Graduate School Life Science Munich
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Dr. Bart P.S. Nieuwenhuis

Dr. Bart Nieuwenhuis

Evolutionary Biology

The evolution of sexual asymmetries

Yeasty_PRSexual reproduction involves the fusion of two gametes that each contribute half of the genome to the zygote. The zygote in turn will produce gametes in which the two halves of the genome are recombined through meiosis. The gametes that fuse almost always very different in appearance or function, such as sperm and egg, or pollen and ovule. Even when gametes appear very similar, as in many algae and fungi, the cells will differ greatly and only cells of different ‘types’ are able to fuse.

In my group, we study the evolutionary forces selecting for such differences between mating gametes and what maintains different type once they have arisen. Using the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, we experimentally test under which circumstances asymmetries can evolve and be maintained, and what happens at the genome level. For this we apply methods of experimental manipulation, experimental evolution and whole genome sequencing. More