Experimental Population Genetics of Meiotic Drive Systems I. Pseudo-Y Chromosomal Drive as a Means of Eliminating Cage Populations of DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

The experimental population genetics of Y-chromosome drive in Drosophila melanogaster is approximated by studying the behavior of T(Y;2),SD lines. These exhibit "pseudo-Y" drive through the effective coupling of the Y chromosome to the second chromosome meiotic drive locus, Segregation distorter (SD). T(Y;2),SD males consequently produce only male offspring. When such lines are allowed to compete against structurally normal SD⁺ flies in population cages, T(Y;2),SD males increase in frequency according to the dynamics of a simple haploid selection model until the cage population is eliminated as a result of a deficiency in the number of adult females. Cage population extinction generally occurs within about seven generations.—Several conclusions can be drawn from these competition cage studies:

(1) Fitness estimates for the T(Y;2),SD lines (relative to SD⁺ ) are generally in the range of 2–4, and these values are corroborated by independent estimates derived from studies of migration-selection equilibrium.

(2) Fitness estimates are unaffected by cage replication, sample time, or the starting frequency of T(Y;2),SD males, indicating that data from diverse cages can be legitimately pooled to give an overall fitness estimate.

(3) Partitioning of the T(Y;2),SD fitnesses into components of viability, fertility, and frequency of alternate segregation (Y + SD from X + SD⁺) suggests that most of the T(Y;2),SD advantage derives from the latter two components. Improvements in the system might involve increasing both the viability and the alternate segregation to increase the total fitness.

While pseudo-Y drive operates quite effectively against laboratory stocks, it is less successful in eliminating wild-type populations which are already segregating for suppressors of SD action. This observation suggests that further studies into the origin and rate of accumulation of suppressors of meiotic drive are needed before an overall assessment can be made of the potential of Y-chromosome drive as a tool for population control.