The Sk-1 spore killer in populations of Neurospora sitophila

Meiotic drive is a type of genomic conflict that has been observed in a wide range of eukaryotes, but only a small numbers of genes causing meiotic drive have been identified. In fungi, the most common type of meiotic drive is spore killing. We have identified Spk-1, a single gene causing the Sk-1 spore killer meiotic drive in the fungus Neurospora sitophila. In order to do this we have generated short-read population genomic data from over 50 natural isolates, as well as long-read PacBio data and transcriptomic data from a subset of these.