Hybrid dysgenesis in Drosophila melanogaster.

Several dysgenic traits may occur within the Drosophila melanogaster species as a result of crosses between different strains. Crossing two mutually interacting categories, named inducer and reactive, may lead, among other abnormalities, to a specific kind of female sterility that has proved useful for investigating the genetic factors involved in the interaction. The reactive state appears to result from a cytoplasmic state ultimately controlled by a chromosomal polygenic system. The inducer character is determined by a chromosomal factor that exhibits all characteristics of a transposable element. Overall, the data contribute to clarification of mutator activities in D. melanogaster and open new opportunities to investigate unusual genetic mechanisms.