Chapter 12, Problem 24P

Summary Introduction

To analyze:

It is relatively easy to detect gene conversion in four-cell and eight-cell asci of fungi, where ratios such as $\text{3A:1a or 5a:3A}$ indicate that gene conversion has taken place. Why is gene conversion much more challenging to discover in multicellular eukaryotes?

Introduction:

Gene conversion can be defined as a process of so-called directed DNA sequence change that occurs by base-pair mismatch repair within heteroduplex DNA. Gene conversion can switch one allele to another allele already present in a heterozygous genotype. This process is mostly detected in fungi that form ascus such as Neurospora crassa. Ascus is a sack of haploid spores that are the products of meiotic division.