scholarly journals GENETIC CHANGE OF RECOMBINATION VALUE IN DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER. I. ARTIFICIAL SELECTION FOR HIGH AND LOW RECOMBINATION AND SOME PROPERTIES OF RECOMBINATION-MODIFYING GENES

Genetics ◽  
1972 ◽  
Vol 70 (3) ◽  
pp. 419-432
Author(s):  
Margaret Gale Kidwell

ABSTRACT A high and low selection line were formed by individual selection of females on the basis of their recombination. In the high line, recombination between Gl and Sb was increased from 14.8 percent to about 30 percent in twelve generations, when a plateau was apparently reached. Realized heritability was 0.12. The absence of a response to selection for low recombination is attributed mainly to genetic random drift, and partially to directional dominance and directional gene frequencies. Natural selection was found to act against increases of recombination above a level of about twenty percent in the measured interval. High recombination tended to be recessive to low recombination. In both selected lines and unselected stocks, intervals proximal to the centromere tended to have a higher recombination variance than distal intervals.


1993 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 213-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerald S. Wilkinson

SummarySelection for increased and decreased ratio of eye span to body length was exerted on male stalk-eyed flies (Cyrtodiopsis dalmanni) from Malaysia using replicate selected and unselected lines. Response to selection was symmetrical. After 10 generations high line male eye span increased to 1·3 body lengths while low line male eye span declined to 1·1 body lengths. Realized heritabilities for eye span to body length ratio, estimated using regressions of deviations from unselected controls on cumulative selection differentials, were greater than zero for all four selected lines with average h2 = 0·35 + 0·06. The static linear allometric relationship between eye span and body length diverged between selected lines and rotated among selected line males in the same direction as among males in other sexually dimorphic diopsid species. Crosses between lines after 13 generations of selection indicate that the genes which influence relative eye span combine additively and do not exhibit sex linkage or maternal effects. The genetic correlation between the sexes, 0·29 + 0·05 as estimated by the regression of female on male change in eye span, did not prevent sexual dimorphism in eye span from diverging between lines. These results suggest that the exaggerated eye span of male C. dalmanni is maintained by natural selection opposing sexual selection rather than by lack of or asymmetry in additive genetic variation. Furthermore, the variation in sexual dimorphism for eye span-body length allometry observed among extant diopsid species is consistent with sexual selection of variable intensity acting on relative eye span.



1973 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 291-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. S. Falconer

SUMMARYThe variation in the response to selection was studied by replication of selected lines. A random-bred strain of mice was divided into six replicates. Two-way selection for 6-week weight was applied in an identical manner to each replicate, and each had an unselected control. Each line (6 large, 6 control, 6 small) was maintained by minimal inbreeding with 8 single-pair matings. The overall mean responses, both up and down, were linear and very regular for ten generations, with realized heritabilities of 40% upwards, 33% downwards and 37% for the divergence. The separate replicates, however, differed greatly in their realized heritabilities, with upward selection ranging from 25 to 46%, and downward selection from 16 to 50%. The theoretical prediction that, because of genetic drift, the standard error of a realized heritability is underestimated by the standard error of the regression of response on cumulated selection differential was borne out in this experiment. The empirical standard error, calculated from the observed variance between replicates, was more than twice as great as that of the regression. The empirical standard errors showed that the asymmetry between upward and downward responses was not significant. The variation between the replicates was ascribed mainly to random drift, which may seriously influence the conclusions about the realized heritability and the asymmetry of response that would be drawn from a single experiment with the population size of one of these replicates. After 23 generations of selection the large lines were approaching limits, and the limit appeared to be at the same level in all. The small lines showed an undiminished realized heritability after 23 generations, but the selection differentials were then so small that little progress was made. There was evidence of counter-acting natural selection. All aspects of productivity – proportion of fertile matings, litter size and weaning rate – declined in the control lines. The overall productivity of the large lines was a little below the controls, and that of the small lines was reduced to about half the level of the controls. The separate replicates differed from each other significantly in all the components of productivity.



