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Elena R. Lozovskaya - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Drosophila virilis has atypical kinds and arrangements of histone repeats
Chromosoma, 1998Co-Authors: John Schienman, Elena R. Lozovskaya, Linda D StrausbaughAbstract:Genomic and P1 clone DNAs of Drosophila virilis were analyzed to determine the structure and organization of histone genes in this species. The species contains unique and variable repeat types, in comparison with the related species Drosophila melanogaster, with quartet repeats lacking the H1 gene and multi-length variant quintet repeats containing the H1 gene. Unexpectedly, the H1-containing repeats are highly polymorphic in length, and thus not in a strict tandem arrangement, while the H1-less repeats are very uniform and tandemly reiterated. Despite such differences, the relative positions and transcriptional polarities of the histone gene subtypes of one subcloned quintet are similar to the major histone repeat type of D. melanogaster. For the first time, the histone H1 gene has been shown to be associated with other histone gene subtypes and is present at both chromosomal loci. DNA sequence variants of the H1 gene have been mapped to individual P1 clones and found to be in a partitioned organization. The P1 cloning system has proved useful in completely retrieving a complex repetitive locus in vitro and in examining the structure and organization of the histone genes of D. virilis.
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Factors contributing to the hybrid dysgenesis syndrome in Drosophila virilis.
Genetical research, 1998Co-Authors: Jorge Vieira, Cristina P Vieira, Daniel L. Hartl, Elena R. LozovskayaAbstract:A hybrid dysgenesis syndrome in Drosophila virilis is associated with the mobilization of at least four unrelated transposable elements designated Helena, Paris, Penelope and Ulysses. We carried out 42 crosses between eight strains differing in transposable element copy number in order to assess their contributions to hybrid dysgenesis. Linear regression and stepwise regression analysis was performed to estimate the correlation between the difference in euchromatic transposable element number between the parental flies of different strains involved in the crosses and the percentage, in the progeny of these crosses, of males with atrophic gonads. Male gonadal atrophy is a typical manifestation of the D. virilis hybrid dysgenesis syndrome. About half the variability in the level of male gonadal atrophy can be attributed to Penelope and Paris/Helena. Other factors also seem to play a significant role in hybrid dysgenesis in D. virilis, including maternally transmitted host factors and/or uncontrolled environmental variation. In the course of this work a novel transposable element named Telemac was found. Telemac is also mobilized in hybrid dysgenesis but does not appear to play a major causative role.
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Discordant rates of chromosome evolution in the Drosophila virilis species group.
Genetics, 1997Co-Authors: Jorge Vieira, Cristina P Vieira, Daniel L. Hartl, Elena R. LozovskayaAbstract:In Drosophila, the availability of polytene chromosome maps and of sets of probes covering most regions of the chromosomes allows a direct comparison of the organization of the genome in different species. In this work, we report the localization, in Drosophila virilis, D. montana, and D. novamexicana, of >100 bacteriophage P1 clones containing ~65 kilobase inserts of genomic DNA from D. virilis. Each clone hybridizes with a single euchromatic site in either chromosome 1 or chromosome 3 in D. virilis. From these data, it is possible to estimate the minimum number of inversions required to transform the map positions of the probes in one species into the map positions of the same probes in a related species. The data indicate that, in the D. virilis species group, the X chromosome has up to four times the number of inversions as are observed in chromosome 3. The first photographic polytene chromosome maps for D. montana and D. novamexicana are also presented.
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Germline Transformation of Drosophila virilis Mediated by the Transposable Element hobo
Genetics, 1996Co-Authors: Elena R. Lozovskaya, Dmitry I. Nurminsky, Daniel L. Hartl, David T. SullivanAbstract:A laboratory strain of Drosophila virilis was genetically transformed with a hobo vector carrying the miniwhite cassette using a helper plasmid with an hsp70-driven hobo transposase-coding sequence. The rate of transformation was 0.5% per fertile G0 animal. Three transgenic insertions were cloned and characterized and found to be authentic hobo insertions. These results, together with the known wide-spread distribution of hobo in diverse insect species, suggest that hobo and related transposable elements may be of considerable utility in the germline transformation of insects other than D. melanogaster.
