PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Colin D. Meiklejohn AU - Emily L. Landeen AU - Kathleen E. Gordon AU - Thomas Rzatkiewicz AU - Sarah B. Kingan AU - Anthony J. Geneva AU - Jeffrey P. Vedanayagam AU - Christina A. Muirhead AU - Daniel Garrigan AU - David L. Stern AU - Daven C. Presgraves TI - Gene flow mediates the role of sex chromosome meiotic drive during complex speciation AID - 10.1101/024711 DP - 2018 Jan 01 TA - bioRxiv PG - 024711 4099 - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2018/01/31/024711.short 4100 - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2018/01/31/024711.full AB - During speciation, sex chromosomes often accumulate interspecific genetic incompatibilities faster than the rest of the genome. The drive theory posits that sex chromosomes are susceptible to recurrent bouts of meiotic drive and suppression, causing the evolutionary build-up of divergent cryptic sex-linked drive systems and, incidentally, genetic incompatibilities. To assess the role of drive during speciation, we combine high-resolution genetic mapping of X-linked hybrid male sterility with population genomics analyses of divergence and recent gene flow between the fruitfly species, Drosophila mauritiana and D. simulans. Our findings reveal a high density of genetic incompatibilities and a corresponding dearth of gene flow on the X chromosome. Surprisingly, we find that, rather than contributing to interspecific divergence, a known drive element has recently migrated between species, caused a strong reduction in local divergence, and undermined the evolution of hybrid sterility. Gene flow can therefore mediate the effects of selfish genetic elements during speciation.