Colonization of America by Drosophila subobscura: heterotic effect of chromosomal arrangements revealed by the persistence of lethal genes.

About 20 years ago Drosophila subobscura, a native Palearctic species, colonized both North and South America. In Palearctic populations lethal genes are not associated in general with particular chromosomal arrangements. In colonizing populations they are not randomly distributed and usually are associated to a different degree with chromosomal arrangements caused by the founder event. The persistence of two lethal genes in the colonizing populations, one completely associated with the O(5) inversion and the other partially associated with the O(3+4+7) arrangement, has been analyzed. In all populations studied (five North American and six South American) the observed frequency of the lethal gene completely associated with the O(5) inversion is higher than expected, the difference being statistically significant in all South American and one North American populations. The observed frequency of the lethal gene partially associated with the O(3+4+7) arrangement is also significantly higher than expected. Taking into account that the O(5) inversion exhibits significant latitudinal clines both in North and South America, an overdominant model favoring the heterokaryotypes seems to be in operation. From this model, a polynomial expression has been developed that allows us to estimate the relative fitness and the coefficient of selection against all karyotypes not carrying the O(5) inversion. The relative fitness of the O(5) heterokaryotypes is higher in South American than in North American populations. Furthermore, the observed frequencies of the lethal genes studied are in general very close to those of the equilibrium. This case is an outstanding demonstration in nature of an heterotic effect of chromosomal segments associated with lethal genes on a large geographic scale.