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      SELFISH DNA: A SEXUALLY-TRANSMITTED NUCLEAR PARASITE

      1
      Genetics
      Oxford University Press (OUP)

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          ABSTRACT

          A quantitative population genetics model for the evolution of transposable genetic elements is developed. This model shows that "selfish" DNA sequences do not have to be selectively neutral at the organismic level; indeed, such DNA can produce major deleterious effects in the host organism and still spread through the population. The model can be used to explain the evolution of introns within eukaryotic genes; this explanation does not invoke a long-term evolutionary advantage for introns, nor does it depend on the hypothesis that eukaryotic gene structure may be an evolutionary relic. Transposable genes that carried information specifying sexual reproduction in the host organism would favor their own spread. Consequently, it is tempting to speculate that some of the genes controlling sex were originally selected as transposable elements.

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          Author and article information

          Journal
          Genetics
          Oxford University Press (OUP)
          1943-2631
          July 01 1982
          July 01 1982
          July 01 1982
          July 01 1982
          July 01 1982
          : 101
          : 3-4
          : 519-531
          Affiliations
          [1 ]Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1N 6N5
          Article
          10.1093/genetics/101.3-4.519
          6293914
          f2ea3ed0-dc6c-4951-8ce2-3075d9c5d5b8
          © 1982

          https://academic.oup.com/journals/pages/open_access/funder_policies/chorus/standard_publication_model

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