Negative frequency dependent selection maintains mtDNA variability in Drosophila subobscura populations

We studied a ubiquitous life history supergene (mitochondrial DNA) in the fruit flyDrosophila subobscura, showing sympatric polymorphism with two main genotypes co occurring in populations world-wide. Using an experimental evolution approach, weshow that negative frequency dependent selection indeed acts to maintain geneticvariation in this region. Moreover, the strength of frequency dependent selection wasrelated to food resource conditions, demonstrating that frequency dependent selectionon this life history supergene is an emergent property of ecological processes related toresource use.