GENETIC ANALYSIS OF THE MALE FERTILITY FACTORS ON THE Y CHROMOSOME OF DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

Abstract The heterochromatic Y chromosome of Drosophila melanogaster contains ~40 Mb of DNA but has only six loci mutable to male sterility. Region h1-h9 on YL, which carries the kl-3 and kl-5 loci, induces male sterility when present in three copies. We show that three separate segments within the region are responsible for the triplosterility and have an additive effect on male fertility. The triplosterile males displayed pleiotropic defects, beginning at early postmeiotic stages. However, the triplosterility was unaffected by kl-3 or kl-5 alleles. These data suggest that region h1-h9 is complex and may contain novel functions in addition to those of the previously identified kl-3 and kl-5 loci. The kl-3 and kl-5 mutations as well as deficiencies within region h1-h9 result in loss of the spermatid axonemal outer dynein arms. Examination using fluorescent probes showed that males deficient for h1-h3 or h4-h9 displayed a postmeiotic lesion with disrupted individualization complexes scattered along the spermatid bundle. In contrast, the kl-3 and kl-5 mutations had no effect on spermatid individualization despite the defect in the axonemes. These results demonstrate that region h1-h9 carries genetically separable functions: one required for spermatid individualization and the other essential for assembling the axonemal dynein arms.

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A fertility region on the Y chromosome of Drosophila melanogaster encodes a dynein microtubule motor

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.90.23.11132 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 90 (23) ◽

pp. 11132-11136 ◽

Cited By ~ 53

Author(s):

J Gepner ◽

T S Hays

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Y Chromosome ◽

Heavy Chain ◽

Male Fertility ◽

Chromosome Region ◽

Cytoplasmic Dynein ◽

Dynein Heavy Chain ◽

Microtubule Motor ◽

Hydrolysis Of

A clone encoding a portion of the highly conserved ATP-binding domain of a dynein heavy-chain polypeptide was mapped to a region of the Drosophila melanogaster Y chromosome. Dyneins are large multisubunit enzymes that utilize the hydrolysis of ATP to move along microtubules. They were first identified as the motors that provide the force for flagellar and ciliary bending. Seven different dynein heavy-chain genes have been identified in D. melanogaster by PCR. In the present study, we demonstrate that one of the dynein genes, Dhc-Yh3, is located in Y chromosome region h3, which is contained within kl-5, a locus required for male fertility. The PCR clone derived from Dhc-Yh3 is 85% identical to the corresponding region of the beta heavy chain of sea urchin flagellar dynein but only 53% identical to a cytoplasmic dynein heavy chain from Drosophila. In situ hybridization to Drosophila testes shows Dhc-Yh3 is expressed in wild-type males but not in males missing the kl-5 region. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the Y chromosome is needed for male fertility because it contains conventional genes that function during spermiogenesis.

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Cytological and genetic analysis of the Y chromosome of Drosophila melanogaster

Chromosoma ◽

10.1007/bf00285858 ◽

1983 ◽

Vol 88 (5) ◽

pp. 349-373 ◽

Cited By ~ 75

Author(s):

Maurizio Gatti ◽

Sergio Pimpinelli

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Genetic Analysis ◽

Y Chromosome

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THE GENETIC AND CYTOLOGICAL ORGANIZATION OF THE Y CHROMOSOME OF DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

Genetics ◽

10.1093/genetics/98.3.529 ◽

1981 ◽

Vol 98 (3) ◽

pp. 529-548

Author(s):

James A Kennison

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Y Chromosome ◽

X Chromosome ◽

Male Fertility ◽

Functional Unit ◽

Hoechst 33258 ◽

Genetic Analyses ◽

Translocation Breakpoints

ABSTRACT Cytological and genetic analyses of 121 translocations between the Y chromosome and the centric heterochromatin of the X chromosome have been used to define and localize six regions on the Y chromosome of Drosophila melanogaster necessary for male fertility. These regions are associated with nonfluorescent blocks of the Y chromosome, as revealed using Hoechst 33258 or quinacrine staining. Each region appears to contain but one functional unit, as defined by failure of complementation among translocations with breakpoints within the same block. The distribution of translocation breakpoints examined appears to be nonrandom, in that breaks occur preferentially in the nonfluorescent blocks and not in the large fluorescent blocks.

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Persistent one-way walking in a circular arena in Drosophila melanogaster Canton-S strain

10.1101/145888 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Chengfeng Xiao ◽

Shuang Qiu ◽

R Meldrum Robertson

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Genetic Analysis ◽

Y Chromosome ◽

Genetic Background ◽

Chromosome 2 ◽

Wild Type ◽

Promoting Effect ◽

Directional Change ◽

Pleiotropic Function

AbstractWe describe persistent one-way walking of Drosophila melanogaster in a circular arena. Wild-type Canton-S adult flies walked in one direction, counter-clockwise or clockwise, for minutes, whereas white-eyed mutant w1118 changed directions frequently. Locomotion in the circular arena could be classified into four components: counter-clockwise walking, clockwise walking, nondirectional walking and pausing. Genetic analysis revealed that while wild-type genetic background was associated with reduced directional change and reduced numbers of one-way (including counterclockwise and clockwise) and nondirectional walks, the white (w+) locus promoted persistent oneway walking by increasing the maximal duration of one-way episodes. The promoting effect of w+ was further supported by the observations that (1) w+ duplicated to the Y chromosome, (2) four genomic copies of mini-white inserted on the autosomes, and (3) pan-neuronal overexpression of the White protein increased the maximal duration of one-way episodes, and that RNAi knockdown of w+ in the neurons decreased the maximal duration of one-way episodes. These results suggested a pleiotropic function of w+ in promoting persistent one-way walking in the circular arena.

