Understanding Gene Imprinting: Origins and Advantages

[DanP]

Why are some genes imprinted and expressed only from the allele inherited from a certain sex ?
What advantages is provides ? What is the current accepted view on the origins of this phenomena ?

 

[JerryClower]

"Gene imprinting" is the same thing as "some genes are expressed based upon the sex of a particular parent, right?"

I just want to clear that up before I attempt to answer the question.

 

[JerryClower]

Parent specific gene imprinting forgoes an important advantage of diploidy — it protects against the effects of recessive mutations.One theory is that imprinting is there because it enhances the ability to change in a changing environment, it protects the females against the dangers of invasive trophoblast. Another hypothesis is that natural selection acts differently on genes of mother and father origin in interactions among related siblings, or kin.