1
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Lyth S, Betancourt AJ, Price TAR, Verspoor RL. The suppression of a selfish genetic element increases a male's mating success in a fly. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10719. [PMID: 37964789 PMCID: PMC10641306 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
X chromosome meiotic drive (XCMD) kills Y-bearing sperm during spermatogenesis, leading to the biased transmission of the selfish X chromosome. Despite this strong transmission, some natural XCMD systems remain at low and stable frequencies, rather than rapidly spreading through populations. The reason may be that male carriers can have reduced fitness, as they lose half of their sperm, only produce daughters, and may carry deleterious alleles associated with XCMD. Thus, females may benefit from avoiding mating with male carriers, yielding a further reduction in fitness. Genetic suppressors of XCMD, which block the killing of Y sperm and restore fair Mendelian inheritance, are also common and could prevent the spread of XCMD. However, whether suppressed males are as fit as a wild-type male remains an open question, as the effect that genetic suppressors may have on a male's mating success is rarely considered. Here, we investigate the mating ability of XCMD males and suppressed XCMD males in comparison to wild-type males in the fruit fly Drosophila subobscura, where drive remains at a stable frequency of 20% in wild populations where it occurs. We use both competitive and non-competitive mating trials to evaluate male mating success in this system. We found no evidence that unsuppressed XCMD males were discriminated against. Remarkably, however, their suppressed XCMD counterparts had a higher male mating success compared to wild-type controls. Unsuppressed XCMD males suffered 12% lower offspring production in comparison to wild-type males. This cost appears too weak to counter the transmission advantage of XCMD, and thus the factors preventing the spread of XCMD remain unclear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Lyth
- Institute of InfectionVeterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
| | - Andrea J. Betancourt
- Institute of InfectionVeterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
| | - Tom A. R. Price
- Institute of InfectionVeterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
| | - Rudi L. Verspoor
- Institute of InfectionVeterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
- Institute of SystemsMolecular, and Integrative Biology, University of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
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2
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Bates S, Meade L, Pomiankowski A. Meiotic drive does not impede success in sperm competition in the stalk-eyed fly, Teleopsis dalmanni. Evolution 2023; 77:2326-2333. [PMID: 37615515 DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpad149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Male X-linked meiotic drive systems, which cause the degeneration of Y-bearing sperm, are common in the Diptera. Sperm killing is typically associated with fitness costs that arise from the destruction of wildtype sperm and collateral damage to maturing drive sperm, resulting in poor success under sperm competition. We investigate X-linked meiotic drive fertility in the stalk-eyed fly, Teleopsis dalmanni. Drive male paternity was measured in double mating trials under sperm competition against a wildtype male. Drive males sired the same number of offspring as wildtype males, both when mated first or second. This is the first evidence that drive males can compete equally with non-drive males in double matings, challenging the assumption that drive males inevitably suffer reduced fertility. The finding is in accord with previous work showing that the number of sperm per ejaculate transferred to females during non-competitive single matings does not differ between drive and wildtype males, which is likely due to the adaptive evolution of enlarged testes in drive males. Future experiments will determine whether the competitive ability of drive males is maintained under higher rates of female remating likely to be experienced in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadé Bates
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lara Meade
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew Pomiankowski
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- CoMPLEX, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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3
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Paczolt KA, Welsh GT, Wilkinson GS. X chromosome drive is constrained by sexual selection and influences ornament evolution. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20230929. [PMID: 37491962 PMCID: PMC10369026 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.0929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Experimental evolution provides an integrative method for revealing complex interactions among evolutionary processes. One such interaction involves sex-linked selfish genetic elements and sexual selection. X-linked segregation distorters, a type of selfish genetic element, influence sperm transmission to increase in frequency and consequently alter the population sex ratio and the opportunity for sexual selection, while sexual selection may impact the spread of X-linked distorters. Here we manipulated sexual selection by controlling female mating opportunities and the presence of a distorting X chromosome in experimental lines of the stalk-eyed fly, Teleopsis dalmanni, over 11 generations. We find that removal of sexual selection leads to an increase in the frequency of the X-linked distorter and sex ratio across generations and that post-copulatory sexual selection alone is sufficient to limit the frequency of distorters. In addition, we find that male eyestalk length, a trait under pre-copulatory sexual selection, evolves in response to changes in the strength of sexual selection with the magnitude of the response dependent on X chromosome type and the frequency of distorting X chromosomes. These results reveal how a selfish X can interact with sexual selection to influence the evolution of sexually selected traits in multiple ways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly A. Paczolt