Genetics ◽  
1974 ◽  
Vol 76 (3) ◽  
pp. 537-549
Author(s):  
Gunther Schlager

ABSTRACT Response to two-way selection for systolic blood pressure was immediate and continuous for about eight generations. In the twelfth generation, the High males differed from the Low males by 38 mmHG; the females differed by 39 mmHg. There was little overlap between the two lines and they were statistically significant from each other and from the Random control line. There appeared to be no more additive genetic variance in the eleventh and twelfth generations. Causes for the cessation of response are explored. This is probably due to a combination of natural selection acting to reduce litter sizes in the Low line, a higher incidence of sudden deaths in the High line, and loss of favorable alleles as both selection lines went through a population bottleneck in the ninth generation.—In the eleventh generation, the selected lines were used to produce F1, F2, and backcross generations. A genetic analysis yielded significant additive and dominance components in the inheritance of systolic blood pressure.



1970 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 261-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. M. Woolley

SUMMARYA subcellular dimension, the length of the spermatozoan midpiece, has been the subject of a two-way selection programme in mice. After thirteen generations of within-family selection the divergence between the selected lines amounted to 5·4 phenotypic standard deviations. The realized heritability was found to be 0·76 ± 0·02, dominance and commonenvironmental effects being apparently very small. The reality of the selection response was verified in measurements on live spermatozoa. Other measurements have shown that the change in the length of the midpiece has been independent of its width, and has occurred without a proportionate change in the length of the main-piece of the flagellum. An electron microscope study has shown that the selection has, in fact, brought about changes in the quantity of mitochondrial material in the sperm cells.



1989 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 165 ◽  
Author(s):  
KP Croker ◽  
RJ Lightfoot ◽  
TJ Johnson ◽  
NR Adams ◽  
MJ Carrick

Rams were bred from ewes which had either maintained their fertility after grazing highly oestrogenic pastures for three to seven years. or, over the same period grazed �control� on or lowly oestrogenic pastures In 1977 and 1978 these rams were joined with a random selection of ewes, which had been grazed on lowly oestrogenic pastures, to produce contemporary Resistant and Control ewes.The Resistant and Control ewes were split at weaning into groups which subsequently were grazed on oestrogenic or non-oestrogenic pastures during each pasture growing season (May to October) of the experiment During the dry spring-summer period the ewes were regrouped and entire rams were joined with them for 42 days from early in January to determine whether resistance to the development of clover infertility had been inherited.The reproductive performances of the ewes were measured from two until eight years of age over the period from 1979 to 1986. In addition, the masculinization of the vulvas was monitored, mucus product ion was measured in the second last year, and the histology of the cervixes was observed when the experiment was terminated.The fertility of the Resistant ewes was affected by the oestrogenic pasture in the later years of the experiment, but the level of depression was significantly lower than that measured in the Control ewes grazed on oestrogenic pasture The realized 'heritability' of the ewes' fertile lifetime on oestrogenic pasture was estimated to be 0.73 with a standard error of 0.30.This resistance was associated with histological changes, which confirmed that the Resistant ewes were protected against oestrogen-induced damage. These results support the hypothesis that res istance to the development of clover infertility was present in these ewesA more intensive selection programme involving both ewes and rams may impart a higher level of resistance to ewes This would reduce the adverse effects of oestrogenic pastures on ewe flock productivity.



Genetics ◽  
1972 ◽  
Vol 72 (4) ◽  
pp. 667-678
Author(s):  
Curtis Strobeck

ABSTRACT A two locus model is constructed for selection of a gene closely linked to the S locus in pin-thrum plants or to the sex determining part of the Y chromosome. Using this model, conditions for stability at the equilibrium point which is predicted by one-locus theory when there is heterozygotic superiority are derived. If the recombination value is small, it is found that this equilibrium point is unstable and that the gene frequencies go to a new stable equilibrium point at which the population has a higher average fitness. A few simple cases of selection and the implication of these to the theory of the evolution of the Y chromosome are discussed.



Genetics ◽  
1975 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
pp. 171-189
Author(s):  
R L Baker ◽  
A B Chapman ◽  
R T Wardell

