Abstract
Organisms are locked in an eternal struggle with parasitic DNA sequences that live inside their genomes and wreak havoc on their host's chromosomes as they spread through populations. To combat these parasites, host species have evolved elaborate mechanisms of resistance that suppress their activity. A new study in Drosophila indicates that, prior to the acquisition of resistance, individuals can vary in their ability to tolerate the activity of these genomic parasites, ignoring or repairing the damage they induce. This tolerance results from variation at genes involved in germline development and DNA damage checkpoints and suggests that these highly conserved cellular processes may be influenced by current and historical intragenomic parasite loads.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | e3000036 |
| Journal | PLoS biology |
| Volume | 16 |
| Issue number | 10 |
| DOIs |
|
| State | Published - Oct 1 2018 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Neuroscience(all)
- Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)
- Immunology and Microbiology(all)
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)
Cite this
Invasion of the P elements : Tolerance is not futile. / Meiklejohn, Colin D.; Blumenstiel, Justin P.
In: PLoS biology, Vol. 16, No. 10, 01.10.2018, p. e3000036.Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Invasion of the P elements
T2 - Tolerance is not futile
AU - Meiklejohn, Colin D.
AU - Blumenstiel, Justin P.
PY - 2018/10/1
Y1 - 2018/10/1
N2 - Organisms are locked in an eternal struggle with parasitic DNA sequences that live inside their genomes and wreak havoc on their host's chromosomes as they spread through populations. To combat these parasites, host species have evolved elaborate mechanisms of resistance that suppress their activity. A new study in Drosophila indicates that, prior to the acquisition of resistance, individuals can vary in their ability to tolerate the activity of these genomic parasites, ignoring or repairing the damage they induce. This tolerance results from variation at genes involved in germline development and DNA damage checkpoints and suggests that these highly conserved cellular processes may be influenced by current and historical intragenomic parasite loads.
AB - Organisms are locked in an eternal struggle with parasitic DNA sequences that live inside their genomes and wreak havoc on their host's chromosomes as they spread through populations. To combat these parasites, host species have evolved elaborate mechanisms of resistance that suppress their activity. A new study in Drosophila indicates that, prior to the acquisition of resistance, individuals can vary in their ability to tolerate the activity of these genomic parasites, ignoring or repairing the damage they induce. This tolerance results from variation at genes involved in germline development and DNA damage checkpoints and suggests that these highly conserved cellular processes may be influenced by current and historical intragenomic parasite loads.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85055660015&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85055660015&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000036
DO - 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000036
M3 - Comment/debate
C2 - 30376563
AN - SCOPUS:85055660015
VL - 16
SP - e3000036
JO - PLoS Biology
JF - PLoS Biology
SN - 1544-9173
IS - 10
ER -