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland at College Park, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Gabrielle T. Welsh
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland at College Park, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Gerald S. Wilkinson
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland at College Park, College Park, MD 20742, USA
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4
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Reinhardt JA, Baker RH, Zimin AV, Ladias C, Paczolt KA, Werren JH, Hayashi CY, Wilkinson GS. Impacts of Sex Ratio Meiotic Drive on Genome Structure and Function in a Stalk-Eyed Fly. Genome Biol Evol 2023; 15:evad118. [PMID: 37364298 PMCID: PMC10319772 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evad118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Stalk-eyed flies in the genus Teleopsis carry selfish genetic elements that induce sex ratio (SR) meiotic drive and impact the fitness of male and female carriers. Here, we assemble and describe a chromosome-level genome assembly of the stalk-eyed fly, Teleopsis dalmanni, to elucidate patterns of divergence associated with SR. The genome contains tens of thousands of transposable element (TE) insertions and hundreds of transcriptionally and insertionally active TE families. By resequencing pools of SR and ST males using short and long reads, we find widespread differentiation and divergence between XSR and XST associated with multiple nested inversions involving most of the SR haplotype. Examination of genomic coverage and gene expression data revealed seven X-linked genes with elevated expression and coverage in SR males. The most extreme and likely drive candidate involves an XSR-specific expansion of an array of partial copies of JASPer, a gene necessary for maintenance of euchromatin and associated with regulation of TE expression. In addition, we find evidence for rapid protein evolution between XSR and XST for testis expressed and novel genes, that is, either recent duplicates or lacking a Dipteran ortholog, including an X-linked duplicate of maelstrom, which is also involved in TE silencing. Overall, the evidence suggests that this ancient XSR polymorphism has had a variety of impacts on repetitive DNA and its regulation in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Richard H Baker
- Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York, USA
| | - Aleksey V Zimin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Chloe Ladias
- Biology Department, State University of New York at Geneseo, Geneseo, New York, USA
| | - Kimberly A Paczolt
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - John H Werren
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Cheryl Y Hayashi
- Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York, USA
| | - Gerald S Wilkinson
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
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5
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Bradshaw SL, Meade L, Tarlton-Weatherall J, Pomiankowski A. Meiotic drive adaptive testes enlargement during early development in the stalk-eyed fly. Biol Lett 2022; 18:20220352. [PMID: 36448294 PMCID: PMC9709577 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2022.0352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The sex ratio (SR) X-linked meiotic drive system in stalk-eyed flies destroys Y-bearing sperm. Unlike other SR systems, drive males do not suffer fertility loss. They have greatly enlarged testes which compensate for gamete killing. We predicted that enlarged testes arise from extended development with resources re-allocated from the accessory glands, as these tend to be smaller in drive males. To test this, we tracked the growth of the testes and accessory glands of wild-type and drive males over 5-6 weeks post-eclosion before males attained sexual maturity. Neither of the original predictions is supported by these data. Instead, we found that the drive male testes were enlarged at eclosion, reflecting a greater allocation of resources to the testes during pupation. Testes grow at a higher rate during early adult development in drive males, but there was no evidence that this retards the growth of the accessory glands. Further experiments are proposed to investigate whether smaller accessory glands only arise in drive males post-copulation or when flies are subjected to nutritional stress. Our experimental findings support the idea that enlarged testes in drive males arise as an adaptive allocation of resources to traits that enhance male reproductive success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sasha L. Bradshaw
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Lara Meade
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Jessica Tarlton-Weatherall
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Andrew Pomiankowski
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK,CoMPLEX, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
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6
