Heritable determinants of male fertilization success in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Sperm competition is a driving force in the evolution of male sperm characteristics in many species. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, larger male sperm evolve under experimentally increased sperm competition and larger male sperm outcompete smaller hermaphrodite sperm for fertilization within the hermaphrodite reproductive tract. To further elucidate the relative importance of sperm-related traits that contribute to differential reproductive success among males, we quantified within- and among-strain variation in sperm traits (size, rate of production, number transferred, competitive ability) for seven male genetic backgrounds known previously to differ with respect to some sperm traits. We also quantified male mating ability in assays for rates of courtship and s

SUBMITTER: Murray RL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3096603 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature