No significant deviation from random mating of worldwide populations of Drosophila melanogaster

Henderson, Nicola; Lambert, David M.

doi:10.1038/300437a0

Cited by 71 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 24 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Since there is no record of postmating reproductive isolation and a largescale survey found little sexual isolation between world-wide samples ofD. melanogaster (15), we were interested in whether any reproductive isolation is associated with the population differentiation seen in Africa. In this report, we present evidence that the Zimbabwe population reported in ref.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexual isolation in Drosophila melanogaster: a possible case of incipient speciation.

Hollocher

Begun

et al. 1995

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

229

262

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

It is generally believed that Drosophila melanogaster has no closely related species with which it can produce the viable and fertile hybrids that are essential for the genetic analysis of speciation. Following the recent report of molecular differentiation between a Zimbabwe, Africa, population and two United States populations, we provide evidence that strong sexual isolation exists between the D. melanogaster population in Zimbabwe and populations of other continents. In the presence of males of their own kind, females from most isofemale lines of Zimbabwe would not mate with males from elsewhere; the reciprocal mating is also significantly reduced, but to a lesser degree. The genes for sexual behaviors are apparently polymorphic in Zimbabwe and postmating reproductive isolation between this and other populations has not yet evolved. Whole chromosome substitutions indicate significant genetic contributions to male mating success by both major autosomes, whereas the X chromosome effect is too weak to measure. In addition, the relative mating success between hybrid and pure line males supports the interpretation of strong female choice. These observations suggest that we are seeing the early stages of speciation in this group and that it is driven by sexual selection. The genetic and molecular tractability of D. melanogaster offers great promise for the detailed analysis of this apparent case of incipient speciation.The difficulties in studying the genetics of speciation can arise from several sources. First, the species in question may have diverged beyond the incipient stage. Many genetic differences between them could have accumulated after speciation had been completed and the information on the population genetic dynamics of speciation may have been lost. Ideally, we would like to observe variation in genes of reproductive isolation that are still in the process of becoming fixed. Polymorphisms of such genes within species would suggest speciation inflagrante delicto (1). The second difficulty arises when the species of interest does not lend itself to extensive and detailed genetic analysis. The conspicuous absence of a species that could hybridize with Drosophila melanogaster to produce fertile progeny is the prime example of the second point. To some degree, all studies of the genetics of postmating reproductive isolation encounter the two problems (2). Genetic analysis of premating sexual isolation also confronts a third difficulty in that mating behaviors are often labile (3-8). Finding a system of sexual isolation associated with robust behavioral phenotypes is thus crucial for genetic studies of premating isolation.Recently, a collection of isofemale lines of D. melanogaster from Zimbabwe, Africa, was reported to show a surprisingly high level of DNA sequence divergence at several nuclear genes compared to flies from North American populations (9). In light of previous observations that flies of this species collected over a wide geographical range are very similar in their nuclear DNA polym...

show abstract

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexual isolation in Drosophila melanogaster: a possible case of incipient speciation.

Hollocher

Begun

et al. 1995

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

229

262

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Various attempts at bringing this species into speciation research have been made, including mating triploid D. melanogaster females to heavily irradiated D. simulans males to obtain the equivalent of F2s (9,10), searching for sibling species that might be crosshybridizable (4,5), examining far-flung populations that might be reproductively isolated (11,12), and surveying for hybrid inviability rescue mutations (13)(14)(15)(16). None has succeeded in making this ''model organism'' usable material for systematic studies of the genetics of speciation.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic analysis of speciation by means of introgression into Drosophila melanogaster

