Further observation of paternal transmission ofDrosophilamitochondrial DNA by PCR selective amplification method

Abstract

SummaryBy designing 3′ ends of primers in PCR (polymerase chain reaction), a specific DNA fragment was selectively amplified in the presence of a 103-fold excess of highly homologous (sequence differenceca.2 %) opponent DNA. This technique was applied in detecting paternal leakage of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in intraspecific crosses ofDrosophila simulansand interspecific crosses ofDrosophila simulansandDrosophila mauritiana. The mtDNA types of their progeny were analysed by selective amplification of the paternal mtDNA fragment possessing a polymorphic restriction site and detecting its cleaved fragments. Paternal mtDNA was detected in the progeny of 14 out of 16 crosses. The present result indicates small but frequent inheritance of sperm mtDNA inDrosophila, which is supportive to our previous finding.