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López Hernández JF, Helston RM, Lange JJ, Billmyre RB, Schaffner SH, Eickbush MT, McCroskey S, Zanders SE. Diverse mating phenotypes impact the spread of wtf meiotic drivers in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. eLife 2021; 10:e70812. [PMID: 34895466 PMCID: PMC8789285 DOI: 10.7554/elife.70812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Meiotic drivers are genetic elements that break Mendel's law of segregation to be transmitted into more than half of the offspring produced by a heterozygote. The success of a driver relies on outcrossing (mating between individuals from distinct lineages) because drivers gain their advantage in heterozygotes. It is, therefore, curious that Schizosaccharomyces pombe, a species reported to rarely outcross, harbors many meiotic drivers. To address this paradox, we measured mating phenotypes in S. pombe natural isolates. We found that the propensity for cells from distinct clonal lineages to mate varies between natural isolates and can be affected both by cell density and by the available sexual partners. Additionally, we found that the observed levels of preferential mating between cells from the same clonal lineage can slow, but not prevent, the spread of a wtf meiotic driver in the absence of additional fitness costs linked to the driver. These analyses reveal parameters critical to understanding the evolution of S. pombe and help explain the success of meiotic drivers in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jeffrey J Lange
- Stowers Institute for Medical ResearchKansas CityUnited States
| | | | - Samantha H Schaffner
- Stowers Institute for Medical ResearchKansas CityUnited States
- Kenyon CollegeGambierUnited States
| | | | - Scott McCroskey
- Stowers Institute for Medical ResearchKansas CityUnited States
| | - Sarah E Zanders
- Stowers Institute for Medical ResearchKansas CityUnited States
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Kansas Medical CenterKansas CityUnited States
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7
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Mackintosh C, Pomiankowski A, Scott MF. X-linked meiotic drive can boost population size and persistence. Genetics 2021; 217:1-11. [PMID: 33683360 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyaa018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
X-linked meiotic drivers cause X-bearing sperm to be produced in excess by male carriers, leading to female-biased sex ratios. Here, we find general conditions for the spread and fixation of X-linked alleles. Our conditions show that the spread of X-linked alleles depends on sex-specific selection and transmission rather than the time spent in each sex. Applying this logic to meiotic drive, we show that polymorphism is heavily dependent on sperm competition induced both by female and male mating behavior and the degree of compensation to gamete loss in the ejaculate size of drive males. We extend these evolutionary models to investigate the demographic consequences of biased sex ratios. Our results suggest driving X-alleles that invade and reach polymorphism (or fix and do not bias segregation excessively) will boost population size and persistence time by increasing population productivity, demonstrating the potential for selfish genetic elements to move sex ratios closer to the population-level optimum. However, when the spread of drive causes strong sex-ratio bias, it can lead to populations with so few males that females remain unmated, cannot produce offspring, and go extinct. This outcome is exacerbated when the male mating rate is low. We suggest that researchers should consider the potential for ecologically beneficial side effects of selfish genetic elements, especially in light of proposals to use meiotic drive for biological control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl Mackintosh
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK.,CoMPLEX, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Andrew Pomiankowski
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK.,CoMPLEX, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Michael F Scott
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK.,School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
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8
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Verma P, Reeves RG, Gokhale CS. A common gene drive language eases regulatory process and eco-evolutionary extensions. BMC Ecol Evol 2021; 21:156. [PMID: 34372763 PMCID: PMC8351217 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-021-01881-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Synthetic gene drive technologies aim to spread transgenic constructs into wild populations even when they impose organismal fitness disadvantages. The extraordinary diversity of plausible drive mechanisms and the range of selective parameters they may encounter makes it very difficult to convey their relative predicted properties, particularly where multiple approaches are combined. The sheer number of published manuscripts in this field, experimental and theoretical, the numerous techniques resulting in an explosion in the gene drive vocabulary hinder the regulators’ point of view. We address this concern by defining a simplified parameter based language of synthetic drives. Results Employing the classical population dynamics approach, we show that different drive construct (replacement) mechanisms can be condensed and evaluated on an equal footing even where they incorporate multiple replacement drives approaches. Using a common language, it is then possible to compare various model properties, a task desired by regulators and policymakers. The generalization allows us to extend the study of the invasion dynamics of replacement drives analytically and, in a spatial setting, the resilience of the released drive constructs. The derived framework is available as a standalone tool. Conclusion Besides comparing available drive constructs, our tool is also useful for educational purpose. Users can also explore the evolutionary dynamics of future hypothetical combination drive scenarios. Thus, our results appraise the properties and robustness of drives and provide an intuitive and objective way for risk assessment, informing policies, and enhancing public engagement with proposed and future gene drive approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prateek Verma
- Research Group for Theoretical Models of Eco-evolutionary Dynamics, Department of Evolutionary Theory, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany.
