scholarly journals ESTIMATION OF FITNESS COMPONENTS IN DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER. II. INFLUENCE OF REDUCED TRANSMISSION FREQUENCY

Genetics ◽  
1979 ◽  
Vol 91 (2) ◽  
pp. 359-368
Author(s):  
Alan J Katz

ABSTRACT Results are presented of further analyses of the significant effects of reciprocal crosses reported by KATZ and CARDELLINO(1978) in regard to viability indices of wild-type second chromosome heterozygotes. The observed differences between reciprocal crosses can be explained by the existence of reduced transmission frequencies of the wild-type homologue from Pm/+ and Cy/+ paternal parents. Mean estimates of transmission frequencies from Pm/+ and cy/+ males in California and Japan populations are significantly less than the Mendelian expectation of 1/2. The transmission frequencies of +i chromosomes from Pm/+i and Cy/+i males are also found to be positively correlated in the California and pooled populations, suggesting that the degree of distortion is primarily due to the +i chromosome rather than to Cy or Pm. A sufficient estimator of relative viability that is independent of distorted transmission frequencies is derived for use in the Cy/Pm technique of viability estimation.

Genetics ◽  
1978 ◽  
Vol 88 (1) ◽  
pp. 139-148
Author(s):  
Alan J Katz ◽  
Ricardo A Cardellino

ABSTRACT We examine the assumption of "dominance" with regard to viability of the Cy and Pm marker chromosomes in D. melanogaster. This assumption is often invoked for the extraction of wild-type second chromosomes from natural populations and for the calculation of relative viability indices. Significant genotypic variances for viability are found among both C y / f i and P m / f i heterozygotes in California and Japanese populations. The magnitude of the Pm/+i genotypic variance is substantially less than that of the Cy/+j heterozygotes (less than one half). Significant reciprocal effects are also found to influence Cy/+j, Pm/+i and + J f j viabilities. We conclude that viability indices of heterozygotes based on the Curly method are biased. We suggest that viability indices in the future be expressed relative to the viability of the Cy/Pm genotype (Curly-Plum method) or possibly that of the Pm/+i genotype (Plum method).


1974 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 864-882 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen J. O'Brien ◽  
Yoshio Shimada

"Null" mutations previously isolated at the αGpdh-1 locus of Drosophila melanogaster, because of disruption of the energy-producing α-glycerophosphate cycle, severely restrict the flight ability and relative viability of affected individuals. Two "null" alleles, αGpdh-1BO-1-4, and αGpdh-1BO-1-5, when made hemizygous with a deficiency of the αGpdh-1 locus, Df(2L)GdhA, were rendered homozygous by recombination with and selective elimination of the Df(2L)GdhA chromosome. After over 25 generations, a homozygous αGpdh-1BO-1-4 stock regained the ability to fly despite the continued absence of measurable αGPDH activity. Inter se heterozygotes of three noncomplementing αGpdh-1 "null" alleles and the "adapted" αGpdh-1BO-1-4 homozygotes were examined for metabolic enzymatic activities related to the energy-producing and pyridine nucleotide-regulating functions of the α-glycerophosphate cycle in Drosophila. The enzyme functions tested included glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, cytoplasmic and soluble malate dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase, mitochondrial NADH oxidation, oxidative phosphorylation, and respiratory control with the substrates α-glycerophosphate, succinate, and pyruvate. These activities in any of the mutant genotypes in early adult life were indistinguishable from those in the wild type. There was, however, a premature deterioration and atrophy of the ultrastructural integrity of flight muscle sarcosomes observed by electron microscopy in the "null" mutants. These observations were correlated with a decrease in state 3 mitochondrial oxidation with α-glycerophosphate, succinate, and pyruvate, as well as with loss of respiratory control in adults as early as 2 wk after eclosion. Such observations, which normally are seen in aged dipterans, were accompanied by premature mortality of the mutant heterozygotes. The adapted αGpdh-1BO-1-4 was identical with wild type in each of the aging characters with the single exception of lowered rates of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation.


Genetics ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 143 (3) ◽  
pp. 1339-1347
Author(s):  
Alfred M Handler ◽  
Sheilachu P Gomez

Abstract Function of the Drosophila melanogaster hobo transposon in tephritid species was tested in transient embryonic excision assays. Wild-type and mutant strains of Anastrepha suspensa, Bactrocera dorsalis, B. cucurbitae, Ceratitis capitata, and Toxotrypana curvicauda all supported hobo excision or deletion both in the presence and absence of co-injected hobo transposase, indicating a permissive state for hobo mobility and the existence of endogenous systems capable of mobilizing hobo. In several strains hobo helper reduced excision. Excision depended on hobo sequences in the indicator plasmid, though almost all excisions were imprecise and the mobilizing systems appear mechanistically different from hobo. hobe-related sequences were identified in all species except T. curvicauda. Parsimony analysis yielded a subgroup including the B. cucurbitae and C. capitata sequences along with hobo and Hermes, and a separate, more divergent subgroup including the A. suspensa and B. dorsalis sequences. All of the sequences exist as multiple genomic elements, and a deleted form of the B. cucurbitae element exists in B. dorsalis. The hobo-related sequences are probably members of the hAT transposon family with some evolving from distant ancestor elements, while others may have originated from more recent horizontal transfers.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Biz R. Turnell ◽  
Luisa Kumpitsch ◽  
Klaus Reinhardt

AbstractSperm aging is accelerated by the buildup of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which cause oxidative damage to various cellular components. Aging can be slowed by limiting the production of mitochondrial ROS and by increasing the production of antioxidants, both of which can be generated in the sperm cell itself or in the surrounding somatic tissues of the male and female reproductive tracts. However, few studies have compared the separate contributions of ROS production and ROS scavenging to sperm aging, or to cellular aging in general. We measured reproductive fitness in two lines of Drosophila melanogaster genetically engineered to (1) produce fewer ROS via expression of alternative oxidase (AOX), an alternative respiratory pathway; or (2) scavenge fewer ROS due to a loss-of-function mutation in the antioxidant gene dj-1β. Wild-type females mated to AOX males had increased fecundity and longer fertility durations, consistent with slower aging in AOX sperm. Contrary to expectations, fitness was not reduced in wild-type females mated to dj-1β males. Fecundity and fertility duration were increased in AOX and decreased in dj-1β females, indicating that female ROS levels may affect aging rates in stored sperm and/or eggs. Finally, we found evidence that accelerated aging in dj-1β sperm may have selected for more frequent mating. Our results help to clarify the relative roles of ROS production and ROS scavenging in the male and female reproductive systems.


Genetics ◽  
1974 ◽  
Vol 76 (2) ◽  
pp. 289-299
Author(s):  
Margaret McCarron ◽  
William Gelbart ◽  
Arthur Chovnick

ABSTRACT A convenient method is described for the intracistronic mapping of genetic sites responsible for electrophoretic variation of a specific protein in Drosophila melanogaster. A number of wild-type isoalleles of the rosy locus have been isolated which are associated with the production of electrophoretically distinguishable xanthine dehydrogenases. Large-scale recombination experiments were carried out involving null enzyme mutants induced on electrophoretically distinct wild-type isoalleles, the genetic basis for which is followed as a nonselective marker in the cross. Additionally, a large-scale recombination experiment was carried out involving null enzyme rosy mutants induced on the same wild-type isoallele. Examination of the electrophoretic character of crossover and convertant products recovered from the latter experiment revealed that all exhibited the same parental electrophoretic character. In addition to documenting the stability of the xanthine dehydrogenase electrophoretic character, this observation argues against a special mutagenesis hypothesis to explain conversions resulting from allele recombination studies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Biz R. Turnell ◽  
Luisa Kumpitsch ◽  
Anne-Cécile Ribou ◽  
Klaus Reinhardt

Abstract Objective Sperm ageing has major evolutionary implications but has received comparatively little attention. Ageing in sperm and other cells is driven largely by oxidative damage from reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by the mitochondria. Rates of organismal ageing differ across species and are theorized to be linked to somatic ROS levels. However, it is unknown whether sperm ageing rates are correlated with organismal ageing rates. Here, we investigate this question by comparing sperm ROS production in four lines of Drosophila melanogaster that have previously been shown to differ in somatic mitochondrial ROS production, including two commonly used wild-type lines and two lines with genetic modifications standardly used in ageing research. Results Somatic ROS production was previously shown to be lower in wild-type Oregon-R than in wild-type Dahomey flies; decreased by the expression of alternative oxidase (AOX), a protein that shortens the electron transport chain; and increased by a loss-of-function mutation in dj-1β, a gene involved in ROS scavenging. Contrary to predictions, we found no differences among these four lines in the rate of sperm ROS production. We discuss the implications of our results, the limitations of our study, and possible directions for future research.


Genetics ◽  
1973 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
pp. 429-434
Author(s):  
J James Donady ◽  
R L Seecof ◽  
M A Fox

ABSTRACT Drosophila melanogaster embryos that lacked ribosomal DNA were obtained from appropriate crosses. Cells were taken from such embryos before overt differentiation took place and were cultured in vitro. These cells differentiated into neurons and myocytes with the same success as did wild-type controls. Therefore, ribosomal RNA synthesis is not necessary for the differentiation of neurons and myocytes in vitro.


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