Inheritance of phenotypic plasticity in soft chess,Bromus mollis L. (Gramineae)

Summary Phenotypic plasticity, measured by the phenotypic variation of a genotype living under diverse environments, was shown to be under genetic control in annual grass,Bromus mollis. Genetic polymorphism and phenotypic plasticity appear to be alternative strategies of adaptation in plant populations.     

Population genetics of a colonizing lizard: Loss of variability in introduced populations ofPodarcis sicula

Allozyme electrophoresis was used to study the genetic variability (proportion of polymorphic loci and heterozygosity) in insular populations (Corsica, Elba, Montecristo, Marettimo, Pantelleria) of the lacertid lizardPodarcis sicula. These populations were presumed to have originated from episodes of accidental anthropogenic introduction. In order to test the hypothesis of a man-aided colonization and to provide comparative data, heterozygosity and polymorphism were also estimated in autochthonous populations ofP. sicula from the Italian peninsula and Sicily. In each case, the presumed introduced population showed levels of genetic variability significantly lower than those detected in the autochthonous ones. Very little genetic differentiation was found among native and presumed colonist populations, Nei's standard genetic distances ranging from 0.001 to 0.009. These results strongly support the hypothesis thatP. sicula was only recently introduced to the studied islands, and provide additional evidence of reduced genetic variability due to founder effect in insular populations originating from episodes of human transportation.     

Endogenous control as a possible basis for varying migratory habits in different bird populations

Summary In handraised experimental groups of 4 populations ofSylvia atricapilla, it was found that the development of migratory restlessness under constant conditions was a fairly good reflection of the different (typical, partial, and non-) migratory habits of the populations. Thus, the different migratory habits seem to be endogenously preprogrammed and genetic in origin. The results of a preliminary cross-breeding experiment are at least compatible with the assumption that partial migratory habit in the blackcap is due to polymorphism.Supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft; 25th paper of the warbler program of the institute.     

Biochemical genetic differentiation among seed chalcid species of genusMegastigmus (Hymenoptera: Torymidae)

The degree of genetic variability and the taxonomic status of adults of 14 seed chalcid species of the genusMegastigmus was analyzed using electrophoresis on horizontal starch gel. Variability of chalcid populations with host tree was observed in 21 host species. A total of 13 enzyme loci were considered. Seven of the loci were found to be polymorphic. The electrophoretic data strongly supported the adaptation of each chalcid species to a limited number of congeneric hosts, and confirmed the morphologically-based taxonomy of the genus. The resulting dendrogram separated the chalcid species into three distinct groups, infesting 1) Pinaceae spp., 2) Cupressaceae spp., and 3) Angiosperm spp., respectively. The highest level of overall genetic similarity was observed among the chalcid populations infesting conifers of the generaPseudotsuga andAbies. The genetic identity values observed among populations infesting 5 differentAbies species tended to reflect the occurrence of conspecific populations rather than that of distinct chalcid species. Genetic identity was similarly important among the chalcid species infesting seeds of Cupressaceae. By contrast, a large genetic distance was observed between two seed chalcids attacking a same host,Rosa montana.     

High genetic variability despite haplodiploidy in primitive sawflies of the genusCephalcia (Hymenoptera,Pamphiliidae)

Hymenoptera are haplodiploid and usually display very low genetic variation. Most data concern social or parasiticApocrita, while the little information available for the primitive phytophagous species of the suborder Symphyta is contradictory. The present study is related to seven species of the genusCephalcia, living in coniferous forests of Northern Eurasia and sharing spruce (Picea sp. pl.) as host plant. Individuals from 22 populations belonging toCephalcia abietis, C. alashanica, C. arvensis, C. erythrogaster, C. fallenii, C. fulva, C. klugii from Europe and China were surveyed for genetic variation at 28 loci using enzyme electrophoresis. Pairs of sibling species were recognized withinC. arvensis andC. fallenii, corresponding to different phenological and morphological forms. In the latter case, reproductive isolation in sympatry occurs despite low genetic distance (D=0.059). Large genetic distances and fixed alternate alleles were observed between Chinese and European populations ofC. abietis andC. arvensis. Expected heterozygosity ofCephalcia populations (0.197, SD 0.064) is significantly higher than that of other Symphyta (Tenthredinoidea) (averageH _exp 0.059, SD 0.032) (two-tailed Mann-Whitney test, Z=4.39, p<0.01). These data suggest that haplodiploidy per se does not reduce the genetic variation in mostCephalcia populations. Most of the factors that can lower the potential for genetic diversity in a haplodiploid genetic system are not so effective inCephalcia populations, which seem to be comparable to diplodiploid insect populations in diversity. In a few isolated populations the large number of fixed loci and the large genetic distances may support the predicted faster rate of fixation, as a consequence of haplodiploidy.     