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Diverse transposable elements are mobilized in hybrid dysgenesis in Drosophila virilis.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 1995Co-Authors: Dmitri A. Petrov, Daniel L. Hartl, Jennifer L. Schutzman, Elena R. LozovskayaAbstract:Abstract We describe a system of hybrid dysgenesis in Drosophila virilis in which at least four unrelated transposable elements are all mobilized following a dysgenic cross. The data are largely consistent with the superposition of at least three different systems of hybrid dysgenesis, each repressing a different transposable element, which break down following the hybrid cross, possibly because they share a common pathway in the host. The data are also consistent with a mechanism in which mobilization of a single element triggers that of others, perhaps through chromosome breakage. The mobilization of multiple, unrelated elements in hybrid dysgenesis is reminiscent of McClintock's evidence [McClintock, B. (1955) Brookhaven Symp. Biol. 8, 58-74] for simultaneous mobilization of different transposable elements in maize.
Jorge Vieira - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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The evolutionary history of the transposable element Penelope in the Drosophila virilis group of species.
Journal of Molecular Evolution, 2006Co-Authors: Ramiro Morales-hojas, Cristina P Vieira, Jorge VieiraAbstract:We have used phylogenetic techniques to study the evolutionary history of the Penelope transposable element in the Drosophila virilis species group. Two divergent types of Penelope have been detected, one previously described, clade I, and a new one which we have termed clade III. The phylogeny of some copies of the Penelope clade I element was partially consistent with the species phylogeny of the D. montana subphylad, suggesting cospeciation and allowing the estimation of the evolutionary rate of Penelope. Divergence times of elements found in different species are younger than the age of the species, suggesting horizontal transfer events.
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Evidence for Selection at the fused Locus of Drosophila virilis
Genetics, 2000Co-Authors: Jorge Vieira, Brian CharlesworthAbstract:The genomic DNA sequence of a 2.4-kb region of the X-linked developmental gene fused was determined in 15 Drosophila virilis strains. One common replacement polymorphism is observed, where a negatively charged aspartic amino acid is replaced by the noncharged amino acid alanine. This replacement variant is located within the serine/threonine kinase domain of the fused gene and is present in ~50% of the sequences in our sample. Significant linkage disequilibrium is detected around this replacement site, although the fused gene is located in a region of the D. virilis X chromosome that seems to experience normal levels of recombination. In a 600-bp region around the replacement site, all eight alanine sequences are identical; of the six aspartic acid sequences, three are also identical. The occurrence of little or no variation within the aspartic acid and alanine haplotypes, coupled with the presence of several differences between them, is very unlikely under the usual equilibrium neutral model. Our results suggest that the fused alanine haplotypes have recently increased in frequency in the D. virilis population.
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X chromosome DNA variation in Drosophila virilis
Proceedings. Biological sciences, 1999Co-Authors: Jorge Vieira, Brian CharlesworthAbstract:Comparisons of polymorphism patterns between distantly related species are essential in order to determine their generality. However, most work on the genus Drosophila has been done only with species of the subgenus Sophophora. In the present work, we have sequenced one intron and surrounding coding sequences of 6 X-linked genes (chorion protein s36, elav, fused, runt, suppressor of sable and zeste) from 21 strains of wild-type Drosophila virilis (subgenus Drosophila). From these data, we have estimated the average level of DNA polymorphism, inferred the effective population size and population structure of this species, and compared the results with those obtained for other Drosophila species. There is no reduction in variation at two loci close to the centromeric heterochromatin, in contrast to Drosophila melanogaster.
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Factors contributing to the hybrid dysgenesis syndrome in Drosophila virilis.
Genetical research, 1998Co-Authors: Jorge Vieira, Cristina P Vieira, Daniel L. Hartl, Elena R. LozovskayaAbstract:A hybrid dysgenesis syndrome in Drosophila virilis is associated with the mobilization of at least four unrelated transposable elements designated Helena, Paris, Penelope and Ulysses. We carried out 42 crosses between eight strains differing in transposable element copy number in order to assess their contributions to hybrid dysgenesis. Linear regression and stepwise regression analysis was performed to estimate the correlation between the difference in euchromatic transposable element number between the parental flies of different strains involved in the crosses and the percentage, in the progeny of these crosses, of males with atrophic gonads. Male gonadal atrophy is a typical manifestation of the D. virilis hybrid dysgenesis syndrome. About half the variability in the level of male gonadal atrophy can be attributed to Penelope and Paris/Helena. Other factors also seem to play a significant role in hybrid dysgenesis in D. virilis, including maternally transmitted host factors and/or uncontrolled environmental variation. In the course of this work a novel transposable element named Telemac was found. Telemac is also mobilized in hybrid dysgenesis but does not appear to play a major causative role.
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Discordant rates of chromosome evolution in the Drosophila virilis species group.
