Tuesday, June 30, 2026
Science

Selfish sperm hijack Overdrive gene to kill healthy rivals

A new University of Utah-led study has discovered the mechanism behind a decades-old evolutionary mystery—how "selfish chromosomes" cheat the rules of genetic inheritance. The researchers found that rogue chromosomes hijack the Overdrive (Ovd) gene to destroy rival sperm.

Selfish sperm hijack Overdrive gene to kill healthy rivals
Image: Phys.org
A new University of Utah-led study has discovered the mechanism behind a decades-old evolutionary mystery—how "selfish chromosomes" cheat the rules of genetic inheritance. The researchers found that rogue chromosomes hijack the Overdrive (Ovd) gene to destroy rival sperm.

Originally published at Phys.org

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