Population genetics of sex determination in Mytilus mussels: Reanalyses and a model

Abstract

Large variations in offspring sex ratio have been reported in Mytilus mussels, which show doubly uniparental inheritance of mitochondria (DUI). Here, we reanalyzed the published sex ratio data, using simple population genetics concepts and logistic regression. Contrary to previous studies that detected only maternal effects, we found both paternal and maternal effects on the offspring sex ratio. We propose that sex in Mytilus is controlled by a pair of nuclear sex ratio alleles expressed in the mother and by minor sex-determining genes inherited from the father and also possibly from the mother. © 2013 The American Genetic Association.