Skip to main content

Heterosis × nutrition interaction in Drosophila melanogaster

Theoretical and Applied Genetics volume 76, pages 136–142 (1988)Cite this article

Summary

The relationship between heterozygosity and the expression of heterosis at two different nutrition levels was investigated using Drosophila melanogaster. Average daily egg production and egg hatchability were measured in two parental strains and in F1, F2 and reciprocal backcross generations. Heterosis was more pronounced in the poor nutritional conditions. Two electrophoretic markers used to estimate the level of heterozygosity in F2 and backcrosses revealed an excess of heterozygous genotypes. Quantitative genetic effects (an additive line effect and individual and maternal heterosis) were estimated for both traits in the two environments. Although this model gave a reasonable fit in most cases, some epistatic interaction would have to be invoked in order to explain fully the results.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

43,34 €

Price includes VAT (Finland)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

References

  • Barlow R (1981) Experimental evidence for interaction between heterosis and environment in animals. Anim Breed Abstr 49:715–737

    Google Scholar 

  • Bird SR, Semeonoff R (1982) Electrophoretic analysis of many enzyme loci from a single fly homogenate. Dros Inf Ser 58:153

    Google Scholar 

  • Boylan WJ (1982) Crossbreeding for fecundity. In: Coop IE (ed) Sheep and goat production. Elsevier, Amsterdam

    Google Scholar 

  • Briscoe DA, Robertson A, Malpica J-M (1975) Dominance at Adh locus in response of adult Drosophila melanogaster to environmental alcohol. Nature 255:148–149

    Google Scholar 

  • Cunningham EP (1985) Theoretical aspects of crossbreeding. FAO/UNEP Expert Consult Methodol Anim Genet Resources Data Banks (AGR/DB) Rome, June 1985

  • Cunningham EP (1987) Crossbreeding — the Greek-temple model. Z Tierz Züchtungsbiol 104:2–11

    Google Scholar 

  • Falconer DS (1955) Pattern of response in selection experiments with mice. Cold Spring Harbor Symp Quant Biol 20:178–196

    Google Scholar 

  • Falconer DS (1960) The genetics of litter size in mice. J Cell Comp Physiol 56:153–167

    Google Scholar 

  • Falconer DS (1981) Introduction to quantitative genetics, 2nd ed. Longman, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Festing MFW (1976) Effect of marginal malnutrition on the breeding performance of inbred and F1 hybrid mice — a diallel study. In: The laboratory animal in the study of reproduction. G. Fischer, Stuttgart (6th Symp Inter Comm Lab Animals, Thessaloniki, July 1975, pp 99–113)

    Google Scholar 

  • Gowen JW (1952) Hybrid vigor in Drosophila. In: Gowen JW (ed) Heterosis. Iowa State College Press, Ames/IA, pp 474–493

    Google Scholar 

  • Hohenboken WD (1985) Phenotypic, genetic and environmental correlation and genotype × environment interaction. In: Chapman AB (ed) General and quantitative genetics. Elsevier, Amsterdam

    Google Scholar 

  • Kidwell MG (1979) Hybrid dysgenesis in Drosophila melanogaster: the relationship between the P-M and I-R interaction systems. Genet Res 33:205–217

    Google Scholar 

  • Klosterman EW, Cahill VR, Parker CF (1968) A comparison of the Hereford and Charolais breeds and their crosses under two systems of management. Res Bull, Ohio Agr Res Dev Centre no 1011

  • Koch RM, Dickerson GE, Cundiff LV, Gregory KE (1985) Heterosis retained in advanced generations of crosses among Angus and Hereford cattle. J Anim Sci 60:1117–1132

    Google Scholar 

  • McDaniel RG, Grimwood BC (1971) Hybrid vigour in Drosophila: Respiration and mitochondrial energy conservation. Comp Biochem Physiol 38:309–315

    Google Scholar 

  • McWilliam JR, Griffing B (1965) Temperature-dependent heterosis in maize. Aust J Biol Sci 18:569–583

    Google Scholar 

  • Oltenacu EAB, Boylan WJ (1982) Productivity of purebred and crossbred Finnsheep II. Lamb weight and production indices of ewes. J Anim Sci 52:998–1006

    Google Scholar 

  • Pederson DG (1968) Environmental stress, heterozygote advantage and genotype-environment interaction in Arabidopsis. Heredity 23:127–138

    Google Scholar 

  • Reily JG, Thomas CA (1980) Length polymorphisms, restriction site variation and maternal inheritance of mitochondrial DNA of Drosophila melanogaster. Plasmid 3:109–115

    Google Scholar 

  • Rich SS, Bell AE (1980) Genotype-environment interaction effects in long-term selected populations of Tribolium. J Heredity 71:319–322

    Google Scholar 

  • Robertson FW, Reeve ECR (1955) Studies in quantitative inheritance VIII. Further analysis of heterosis in crosses between inbred lines of Drosophila melanogaster. Z Indukt Abstamm Vererbungsl 86:439–458

    Google Scholar 

  • Sang JH (1964) Nutritional requirements of inbred lines and crosses of Drosophila melanogaster. Genet Res 5:50–67

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharp PM (1984) The effect of inbreeding on competitive malemating ability in Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics 106:601–612

    Google Scholar 

  • Sheridan AK (1980) A new explanation for egg production heterosis in crosses between White Leghorns and Australorps. Brit Poultry Sci 21:85–88

    Google Scholar 

  • Sheridan AK (1981) Crossbreeding and heterosis. Anim Breed Abstr 49:131–144

    Google Scholar 

  • Sved JA (1971) An estimate of heterosis in Drosophila melanogaster. Genet Res 18:97–105

    Google Scholar 

  • Sved JA (1975) Fitness of third chromosome homozygotes in Drosophila melanogaster. Genet Res 25:197–200

    Google Scholar 

  • Syrstad O (1985) Heterosis in Bos taurus × Bos indicus crosses. Livest Prod Sci 12:299–307

    Google Scholar 

  • Van der Steen HAM, Groot PND (1984) Genotype-energy intake interaction for growth and backfat thickness in gilts. 35th EAAP Meet, The Hague, August 6–9, 1984

  • Vetukhiv M (1956) Fecundity of hybrids between geographical populations of Drosophila pseudoobscura. Evolution 10: 139–146

    Google Scholar 

  • Weir BS, Avery PJ, Hill WJ (1980) Effect of mating structure on variation in inbreeding. Theor Popul Biol 18:396–429

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. P. S. Ruban

    Present address: Department of Animal Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 24061, Blacksburg, VA, USA

Affiliations

  1. Department of Genetics, Trinity College, 2, Dublin, Ireland

    P. S. Ruban, E. P. Cunningham & P. M. Sharp

  2. The Agricultural Institute, 19 Sandymount Avenue, 4, Dublin, Ireland

    P. S. Ruban & E. P. Cunningham

Authors
  1. P. S. Ruban
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. E. P. Cunningham
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. P. M. Sharp
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Communicated by L. D. Van Vleck

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ruban, P.S., Cunningham, E.P. & Sharp, P.M. Heterosis × nutrition interaction in Drosophila melanogaster . Theoret. Appl. Genetics 76, 136–142 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00288844

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00288844

Key words

  • Drosophila melanogaster
  • Genotype × Environment interaction
  • Heterosis
  • Epistasis
  • Electrophoresis