Developmental stability in house mice heterozygous for single Robertsonian fusions

Fluctuating asymmetry (FA) of tooth traits has been reported to be increased in Down syndrome patients as well as hybrids between chromosomal races of the house mouse differing in several Robertsonian (Rb) fusions. Developmental stability, assessed by FA, is thus thought to be impaired by spontaneous chromosomal abnormality or by chromosomal heterozygosity. Although the effect of a single fusion on developmental stability could theoretically be expected, it has never been documented. Crosses involving two chromosomal races of the house mouse diverging for one Rb fusion were performed to assess developmental stability in parental homozygous races as well as in their hybrids. Moreover, the occurrence of a spontaneous chromosomal mutation (WART type-b) allowed us to study the instantaneous effect of such a translocation on developmental stability. No difference in fluctuating asymmetry levels was detected among the groups considered in this study. This result suggested that a single stable or spontaneous balanced structural rearrangement did not inherently disturb developmental stability. In addition, the differential effect on developmental stability of one versus many heterozygous Rb fusions highlights the role of their quantitative accumulation in the disruption of coadaptation in chromosomal hybrids.