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PMID: 17988173 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

A sex-ratio meiotic drive system in Drosophila simulans. II: an X-linked distorter.

PLoS biology ·Vol. 5 ·No. 11 ·2007-11-06 ·Pages e293

Tao Y, Araripe L, Kingan SB, Ke Y, Xiao H, Hartl DL

Abstract

The evolution of heteromorphic sex chromosomes creates a genetic condition favoring the invasion of sex-ratio meiotic drive elements, resulting in the biased transmission of one sex chromosome over the other, in violation of Mendel's first law. The molecular mechanisms of sex-ratio meiotic drive may therefore help us to understand the evolutionary forces shaping the meiotic behavior of the sex chromosomes. Here we characterize a sex-ratio distorter on the X chromosome (Dox) in Drosophila simulans by genetic and molecular means. Intriguingly, Dox has very limited coding capacity. It evolved from another X-linked gene, which also evolved de nova. Through retrotransposition, Dox also gave rise to an autosomal suppressor, not much yang (Nmy). An RNA interference mechanism seems to be involved in the suppression of the Dox distorter by the Nmy suppressor. Double mutant males of the genotype dox; nmy are normal for both sex-ratio and spermatogenesis. We postulate that recurrent bouts of sex-ratio meiotic drive and its subsequent suppression might underlie several common features observed in the heterogametic sex, including meiotic sex chromosome inactivation and achiasmy.

MeSH Terms
Amino Acid Sequence Animals Base Sequence Chromosome Mapping Drosophila/genetics Drosophila Proteins/genetics Evolution, Molecular Female Genes, Suppressor Male Meiosis Models, Genetic Molecular Sequence Data Phylogeny RNA Interference Sex Ratio X Chromosome/genetics Y Chromosome/genetics
Chemicals
Drosophila Proteins
Authors & Affiliations
6 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Tao Yun
Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America. [email protected]
Araripe Luciana
Kingan Sarah B
Ke Yeyan
Xiao Hailian
Hartl Daniel L
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Article Info
Journal
PLoS biology
Abbr.
PLoS Biol
ISSN
1545-7885
DOI
10.1371/journal.pbio.0050293
Email
[email protected]
Published
2007-11-06
Pages
e293
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
101183755
PMCID
PMC2062476
Subset
IM
Grants
NIGMS NIH HHS · R01 GM065169 · United States
NIGMS NIH HHS · GM65169 · United States
Databases
GENBANK
EF596886, EF596887, EF596888, EF596889, EF596890, EF596891, EF596892, EF596893, EF596894, EF596895, EF596896, EF596897, EF596898, EF596899
Corrections
CommentIn
PMID: 17988175
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.0050293 PMC Full Text View journal details
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