| | - R Guy Reeves
- Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany
| | - Chaitanya S Gokhale
- Research Group for Theoretical Models of Eco-evolutionary Dynamics, Department of Evolutionary Theory, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany
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9
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Finnegan SR, Mondani M, Fowler K, Pomiankowski A. Meiotic drive does not cause condition-dependent reduction of the sexual ornament in stalk-eyed flies. J Evol Biol 2021; 34:736-745. [PMID: 33559198 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Meiotic drive systems are associated with low-frequency chromosomal inversions. These are expected to accumulate deleterious mutations due to reduced recombination and low effective population size. We test this prediction using the 'sex-ratio' (SR) meiotic drive system of the Malaysian stalk-eyed fly Teleopsis dalmanni. SR is associated with a large inversion (or inversions) on the X chromosome. In particular, we study eyespan in males carrying the SR chromosome, as this trait is a highly exaggerated, sexually dimorphic trait, known to have heightened condition-dependent expression. Larvae were raised in low and high larval food stress environments. SR males showed reduced eyespan under the low and high stress treatments, but there was no evidence of a condition-dependent decrease in eyespan under high stress. Similar but more complex patterns were observed for female eyespan, with evidence of additivity under low stress and heterosis under high stress. These results do not support the hypothesis that reduced sexual ornament size in meiotic drive males is due to a condition-dependent response to the putative increase in mutation load. Instead, reduced eyespan likely reflects compensatory resource allocation to different traits in response to drive-mediated destruction of sperm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam Ronan Finnegan
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK
| | - Matteo Mondani
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK
| | - Kevin Fowler
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK
| | - Andrew Pomiankowski
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK.,CoMPLEX, University College London, London, UK
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10
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Naegeli H, Bresson J, Dalmay T, Dewhurst IC, Epstein MM, Guerche P, Hejatko J, Moreno FJ, Mullins E, Nogué F, Rostoks N, Sánchez Serrano JJ, Savoini G, Veromann E, Veronesi F, Bonsall MB, Mumford J, Wimmer EA, Devos Y, Paraskevopoulos K, Firbank LG. Adequacy and sufficiency evaluation of existing EFSA guidelines for the molecular characterisation, environmental risk assessment and post-market environmental monitoring of genetically modified insects containing engineered gene drives. EFSA J 2020; 18:e06297. [PMID: 33209154 PMCID: PMC7658669 DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2020.6297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Advances in molecular and synthetic biology are enabling the engineering of gene drives in insects for disease vector/pest control. Engineered gene drives (that bias their own inheritance) can be designed either to suppress interbreeding target populations or modify them with a new genotype. Depending on the engineered gene drive system, theoretically, a genetic modification of interest could spread through target populations and persist indefinitely, or be restricted in its spread or persistence. While research on engineered gene drives and their applications in insects is advancing at a fast pace, it will take several years for technological developments to move to practical applications for deliberate release into the environment. Some gene drive modified insects (GDMIs) have been tested experimentally in the laboratory, but none has been assessed in small-scale confined field trials or in open release trials as yet. There is concern that the deliberate release of GDMIs in the environment may have possible irreversible and unintended consequences. As a proactive measure, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has been requested by the European Commission to review whether its previously published guidelines for the risk assessment of genetically modified animals (EFSA, 2012 and 2013), including insects (GMIs), are adequate and sufficient for GDMIs, primarily disease vectors, agricultural pests and invasive species, for deliberate release into the environment. Under this mandate, EFSA was not requested to develop risk assessment guidelines for GDMIs. In this Scientific Opinion, the Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) concludes that EFSA's guidelines are adequate, but insufficient for the molecular characterisation (MC), environmental risk assessment (ERA) and post-market environmental monitoring (PMEM) of GDMIs. While the MC,ERA and PMEM of GDMIs can build on the existing risk assessment framework for GMIs that do not contain engineered gene drives, there are specific areas where further guidance is needed for GDMIs.