Genetics, 1997Co-Authors: Jorge Vieira, Cristina P Vieira, Daniel L. Hartl, Elena R. LozovskayaAbstract:In Drosophila, the availability of polytene chromosome maps and of sets of probes covering most regions of the chromosomes allows a direct comparison of the organization of the genome in different species. In this work, we report the localization, in Drosophila virilis, D. montana, and D. novamexicana, of >100 bacteriophage P1 clones containing ~65 kilobase inserts of genomic DNA from D. virilis. Each clone hybridizes with a single euchromatic site in either chromosome 1 or chromosome 3 in D. virilis. From these data, it is possible to estimate the minimum number of inversions required to transform the map positions of the probes in one species into the map positions of the same probes in a related species. The data indicate that, in the D. virilis species group, the X chromosome has up to four times the number of inversions as are observed in chromosome 3. The first photographic polytene chromosome maps for D. montana and D. novamexicana are also presented.
C. Schlötterer - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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A multilocus microsatellite phylogeny of the Drosophila virilis group
Heredity, 2004Co-Authors: Luisa Orsini, S Huttunen, C. SchlöttererAbstract:We used a set of 48 polymorphic microsatellites derived from Drosophila virilis to infer phylogenetic relationships in the D. virilis clade. Consistent with previous studies, D. virilis and D. lummei were the most basal species of the group. Within the D. montana phylad, the phylogenetic relationship could not be resolved. Special attention was given to the differentiation between D. americana texana, D. americana americana and D. novamexicana. Significant differences between these three groups were detected by FST analyses. Similarly, a model-based clustering method for multilocus genotype data also provided strong support for the presence of three differentiated groups. This genome-wide differentiation between D. americana texana and D. americana americana contrasts with previous analyses based on DNA sequence data.
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QTL analysis of variation in male courtship song characters in Drosophila virilis
Heredity, 2003Co-Authors: Susanna Huttunen, Anneli Hoikkala, Jouni Aspi, C. SchlöttererAbstract:We have used a quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping approach to study the genetic basis of differences between two Drosophila virilis strains representing extreme phenotypes in two song characters, the number of pulses in a pulse train (PN) and the length of a pulse train (PTL). Variation in these characters among 520 F2 males was studied by single-marker analysis and composite interval mapping (CIM) using a recombination linkage map constructed for 26 microsatellite markers. In single-marker analysis, two adjacent microsatellite markers on the third chromosome, msat19 and vir84 explained 13.8 and 12.4% of the variation in PN and 9.9 and 6.5% of the variation in PTL, respectively. CIM analysis revealed significant QTLs affecting PN, located on the X and the second, third and fourth chromosome of D. virilis, while variation in PTL was attributable to QTLs located only on the third chromosome.
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Isolation and characterization of microsatellites in Drosophila virilis and their cross species amplification in members of the D. virilis group
Molecular Ecology Notes, 2002Co-Authors: Susanna Huttunen, C. SchlöttererAbstract:We report the isolation and cross species amplification of 42 Drosophila virilis microsatellite loci. Nine loci were isolated from mapped P1 bacteriophage clones and 33 were obtained from genomic DNA or GenBank searches. Cross species amplification was tested for all members of the D. virilis group. The amplification success was high (varying from 45% to 100%) and most of the loci were polymorphic. This set of loci can be applied for several genetic studies such as mapping behavioural quantitative trait loci (QTL) and for studying population structure in a phylogeographical framework in D. virilis group species.
Yaping Zhang - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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molecular phylogeny of the Drosophila virilis section diptera drosophilidae based on mitochondrial and nuclear sequences
Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2006Co-Authors: Baocheng Wang, Jecheol Park, Hideaki Watabe, Jianjun Gao, Jinggong Xiangyu, Tadashi Aotsuka, Hongwei Chen, Yaping ZhangAbstract:Regardless of the well-documented virilis species group, most groups of the Drosophila virilis section have not been completely studied at molecular level since it was suggested. Therefore, phylogenetic relationships among and within species groups of the virilis section are generally unknown. In present paper, the complete mitochondrial ND2 gene and fragment of COI gene in combination with a nuclear gene, Adh coding region, were used to derive the most extensive molecular phylogeny to date for the Drosophila virilis section. A total of 111 individuals covering 61 species were sampled in this study. Novel phylogenetic findings included (1) support for the paraphyly of the melanica and robusta species group and at least two subgroups of the robusta species group, the lacertosa and okadai subgroups, were distinguished as paraphyletic taxa. In addition, (2) present results revealed the sister relationship between D. moriwakii and the robusta subgroup, conflicting with current taxonomy regarding D. moriwakii, which was shifted from the robusta species group to the melanica group. (3) In contrast to the robusta and melanica species groups, monophyly of the polychaeta species group, the angor group and the virilis group was confirmed, respectively. However, the monophyletic quadrisetata species group was resolved with uncertainty. (4) Our analyses of combined data set suggested close relationship between the quadrisetata species group and the unpublished clefta group, and the okadai subgroup is sister to the clade comprising of the quadrisetata and clefta species groups. Within the virilis section, D. fluvialis and three tropical species groups, the polychaeta group, the angor group and the repleta group, are found to branch off earlier than other ingroup taxa. This suggests that the virilis section might have originated in the Old World tropics. Besides, the derived status of the close affinities of the quadrisetata group, the clefta group, and the melanica and robusta groups is probably the result of their adaptation to forests between subtropical and cool-temperate climate. Based on the consideration of the phylogenetic placement of the species of the virilis section, we suggest that at least five independent migrations occurred from the Old World to the New World.
