Original Article

Heredity (1997) 79, 24–30; doi:10.1038/hdy.1997.119

Abnormal spermiogenesis is associated with the X-linked sex-ratio trait in Drosophila simulans

C Montchamp-Moreau1 and D Joly2

  1. 1Institut Jacques Monod, CNRS, Université Paris 7, Dynamique du Génome et Evolution, Tour 42, 4ème étage, 2 Place Jussieu, 75251 Paris cedex 05
  2. 2CNRS, Populations, Génétique, Evolution, Avenue de la Terrasse, 91198 Gif sur Yvette cedex, France

Correspondence: C Montchamp-Moreau, Institut Jacques Monod, CNRS, Université Paris 7, Dynamique du Génome et Evolution, Tour 42, 4ème étage, 2 Place Jussieu, 75251 Paris cedex 05 E-mail: montcha@ccr.jussieu.fr

Received 14 June 1996.

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Abstract

The sex-ratio trait, known in several Drosophila species, results from X-linked meiotic drive that affects Y-bearing sperm and causes males to produce female-biased progeny. We describe spermiogenesis in three types of D. simulans males: wild-type, sex-ratio, and males that bear driver X chromosomes but do not express the sex-ratio trait because of autosomal and Y-linked suppression. Sex-ratio males show numerous spermatid nuclei in abnormal positions throughout their cysts, which occurs rarely, if ever, in the two other types. The degree of the spermiogenic failure in sex-ratio males is correlated with the bias towards females in their progeny. This proves that the trait is a case of meiotic drive and strongly suggests that the abnormal spermatids are Y-bearing ones. The number of cysts per testis, hence the production of X-bearing sperm, is not increased in sex-ratio males. Implications for the spread of the sex-ratio trait in natural populations of D. simulans are discussed.

Keywords:

Drosophila simulans, sex-ratio, spermiogenesis

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References

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