Main Entry: gene conversion

Function: noun

: a genetic process that is sometimes associated with meiotic recombination in heterozygotes if heteroduplex DNA is formed, that involves the selective enzymatic excision of a mismatched DNA sequence from one heteroduplex strand and replacement with a nucleotide sequence complementary to the other strand so that the two DNA strands are genetically identical, and that results in aberrant gametic ratios (as 3:1 or 1:3 instead of 2:2)