MEIOTIC DRIVE IN NATURAL POPULATIONS OF DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER. II. GENETIC VARIATION AT THE SEGREGATION-DISTORTER LOCUS

Abstract Segregation Distorter (SD) is a system of meiotic drive found in natural populations of Drosophila melanogaster. Males heterozygous for an SD second chromosome and a normal homologue (SD +) produce predominantly SD-bearing sperm. The coadapted gene complex responsible for this transmission advantage spans the second chromosome centromere, consisting of three major and several minor interacting loci. To investigate the evolutionary history of this system, we surveyed levels of polymorphism and divergence at six genes that together encompass this pericentromeric region and span seven map units. Interestingly, there was no discernible divergence between SD and SD + chromosomes for any of these molecular markers. Furthermore, SD chromosomes harbored much less polymorphism than did SD + chromosomes. The results suggest that the SD system evolved recently, swept to appreciable frequencies worldwide, and carried with it the entire second chromosome centromeric region (roughly 10% of the genome). Despite its well-documented genetic complexity, this coadapted system appears to have evolved on a time scale that is much shorter than can be gauged using nucleotide substitution data. Finally, the large genomic region hitchhiking with SD indicates that a multilocus, epistatically selected system could affect the levels of DNA polymorphism observed in regions of reduced recombination.

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MEIOTIC DRIVE IN NATURAL POPULATIONS OF DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER. IX. SUPPRESSORS OF SEGREGATION DISTORTER IN WILD POPULATIONS

Canadian Journal of Genetics and Cytology ◽

10.1139/g70-079 ◽

1970 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 594-600 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

D. L. Hartl

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Japanese Population ◽

Autosomal Dominant ◽

Natural Populations ◽

Meiotic Drive ◽

Wild Populations ◽

Segregation Distorter ◽

The Difference

A population of Drosophila melanogaster in Madison, Wisconsin, has been screened for suppressors of segregation distorter (SD), an autosomal meiotic drive element found in the same population. Three kinds of suppressors were tested for: (1) Y-linked suppressors, none were found, (2) X-linked suppressors, whose frequency was found to be 85%, and (3) autosomal dominant suppressors, which occur in 45% of autosome complements.The frequency of X-linked suppressors is comparable to that found in a Japanese population; autosomal suppressors are much more frequent in Madison than in Japan (Katoaka, 1967). The similarity in the frequency of sex-linked suppressors may result from the meiotic drive shown by the suppressor-X itself; the difference in the frequency of autosomal dominant suppressors is possibly related to a higher frequency of SD itself in the Madison population.

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Functional identification of the Segregation distorter locus of Drosophila melanogaster by germline transformation.

Genetics ◽

10.1093/genetics/137.1.201 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 137 (1) ◽

pp. 201-209 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

J R McLean ◽

C J Merrill ◽

P A Powers ◽

B Ganetzky

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Chromosome Segregation ◽

Genomic Dna ◽

Tandem Duplication ◽

Meiotic Drive ◽

Wild Type ◽

Functional Identification ◽

Germline Transformation ◽

Segregation Distorter ◽

Distorter Locus

Abstract Segregation Distorter (SD) is a meiotic drive system in D. melanogaster that results in the failure of SD/SD+ males to transmit SD+ homologs owing to the induced dysfunction of spermatids carrying the normal chromosome. Segregation distorter (Sd), the gene primarily responsible for this distorted transmission, is associated with a novel 12-kb restriction fragment containing a tandem duplication of a 5-kb wild-type segment of genomic DNA. When introduced into appropriate genetic backgrounds by germline transformation, this 12-kb fragment causes full levels of distortion and directs the expression of an SD-specific 4-kb transcript. Transformants that have lost part of this segment are unable to cause distortion and do not express the 4-kb transcript. These results identify the tandem duplication as Sd.

