The molecular basis of P-M hybrid dysgenesis: the role of the P element, a P-strain-specific transposon family.

We have shown previously that four of five white mutant alleles arising in P-M dysgenic hybrids result from the insertion of strongly homologous DNA sequence elements. We have named these P elements. We report that P elements are present in 30-50 copies per haploid genome in all P strains examined and apparently are missing entirely from all M strains examined, with one exception. Furthermore, members of the P family apparently transpose frequently in P-M dysgenic hybrids; chromosomes descendant from P-M dysgenic hybrids frequently show newly acquired P elements. Finally, the strain-specific breakpoint hotspots for the rearrangement of the pi 2 P X chromosome occurring in P-M dysgenic hybrids are apparently sites of residence of P elements. These observations strongly support the P factor hypothesis for the mechanistic basis of P-M hybrid dysgenesis.