Senior Project Advisor

Pultz, Mary Anne, 1954-

Document Type

Project

Publication Date

Fall 1998

Keywords

Nasonia vitripennis, Developmental genetics

Abstract

Nasonia vitripennis is a relatively new model organism in the field of developmental genetics. It is a small, solitary, parasitic Hymenopteran found throughout the world. Recent research on Nasonia has primarily dealt with its mode of sex determination, and the reproductive isolation of species of Nasonia by a parasitic bacteria, Wolbachia (Werren 94). Like many Hymenopterans, Nasonia uses the haplo-diploid method of sex determination. In haplo-diploid organisms, fertilized eggs produce diploid females while unfertilized eggs produce haploid males. The system is a bit of a mystery, as it is possible to obtain fertile diploid males by setting triploid females unmated. In some Hymenoptera, sex is determined by the number of different copies of certain genes. Fertilized eggs have produced males after extensive inbreeding. This does not appear to be true in Nasonia, however, as much back-crossing has been done without ever producing a single male from a fertilized egg (Bull 1983).

Department

Biology

Subjects - Topical (LCSH)

Hymenoptera--Genetics; Wasps--Genetics; Animal nutrition

Genre/Form

student projects; term papers

Type

Text

Rights

Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author’s written permission.

Rights Statement

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language

English

Format

application/pdf

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Biology Commons

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