Researchers discovered the mechanism behind a decades-old evolutionary mystery—how “selfish chromosomes” cheat the rules of genetic inheritance. The study is the first to identify the Ovd gene acts as a quality control checkpoint during sperm development. Normally, Ovd detects and eliminates abnormal sperm cells. But selfish chromosomes exploit the system to kill competitors, boosting their chances of passing into the next generation. The findings reveal the biology behind segregation distortion, a phenomenon in which genes sway inheritance in their favor to beat the standard 50/50 odds predicted by Mendelian genetics.

Researchers from the University of Seville are participating in an international study that sheds new light on the genetic diversity of Andalusian society between the 8th and 11th centuries AD and reinforces the historical significance of the dolmen as a sacred space used throughout the ages