Temperature-dependent selection in the transmission of mitochondrial DNA in Drosophila

• Published in: Idengaku zasshi Vol. 68; no. 2; pp. 127 - 135
• Main Authors: MATSUURA, Etsuko T., NIKI, Yuzo, CHIGUSA, Sadao I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo The Genetics Society of Japan 1993; University of Tokyo, Institute of Applied Microbiology
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Classical genetics, quantitative genetics, hybrids; DNA, Mitochondrial - genetics; Drosophila melanogaster; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetics of eukaryotes. Biological and molecular evolution; Haploidy; Invertebrata; Models, Genetic; Selection, Genetic; Temperature; Temperature; Arthropoda; Insecta; Drosophila; Inheritance; Mitochondrial DNA; Invertebrata; Diptera; Drosophilidae; Natural selection
• ISSN: 0021-504X; 1880-5787
• DOI: 10.1266/jjg.68.127

We previously reported a selective mode of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) transmission in mtDNA heteroplasmy that was induced artificially in Drosophila melanogaster; the transmission bias appeared to depend on the particular temperature at which heteroplasmic lines were maintained. Here we report investigations of the temperature-dependent mode of mtDNA transmission in heteroplasmic lines for intra- and interspecific combinations maintained separately at 22.5°C, 25°C and 29°C for 20 generations. We have examined a selection model for mitochondrial transmission, similar to genie selection in haploid organisms. Changes in the relative proportions of two types of mtDNA fit the expectations from the model well. The intensity of selection estimated as a selection coefficient depends on temperature. Temperature-sensitive processes thus appear to be involved in the transmission and maintenance of mitochondria.