SciTube

Subscribe to receive our latest videos straight to your mailbox

 

Follow Us On: