A novel system of fertility rescue in Drosophila hybrids reveals a link between hybrid lethality and female sterility

Hybrid daughters of crosses between Drosophila melanogaster females and males from the D. simulans species clade are fully viable at low temperature but have agametic ovaries and are thus sterile. We report here that mutations in the D. melanogaster gene Hybrid male rescue (Hmr), along with unidentified polymorphic factors, rescue this agametic phenotype in both D. melanogaster/D. simulans and D. melanogaster/D. mauritiana F(1) female hybrids. These hybrids produced small numbers of progeny in backcrosses, their low fecundity being caused by incomplete rescue of oogenesis as well as by zygotic lethality. F(1) hybrid males from these crosses remained fully sterile. Hmr(+) is the first Drosophila gene shown to cause hybrid female sterility. These results also suggest that, while there is some common genetic basis to hybrid lethality and female sterility in D. melanogaster, hybrid females are more sensitive to fertility defects than to lethality.     

Mating speed and the interplay between female and male courtship responses inDrosophila melanogaster (Diptera: Drosophilidae)

The objective of this study was to compare measures of general activity and sexual behavior for various genotypes within a strain of Drosophila melanogaster, which had known differences in mating speed. Three inbred lines of D. melanogaster differed significantly in mating speed when tested in female-choice and in single-pair experiments. Analyses of locomotor activity and sexual activity of females and males revealed no significant differences between the inbred lines. An analysis of the interplay between female and male courtship behaviors enabled the examination of signal-response differences between the inbred lines. The inbred lines with intermediate and slow mean mating speed showed a decreased number of significant transitions between female and male behavioral responses. This decrease was more severe in the slow mating line. Further, the intermediate- and slow-mating females and males displayed courtship responses toward signals of the opposite sex that were different from those of the fastmating line. Models of the relationship between behavioral activity and mating speed in Drosophila are discussed and a different explanation for variation in mating speed among the three inbred lines is considered.     

Contributions of heterosis and epistasis to hybrid fitness

Early-generation hybrid fitness is difficult to interpret because heterosis can obscure the effects of hybrid breakdown. We used controlled reciprocal crosses and common garden experiments to distinguish between effects of heterosis and nuclear and cytonuclear epistasis among morphotypes and advanced-generation hybrid derivative populations in the Piriqueta caroliniana (Turneraceae) plant complex. Seed germination, growth, and sexual reproduction of first-generation hybrids, inbred parental lines, and outbred parental lines were compared under field conditions. Average vegetative performance was greater for hybrids than for inbred lines, and first-season growth was similar for hybrids and outbred parental lines. Hybrid survival surpassed that of inbred lines and was equal to or greater than outbred lines' survival, and more F(1) than parental plants reproduced. Reductions in hybrid fitness due to Dobzhansky-Muller incompatibilities (epistasis among divergent genetic elements) were expressed as differences in vegetative growth, survival, and reproduction between plants from reciprocal crosses for both F(1) and backcross hybrid generations. Comparing performance of hybrids against parental genotypes from intra- and interpopulation crosses allowed a more robust prediction of F(1) hybrids' success and more accurate interpretations of the genetic architecture of F(1) hybrid vigor.     

Sex and H-2 haplotype control the resistance of CBA-BALB hybrids to the induction of T cell lymphoma by Moloney leukemia virus

CBA/N and CBA/CaHN have a significantly longer latent period than other inbred mouse strains between infection with Moloney murine leukemia virus and the appearance of T cell lymphoma. The genetic characteristics of this resistance have been analyzed in the F1 hybrids of CBA/N and CBA/CaHN with BALB H-2 congenic strains. Sexual phenotype and H-2 haplotype significantly influenced survival in the F1 hybrids of CBA/CaHN with BALB. In the F1 with BALB/cJ and BALB/cAnN (both H-2d), the males survived significantly longer than the females; but in the F1 with BALB.K (H-2k) and BALB.B (H-2b), the survival of males and females was the same. Survival was not prolonged by the recessive X-linked immunodeficiency gene xid or other genes on the CBA/N X-chromosome, because the (CBA/N X BALB/c)F1 male and the reciprocal (BALB/c X CBA/N)F1 male, which does not carry the CBA X-chromosome, were equally resistant. H-2 haplotype did not influence survival among the BALB H-2 congenics, and sex had little effect on the resistance of the CBA and BALB parents. These results demonstrate that a sex-dependent gene linked to H-2 significantly influences the expression of CBA genes for lymphoma resistance in the F1 hybrid with BALB.     

Nup96-dependent hybrid lethality occurs in a subset of species from the simulans clade of Drosophila

The cross of Drosophila melanogaster females to D. simulans males typically produces lethal F(1) hybrid males. F(1) male lethality is suppressed when the D. simulans Lhr(1) hybrid rescue strain is used. Viability of these F(1) males carrying Lhr(1) is in turn substantially reduced when the hybrids are heterozygous for some mutant alleles of the D. melanogaster Nup96 gene. I show here that similar patterns of Nup96-dependent lethality occur when other hybrid rescue mutations are used to create F(1) males, demonstrating that Nup96 does not reduce hybrid viability by suppressing the Lhr(1) rescue effect. The penetrance of this Nup96-dependent lethality does not correlate with the penetrance of the F(1) hybrid rescue, arguing that these two phenomena reflect genetically independent processes. D. simulans, together with two additional sister species, forms a clade that speciated after the divergence of their common ancestor from D. melanogaster. I report here that Nup96(-) reduces F(1) viability in D. melanogaster hybrids with one of these sister species, D. sechellia, but not with the other, D. mauritiana. These results suggest that Nup96-dependent lethality evolved after the speciation of D. melanogaster from the common ancestor of the simulans clade and is caused by an interaction among Nup96, unknown gene(s) on the D. melanogaster X chromosome, and unknown autosomal gene(s), at least some of which have diverged in D. simulans and D. sechellia but not in D. mauritiana. The genetic properties of Nup96 are also discussed relative to other hybrid lethal genes.     

Paternal inheritance of egg traits in mice: a case of genomic imprinting

Eggs from reciprocal hybrids between the C57BL/6By and BALB/cBy strains were tested for their susceptibility to attack by hyaluronidase and pronase. There were significant reciprocal differences between the F1 females in the responses of their unfertilized eggs to both enzymes. The F1 hybrids from BALB mothers showed the increased susceptibility characteristic of C57BL whilst the F1 hybrids with C57BL mothers were more resistant to both enzymes, like BALB mice. Eggs from the four kinds of reciprocal F2 hybrid females also showed patroclinous patterns of susceptibility. A patroclinous difference was found between reciprocal crosses of the CXBD and CXBE recombinant inbred strains but not in crosses between recombinant inbred strains with similar phenotypes. Cross fostering did not alter the phenotypes of the C57BL and BALB females or those of their reciprocal F1 hybrids. The findings are interpreted in terms of differential genomic imprinting of paternally inherited information. The possible general usefulness of patroclinous differences between reciprocal F1 females in revealing differences in imprinting is noted.     

An increased level of sperm abnormalities in mice with a partial deletion of the Y chromosome

Two congenic lines of mice, one with a partial deletion of the Y chromosome, differ in the percentage of spermatozoa with abnormal heads: B10.BR/SgSn males give 22.6% and B10.BR-Ydel/Ms males give 64.2% abnormal sperm. The F1s resulting from crosses of B10.BR/SgSn males with females of five common inbred strains exhibited significantly lower levels of abnormal sperm than the parental strains, as opposed to F1 hybrids sired by B10.BR-Ydel/Ms mutant males, where very high levels of abnormal spermatozoa were found. About 30% of abnormal spermatozoa, produced by males with deletion on the Y chromosome, were characterized by a flat acrosomal cap. This class of abnormality was never observed in non-mutant males, suggesting a mutant-specific defect. These results demonstrate the important role of the Y chromosome in spermatogenesis.     

Female resistance to male harm evolves in response to manipulation of sexual conflict

The interests of males and females over reproduction rarely coincide and conflicts between the sexes over mate choice, mating frequency, reproductive investment, and parental care are common in many taxa. In Drosophila melanogaster, the optimum mating frequency is higher for males than it is for females. Furthermore, females that mate at high frequencies suffer significant mating costs due to the actions of male seminal fluid proteins. Sexual conflict is predicted to lead to sexually antagonistic coevolution, in which selection for adaptations that benefit males but harm females is balanced by counterselection in females to minimize the extent of male-induced harm. We tested the prediction that elevated sexual conflict should select for increased female resistance to male-induced harm and vice versa. We manipulated the intensity of sexual conflict by experimentally altering adult sex ratio. We created replicated lines of D. melanogaster in which the adult sex ratio was male biased (high conflict lines), equal (intermediate conflict lines), or female biased (low conflict lines). As predicted, females from high sexual conflict lines lived significantly longer in the presence of males than did females from low conflict lines. Our conclusion that the evolutionary response in females was to the level of male-induced harm is supported by the finding that there were no female longevity differences in the absence of males. Differences between males in female harming ability were not detected. This suggests that the response in females was to differences between selection treatments in mating frequency, and not to differences in male harmfulness.     

Compositional differences between near‐isogenic GM and conventional maize hybrids are associated with backcrossing practices in conventional breeding

Here, we show that differences between genetically modified (GM) and non‐GM comparators cannot be attributed unequivocally to the GM trait, but arise because of minor genomic differences in near‐isogenic lines. Specifically, this study contrasted the effect of three GM traits (drought tolerance, MON 87460; herbicide resistance, NK603; insect protection, MON 89034) on maize grain composition relative to the effects of residual genetic variation from backcrossing. Important features of the study included (i) marker‐assisted backcrossing to generate genetically similar inbred variants for each GM line, (ii) high‐resolution genotyping to evaluate the genetic similarity of GM lines to the corresponding recurrent parents and (iii) introgression of the different GM traits separately into a wide range of genetically distinct conventional inbred lines. The F1 hybrids of all lines were grown concurrently at three replicated field sites in the United States during the 2012 growing season, and harvested grain was subjected to compositional analysis. Proximates (protein, starch and oil), amino acids, fatty acids, tocopherols and minerals were measured. The number of statistically significant differences (α = 0.05), as well as magnitudes of difference, in mean levels of these components between corresponding GM variants was essentially identical to that between GM and non‐GM controls. The largest sources of compositional variation were the genetic background of the different conventional inbred lines (males and females) used to generate the maize hybrids and location. The lack of any compositional effect attributable to GM suggests the development of modern agricultural biotechnology has been accompanied by a lack of any safety or nutritional concerns.     

Resistance of Polish lines and hybrids of watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum et Nakai] to Fusarium oxysporum at the seedling stage

Watermelon is a species cultivated in the hot climate or in the greenhouse. Since recently it has also started to be grown in the open in the Polish climate. This species is frequently at risk of Fusarium oxysporum infection. Between 1996 and 1997 ten inbred lines and nine hybrids of Polish origin were tested for resistance to this pathogen. The test was conducted with the use of four isolates of F. oxysporum: three from Polish infected plants (formae speciales not determined), while the fourth from U.K. (F. oxysporum f. sp. niveum). In the three series of tests the control plants were Pannonia F(1) and Sugar Baby. No inbred line or hybrid was found to be highly resistant to the pathogen. However, it was possible to identify four lines and five hybrids showing a higher level of resistance as compared with the control. The level of hybrid resistance was determined by comparison with the parental genotypes.     

玉米CMS—S材料雄花育性不稳定性与线粒体S类质粒相关性的研究

田间鉴定了4套玉米CMS-S的同质异核杂交种和不育系的雄花育性表现。发现在保持型F_1群体中有育性部分恢复的不稳定现象。检测它们的线粒体DNA,发现均有游离态的S_1、S_2,类质粒存在。分离恢复型和育性部分恢复的近等基因型F_1植株的线粒体主DNA,经EcoRI等5种核酸内切酶酶切后,与S_1分子探针杂交,均未发现任何带型差异。正常胞质系与不同来源的S胞质不育系的线粒体主DNA经5种内切酶酶切后,与S_1分子探针杂交,带型存在明显差异。而各S胞质不育系之间的带型无差异。结果表明,所研究的CMS-S材料的育性不稳定现象可能与胞质基因无关。     

Sexual maturation in Drosophila melanogaster females and hybridization with D. simulans males: a study of inheritance modes

The inheritance mode of Drosophila melanogaster female sexual maturation speed and hybridization with D. simulans males was measured in F1 females from crosses between isofemale lines of D. melanogaster chosen for their high or low hybridization and maturation speed values. The results suggest dominant inheritance for rapid female maturation and intermediate inheritance for hybridization. We discuss results in relation to the evolutionary role of these characters.     

A Genetic Basis for the Inviability of Hybrids between Sibling Species of Drosophila

A mutation of Drosophila melanogaster whose only known effect is the rescue of otherwise lethal interspecific hybrids has been characterized. This mutation, Hmr, maps to 1-31.84 (9D1-9E4). Hmr may be the consequence of a P element insertion. It rescues hybrid males from the cross of D. melanogaster females to males of its three sibling species, D. simulans, D. mauritiana and D. sechellia. This rescue is recessive, since hybrid males that carry both Hmr and a duplication expected to be Hmr+ are not rescued. Hmr also rescues the otherwise inviable female hybrids from the cross of compound-X D. melanogaster females to males of its sibling species. This rescue is also recessive, since a compound-X heterozygous for Hmr does not rescue. Another mutation, discovered on the In(1)AB chromosome of D. melanogaster, is also found to rescue normally inviable species hybrids: unlike Hmr, however, In(1)AB rescues hybrid females from the cross of In(1)AB/Y males to sibling females, as well as hybrid males from the cross of In(1)AB females to sibling males. These data are interpreted on the basis of a model for the genetic basis of hybrid inviability of complementary genes.     

Differential Response to Selection on the Two Sexes in DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

Artificial selection for short wing was performed in two Drosophila melanogaster populations with partially different gene pools: the C populations were derived from a Canton stock while the H lines were derived from a cross between Canton and a b, cn, vg strain. It is shown that in both populations selection on females (CF, HF) was more effective than selection on males (CM, HM). This difference cannot be explained in terms of differences in additive genetic variability between the two sexes because: (1) both sexes contribute to the genetic variability utilized by selection applied to one sex only, and (2) switching selection pressure on females in the M lines does not result in a response comparable to that obtained in the F populations; this rules out almost completely recombination as the responsible agent for the differences between the selection limits reached by M and F selections.-These results, together with several additional observations concerning sexual dimorphism, fitness and the effect of natural selection, suggest that a complex interaction should be involved in the differential response of M and F lines, controlling the wing length phenotype.     

Identification of Indica rice chromosome segments for the improvement of Japonica inbreds and hybrids

Exploitation of heterosis has brought significant advance in plant breeding and agricultural production, although its genetic basis is still poorly understood. In this study, a total of 66 chromosome segment substitution (CSS) lines, derived from a cross between japonica rice inbred line Asominori (as the recurrent parent) and indica rice inbred line IR24 (as the donor parent), were used to investigate the genetic basis of heterosis in indica × japonica inter-subspecific rice hybrids. Each CSS line was crossed with the background parent Asominori, and the heterosis of F(1) hybrids was estimated by comparing the F(1) performance with its two parental lines. Field experiments were carried out across six different environments to evaluate yield and yield-related traits in the 66 CSS lines and their 66 corresponding F(1) hybrids. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) analyses were conducted using a likelihood ratio test based on the stepwise regression. Thirty-six QTL were identified with significant effects in CSSL, 21 with significant effects in hybrids and 13 with significant effects in both. On the basis of average dominance degree, of all the 70 QTL affecting yield-related agronomic traits, 28.6% (20) showed an overdominance, 35.7% (25) a partial dominance and 30% (21) an additive effect, indicating that all effects contribute to trait variation in japonica-indica rice hybrids. Effects of these QTL were examined to identify Indica rice chromosome segments of interest for the improvement of japonica inbred lines and hybrids.     

玉米染色体G—带带型的研究

本文对3个玉米自交系,及其中两个自交系的杂交F_1有丝分裂早中期染色体的G-带带型进行了比较研究。所有的供试材料G-显带的染色体上都具有两种类型的带纹,我们称A型带和B型带。A型带为沿染色体长轴分布,较细的,密切邻近的多重带纹。不同自交系的A型带带型基本相同,杂交F_1的A型带无明显的异型性。非同源染色体间带型各不相同,某些染色体具有易于识别,特征性较强的A型带标记。B型带一般为深染色的大带,位于染色体的近端区。同一自交系每两个同源染色体的B型带可以配对,不同自交系B型带带型互有不同。杂交F_1某些染色体上的B型带带型异型性明显。具异型性的染色体对中一成员的带型与一个亲本相似,另一成员与另一亲本相似。比较对同一细胞先后作G-和C-显带处理的结果表明,B型带和C-带是相同的。     

Acclimation and Selection for Increased Resistance to Thermal Stress in Drosophila Buzzatii

Direct selection for increased resistance to a heat shock (41.9° for 90 min) was carried out using two replicate lines of Drosophila buzzatii that were derived from a large base population. Selected individuals were first acclimated to high temperature before selection, while control individuals were acclimated but not selected, and selection was performed every second generation. Resistance to heat shock with acclimation increased in selected lines. Without acclimation, a correlated smaller increase in heat-shock resistance was suggested. Survival of males was higher than that of females in all lines when tested with acclimation, but with direct exposure to high temperatures, survival of females was greater than that of males both in selection and control lines but not in the base population. From analysis of reciprocal cross progeny between lines, one selection line was found to possess a dominant autosomal factor that significantly increased resistance of males much more than resistance of females. Also suggestive was recessive traits on the X chromosome in both selection lines that increased thermotolerance. No cytoplasmic effects were found. After accounting for other effects, survival of F(1) flies was intermediate, suggesting that additive variation is present for one or more of the autosomes.     

Genetic analysis of susceptibility to isoniazid-induced seizures in mice

Four sets of recombinant inbred lines of mice have been used to analyze genetic differences in acute toxicity of the drug, isonicotinic acid hydrazide. Standard inbred strains, their F₁ hybrids and recombinant inbred strains were all challenged with a single dose of the drug. The percent mortality of the different groups was analyzed to estimate heritability and the number of genes affecting resistance. The data indicated that resistance factors were dominant, heritability was moderate (.25-.37), and more than one gene was involved in each of four different sets of recombinant inbred lines. Possible approaches for identifying and mapping individual genes affecting resistance are discussed.