Meiotic drive in t(n) bearing mouse spermatozoa: A relationship between aerobic respiration and transmission frequency

Abstract

The present studies show that the higher transmission ratio of mutant t(n) spermatozoa in mice can be correlated with a reduction in the NADH/NAD ratio and increased oxygen uptake, both reflecting an increased rate of energy metabolism. It has been shown that the increased energy metabolism is related to the presence of the t(n) allele in the pooled sample; therefore, it is postulated that the meiotic drive associated with T+/t(n) mice is a function of the increased energy metabolism of the t(n) bearing spermatozoa.