Daniel L. Hartl - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Factors contributing to the hybrid dysgenesis syndrome in Drosophila virilis.
Genetical research, 1998Co-Authors: Jorge Vieira, Cristina P Vieira, Daniel L. Hartl, Elena R. LozovskayaAbstract:A hybrid dysgenesis syndrome in Drosophila virilis is associated with the mobilization of at least four unrelated transposable elements designated Helena, Paris, Penelope and Ulysses. We carried out 42 crosses between eight strains differing in transposable element copy number in order to assess their contributions to hybrid dysgenesis. Linear regression and stepwise regression analysis was performed to estimate the correlation between the difference in euchromatic transposable element number between the parental flies of different strains involved in the crosses and the percentage, in the progeny of these crosses, of males with atrophic gonads. Male gonadal atrophy is a typical manifestation of the D. virilis hybrid dysgenesis syndrome. About half the variability in the level of male gonadal atrophy can be attributed to Penelope and Paris/Helena. Other factors also seem to play a significant role in hybrid dysgenesis in D. virilis, including maternally transmitted host factors and/or uncontrolled environmental variation. In the course of this work a novel transposable element named Telemac was found. Telemac is also mobilized in hybrid dysgenesis but does not appear to play a major causative role.
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Discordant rates of chromosome evolution in the Drosophila virilis species group.
Genetics, 1997Co-Authors: Jorge Vieira, Cristina P Vieira, Daniel L. Hartl, Elena R. LozovskayaAbstract:In Drosophila, the availability of polytene chromosome maps and of sets of probes covering most regions of the chromosomes allows a direct comparison of the organization of the genome in different species. In this work, we report the localization, in Drosophila virilis, D. montana, and D. novamexicana, of >100 bacteriophage P1 clones containing ~65 kilobase inserts of genomic DNA from D. virilis. Each clone hybridizes with a single euchromatic site in either chromosome 1 or chromosome 3 in D. virilis. From these data, it is possible to estimate the minimum number of inversions required to transform the map positions of the probes in one species into the map positions of the same probes in a related species. The data indicate that, in the D. virilis species group, the X chromosome has up to four times the number of inversions as are observed in chromosome 3. The first photographic polytene chromosome maps for D. montana and D. novamexicana are also presented.
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Germline Transformation of Drosophila virilis Mediated by the Transposable Element hobo
Genetics, 1996Co-Authors: Elena R. Lozovskaya, Dmitry I. Nurminsky, Daniel L. Hartl, David T. SullivanAbstract:A laboratory strain of Drosophila virilis was genetically transformed with a hobo vector carrying the miniwhite cassette using a helper plasmid with an hsp70-driven hobo transposase-coding sequence. The rate of transformation was 0.5% per fertile G0 animal. Three transgenic insertions were cloned and characterized and found to be authentic hobo insertions. These results, together with the known wide-spread distribution of hobo in diverse insect species, suggest that hobo and related transposable elements may be of considerable utility in the germline transformation of insects other than D. melanogaster.
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Diverse transposable elements are mobilized in hybrid dysgenesis in Drosophila virilis.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 1995Co-Authors: Dmitri A. Petrov, Daniel L. Hartl, Jennifer L. Schutzman, Elena R. LozovskayaAbstract:Abstract We describe a system of hybrid dysgenesis in Drosophila virilis in which at least four unrelated transposable elements are all mobilized following a dysgenic cross. The data are largely consistent with the superposition of at least three different systems of hybrid dysgenesis, each repressing a different transposable element, which break down following the hybrid cross, possibly because they share a common pathway in the host. The data are also consistent with a mechanism in which mobilization of a single element triggers that of others, perhaps through chromosome breakage. The mobilization of multiple, unrelated elements in hybrid dysgenesis is reminiscent of McClintock's evidence [McClintock, B. (1955) Brookhaven Symp. Biol. 8, 58-74] for simultaneous mobilization of different transposable elements in maize.
