Parent-of-origin specific gene expression and dispersal

Abstract

Genes can behave in ways that are conditional upon their parent-of-origin. The best understood form of this is genomic imprinting, which typically involves the silencing of a gene originating from one parent and the expression of its homologue originating from the other parent. A number of hypotheses have been proposed to explain genomic imprinting, which may be grouped into those based on asymmetries of genetic interest versus those based on asymmetries of genetic information. Dispersal patterns can drive both of these asymmetries and modulate the costs and benefits of imprinting. Genomic imprinting may also have consequences for dispersal, by driving imprinting of loci underpinning dispersal, altering the fitness consequences of dispersal, and affecting rates of introgression.