Sawamura

Davis

2000

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In the last decade, the genetic basis of reproductive isolation has been shown to be surprisingly polygenic, and yet even the most efficient system currently in use could lend itself to molecular analysis only in highly selected cases. By extending the recent discovery of fertility rescue between Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila simulans, we show that this hybridization can permit systematic and precise delineation of the genetic and molecular basis of speciation. In a region of 5% of the D. simulans genome introgressed into D. melanogaster, we discover at least six genes of hybrid male sterility and none for female sterility by deficiency mapping. A single case of hybrid inviability has been tracked down to a 3-Kb element that was inserted into the Cyclin E locus during species hybridization. The extent of interspecific genetic divergence underlying hybrid male sterility, especially in contrast with the low degree of inviability and female sterility, is far greater than expected from previous studies.O ne of the important subjects in speciation study is the genetic mechanism of reproductive isolation (1, 2). Drosophila melanogaster, with its wealth of resources, could allow the delineation of genes of reproductive isolation by genetic, cytological, and molecular means. Unfortunately, this species does not produce progeny beyond the F1 generation when crossed to any of its known sibling species, including Drosophila simulans (3-5). Since the time A. H. Sturtevant observed this sterility 80 years ago (3), evolutionary geneticists have relied on other species pairs. Th. Dobzhansky (6) was the first to do so, and many have since followed. Nevertheless, the progress has been slow (7), and not until recently has a gene of reproductive isolation been cloned from Drosophila (8). To move the field at a faster pace, a more efficient system involving D. melanogaster is highly desirable.Various attempts at bringing this species into speciation research have been made, including mating triploid D. melanogaster females to heavily irradiated D. simulans males to obtain the equivalent of F2s (9, 10), searching for sibling species that might be crosshybridizable (4, 5), examining far-flung populations that might be reproductively isolated (11, 12), and surveying for hybrid inviability rescue mutations (13-16). None has succeeded in making this ''model organism'' usable material for systematic studies of the genetics of speciation. The recent discovery of combinations of lines from D. melanogaster and D. simulans that yield fertile hybrid females has perhaps given us the best chance to tap into the resources of D. melanogaster (17). Materials and MethodsNomenclature. We shall briefly explain the conventional Drosophila nomenclature used in this study. For example, Df(2L) J39 (31C-D; 32D-E) denotes a deletion on the left arm of the second chromosome with the two breakpoints determined to be at the locations of 31C (or 31D) and 32D (or 32E) of the polytene chromosome, respectively. This deletion is named J39. Following this ...

show abstract

“…Henderson & Lambert (1982) found no significant assortative mating between stocks of D. melanogaster taken from world-wide populations (see also Lambert & Henderson, 1986) and attributed this to stabilizing selection acting on the 'Specific Mate Recognition System' (Paterson, 1985). It does seem likely that behaviours important to mating success will be subject to strong selection and coevolution between signals and preferences would be expected to generate a degree of stabilizing selection which would reduce the genetic variability within populations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Assortative mating studies (within or between species) have detected some variation among populations (van den Berg, 1988;Welbergen et at., 1992) but the largest systematic studies of natural populations have indicated that such variation is limited (Petit et a!., 1976;Henderson & Lambert, 1982;Lambert & Henderson, 1986). Studies of pheromonal variation have identified two major pheromonal races within Drosophila melanogaster and these have the potential to influence mating patterns between races (Jallon, 1984;Scott & Richmond, 1988 can be enhanced by playback of artificial song (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic variability of the interpulse interval of courtship song among some European populations of Drosophila melanogaster

1994

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The interpulse interval of the courtship song of Drosophila melanogaster is a character which may play a significant role in mating success and reproductive isolation. Here we examine the variability of interpulse interval among replicated laboratory strains of D. melanogaster. There is no significant variation among populations of different geographical origin. This suggests that interpulse interval is subject to strong selection, as the populations are known to differ for other characters. One population, however, was sufficiently different to allow a genetic analysis. Reciprocal F1s and backcrosses implied that the variance was predominantly additive and autosomal. Possible sources of selection on interpulse interval are discussed.

show abstract

No significant deviation from random mating of worldwide populations of Drosophila melanogaster

Cited by 71 publications

References 24 publications

Sexual isolation in Drosophila melanogaster: a possible case of incipient speciation.

Sexual isolation in Drosophila melanogaster: a possible case of incipient speciation.

Genetic analysis of speciation by means of introgression into Drosophila melanogaster

Genetic variability of the interpulse interval of courtship song among some European populations of Drosophila melanogaster

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About