scholarly journals SEX RATIO DISTORTION CAUSED BY MEIOTIC DRIVE IN A MOSQUITO, Culex pipiens L

Genetics ◽  
1978 ◽  
Vol 88 (3) ◽  
pp. 427-446
Author(s):  
Theresa Luine Sweeny ◽  
A Ralph Barr
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Chromosome Pair ◽  
Culex Pipiens ◽  
Recessive Gene ◽  
Meiotic Drive ◽  
Female Offspring ◽  
Large Excess ◽  
Daughter Cells ◽  
Ratio Distortion ◽  
Sex Ratio Distortion

ABSTRACT A genetic factor, distorter (d), has been discovered that upsets the normal sex ratio of 1:1 and results in a large excess of males in Culex pipiens. The effect can be explained by a sex-linked, recessive gene. Males homozygous for the gene (Md/md) produce few female offspring; the effect is not due to postzygotic mortality. During the first meiotic division in spermatogenesis, the shortest chromosome pair, which, according to Jost and Laven (1971), is associated with sex determination, can be seen to be abnormal. In a high proportion of spermatocysts, one of the dyads of the shortest bivalent fragments, and the pieces are distributed irregularly to the daughter cells. It is believed that the female-determining chromosomes fragment. This would give rise to an excess of male-determining sperm. The possible usefulness of this factor for control or for experimental purposes is discussed.

scholarly journals Sex Chromosome Meiotic Drive in Stalk-Eyed Flies

Genetics ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 147 (3) ◽  
pp. 1169-1180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daven C Presgraves ◽  
Emily Severance ◽  
Gerald S Willrinson
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Sex Chromosome ◽  
Sex Ratios ◽  
Natural Populations ◽  
Meiotic Drive ◽  
Operational Sex Ratio ◽  
Genetic Modifiers ◽  
Ratio Distortion ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Sex Ratio Distortion

Meiotically driven sex chromosomes can quickly spread to fixation and cause population extinction unless balanced by selection or suppressed by genetic modifiers. We report results of genetic analyses that demonstrate that extreme female-biased sex ratios in two sister species of stalk-eyed flies, Cyrtodiopsis dalmanni and C. whitei, are due to a meiotic drive element on the X chromosome (Xd). Relatively high frequencies of Xd in C. dalmanni and C. whitei (13–17% and 29%, respectively) cause female-biased sex ratios in natural populations of both species. Sex ratio distortion is associated with spermatid degeneration in male carriers of Xd. Variation in sex ratios is caused by Y-linked and autosomal factors that decrease the intensity of meiotic drive. Y-linked polymorphism for resistance to drive exists in C. dalmanni in which a resistant Y chromosome reduces the intensity and reverses the direction of meiotic drive. When paired with Xd, modifying Y chromosomes (Ym) cause the transmission of predominantly Y-bearing sperm, and on average, production of 63% male progeny. The absence of sex ratio distortion in closely related monomorphic outgroup species suggests that this meiotic drive system may predate the origin of C. whitei and C. dalmanni. We discuss factors likely to be involved in the persistence of these sex-linked polymorphisms and consider the impact of Xd on the operational sex ratio and the intensity of sexual selection in these extremely sexually dimorphic flies.

Variation in Y chromosome meiotic drive in Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae): a potential genetic approach to mosquito control

1997 ◽  
Vol 87 (6) ◽  
pp. 617-623 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. O. Owusu-Daaku ◽  
R. J. Wood ◽  
R. D. Butler
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Aedes Aegypti ◽  
Y Chromosome ◽  
Reciprocal Cross ◽  
Mosquito Control ◽  
Meiotic Drive ◽  
Genetic Approach ◽  
Single Form ◽  
Ratio Distortion ◽  
Sex Ratio Distortion

AbstractReciprocal crosses between strains of Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) from different geographical areas have revealed an unexpectedly complex pattern of holandrically inherited male biased sex ratios in F2. The variation has been interpreted in terms of a web of X–Y interactions in Fl, in which the Y chromosome may or may not show meiotic drive against the X chromosome with which it is paired. The pattern of inheritance is not in agreement with a single form of Y chromosome, driving with different degrees of intensity against Xs of different sensitivity, but indicates different forms of driving Y chromosome. A rule has emerged that if Fl males from any cross give rise to a male distorted sex ratio in their progeny (F2), the males from the reciprocal cross give rise to a normal sex ratio. All eleven newly colonized strains from Ghana showed Y meiotic drive against the Xs of five strains, one of American and four of Australian origin, although one of the eleven showed a greater degree of drive than the other ten against the same sensitive strains. The variation observed is discussed in relation to previous studies on meiotic drive by the MD haplotype, and to the possible exploitation of sex ratio distortion in controlling this potentially dangerous insect.

Sex ratio distortion in Glossina morsitans submorsitans Newstead (Diptera: Glossinidae)

1984 ◽  
Vol 74 (2) ◽  
pp. 311-315 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Rawlings ◽  
I. Maudlin
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Female Offspring ◽  
Glossina Morsitans ◽  
Selective Abortion ◽  
Glossina Morsitans Submorsitans ◽  
Laboratory Colony ◽  
Control Programmes ◽  
Genetic Aberration ◽  
Ratio Distortion ◽  
Sex Ratio Distortion

AbstractA laboratory colony of Glossina morsitans submorsitans Newst. originating from Nigeria exhibits an excess of females over males. The sex ratio distortion of more than two females to one male was studied by the maintenance of individual flies. Five males sired more than ten daughters without producing any sons when mated to several females, whilst other males fathered approximately equal numbers of male and female offspring; there was no evidence for selective abortion of male embryos. The presence of these ‘distorter’ males, which produce only female offspring, was found to cause the sex ratio distortion. The results are discussed with reference to data from the field which indicate that this genetic aberration is not confined to the laboratory; possible implications for chemical control programmes are assessed.

