Abstract
GENE conversion was the name given by Winkler1 to the transformation in a heterozygote of a + allele into a mutant allele, or of one mutant into another. He intended to explain recombination and crossing-over through digenic conversion of allele A into a in one chromosome and simultaneously of a into A in its homologue. Monogenic conversion, in only one chromosome, should also be possible, but this would not easily be distinguished from mutation. More recently, conversion has been used only in the monogenic sense2 in which it is demonstrated chiefly through tetrad analysis from heterozygotes Aa when the expected Mendelian segregation of 2A : 2a is not obtained.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Winkler, H., “Die Konversion der Gene” (Gustav Fischer, Jena, 1930).
Lindegren, C. C., J. Genet., 51, 625 (1953).
Serra, J. A., Portug. Acta Biol., A, 5, 100, 134, 141 (1958).
Giles, N., DeSerres, F., and Barbour, E., Genetics, 42, 608 (1957).
Renner, O., Planta, 48, 342 (1957). Goldschmidt, R., Amer. Nat., 152, 93 (1958).
Horowitz, H. N., cf. Beadle, G. W., Symp. on “Chemical Basis of Heredity”, 3 (Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore, 1957).
Mitchell, M. B., Proc. U.S. Nat. Acad. Sci., 41, 215, 935 (1955).
Mitchell, H. K., Symp. on “Chemical Basis of Heredity”, 94 (Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore, 1957).
Roman, H., Cold Spring Harbor Symp. Quant. Biol., 21, 175 (1956).
Winge, Ø., Heredity, 9, 573 (1955).
Goldschmidt, R., Proc. U.S. Nat. Acad. Sci., 43, 1019 (1957).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
SERRA, J. A Position-Effect Explanation of Gene Conversion. Nature 183, 700 (1959). https://doi.org/10.1038/183700a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/183700a0
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.