Abstract
The technique of chromosome assay, using chromosome substitution lines, has been refined in Drosophila melanogaster to provide a powerful method of investigating the distribution, amongst the chromosomes, of the underlying genetical determinants, particularly in relation to chaeta characters. In the present study this technique is extended to investigate differences in competitive ability. The genotypes used were two inbred lines chosen as showing differences in competitive ability based on a survey of such lines derived from a large laboratory population. The character followed was pa, the proportion (transformed into angles) of eggs which successfully developed into adults. It was found that chromosome III carried gene differences affecting both aggression and response but showing no good evidence of interaction with one another or with genes on other chromosomes. The gene differences on chromosome I, on the other hand, showed no main effect on either aggression or response but a clear interaction with chromosome II in affecting response. Chromosome II also showed a main effect on aggression, though only when associated with one of the two genetically marked lines with which the substitution lines were compared. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Arthur, W. 1986. On the complexity of a simple environment: competition, resource partitioning and facilitation in a two-species Drosophila system. Phil Trans R Soc Lond B, 313, 411–508.
Barnes, B W, and Kearsey, M J. 1970. Variation for metrical characters in Drosophila populations. I. Genetic analysis. Heredity, 25, 1–10.
Birley, A J. 1984. Restriction endonuclease map variation and gene activity in the Adh region in a opulation of Drosophila melanogaster. Heredity, 52, 103–112.
Birley, A J, Couch, P A, and Marson, A. 1981. Genetical variation for enzyme activity in a population of Drosophila melanogaster. VI. Molecular variation in the control of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity. Heredity, 47, 185–196.
Caligari, P D S. 1980. Competitive interactions in Drosophila melanogaster. I. Monocultures. Heredity, 45, 219–231.
Caligari, P D S, and Mather, K. 1975. Genotype-environ-ment interaction. III. Interactions in Drosophila melanogaster. Proc R Soc Lond B, 191, 387–411.
Caligari, P D S, and Mather, K. 1980. Dominance, allele frequency and selection in a population of Drosophila melanogaster. Proc Roy Soc Lond B, 208, 163–187.
Caligari, P D S, and Mather, K. 1984. Competitive interactions in Drosophila melanogaster. III. Triocultures. Heredity, 52, 255–264.
Caligari, P D S, and Powell, W. 1986. The effects of competition on variances and on seed germination in spring barley (Hordeum vulgare). Heredity, 57, 331–334.
De Jong, G, and Scharloo, W. 1975. Environmental determination of selective significance or neutrality of amylase variants in Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics, 84, 77–94.
Eggleston, P. 1985. Variation for aggression and response in the competitive interactions of Drosophila melanogaster. Heredity, 54, 43–51.
Haj-Ahmad, Y, and Hickey, D A. 1982. A molecular explanation of frequency-dependent selection in Drosophila. Nature Lond, 299, 350–352.
Hill, J, Mather, K, and Caligari, P D S. 1987a. Analysis of competitive ability among genotypes of perennial ryegrass: effect upon survival. Euphytica, 36, 99–107.
Hill, J, Mather, K, and Caligari, P D S. 1987b. Analysis of competitive ability among genotypes of perennial ryegrass: effect upon dry matter production. Euphytica, 36, 109–115.
Huang Singh, S L M, and Kojima, K. 1971. A Study of frequency-dependent selection observed in the esterase-6 locus of Drosophila melanogaster using a conditioned media method. Genetics, 68, 97–104.
Kearsey, M J, and Barnes, B W. 1970. Variation for metrical characters in Drosophila populations. II. Natural selection Heredity, 25, 11–21.
Kojima, K, and Huang, S L. 1972. Effects of population density on the frequency dependent selection in the esterase-6 locus of Drosophila melanogaster. Evolution, 26, 313–321.
Mather, K, and Caligari, P D S. 1981. Competitive interactions in Drosophila melanogaster. II. Measurement of competition. Heredity, 46, 239–254.
Mather, K, and Caligari, P D S. 1983. Pressure and response in competitive interactions. Heredity, 51, 435–454.
Mather, K, and Hanks, M J. 1978. Genetics of coxal chaetae in Drosophila melanogaster. I. Variation in gene action. Heredity, 40, 71–96.
Mather, K, Hill, J, and Caligari, P D S. 1982. Analysis of competitive ability among genotypes of perennial ryegrass. Heredity, 48, 421–434.
Minawa, A, and Birley, A J. 1978. The genetical response to natural selection by varied environment. I. Short-term observations. Heredity, 40, 39–50.
Powell, W, Caligari, P D S, Goudappel, P, and Thomas, W T B. 1985. Competitive effects in monocultures and mixtures of spring barley. Theor Appl Genet, 71, 443–450.
De Souza, H L, Da Cunha, A B, and Dos Santos, E P. 1968. Adaptive polymorphism of behaviour developed in laboratory populations of Drosophila willistoni. Amer Nat, 102, 583–586.
Weisbrot, D R. 1966. Genotypic interactions among competing strains and species of Drosophila. Genetics, 53, 427–435.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Caligari, P., Mather, K. Competitive interactions in Drosophila melanogaster IV. Chromosome assay. Heredity 60, 355–366 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.1988.53
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.1988.53
This article is cited by
-
Analysis of competitive interactions in triocultures of Drosophila melanogaster
Heredity (1990)
-
The biometrical genetics of competitive parameters in Drosophila melanogaster
Heredity (1990)
-
On the analysis of viability data: an example with Drosophila
Heredity (1990)
-
Analysis of dominance for competitive ability in Drosophila melanogaster
Heredity (1989)