Sex-of-Offspring-Specific Transmission Ratio Distortion on Mouse Chromosome X

Genetics ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 154 (1) ◽  
pp. 343-350 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena de la Casa-Esperón ◽  
Fernando Pardo-Manuel de Villena ◽  
Andrei E Verner ◽  
Tammi L Briscoe ◽  
Jan Michel Malette ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Central Region ◽  
Female Offspring ◽  
Transmission Ratio Distortion ◽  
Transmission Ratio ◽  
Chromosome X ◽  
Previous Suggestion ◽  
Locus Model ◽  
Ratio Distortion ◽  
Sex Ratio Distortion

AbstractDuring our study of the DDK syndrome, we observed sex ratio distortion in favor of males among the offspring of F1 backcrosses between the C57BL/6 and DDK strains. We also observed significant and reproducible transmission ratio distortion in favor of the inheritance of DDK alleles at loci on chromosome X among female offspring but not among male offspring in (C57BL/6 × DDK)F1 × C57BL/6 and (C57BL/6-Pgk1a × DDK)F1 × C57BL/6 backcrosses. The observed transmission ratio distortion is maximum at DXMit210 in the central region of chromosome X and decreases progressively at proximal and distal loci, in a manner consistent with the predictions of a single distorted locus model. DXMit210 is closely linked to two distortion-controlling loci (Dcsx1 and Dcsx2) described previously in interspecific backcrosses. Our analysis suggests that the female-offspring-specific transmission ratio distortion we observe is likely to be the result of the death of embryos of particular genotypic combinations. In addition, we confirm the previous suggestion that the transmission ratio distortion observed on chromosome X in interspecific backcrosses is also the result of loss of embryos.

Sex-Ratio Distortion Caused by Meiotic Drive in Mosquitoes

1991 ◽  
Vol 137 (3) ◽  
pp. 379-391 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger J. Wood ◽  
Martha E. Newton
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Meiotic Drive ◽  
Ratio Distortion ◽  
Sex Ratio Distortion

scholarly journals Sex-ratio distortion in Drosophila simulans: co-occurence of a meiotic drive and a suppressor of drive

1995 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 283-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
Herve Mercot ◽  
Anne Atlan ◽  
Micheline Jacques ◽  
Catherine Montchamp-Moreau
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Meiotic Drive ◽  
Drosophila Simulans ◽  
Ratio Distortion ◽  
Sex Ratio Distortion

scholarly journals Sex ratio distortion in D. simulans after treatment with quinacrine

1987 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-23
Author(s):  
S. C. Tsakas ◽  
K. Lamnisou ◽  
L. Tsacas ◽  
J. R. David
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Staining Pattern ◽  
Female Offspring ◽  
Mitotic Chromosomes ◽  
Pregnant Females ◽  
Consistent Manner ◽  
Ratio Distortion ◽  
First Time ◽  
Sex Ratio Distortion

SummaryA significant excess of female offspring resulted when pregnant females of the D. simulans species were left to lay their eggs on food containing quinacrine. The same result occurred in a subsequent experiment in which male parents were injected with quinacrine. This was the first time that a chemical compound showing an affinity with DNA in vitro altered the sex ratio in a consistent manner. This effect had been predicted based on the unique quinacrine fluorescent staining pattern in D. simulans, in which only the Y stains intensely in mitotic chromosomes. It seems that treatment acts on spermatids or spermatozoa causing decreased functioning of the Y-bearing ones, resulting in an excess of female offspring. Interestingly, the species D. mauritiana and D. melanogaster, although very closely related to D. simulans, do not have its staining pattern and as predicted did not respond to treatment; therefore, the important parameter appears to be related to the staining pattern of mitotic chromosomes and not to the phylogenetic relationship.

scholarly journals Resistance to meiotic drive at the MD locus in an Indian wild population of Aedes aegypti

1977 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. G. Suguna ◽  
R. J. Wood ◽  
C. F. Curtis ◽  
A. Whitelaw ◽  
S. J. Kazmi
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Aedes Aegypti ◽  
Genetic Control ◽  
Wild Population ◽  
Sex Ratios ◽  
Meiotic Drive ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Ratio Distortion ◽  
Sex Ratio Distortion ◽  
Different Parts

SUMMARYFemales from an Indian wild population of Aedes aegypti were crossed to males carrying the sex ratio distorter factor MD which shows meiotic drive. Progenies from F1 males were tested for sex ratio distortion, i.e. the chromosomes from the wild females were screened for their resistance to the action of MD. The distribution of sex ratio in the progenies of different F1 males indicated a polymorphism in the wild population for resistant and sensitive variants of the X chromosome. Seven discrete categories of X appear to exist, associated with sex ratios ranging from 50% ♀ to less than 1·25% ♀. The overall level of resistance varied slightly but significantly in different parts of a town. The results are discussed in relation to the use of sex ratio distortion for genetic control of mosquitoes.

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