Gel-electrophoretic description of European populations ofTerellia virens (Loew) (Diptera,Tephritidae); implications for its use as an agent for the biological control ofCentaurea spp. (Asteraceae) in North America

Allozyme frequencies of 15 enzyme loci, 14 of which were polymorphic, were used to characterize sevenTerellia virens populations originating from three allopatrically distributedCentaurea species. The two populations whose origins were geographically furthest apart, from Israel (onC. iberica) and from Switzerland (onC. vallesiaca), showed relatively high values of genetic distance from the 5 populations sampled in Austria and Hungary (onC. maculosa) (Nei's D>0.07). The latter five displayed a high degree of genetic similarity. No diagnostic (fixed) allelic differences were observed between these three groups ofT. virens populations, but they could be well characterized by significant differences in allelic frequencies at 9 enzyme loci. Independently of this study, the populations from Switzerland (C. vallesiaca) and eastern Austria (C. maculosa) were selected as potential source populations for future introductions into North America for the biological control of introducedC. maculosa andC. diffusa. Based on the observed genetic differences and results from field experiments on the host specificity of these two potential source populations, it is argued that host specificity screening tests should be conducted separately for local (host plant) populations, as such populations might accept a different set of hosts. Biotype mismatch and the risk of spill-overs to native species could thus possibly be reduced.     

Population genetic structure and mating system evolution in freshwater pulmonates

Freshwater gastropods (Basommatophora and Prosobranchia) harbor a variety of mating systems. In particular, apomictic parthenogenesis in prosobranchs and self-fertilization in the hermaphrodite pulmonates may be viable alternatives to outcrossing sexuality in a number of species. The coexistence of different mating systems in extant populations provides opportunities to examine the forces directing their evolution. We review the models analyzing and predicting genetic variability in subdivided populations, with an emphasis on the effects of inbreeding. Population genetic data on freshwater pulmonates are examined in the context of selfing rates and the loss of variability under selfing. Furthermore, the genetic and demographic factors thought to influence mating system evolution are considered, and we highlight the different approaches available to estimate mating system parameters, in particular the selfing rate. Recent population biological studies on polyploid species (Bulinus truncatus, Ancylus fluviatilis) indicate that selfing is the predominant mating system. These studies have contributed to a deeper understanding of conceptual issues in the evolution of selfing rates. Throughout, we emphasize the need for further carefully designed studies.     

Ancient DNA from Bronze Age bones of European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is now widely distributed throughout the world as a result of transportation by man. The original populations, however, were confined to southern France and Spain. In order to investigate the role of human intervention in determining the genetic diversity of rabbit populations, we are studying the origin of rabbits introduced onto a small Mediterranean island (Zembra) near Tunis over 1400 years ago, by examining ancient DNA extracted from rabbit bones found both on Zembra and on the European mainland. Ancient DNA was successfully extracted from rabbit bones found at two archaeological sites dated to at least the Early Bronze Age (more than 3500 years ago) in south-central France, and compared to that found in modern mainland and island populations using a small variable region of the cytochromeb gene. The results confirm that the Zembra Island population is descended from that present over 1400 years ago. The technical aspects of DNA extraction from bones and the implications of this type of research for determining the origin of introduced rabbit populations are discussed.     

Enzyme polymorphism in the Sicilian honeybee

Summary In Sicily we can identify two genetically differentiated groups of local honeybee populations, on the basis of the only two polymorphic loci,Mdh-1 andEst; the western one, whose genetic characteristics are probably those of the native honeybee (Apis mellifera sicula) and the eastern one affected by recent large-scale importation of Italian bees from northern Italy.This research was supported by a grant of the Ministero della Pubblica Istruzione.     

Quantitative genetics of zooplankton life histories

Quantitative genetic techniques are powerful tools for use in understanding the microevolutionary process. Because of their size, lifespan, and ease of culture, many zooplankton species are ideal for quantitative genetic approaches. As model systems, studies of zooplankton life histories are becoming increasingly used for examination of the central paradigms of evolutionary theory. Two of the fundamental empirical questions that zooplankton quantitative genetics studies can answer are: 1) How much genetic variance exists in natural populations for life history traits? 2) What is the empirical evidence for trade-offs that permeate life history theory based on optimality approaches? A review of existing data onDaphnia indicates substantial genetic variance for body size, clutch size, and age at first reproduction. Average broad-sense heritabilities for these three characters across 19 populations of 6 species are 0.31, 0.31, and 0.34, respectively. Although there is some discrepancy between the two pertinent studies that were designed to decompose the total genetic variance into its additive and non-additive components, a crude average seems to suggest that approximately 60% of the total genetic variance has an additive basis. The existing data are somewhat inconsistent with respect to presence/absence of trade-offs (negative genetic correlations) among life history traits. A composite of the existing data seems to argue against the existence of strong trade-offs between offspring size and offspring number, between present and future reproduction, and between developmental rate and fecundity. However, there is some evidence for a shift toward more negative (less positive) covariances in more stressful environments (e.g., low food). Zooplankton will prove to be very useful in future study in several important areas of research, including the genetics and physiology of aging, the importance of genotype-environment interaction for life history traits, and the evolution of phenotypic plasticity.     

Developmental G6PD polymorphism inDrosophila melanogaster: Evidence for non-structural variants

Summary G6PD isozyme variation inDrosophila melanogaster is investigated in the larval stage through electrophoretic and genetic analyses. As current structural models for this gene-enzyme system fail to apply in these laboratory populations, the authors suggest a regulatory hypothesis to explain their observations.     

Obtention,par la méthode des greffes de gonades embryonnaires,d'une femelle à descendance unisexuée femelle,chez le TritonPleurodeles waltlii Michah.

Summary Thanks to a method established byHumphrey ³ inAmbystoma sp. and founded on the orthotopic transplantation of the lateral mesoderm corresponding to the gonad primordium, we have produced, in the SalamanderPleurodeles waltlii Michah., 1 female which gives rise uniquely to female individuals. In this species, it is also possible to obtain, by an oestrogenic treatment during the larval stages of development, neo-females, these are genetic males feminized into phenotypic and perfectly functional females and their offsprings are uniquely composed of males². The ability to experiment at will with unisexual, male or female, offsprings allows us to attack from a new basis, before any perceptible gonadic sex differentiation, the analysis of the mechanisms of this differentiation in the SalamanderPleurodeles waltlii Michah.     

Pharmacogenetics and ecogenetics

Concluding comments The study of pharmacogenetics and ecogenetics among different individuals and populations offers an unique opportunity to understand multiple, simultaneously occurring interactions between genes and the environment, and the subsequent phenotypic expression of heritable characters. Incorporation of appropiate ecogenetic diagnostic services into the general genetic services may be useful for public health monitoring in the prevention of occupational disease.The modern methods of molecular biochemistry will allow the characterization of hereditary traits affecting drug metabolism at the DNA level. Gene identification, isolation and cloning will help to determine whether gene duplication and other such events have taken place leading to species differences in the metabolism of drugs and xenobiotics.     

Temporal and spatial distribution of phosphoglucomutase (PGM) polymorphism in natural populations ofDrosophila melanogaster

Summary Drosophila melanogaster adults were collected for several years in various localities of Italy. The frequencies of thePgm electrophoretic alleles were determined and the similarity of the configuration of allelic frequencies observed. It was concluded that the PGM electrophoretic polymorphism could be maintained by random genetic drift in the natural populations studied only if the effective breeding size (N _e ) during the bottle-neck period is about 5000.I am grateful to Prof. D. Sperlich and Prof. W. Seyffert for their kind hospitality during my sojourn as Research Fellow of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in the Institute of Biology II at the University of Tübingen (FRG) where the final version of this paper has been done. The technical assistance of Mr A. Micheli is also acknowledged.     

Genetic variation in natural populations: Morphological traits inDrosophila melanogaster

Summary In a wild population ofDrosophila melanogaster located near Madrid (Spain), it has been found that the frequency of morphological mutant phenotypes is 0.36 per captured female. The study of these females shows that they carry 3.6 recessive mutants in heterozygous condition per female. The genetic variability found is higher than the frequencies observed by other authors in other natural populations.I thank Dr F.J. Ayala for useful discussions and help in preparing the English text.     

