Male-Mediated Effects on Female Meiotic Recombination

Abstract

Recombination rates vary owing to an individual's genetic composition and/or its environmental condition. Yet, the effects of mating partner on recombination rates have not been considered. Here, I document a previously undescribed, male-mediated effect on female recombination rates. After crossing females to males from different genetic backgrounds, I observed a significant difference in proportion of recombinant offspring based on the genetic background of the father (P = 0.0292; df = 3; F = 3.07).Genetic variation in male ability to affect recombination rate in their mates suggests the potential for sexual conflict on optimal proportion of recombinant offspring, perhaps leading to changes in population-level recombination rates with varying levels of sexual selection. K E Y W O R D S :Meiosis, recombination, selection-sexual.

DO MALES MATTER? TESTING THE EFFECTS OF MALE GENETIC BACKGROUND ON FEMALE MEIOTIC CROSSOVER RATES INDROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

“…However, depending on the mechanism underlying the previously observed male‐mediated effects on female recombination rate (Stevison ), we might not expect to see an effect over the entire 10‐day collection period. Although the effects of gametic selection should be consistent across the experimental time frame, if the effect is due to increases in the number of crossover events, then the timing of the response should be notably different.…”

“…, ). Moreover, a recent study indicated a significant effect of male genetic background on female crossover rate in Drosophila melanogaster (Stevison ). That is, genetically identical females produced different proportions of recombination progeny depending on the genetic background of the males to which they were mated.…”

“…Previous work has suggested that mating stress, including the amount of mating and the age at which mating occurs, can significantly affect crossover rates in Drosophila (Redfield 1966;Priest et al 2007Priest et al , 2008. Moreover, a recent study indicated a significant effect of male genetic background on female crossover rate in Drosophila melanogaster (Stevison 2012). That is, genetically identical females produced different proportions of recombination progeny depending on the genetic background of the males to which they were mated.…”

Genetic Background, Maternal Age, and Interaction Effects Mediate Rates of Crossing Over inDrosophila melanogasterFemales

“…Indeed, for many organisms, advancing age is accompanied by a decrease in overall fitness ( Williams 1957 ; Partridge and Barton 1993 ) and also a decrease in overall reproductive output ( Stearns 1992 ). Many studies have examined how recombination changes with advancing maternal age in Drosophila ( Bridges 1915 , 1927 , 1929 ; Plough 1917 , 1921 ; Stern 1926 ; Bergner 1928 ; Neel 1941 ; Hayman and Parsons 1960 ; Redfield 1966 ; Lake and Cederberg 1984 ; Parsons 1988 ; Chadov et al 2000 ; Priest et al 2007 ; Tedman-Aucoin and Agrawal 2011 ; Stevison 2012 ; Manzano-Winkler et al 2013 ; Hunter and Singh 2014 ). This topic has been investigated in other species as well, such as worms ( Rose and Baillie 1979 ), tomatoes ( Griffing and Langridge 1963 ), mice and hamsters ( Henderson and Edwards 1968 ; Sugawara and Mikamo 1983 ), and humans ( Kong et al 2004 ; Coop et al 2008 ; Hussin et al 2011 ; Bleazard et al 2013 ; Rowsey et al 2014 ; Campbell et al 2015 ; Martin et al 2015 ).…”

“…, Bridges 1915 ; Hayman and Parsons 1960 ; Chadov et al , 2000 ), some revealing nonlinear effects ( i.e. , Plough, 1917 , 1921 ; Bridges 1927 ; Neel 1941 ; Redfield 1966 ; Tedman-Aucoin and Agrawal 2011 ), and others yet finding no significant changes in recombination rates ( i.e ., Bridges 1915 ; Plough 1921 ; Stevison 2012 ; Manzano-Winkler et al , 2013 ).…”