ABSTRACT The effectiveness of selection for 3–9-week gain was examined in a population of rats with a history of past selection for high 3–9-week gain. Lines were selected for high (U line) and low (D line) 3–9-week gain with two replicates of each line. Two randomly selected lines were also kept, one originating from the same base population as the two selected lines (R line) and the other originating from a population that had been randomly mated for the previous 27 generations (C line). Two replicates of each of these lines were kept. After seven generations of selection, a randomly selected line (relaxed line) was formed from each of the two upward- and each of the two downward-selected lines. Results have been presented for 13 generations of selection. The environmental trend for 3–9-week gain, as indicated by the randomly selected R and C lines, was consistently negative in all four lines. Realized heritabilities calculated by deviating the response to selection from the trend in the R or C lines resulted in non-significantly higher values in the D lines than the U lines. Six generations of relaxation of selection indicated no effect of natural selection in the U lines or the D lines. The relative magnitude of the drift, error and common environmental variances were estimated by the methods given by Hill (1971). The estimates of these parameters then led to calculation of the degree of bias in the sampling variances of the realized heritability estimates. As was predicted by Hill (1971), estimates of the variance of realized heritabilities obtained by using standard regression techniques were less than those obtained using Hill's formulae. The results are discussed in relation to other similar studies with rats and mice.



1962 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 90-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
James H. Sang

1. The problem of improving rate of larval development of Drosophila by selecting for this ‘character’ on deficient diets is examined by culturing larvae axenically on low-casein and low-pyridoxine media. Under these conditions it is possible to develop strains which grow faster than the parent population.2. Selection for fast- and slow-growing larvae on a low-pyridoxine diet proceeds with a realized heritability of about 20%, but progress ceases after eight to nine generations. The selected larvae show no alteration of pyridoxine requirements up to the tenth generation, but the lines develop at different rates under optimal conditions. This difference is exaggerated when the diets are low in pyridoxine. By the fourteenth generation, requirements of the two lines for optimal growth have become distinct, the fast line requiring less pyridoxine than the control. Casein requirements show about the same optimum for the two lines but this is lower than that of the control, foundation population.3. Selection for fast- and slow-development lines on a low-casein diet continues to be effective throughout the fifteen generations of the test. The realized heritability in this case is about 10%. The optimal requirements of the two lines are the same, and there is little difference in their development rates when reared on this optimal diet. The response is found only under sub-optimal conditions, both of deficiency and of excess casein. Pyridoxine requirements do not seem to be altered in the two lines.4. Crosses between the selected lines show that each genotype has its own optimal environment, as judged by pyridoxine and casein requirements. Crosses among the lines after fourteen generations show that all the hybrids are superior to the mid-parent and three grew faster than the better parent. Other environments would have given different results.



1993 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 379-386 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. C. Bishop

AbstractScottish Blackface sheep have been selected for either increased or decreased predicted carcass lean content at 20 weeks of age, using an index combining ultrasonic backfat depth and body weight. The index was designed to alter carcass lean content without changing body weight. After 4 years there have been large responses in the index and fat depth, the proportional difference between the divergent lines in fat depth is 0·28, but body weight and ultrasonic muscle depth have not changed between the lines. The realized heritability for the index is 0·45. Heritabilities for the index, ultrasonic fat depth, body weight and ultrasonic muscle depth, calculated using multivariate restricted maximum likelihood, are 0·47 (s.e. = 0·14), 0·39 (s.e. 0·13), 0·23 (s.e. 0·12) and 0·36 (s.e. 0·14), respectively. The selected lines will be used to investigate relationships between carcass lean content, viability and maternal performance under the harsh environmental conditions encountered in the Scottish hill environment.



1960 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. S. Falconer

1. Two-way selection was applied to the growth of mice between 3 and 6 weeks of age when reared on a high plane of nutrition and, in another pair of lines, when reared on a low plane of nutrition. In each generation the growth of all four lines was measured on both high and low planes of nutrition.2. Growth on the two planes of nutrition was treated as two different characters and the direct and correlated responses of each were estimated. The genetic correlation between the two characters was estimated from the responses of each of the four lines, and from the divergence between upward-and downward-selected lines. The different estimates should be the same if the theory of selection for correlated characters adequately accounts for the responses. Up to generation 7 the agreement was reasonably good, but in the later generations it was not. Four estimates of the genetic correlation up to generation 7 were: 0·75, 0·19, 0·66, 0·57.3. There was asymmetry between the upward and downward responses, and the realized heritabilities changed over the course of the experiment; so also did the phenotypic variation. In all these respects the lines behaved differently.4. The conclusions drawn from the final responses are summarized at the beginning of the Discussion.5. The mice produced by selection for increased growth on low plane, but later reared on high plane, were compared with those produced by selection on high plane. Their growth was the same, but they were heavier, had less fat and more protein, and were better mothers.



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