Modelling a ciliopathy: Ahi1 knockdown in model systems reveals an essential role in brain,retinal, and renal development

Joubert syndrome and related diseases (JSRD) are cerebello-oculo-renal syndromes with phenotypes including cerebellar hypoplasia, retinal dystrophy, and nephronophthisis (a cystic kidney disease). Mutations in AHI1 are the most common genetic cause of JSRD, with developmental hindbrain anomalies and retinal degeneration being prominent features. We demonstrate that Ahi1, a WD40 domain-containing protein, is highly conserved throughout evolution and its expression associates with ciliated organisms. In zebrafish ahi1 morphants, the phenotypic spectrum of JSRD is modeled, with embryos showing brain, eye, and ear abnormalities, together with renal cysts and cloacal dilatation. Following ahi1 knockdown in zebrafish, we demonstrate loss of cilia at Kupffer’s vesicle and subsequently defects in cardiac left–right asymmetry. Finally, using siRNA in renal epithelial cells we demonstrate a role for Ahi1 in both ciliogenesis and cell–cell junction formation. These data support a role for Ahi1 in epithelial cell organization and ciliary formation and explain the ciliopathy phenotype of AHI1 mutations in man.     

Mixed life cycles in the transitional zone between voltinisms in the fall webworm,Hyphantria cunea

The fall webworm,Hyphantria cunea Drury, was introduced from North America into Japan at half a century ago. At present, the populations north of 36° N are bivoltine and those south of 36° N are trivoltine. In the present study, the life cycle in the transitional zone between voltinisms was clarified in Tsukuba (36.1° N). When fourth instar larvae of the second generation were collected in the field and maintained in the laboratory, the incidence of pupal diapause increased when the sampling date was delayed from 16 August to 5 September. The fact that some developed without diapause inidcates the occurrence of a trivoltine life cycle in this locality, where a bivoltine life cycle is predominant. The critical photoperiod for diapause induction at 20 and 25°C was 14 h 13 min and 14 h 10 min, respectively. The photoperiodic response may explain the rapid increase in diapause incidence in late summer. In laboratory-reared diapause pupae, the time and period of chilling (5°C) greatly influenced the time required for adult emergence at the final incubation temperature of 25°C. However, diapause pupae chilled for a sufficiently long period developed to adulthood rapidly, irrespective of the conditions before chilling. Therefore, the difference in timing of entering diapause between pupae of the second and third generations would not result in their temporal reproductive isolation in the following spring. It is concluded that the mixed voltinism in Tsukuba is not a result of a mixture of genetically distinct bivoltine and trivoltine populations, but a result of the phenotypic plasticity in a genetically rather homogeneous population.     

Genetic basis of some morphological differences between temperate and equatorial populations ofDrosophila melanogaster

The genetic basis of three morphological traits (ovariole number, sternopleural bristle number and wing length) ofDrosophila melanogaster has been investigated in natural populations that show great differences in these traits, i. e. Bordeaux (France) and Loua (Congo). F1 and F2 crosses, and chromosome substitutions between these two populations, were analysed. Maternal and/or X chromosome effects were found for sternopleural bristle number and wing length. For all traits, significant effects from each of the three chromosomes were found, but in general only one or two chromosomes had a major effect. Moreover, in all cases significant interactions between chromosomes were observed, suggesting the existence of epistatic effects. Our results are discussed and compared to those obtained from the analysis of selected laboratory strains.     

Negative phototaxis inDrosophila associated with a morphological change in the compound eye

Summary The ultrastructure of the compound eyes of several photonegative selection lines and their unselected photopositive controls of five species of themelanogaster subgroup was analyzed. A qualitative phenotypic change concerning the rhabdomeres in one of the photonegative selection lines ofD. mauritiana could be detected. It was proved that this structural aberration of the rhabdomeres is caused by a parallel mutation of the mutantora (outer rhabdomeres absent) ofD. melanogaster.     

Genetic basis of moult,wing length,and body weight in a migratory bird species,Sylvia atricapilla

Summary In hand-raised groups of 4 populations of Blackcaps, different patterns of juvenile moult as well as differences in wing length and body weight, adaptive to the various degrees of migratory performance, could be demonstrated. 33 F₁-hybrids which were produced experimentally with 2 of these groups (1 African×1 European) showed an intermediate expression of these adaptations relevant to migration, indicating that these physiological and morphological features are under strong direct genetic control.