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11
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Price TAR, Windbichler N, Unckless RL, Sutter A, Runge JN, Ross PA, Pomiankowski A, Nuckolls NL, Montchamp-Moreau C, Mideo N, Martin OY, Manser A, Legros M, Larracuente AM, Holman L, Godwin J, Gemmell N, Courret C, Buchman A, Barrett LG, Lindholm AK. Resistance to natural and synthetic gene drive systems. J Evol Biol 2020; 33:1345-1360. [PMID: 32969551 PMCID: PMC7796552 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Scientists are rapidly developing synthetic gene drive elements intended for release into natural populations. These are intended to control or eradicate disease vectors and pests, or to spread useful traits through wild populations for disease control or conservation purposes. However, a crucial problem for gene drives is the evolution of resistance against them, preventing their spread. Understanding the mechanisms by which populations might evolve resistance is essential for engineering effective gene drive systems. This review summarizes our current knowledge of drive resistance in both natural and synthetic gene drives. We explore how insights from naturally occurring and synthetic drive systems can be integrated to improve the design of gene drives, better predict the outcome of releases and understand genomic conflict in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom A. R. Price
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Nikolai Windbichler
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | | | - Andreas Sutter
- School of Biological Sciences, Norwich Research Park, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Jan-Niklas Runge
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Perran A. Ross
- Bio21 and the School of Biosciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Andrew Pomiankowski
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | | | - Catherine Montchamp-Moreau
- Evolution Génome Comportement et Ecologie, CNRS, IRD, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif sur Yvette 91190, France
| | - Nicole Mideo
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3B2 Canada
| | - Oliver Y. Martin
- Department of Biology (D-BIOL) & Institute of Integrative Biology (IBZ), ETH Zurich, Universitätsstrasse 16, CH 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andri Manser
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Matthieu Legros
- CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | | | - Luke Holman
- School of Biosciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - John Godwin
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Neil Gemmell
- Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
| | - Cécile Courret
- Evolution Génome Comportement et Ecologie, CNRS, IRD, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif sur Yvette 91190, France
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Anna Buchman
- University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093
- Verily Life Sciences, 269 E Grand Ave, South San Francisco, CA 94080
| | - Luke G. Barrett
- CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Anna K. Lindholm
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
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12
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Meade L, Finnegan SR, Kad R, Fowler K, Pomiankowski A. Maintenance of Fertility in the Face of Meiotic Drive. Am Nat 2020; 195:743-751. [DOI: 10.1086/707372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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13
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Price TAR, Verspoor R, Wedell N. Ancient gene drives: an evolutionary paradox. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20192267. [PMID: 31847767 PMCID: PMC6939918 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.2267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2019] [Accepted: 11/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Selfish genetic elements such as selfish chromosomes increase their transmission rate relative to the rest of the genome and can generate substantial cost to the organisms that carry them. Such segregation distorters are predicted to either reach fixation (potentially causing population extinction) or, more commonly, promote the evolution of genetic suppression to restore transmission to equality. Many populations show rapid spread of segregation distorters, followed by the rapid evolution of suppression. However, not all drivers display such flux, some instead persisting at stable frequencies in natural populations for