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Dryad

Data from: Local selection underlies the geographic distribution of sex-ratio drive in Drosophila neotestacea

Cite this dataset

Dyer, Kelly A. (2011). Data from: Local selection underlies the geographic distribution of sex-ratio drive in Drosophila neotestacea [Dataset]. Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.sp4hq3rt

Abstract

“Selfish” genetic elements promote their own transmission to the next generation, often at a cost to the host individual. A sex-ratio driving X-chromosome prevents the maturation of Y-bearing sperm, and as a result is transmitted to 100% of the offspring, all of which are female. Because the spread of a sex-ratio chromosome can result in a female biased population sex ratio, the ecological and evolutionary consequences of harboring this selfish element can be severe. In this study, we show that the prevalence of sex-ratio drive in Drosophila neotestacea varies between 0-30% among populations, and is common in the south while rare in the north. The prevalence of sex-ratio is not associated with the presence of suppressors of drive, geographic distance, or genetic distance based on autosomal microsatellite loci. Instead, our results indicate that ecological selection on sex-ratio drive varies among populations, as the prevalence of sex-ratio is highly correlated with climatic factors, with the severity of winter the best determinant of sex-ratio frequency. Thus, ecological and demographic factors may have significant consequences for the short and long term evolutionary dynamics of selfish elements and the manner with which they coevolve with the rest of the genome.

Usage notes

Location

North America