B chromosomes reveal a female meiotic drive suppression system in Drosophila melanogaster.

ABSTRACT: Selfish genetic elements use a myriad of mechanisms to drive their inheritance and ensure their survival into the next generation, often at a fitness cost to its host.^1,2 Although the catalog of selfish genetic elements is rapidly growing, our understanding of host drive suppression systems that counteract self-seeking behavior is lacking. Here, we demonstrate that the biased transmission of the non-essential, non-driving B chromosomes in Drosophila melanogaster can be achieved in a specific genetic background. Combining a null mutant of matrimony, a gene that encodes a female-specific meiotic regulator of Polo kinase,^3,4 with the TM3 balancer chromosome creates a driving genotype that is permissive for the biased transmissi

SUBMITTER: Hanlon SL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10247447 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature