gene conversion

noun

: a genetic process that involves nonreciprocal meiotic recombination in heterozygotes in which a mismatched DNA sequence from one heteroduplex DNA strand is replaced with a sequence complementary to the other strand resulting in aberrant gametic ratios (such as 3:1) and that is observed especially in ascomycetous fungi

Examples of gene conversion in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The two primary answers put forth in this paper seem to be gene conversion and horizontal gene transfer (e.g., from bacteria via viruses). —Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 22 July 2013

In the gene conversion process presumably deleterious alleles are simply reverted back to the wild state. —Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 22 July 2013

Their new experiments suggest that embryos borrow DNA templates from themselves to make repairs—a process called gene conversion—up to 40 percent of the time. —Megan Molteni, Wired, 29 Oct. 2020

Word History

First Known Use

1955, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

gene conversion

noun

: a genetic process that is sometimes associated with meiotic recombination in heterozygotes if heteroduplex DNA is formed, that involves the selective enzymatic excision of a mismatched DNA sequence from one heteroduplex strand and replacement with a nucleotide sequence complementary to the other strand so that the two DNA strands are genetically identical, and that results in aberrant gametic ratios (as 3:1 or 1:3 instead of 2:2)