Drivers of Mating Type Composition in Tetrahymena thermophila.

ABSTRACT: Sex offers advantages even in primarily asexual species. Some ciliates appear to utilize such reproductive strategy with many mating types. However, the factors determining the composition of mating types in the unicellular ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila are poorly understood, and this is further complicated by non-Mendelian determination of mating type in the offspring. We therefore developed a novel population genetics model to predict how various factors influence the dynamics of mating type composition, including natural selection. The model predicted either the coexistence of all seven mating types or fixation of a single mating type in a population, depending on parameter combinations, irrespective of natural selection. To understand what factor(s) may be more influential and to tes

SUBMITTER: Wang G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7846192 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature