Identification of X chromosomal restriction fragment length polymorphism markers and their use in a gene localization study in Drosophila virilis and D. littoralis.

We have identified six restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) markers based on unique gene sequences on the X chromosome of Drosophila virilis and D. littoralis. The markers were localized by in situ hybridization on larval polytene chromosomes, and the conjugation of the X chromosomes of the two species was studied in salivary glands of interspecific hybrid female larvae. The gene arrangement of D. virilis and D. littoralis appeared to be very different at the proximal end of the X chromosome preventing recombination between RFLP markers located in this area. Simple quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis showed that five of our marker genes (including nonA and Dmca1A, previously found to affect male courtship song in D. melanogaster) are linked with a gene(s) having a major effect on species differences in the male courtship song between D. virilis and D. littoralis. This shows that the song gene(s) may be located inside a large X-chromosomal inversion in D. littoralis (as previously suggested), but that it may also be located on an area between this inversion and the centromere, close to nonA and Dmca1A. Localization of this gene or gene complex will be continued with the aid of our newly identified RFLP markers by making interspecific crosses between D. virilis group species with more similar X chromosomes.