A possible case of negative segregation distortion in the SD system of Drosophila melanogaster

Models proposed to explain segregation distortion in Drosophila melanogaster are based partly upon the observation that, in the Sd heterozygous Rspi/Rsps male, the chromosome carrying the sensitive Rsps allele is distorted, but the chromosome carrying the insensitive Rspi allele is not. The results of the present study suggest that this may not always be the case. Under a certain genotypic condition, the chromosome carrying the Rsps allele can be transmitted to the progeny in frequencies of more than 0.5 (about 0.6), or correspondingly, the chromosome carrying the Rspi allele may be distorted with respect to the one with the Rsps allele. Thus, the relative sensitivity and insensitivity of the two Rsp alleles in a male are not absolute, but relative; and they may be reversed depending upon the residual genotype. If this is true, a major modification of the current models or a proposal of an entirely new model may become necessary to explain the mechanism of segregation distortion satisfactorily.