decades, perhaps hundreds of thousands of years, with no sign of suppression evolving or the driver spreading to fixation. This represents a major evolutionary paradox. How can drivers be maintained in the long term at stable frequencies? And why has suppression not evolved as in many other gene drive systems? Here, we explore potential factors that may explain the persistence of drive systems, focusing on the ancient sex-ratio driver in the fly Drosophila pseudoobscura. We discuss potential solutions to the evolutionary mystery of why suppression does not appear to have evolved in this system, and address how long-term stable frequencies of gene drive can be maintained. Finally, we speculate whether ancient drivers may be functionally and evolutionarily distinct to young drive systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- T. A. R. Price
- Institution for Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - R. Verspoor
- Institution for Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - N. Wedell
- Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9FE, Cornwall, UK
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14
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Dyer KA, Hall DW. Fitness consequences of a non-recombining sex-ratio drive chromosome can explain its prevalence in the wild. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20192529. [PMID: 31847762 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.2529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the pleiotropic consequences of gene drive systems on host fitness is essential to predict their spread through a host population. Here, we study sex-ratio (SR) X-chromosome drive in the fly Drosophila recens, where SR causes the death of Y-bearing sperm in male carriers. SR males only sire daughters, which all carry SR, thus giving the chromosome a transmission advantage. The prevalence of the SR chromosome appears stable, suggesting pleiotropic costs. It was previously shown that females homozygous for SR are sterile, and here, we test for additional fitness costs of SR. We found that females heterozygous for SR have reduced fecundity and that male SR carriers have reduced fertility in conditions of sperm competition. We then use our fitness estimates to parametrize theoretical models of SR drive and show that the decrease in fecundity and sperm competition performance can account for the observed prevalence of SR in natural populations. In addition, we found that the expected equilibrium frequency of the SR chromosome is particularly sensitive to the degree of multiple mating and performance in sperm competition. Together, our data suggest that the mating system of the organism should be carefully considered during the development of gene drive systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly A Dyer
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - David W Hall
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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Wedell N, Price TAR, Lindholm AK. Gene drive: progress and prospects. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20192709. [PMID: 31847764 PMCID: PMC6939923 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.2709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene drive is a naturally occurring phenomenon in which selfish genetic elements manipulate gametogenesis and reproduction to increase their own transmission to the next generation. Currently, there is great excitement about the potential of harnessing such systems to control major pest and vector populations. If synthetic gene drive systems can be constructed and applied to key species, they may be able to rapidly spread either modifying or eliminating the targeted populations. This approach has been lauded as a revolutionary and efficient mechanism to control insect-borne diseases and crop pests. Driving endosymbionts have already been deployed to combat the transmission of dengue and Zika virus in mosquitoes. However, there are a variety of barriers to successfully implementing gene drive techniques in wild populations. There is a risk that targeted organisms will rapidly evolve an ability to suppress the synthetic drive system, rendering it ineffective. There are also potential risks of synthetic gene drivers invading non-target species or populations. This Special Feature covers the current state of affairs regarding both natural and synthetic gene drive systems with the aim to identify knowledge gaps. By understanding how natural drive systems spread through populations, we may be able to better predict the outcomes of synthetic drive release.
