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Updated: May 26, 2026

Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP) using Drosophila tissue
Published on: March 23, 2012
Chromatin evolution and molecular drive in speciation
1Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan.
Abstract:
Are there biological generalities that underlie hybrid sterility or inviability? Recently, around a dozen "speciation genes" have been identified mainly in Drosophila, and the biological functions of these genes are revealing molecular generalities. Major cases of hybrid sterility and inviability seem to result from chromatin evolution and molecular drive in speciation. Repetitive satellite DNAs within heterochromatin, especially at centromeres, evolve rapidly through molecular drive mechanisms (both meiotic and centromeric). Chromatin-binding proteins, therefore, must also evolve rapidly to maintain binding capability. As a result, chromatin binding proteins may not be able to interact with chromosomes from another species in a hybrid, causing hybrid sterility and inviability.
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