Genetic Analysis of the Hybrid male rescue Locus of Drosophila

Genetic Analysis of the Hybrid male rescue Locus of Drosophila

H. Allen Orr^a and Shannon Irving^a
^a Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627

Corresponding author: H. Allen Orr, Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627., aorr{at}mail.rochester.edu (E-mail)

Communicating editor: R. S. HAWLEY

Several hybrid rescue mutations—alleles that restore theviability of normally lethal hybrids—have been discoveredin Drosophila melanogaster and its relatives. Here we analyzeone of these genes, Hybrid male rescue (Hmr), asking two questionsabout its role in hybrid inviability. (1) Does the wild-typeallele from D. melanogaster (Hmr^mel) cause hybrid embryonicinviability? (2) Does Hmr^mel cause hybrid larval inviability?Our results show that the wild-type product of Hmr is neithernecessary nor sufficient for hybrid embryonic inviability. Hmr^meldoes, however, appear to lower the viability of hybrid larvae.The data further suggest (though do not prove) that Hmr^mel actsas a gain-of-function poison in hybrids. These findings supportprevious claims that hybrid embryonic and larval lethalitiesare genetically distinct and suggest that Hmr^mel is at leastone of the proximate causes of hybrid larval inviability.

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