Abstract
The Esterase-6 locus in Drosophila melanogaster is known to be involved both in the metabolism of esters and in sperm use and remating of females. Several studies have also produced evidence for selective differences between the allozymic variants at this locus. In this paper we have studied the selection differences when two rare alleles (Est-6 VS and Est-6 VF) are competing on the one hand, and when a common allele (Est-6 F) is in competition against the rare allele Est-6 VF on the other. Isogenic lines with homogeneous background were used.
In general in the first experiment we found a heterozygous advantage and in the latter strong selection against the rare allele. There was no evidence for any frequency dependent selection. The selective differences were also studied with respect to three different input gene frequencies, three temperatures and in two different periods of oviposition. All the factors were found to influence both the total number of flies emerging and their genotypic composition. There was also interaction between the selective effects of these factors.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Abedin, K, McNamara, S, Osterbur, D, and Steiner, W W M. 1980. Studies on the effect of temperature on fitness and the fecundity at the Esterase-6 locus in D. melanogaster. Drosoph Inf Serv, 55, 10–11.
Anderson, P R, and Oakeshott, J G. 1984. Parallel geographical pattern of allozyme variation in two sibling Drosophila species. Nature, 308, 729–731.
Beardmore, J A, Van Delen, W, and Alkema, L. 1963. A population cage for incubator use. Drosoph Inf Serv, 37, 137–138.
Birley, A J, and Beardmore, J A. 1977. Genetical composition, temperature, density and selection in an enzyme polymorphism. Heredity, 39, 133–144.
Clegg, M T, Kidwell, J F, and Daniel, N J. 1976. Dynamics of correlated genetic system. I. Selection in the region of the Glued locus in Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics, 83, 793–810.
Clegg, M T, Kidwell, J F, and Kidwell, M G. 1978. Dynamics of correlated systems. III. Behavior of chromosome segments under lethal selection. Genetica 48, 95–106.
Costa, R, and Beardmore, J A. 1980. Selection in a polymorphism with a rare allele. Genetica 54, 167–172.
Costa, R, Nigro, L, and Danieli, G A. 1982. Evolutionary significance of an enzymatic polymorphism. In “Evolution and the Genetics of populations”, S. D. Jayakar and L. Zonta eds., Suppl Atti Ass Genet It, 29, 103–120.
Costa, R, Nigro, L, and Danieli, G A. 1983. Esterase-6 allozymes: biochemical studies of two common and one rare variant in Drosophila melanogaster. Biochem Genet, 21, 191–197.
Costa, R, Nigro, L, Cambissa, V, Jayakar, S D, Zonta, L, and Beardmore, J A. 1985. Selection in highly inbred populations of Drosophila melanogaster polymorphic at a single locus. Heredity, (in press).
Danford, N D, and Beardmore, J A. 1979. Biochemical properties of Esterase-6 in Drosophila melanogaster. Biochem Genet, 17, 1–22.
Danford, N D, and Beardmore, J A. 1980. Selection at the esterase-6 locus in Drosophila melanogaster by added enzyme substrates in the culture medium. Genetica, 50, 171–178.
Danieli, G A, and Costa, R. 1977. Transient equilibrium at the Est-6 locus in wild population of Drosophila melanogaster. Genetica, 47, 37–41.
David, J. 1963. Influence de la fécondation de la femelle sur le nombre et la taille des oeufs pondues étudié chez Drosophila malanogaster Meig. J Insect Physiol, 9, 13–24.
Dolan, R, and Robertson, A. 1975. The effect of conditioning the food medium in Drosophila in relation to frequency dependent selection. Heredity, 35, 311–316.
Gilbert, D G. 1981. Ejaculates esterase-6 and initial sperm use by female Drosophila melanogaster. J Insect Physiol, 27, 641–650.
Gilbert, D G, Richmond, R C, and Sheehan, K B. 1981a. Studies of esterase-6 in Drosophila melanogaster. V. Progeny production and sperm use in females inseminated by males having active or null alleles. Evolution, 35, 21–37.
Gilbert, D G, and Richmond, R C. 1982. Studies of esterase-6 in Drosophila melanogaster. XII. Evidence for temperature selection of Est-6 and Adh alleles. Genetica, 58, 109–119.
Gokhale, D V, and Kullback, S. 1978. The information in contingency tables. M. Dekker Inc., New York.
Kojima, K, and Yarbrough, K M. 1967. Frequency-dependent selection at the Esterase-6 locus in Drosophila melanogaster. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 57, 645–649.
Kojima, K, and Huang, S L. 1972. Effects of population density on the frequency-dependent selection in the Esterase-6 locus in Drosophila melanogaster. Evolution, 26, 313–321.
Macintyre, R J, and Wright, T R F. 1966. Responses of Esterase-6 alleles of Drosophila melanogaster to selection in experimental populations. Genetics, 53, 371–375.
Mane, S D, Tepper, C S, and Richmond, R C. 1983. Studies of Esterase-6 in Drosophila melanogaster. XIII. Purification and characterization of the two major isozymes. Biochem Genet, 21, 1019–1040.
Minawa, A, and Birley, A J. 1975. Genetical and environmental diversity in Drosophila melanogaster. Nature, 255, 702–704.
Morgan, P. 1976. Frequency dependent selection at two enzyme loci in Drosophila melanogaster. Nature, 263, 765–766.
Oakeshott, J G. 1979. Selection affecting enzyme polymorphism in laboratory populations of Drosophila melanogaster. Oecologia, 43, 341–354.
Oakeshott, J G, Chambers, C K, Gibson, J B, and Wil-Cocks, D A. 1981. Latitudinal relationship of Esterase-6 and Phosphoblucomutase gene frequencies in Drosophila melanogaster. Heredity, 47, 385–396.
Pyle, D W, and Gromko, M H. 1978. Repeated mating by female Drosophila melanogaster: the adaptive importance. Experientia, 34, 449–450.
Richmond, R C, Gilbert, D G, Sheehan, K B, Gromko, M H, and Butterworth, F M. 1980. Esterase-6 and reproduction in Drosophila melanogaster. Science, 207, 1483–1485.
Richmond, R C, and Senior, A. 1981. Studies of Esterase-6 in Drosophila melanogaster. IX. Kinetics of transfer to females, decay in females and male recovery. J Insect Physiol, 27, 849–853.
Wright, T R F. 1963. The genetics of an esterase in Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics, 48, 787–801.
Zera, A J, Koehn, R K, and Hall, J G. 1983. Comprehensive Insect Physiology, Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Vol. 10, Eds. Kerkut G. A. and Gilbert L. I., Pergamon, New York.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Nigro, L., Costa, R., Jayakar, S. et al. Est-6 in Drosophila melanogaster: effects of genetic composition, temperature and oviposition period on fitness in laboratory populations polymorphic for rare alleles. Heredity 55, 83–91 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.1985.74
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.1985.74
This article is cited by
-
Gpi genotypic effect on quantitative traits in the northern bay scallop, Argopecten irradians irradians
Marine Biology (1995)
-
List of publications of Suresh D. Jayakar
Journal of Genetics (1990)
-
The effect of glucose-6-phosphate isomerase genotype onin vitro specific activity andin vivo flux inMytilus edulis
Biochemical Genetics (1989)
-
The effect of glucose-6-phosphate isomerase genotype onin vitro specific activity andin vivo flux inMytilus edulis
Biochemical Genetics (1989)
-
Esterase-6 polymorphism inDrosophila melanogaster:Effects of temperature and methyl malonate on genotypic trajectories in polymorphic populations set up with highly inbred lines
Journal of Genetics (1986)