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Meiotic Drive in Natural Populations of Drosophila melanogaster. VI. A Preliminary Report on the Presence of Segregation-Distortion in a Baja California Population

The American Naturalist ◽

10.1086/282162 ◽

1961 ◽

Vol 95 (881) ◽

pp. 87-96 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Elaine Johansen Mange

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Segregation Distortion ◽

Preliminary Report ◽

Baja California ◽

Natural Populations ◽

Meiotic Drive ◽

California Population

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Female Genotypes Affect Sperm Displacement in Drosophila

Genetics ◽

10.1093/genetics/149.3.1487 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 149 (3) ◽

pp. 1487-1493 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Andrew G Clark ◽

David J Begun

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Genetic Variation ◽

Natural Populations ◽

Isogenic Line ◽

Female Fitness ◽

Sperm Displacement ◽

Extensive Variation ◽

Polymorphic Genes ◽

Displacement Parameter ◽

Competitive Success

Abstract Differential success of sperm is likely to be an important component of fitness. Extensive variation among male genotypes in competitive success of sperm in multiply mated females has been documented for Drosophila melanogaster. However, virtually all previous studies considered the female to be a passive vessel. Nevertheless, under certain conditions female fitness could be determined by her role in mediating use of sperm from multiple males. Here we ask whether females differ among genotypes in their tendency to exhibit last-male precedence. Competition of sperm from two tester male genotypes (bwD and B3-09, a third-chromosome isogenic line from Beltsville, MD) was quantified by doubly mating female lines that had been rendered homozygous for X, second, or third chromosomes isolated from natural populations. The composite sperm displacement parameter, P2′, was highly heterogeneous among lines, whether or not viability effects were compensated, implying the presence of polymorphic genes affecting access of sperm to eggs. Genetic variation of this type is completely neutral in the absence of pleiotropy or interaction between variation in the two sexes.

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Genetic variation in the dietary sucrose modulation of enzyme activities in Drosophila melanogaster

Genetics Research ◽

10.1017/s0016672300026094 ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 43 (3) ◽

pp. 307-321 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

Billy W. Geer ◽

Cathy C. Laurie-Ahlberg

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Genetic Variation ◽

Enzyme Activities ◽

Glycogen Synthesis ◽

Krebs Cycle ◽

Natural Populations ◽

Substitution Lines ◽

Chromosome Substitution Lines ◽

High Sucrose Diet ◽

Selection Of

SUMMARYGenetic variation in the modulating effect of dietary sucrose was assessed in Drosophila melanogaster by examining 27 chromosome substitution lines coisogenic for the X and second chromosomes and possessing different third isogenic chromosomes derived from natural populations. An increase in the concentration of sucrose from 0·1% to 5% in modified Sang's medium C significantly altered the activities of 11 of 15 enzyme activities in third instar larvae, indicating that dietary sucrose modulates many, but not all, of the enzymes of D. melanogaster. A high sucrose diet promoted high activities of enzymes associated with lipid and glycogen synthesis and low activities of enzymes of the glycolytic and Krebs cycle pathways, reflecting the physiological requirements of the animal. Analyses of variance revealed significant genetic variation in the degrees to which sucrose modulated several enzyme activities. Analysis of correlations revealed some relationships between enzymes in the genetic effects on the modulation process. These observations suggest that adaptive evolutionary change may depend in part on the selection of enzyme activity modifiers that are distributed throughout the genome.

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MULTIPLE MEIOTIC DRIVE SYSTEMS IN THE DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER MALE

Genetics ◽

10.1093/genetics/72.1.105 ◽

1972 ◽

Vol 72 (1) ◽

pp. 105-115

Author(s):

George L Gabor Miklos ◽

Armon F Yanders ◽

W J Peacock

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Survival Probability ◽

Sex Chromosome ◽

Meiotic Drive ◽

The Other ◽

Segregation Distorter ◽

Two Systems ◽

Combined Action ◽

Drive Systems

ABSTRACT The behaviour of two "meiotic drive" systems, Segregation-Distorter (SD) and the sex chromosome sc4sc8 has been examined in the same meiocyte. It has been found that the two systems interact in a specific way. When the distorting effects of SD and sc4sc8 are against each other, there is no detectable interaction. Each system is apparently oblivious to the presence of the other, gametes being produced according to independence expectations. However when the affected chromosomes are at the same meiotic pole an interaction occurs; the survival probability of the gamete containing both distorted chromosomal products is increased, rather than being decreased by the combined action of two systems.

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