Statistical properties of meiotic crossovers: new insights and solution to a outstanding mathematical genetics problem

par Prof. Olivier MARTIN (Laboratoire de Physique Théorique et Modèles Statistiques, Univ. Paris-Sud and UMR de Génétique Végétale, INRA)

mercredi 11 sept. 2013, 11:00 → 12:00 Europe/Paris

Amphithéâtre Léon Motchane (IHES)

Crossovers are formed between homologous chromosomes in meiosis, the sex-specific cell division process during which a diploid cell gives rise to four gametes. In most species, nearby crossovers are rarer than if they were to arise independently. Such a phenomenon, discovered in 1913 by Sturtevant, has been coined "interference". In this talk I first review how mathematical modeling has been used to describe interference. Then I provide recent results based on analysing state of the art experimental data, giving novel insights into what new features must be included hereafter in improved modeling approaches. Last but not least, I will consider what happens in "recombinant inbred lines" where meiosis is repeated over many generations. By working within the framework of quantum field theory equations, I will provide a mathematical solution to an open problem going back to 1931, namely how to generalize to any number of loci the 2-locus formula of Haldane and Waddington.