The Contribution of the Y Chromosome to Hybrid Male Sterility in House Mice

• DOI: 10.1534/genetics.112.141804
• Publication Date: 2012-05-18T05:22:48Z
• Authors: Polly Campbell; Jeffrey M Good; Matthew D Dean; Priscilla K Tucker; Michael W Nachman
• Keywords: Male; 0303 health sciences; X Chromosome; Genotype; Reproduction; Quantitative Trait Loci; Chromosome Mapping; Spermatozoa; Mice; 03 medical and health sciences; Phenotype; Y Chromosome; Animals; Female; Crosses, Genetic; Infertility, Male

Abstract Hybrid sterility in the heterogametic sex is a common feature of speciation in animals. In house mice, the contribution of the Mus musculus musculus X chromosome to hybrid male sterility is large. It is not known, however, whether F1 male sterility is caused by X–Y or X-autosome incompatibilities or a combination of both. We investigated the contribution of the M. musculus domesticus Y chromosome to hybrid male sterility in a cross between wild-derived strains in which males with a M. m. musculus X chromosome and M. m. domesticus Y chromosome are partially sterile, while males from the reciprocal cross are reproductively normal. We used eight X introgression lines to combine different X chromosome genotypes with different Y chromosomes on an F1 autosomal background, and we measured a suite of male reproductive traits. Reproductive deficits were observed in most F1 males, regardless of Y chromosome genotype. Nonetheless, we found evidence for a negative interaction between the M. m. domesticus Y and an interval on the M. m. musculus X that resulted in abnormal sperm morphology. Therefore, although F1 male sterility appears to be caused mainly by X-autosome incompatibilities, X–Y incompatibilities contribute to some aspects of sterility.