B chromosomes and Robertsonian fusions of <i>Dichroplus pratensis</i> (Acrididae): intraspecific support for the centromeric drive theory

Abstract

We tested the centromeric drive theory of karyotypic evolution in the grasshopper Dichroplus pratensis, which is simultaneously polymorphic for eight Robertsonian fusions and two classes of B chromosomes. A logistic regression analysis performed on 53 natural populations from Argentina revealed that B chromosomes are more probably found in populations with a higher proportion of acrocentric chromosomes, as the theory predicts. Furthermore, frequencies of B-carrying individuals are significantly negatively correlated with the mean frequency of different Robertsonian fusions per individual. No significant correlations between presence/absence or frequency of Bs, and latitude or altitude of the sampled populations, were found. We thus provide the first intraspecific evidence supporting the centromeric drive theory in relation to the establishment of B chromosomes in natural populations.

Neo-sex chromosome diversity in Neotropical melanopline grasshoppers (Melanoplinae, Acrididae)

“…Recently, Bidau and Martí (2004) obtained indirect evidence of the operation of drive for metacentric chromosomes in the Melanopline Dichroplus pratensis. One factor that might lead an egg pole to switch from capturing more centromeres to capturing fewer centromeres could be selection to reduce the burden of B chromosomes which are very frequent in grasshoppers (Bidau and Martí 2004;Palestis et al 2004;Talbert et al 2009).…”

“…Recently, Bidau and Martí (2004) obtained indirect evidence of the operation of drive for metacentric chromosomes in the Melanopline Dichroplus pratensis. One factor that might lead an egg pole to switch from capturing more centromeres to capturing fewer centromeres could be selection to reduce the burden of B chromosomes which are very frequent in grasshoppers (Bidau and Martí 2004;Palestis et al 2004;Talbert et al 2009). The reversion of the process could result from selection towards more interchromosomal and intrachromosomal recombination in marginal populations which could help adaptation to and colonization of, new environments (Bidau and Martí 2002).…”

Preferential accumulation of sex and Bs chromosomes in biarmed karyotypes by meiotic drive and rates of chromosomal changes in fishes

“…The centromere drive model has been applied to explain karyotype evolution, where nonrandom distribution of chromosome types (mono-brachial vs bi-brachial) occurs, and also to the dynamics of B-chromosomes in animals and plants (Bidau andMartí 2004, Palestis et al 2004a, b). In fish, probably under continuous selection of nonrandom segregation, most groups tend to achieve preferred karyotype formulas with mono-or bi-brachial chromosomes, while a small number of species exhibit equivalent mono-and bi-brachial elements.…”

“…MD has been studied in a wide range of organisms such as plants, animals and fungi (Zimmering et al 1970, Lyttle 1993, LeMarie-Adkins and Hunt 2000, Yoshida and Kitano 2012. B chromosomes and sex chromosomes frequently undergo MD , Hoekstra and Hoekstra 2001, Bidau and Martí 2004, Palestis et al 2004a, b, Rutkowska and Badyaev 2008, Ross et al 2009, Uller and Badyaev 2009 as do autosomes.…”

B Chromosome Variants of the Grasshopper <b><i>Xyleus discoideus angulatus</i></b> Are Potentially Derived from Pericentromeric DNA

“…Most studies of B chromosomes in grasshoppers were performed in species from the family Acrididae, such as Euplectrotettix shultzi and E. conspersus [Vilardi, 1986a], E. plorans [Hewitt, 1979], Locusta migratoria [Cabrero et al, 1984;Teruel et al, 2009b], Rhammatocerus brasiliensis [Loreto et al, 2008], Abracris flavolineata [Bueno et al, 2013], and Dichroplus pratensis [Bidau and Martí, 2004]. However, in the family Romaleidae, B chromosomes are restricted to Zoniopoda tarsata [Vilardi, 1986b] and Xyleus discoideus angulatus [Souza and Kido, 1995;Loreto et al, 2008;Machado et al, 2014].…”