Summary
An analysis of natural populations ofDrosophila melanogaster in a southern French region (Languedoc) was started in 1983, concerning two non Mendelian systems: the P-M system of transposable elements and the sigma virus. This virus is not contagious, but only transmitted through gametes; it is usually present in a minority of individuals in natural populations. The first data collected revealed unexpectedly clear and fast-evolving phenomena; they also gave evidence of some interesting correlations between the two systems. This paper presents all the results gathered from 1983 to 1991 in the Drosophilasigma system. Striking correlations were observed for three interconnected parameters: frequency of infected flies, frequency of an allele of the fly giving resistance to the virus, and adaptation of the virus to this allele. This adaptation consisted of a qualitative step (change of viral type) followed by quantitative variation (better adaptation to the allele). This analysis also showed, firstly, that the evolution of natural populations differs completely in Languedoc from the rest of France; secondly, that three geographical zones where selective forces worked differently persisted over time in Languedoc.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anxolabehere D, Charles-Palabost L, Fleuriet A, Periquet G (1988) Temporal surveys of French populations ofDrosophila melanogaster: P-M system, enzymatic polymorphism and infection by the sigma virus. Heredity 61: 121–131
Brun G, Plus N (1980) The viruses ofDrosophila. In: Ashburner M, Wright TRF (eds) The genetics and biology ofDrosophila. Academic Press, New York, pp 626–702
Culliton BJ (1990) Emerging viruses, emerging threats. Science 247: 279–280
David J (1959) Etude quantitative du développement de la Drosophile élevée en milieu axénique. Bull Soc Biol Fr Belg 93: 472–505
Fleuriet A (1976) Presence of the hereditary rhabdovirus sigma and polymorphism for a gene for resistance to this virus in natural populations ofDrosophila melanogaster. Evolution 30: 735–739
Fleuriet A (1980) Polymorphism of the hereditary sigma virus in natural populations ofD. melanogaster. Genetics 95: 459–465
Fleuriet A (1988) Maintenance of a hereditary virus, the sigma virus, in populations of its host,D. melanogaster. Evol Biol 23: 1–30
Fleuriet A (1990) Evolution of natural populations in theD. melanogaster-sigma virus system. II. Northern and Central France. Genetica 81: 33–41
Fleuriet A, Periquet G, Anxolabehere D (1990) Evolution of natural populations in theD. melanogaster-sigma virus system. I. Languedoc (Southern France). Genetica 81: 21–31
Fleuriet A, Kalmes R, Pascual L, Periquet G (1992) Comparative evolution of P-M system and infection by the sigma virus in French and Spanish populations ofD. melanogaster. Genet Res 60 (in press)
Fleuriet A, Sperlich D (1992) Evolution of theD. melanogaster-sigma virus system in a natural population from Tübingen. Theor Appl Genet (in press)
Gay P (1978) Les gènes de la Drosophile qui interviennent dans la multiplication du virus sigma. Mol Gen Genet 159: 269–283
Plus N (1954) Etude de la multiplication du virus de la sensibilité au gaz carbonique chez la Drosophile. Bull Soc Biol Fr Belg 88: 1–46
Van Valen L (1973) A new evolutionary law. Evol Theory 1: 1–30
Vouidibio J, Capy P, Defaye D, Pla E, Sandrin J, Csink A, David J (1989) Short range genetic structure ofD. melanogaster populations in an Afrotropical urban area and its significance. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 86: 8442–8446
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fleuriet, A., Periquet, G. Evolution of theDrosophila melanogaster-sigma virus system in natural populations from Languedoc (southern France). Archives of Virology 129, 131–143 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01316890
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01316890