Abnormal chromosome 10 (Ab10) is a chromosome found in maize that breaks the rules of Mendelian genetics. The general assumption of genetics is that every trait, gene, and chromosome has a 50% chance of being passed on to the next generation. In most varieties of maize, Ab10 cheats these odds and shows up in 70-80% of offspring. However, other varieties suppress this selfish activity. This research will investigate how the individual maize plant fights back and stops the selfish chromosome from spreading quickly through the population. The use of high-throughput sequencing across a geographically diverse group of maize varieties with the ability to suppress Ab10 will identify the genes that evolved to police selfish elements and restore balance to the genome.
Selfish elements are likely common in nature. An understanding of the race between a cheating chromosome and the genes that evolved to stop it tells the story of natural selection acting at the DNA level. Ab10 cheats during meiosis, a crucial process by which an organism parcels its DNA into gametes (seeds and pollen) and then passes it on to its offspring. Understanding how the selfish chromosome is halted illuminates the steps of the careful dance of chromosomes through meiosis and into the next generation.
