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Science 4 March 2005:
Vol. 307. no. 5714, pp. 1461 - 1463
DOI: 10.1126/science.1107182
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Reports

A Functional Dosage Compensation Complex Required for Male Killing in Drosophila

Zoe Veneti,1 Joanna K. Bentley,1 Takao Koana,2 Henk R. Braig,3 Gregory D. D. Hurst1*

Bacteria that selectively kill males ("male-killers") were first characterized more than 50 years ago in Drosophila and have proved to be common in insects. However, the mechanism by which sex specificity of virulence is achieved has remained unknown. We tested the ability of Spiroplasma poulsonii to kill Drosophila melanogaster males carrying mutations in genes that encode the dosage compensation complex. The bacterium failed to kill males lacking any of the five protein components of the complex.

1 Biology Department, University College London, Wolfson House, 4 Stephenson Way, London, NW1 2HE, UK.
2 Low-Dose Radiation Research Center, Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry, Iwado-kita 2-11-1, Komae, Tokyo 201-8511. Japan.
3 School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, UK.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed: E-mail: g.hurst{at}ucl.ac.uk

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