Does RNA interference influence meiotic crossing over inDrosophila melanogaster?

Abstract

SummaryMutations in the RNA interference (RNAi) genesaubergine(aub),homelessandpiwiwere tested for effects on the frequency, distribution and coincidence of meiotic crossovers in the long arm of the X chromosome. Some increases in crossover frequency were seen in these tests, but they may have been due to a maternal effect of the balancer chromosomes that were used to maintain the RNAi mutations in stocks rather than to the RNAi mutations themselves. These same balancers produced strong zygotic interchromosomal effects when tested separately. Mutations inaubandpiwidid not affect the frequency of crossing over in the centric heterochromatin of chromosome II; nor did a balancer chromosome III.