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Y CHROMOSOME HYPERPLOIDY AND MALE FERTILITY IN DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

Canadian Journal of Genetics and Cytology ◽

10.1139/g79-003 ◽

1979 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

pp. 21-24 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

John H. Williamson ◽

Eva Meidinger

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Y Chromosome ◽

Mating Behavior ◽

Male Fertility ◽

Y Chromosomes

Drosophila melanogaster males with two supernumerary Y chromosomes, i.e. triplo-Y males, are completely sterile. Their mating behavior is normal, and spermatogenesis and spermiogenesis appear normal, but no sperm are transferred. Most, if not all, of the detrimental effects of a third Y chromosome on male fertility are attributable to the long arm of the Y chromosome.

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Two tests of Y chromosomal variation in male fertility of Drosophila melanogaster.

Genetics ◽

10.1093/genetics/125.3.527 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 125 (3) ◽

pp. 527-534 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

A G Clark

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Y Chromosome ◽

Male Fertility ◽

Genetic Model ◽

Natural Populations ◽

Qualitative Behavior ◽

Male Mating ◽

Physiological Importance ◽

Y Chromosomes ◽

Insight Into

Abstract Deficiency mapping with Y autosome translocations has shown that the Y chromosome of Drosophila melanogaster carries genes that are essential to male fertility. While the qualitative behavior of these lesions provides important insight into the physiological importance of the Y chromosome, quantitative variation in effects on male fertility among extant Y chromosomes in natural populations may have a significant effect on the evolution of the Y chromosome. Here a series of 36 Y chromosome replacement lines were tested in two ways designed to detect subtle variation in effects on male fertility and total male fitness. The first test involved crossing males from the 36 lines to an excess of females in an attempt to measure differences in male mating success (virility) and male fecundity. The second test challenged males bearing each of the 36 Y chromosomes to competition in populations with males bearing a standard, phenotypically marked (BsY) chromosome. These tests indicated that the Y chromosome lines did not differ significantly in either male fertility or total fitness, but that interactions with autosomes approached significance. A deterministic population genetic model was developed allowing Y autosome interaction in fertility, and it is shown that, consistent with the experimental observations, this model cannot protect Y-linked polymorphism.

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GENETIC ANALYSIS OF CHROMOMERE 3D4 IN DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER: THE DUNCE AND SPERM-AMOTILE GENES

Genetics ◽

10.1093/genetics/100.4.587 ◽

1982 ◽

Vol 100 (4) ◽

pp. 587-596

Author(s):

Helen K Salz ◽

Ronald L Davis ◽

John A Kiger

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Genetic Analysis ◽

Male Fertility ◽

Genetic Background ◽

Female Fertility ◽

Phosphodiesterase Activity ◽

Male And Female ◽

Chromosomal Break ◽

Gene Maps

ABSTRACT Both male and female Drosophila that are homozygous deficient for chromomere 3D4 are viable but sterile and lack detectable cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase activity. Two genes have been localized to this region: spermamotile (sam) and dunce (dnc). The sperm-amotile gene is required for male fertility, and the dunce gene is required for normal learning, female fertility, and cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase activity. The sperm-amotile gene maps 0.24 map units to the left of dunce. The expression of the dunce gene seems to be affected by a chromosomal break to the left of sperm-amotile. The fertility of dunce females varies according to changes in the genetic background and the presence or absence of an X-linked suppressor.

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Toward a Comprehensive Genetic Analysis of Male Fertility in Drosophila melanogaster

Genetics ◽

10.1534/genetics.167.1.207 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 167 (1) ◽

pp. 207-216 ◽

Cited By ~ 88

Author(s):

Barbara T. Wakimoto ◽

Dan L. Lindsley ◽

Cheryl Herrera

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Genetic Analysis ◽

Male Fertility

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The Role of Y Chromosome Genes in Male Fertility in Drosophila melanogaster

Genetics ◽

10.1534/genetics.120.303324 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 215 (3) ◽

pp. 623-633 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jiaying Zhang ◽

Junjie Luo ◽

Jieyan Chen ◽

Junbiao Dai ◽

Craig Montell

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Y Chromosome ◽

Male Fertility ◽

Specific Protein ◽

Dna Repeats ◽

Gene Sequences ◽

Protein Coding ◽

Fertility Factor ◽

Link Type

The Y chromosome of Drosophila melanogaster is pivotal for male fertility. Yet, only 16 protein-coding genes reside on this chromosome. The Y chromosome is comprised primarily of heterochromatic sequences, including DNA repeats and satellite DNA, and most of the Y chromosome is still missing from the genome sequence. Furthermore, the functions of the majority of genes on the Y chromosome remain elusive. Through multiple genetic strategies, six distinct segments on the Y chromosome have been identified as “male fertility factors,” and candidate gene sequences corresponding to each of these loci have been ascribed. In one case, kl-3, a specific protein coding sequence for a fertility factor has been confirmed molecularly. Here, we employed CRISPR/Cas9 to generate mutations, and RNAi, to interrogate the requirements of protein coding sequences on the Y chromosome for male fertility. We show that CRISPR/Cas9-mediated editing of kl-2 and kl-5 causes male sterility, supporting the model that these gene sequences correspond to the cognate fertility factors. We show that another gene, CCY, also functions in male fertility and may be the ks-2 fertility factor. We demonstrate that editing of kl-2, kl-3, and kl-5, and RNAi knockdown of CCY, disrupts nuclear elongation, and leads to defects in sperm individualization, including impairments in the individualization complex (IC) and synchronization. However, CRISPR/Cas9 mediated knockout of some genes on the Y chromosome, such as FDY, Ppr-Y, and Pp1-Y2 do not cause sterility, indicating that not all Y chromosome genes are essential for male fertility.

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