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Affiliation(s)
- N. Wedell
- Department of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - T. A. R. Price
- Institution for Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - A. K. Lindholm
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
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Larner W, Price T, Holman L, Wedell N. An X-linked meiotic drive allele has strong, recessive fitness costs in female Drosophila pseudoobscura. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20192038. [PMID: 31771473 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.2038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Selfish 'meiotic drive' alleles are transmitted to more than 50% of offspring, allowing them to rapidly invade populations even if they reduce the fitness of individuals carrying them. Theory predicts that drivers should either fix or go extinct, yet some drivers defy these predictions by persisting at low, stable frequencies for decades. One possible explanation for this discrepancy is that drivers are especially costly when homozygous, although empirical tests of this idea are rare and equivocal. Here, we measure the fitness of female Drosophila pseudoobscura carrying zero, one or two copies of the X-linked driver sex ratio (SR). SR had strong negative effects on female offspring production and the probability of reproductive failure, and these effects were largely similar across four genetic backgrounds. SR was especially costly when homozygous. We used our fitness measurements to parametrize a population genetic model, and found that the female fitness costs observed here can explain the puzzlingly low allele frequency of SR in nature. We also use the model to show how spatial variation in female mating behaviour, fitness costs of SR and the reduced siring success of SR males can jointly explain the north-south cline in SR frequencies across North America.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Larner
- Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Tom Price
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Luke Holman
- School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Nina Wedell
- Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
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Finnegan SR, Nitsche L, Mondani M, Camus MF, Fowler K, Pomiankowski A. Does meiotic drive alter male mate preference? Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractMale mate preferences have been demonstrated across a range of species, including the Malaysian stalk-eyed fly, Teleopsis dalmanni. This species is subject to sex-ratio (SR), an X-linked male meiotic driver, which causes the dysfunction of Y-sperm and the production of all-female broods. While there has been work considering female avoidance of meiotic drive males, the mating decisions of drive-bearing males have not been considered previously. Drive males may be less able to bear the cost of choice as SR is associated with a low-frequency inversion that causes reduced organismal fitness. Drive males may also experience weaker selection for preference maintenance if they are avoided by females. Using binary choice trials, across two experiments, we confirmed male preference for large (fecund) females but found no evidence that the strength of male preference differs between drive and standard males. We showed that large eyespan males displayed strong preference for large females, whereas small eyespan males showed no preference. Taken together, these results suggest that, even though meiotic drive is associated with lower genetic quality, it does not directly interfere with male mate preference among available females. However, as drive males tend to have smaller eyespan (albeit only ~5% on average), this will to a minor extent weaken their strength of preference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam Ronan Finnegan
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK
- NERC Biomolecular Analysis Facility, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, UK
| | - Leslie Nitsche
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK
| | - Matteo Mondani
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK
| | - M Florencia Camus
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK
| | - Kevin Fowler
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK
| | - Andrew Pomiankowski
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK
- CoMPLEX, University College London, London, UK
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Finnegan SR, White NJ, Koh D, Camus MF, Fowler K, Pomiankowski A. Meiotic drive reduces egg-to-adult viability in stalk-eyed flies. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20191414. [PMID: 31480972 PMCID: PMC6742991 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.1414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 08/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A number of species are affected by Sex-Ratio (SR) meiotic drive, a selfish genetic element located on the X-chromosome that causes dysfunction of Y-bearing sperm. SR is transmitted to up to 100% of offspring, causing extreme sex ratio bias. SR in several species is found in a stable polymorphism at a moderate frequency, suggesting there must be strong frequency-dependent selection resisting its spread. We investigate the effect of SR on female and male egg-to-adult viability in the Malaysian stalk-eyed fly, Teleopsis dalmanni. SR meiotic drive in this species is old, and appears to be broadly stable at a moderate (approx. 20%) frequency. We use large-scale controlled crosses to estimate the strength of selection acting against SR in female and male carriers. We find that SR reduces the egg-to-adult viability of both sexes. In females, homozygous females experience greater reduction in viability (sf = 0.242) and the deleterious effects of SR are additive (h = 0.511). The male deficit in viability (sm = 0.214) is not different from that in homozygous females. The evidence does not support the expectation that deleterious side effects of SR are recessive or sex-limited. We discuss how these reductions in egg-to-adult survival, as well as other forms of selection acting on SR, may maintain the SR polymorphism in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam Ronan Finnegan
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Nathan Joseph White
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2NT, UK
| | - Dixon Koh
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - M. Florencia Camus
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Kevin Fowler
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Andrew Pomiankowski
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
- CoMPLEX, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
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