The successful introduction of mice into an existing
population, and stabilization of a multi-Robertsonian
chromosome polymorphism with modest rates of non
disjunction, segregating in accordance with Hardy-Weinberg
expected frequencies, in agreement with morphometric
allozyme and DNA studies, shows that in this instance centric fusions are not strongly underdominant (negatively heterotic). This study is supported by recent studies on other species where "wild" trivalent-forming Robertsonian heterozygotes were not found to suffer a great fitness
disadvantage, and corroborates suggestions that
hybridization studies using laboratory strains are most likely anachronistic and cannot be applied to nature.
Central to ideas about chromosome rearrangements in
spéciation, is that heterozygotes between chromosome races have reduced fertility. However, a rearrangement which is effective as an isolating mechanism, must also have a low probability of becoming established in a population. The conclusion from the Isle of May and other recent studies is that centric fusions are not strongly underdominant in
nature, and consequently ineffective as an isolating
mechanism. Therefore, it is considered that the conditions required for the accumulation of centric fusions are less stringent, and that chromosomal spéciation is unlikely.
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