1
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Orteu A, Hornett EA, Reynolds LA, Warren IA, Hurst GDD, Martin SH, Jiggins CD. Optix and cortex/ivory/mir-193 again: the repeated use of two mimicry hotspot loci. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20240627. [PMID: 39045691 PMCID: PMC11267468 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 06/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The extent to which evolution is repeatable has been a debated topic among evolutionary biologists. Although rewinding the tape of life perhaps would not lead to the same outcome every time, repeated evolution of analogous genes for similar functions has been extensively reported. Wing phenotypes of butterflies and moths have provided a wealth of examples of gene re-use, with certain 'hotspot loci' controlling wing patterns across diverse taxa. Here, we present an example of convergent evolution in the molecular genetic basis of Batesian wing mimicry in two Hypolimnas butterfly species. We show that mimicry is controlled by variation near cortex/ivory/mir-193, a known butterfly hotspot locus. By dissecting the genetic architecture of mimicry in Hypolimnas misippus and Hypolimnas bolina, we present evidence that distinct non-coding regions control the development of white pattern elements in the forewing and hindwing of the two species, suggesting independent evolution, and that no structural variation is found at the locus. Finally, we also show that orange coloration in H. bolina is associated with optix, a well-known patterning gene. Overall, our study once again implicates variation near the hotspot loci cortex/ivory/mir-193 and optix in butterfly wing mimicry and thereby highlights the repeatability of adaptive evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Orteu
- Tree of Life Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, UK
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Emily A. Hornett
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Science, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Louise A. Reynolds
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Science, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Ian A. Warren
- Tree of Life Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, UK
| | - Gregory D. D. Hurst
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Science, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Simon H. Martin
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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2
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Nakazato Y, Otaki JM. Socket Array Irregularities and Wing Membrane Distortions at the Eyespot Foci of Butterfly Wings Suggest Mechanical Signals for Color Pattern Determination. INSECTS 2024; 15:535. [PMID: 39057268 PMCID: PMC11276954 DOI: 10.3390/insects15070535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Eyespot foci on butterfly wings function as organizers of eyespot color patterns during development. Despite their importance, focal structures have not been examined in detail. Here, we microscopically examined scales, sockets, and the wing membrane in the butterfly eyespot foci of both expanded and unexpanded wings using the Blue Pansy butterfly Junonia orithya. Images from a high-resolution light microscope revealed that, although not always, eyespot foci had scales with disordered planar polarity. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images after scale removal revealed that the sockets were irregularly positioned and that the wing membrane was physically distorted as if the focal site were mechanically squeezed from the surroundings. Focal areas without eyespots also had socket array irregularities, but less frequently and less severely. Physical damage in the background area induced ectopic patterns with socket array irregularities and wing membrane distortions, similar to natural eyespot foci. These results suggest that either the process of determining an eyespot focus or the function of an eyespot organizer may be associated with wing-wide mechanics that physically disrupt socket cells, scale cells, and the wing membrane, supporting the physical distortion hypothesis of the induction model for color pattern determination in butterfly wings.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joji M. Otaki
- The BCPH Unit of Molecular Physiology, Department of Chemistry, Biology and Marine Science, Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara 903-0213, Okinawa, Japan
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3
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Rossi M, Hausmann AE, Alcami P, Moest M, Roussou R, Van Belleghem SM, Wright DS, Kuo CY, Lozano-Urrego D, Maulana A, Melo-Flórez L, Rueda-Muñoz G, McMahon S, Linares M, Osman C, McMillan WO, Pardo-Diaz C, Salazar C, Merrill RM. Adaptive introgression of a visual preference gene. Science 2024; 383:1368-1373. [PMID: 38513020 PMCID: PMC7616200 DOI: 10.1126/science.adj9201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Visual preferences are important drivers of mate choice and sexual selection, but little is known of how they evolve at the genetic level. In this study, we took advantage of the diversity of bright warning patterns displayed by Heliconius butterflies, which are also used during mate choice. Combining behavioral, population genomic, and expression analyses, we show that two Heliconius species have evolved the same preferences for red patterns by exchanging genetic material through hybridization. Neural expression of regucalcin1 correlates with visual preference across populations, and disruption of regucalcin1 with CRISPR-Cas9 impairs courtship toward conspecific females, providing a direct link between gene and behavior. Our results support a role for hybridization during behavioral evolution and show how visually guided behaviors contributing to adaptation and speciation are encoded within the genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Rossi
- Faculty of Biology, Ludwig Maximilian University; Munich, Germany
| | | | - Pepe Alcami
- Faculty of Biology, Ludwig Maximilian University; Munich, Germany
| | - Markus Moest
- Department of Ecology and Research Department for Limnology, Mondsee; University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Rodaria Roussou
- Faculty of Biology, Ludwig Maximilian University; Munich, Germany
| | | | | | - Chi-Yun Kuo
- Faculty of Biology, Ludwig Maximilian University; Munich, Germany
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute; Gamboa, Panama
| | - Daniela Lozano-Urrego
- Faculty of Biology, Ludwig Maximilian University; Munich, Germany
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Universidad del Rosario; Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Arif Maulana
- Faculty of Biology, Ludwig Maximilian University; Munich, Germany
| | - Lina Melo-Flórez
- Faculty of Biology, Ludwig Maximilian University; Munich, Germany
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Universidad del Rosario; Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Geraldine Rueda-Muñoz
- Faculty of Biology, Ludwig Maximilian University; Munich, Germany
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Universidad del Rosario; Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Saoirse McMahon
- Faculty of Biology, Ludwig Maximilian University; Munich, Germany
| | - Mauricio Linares
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Universidad del Rosario; Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Christof Osman
- Faculty of Biology, Ludwig Maximilian University; Munich, Germany
| | | | | | - Camilo Salazar
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Universidad del Rosario; Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Richard M. Merrill
- Faculty of Biology, Ludwig Maximilian University; Munich, Germany
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute; Gamboa, Panama
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4
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Polic D, Yıldırım Y, Merilaita S, Franzén M, Forsman A. Genetic structure, UV-vision, wing coloration and size coincide with colour polymorphism in Fabriciana adippe butterflies. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17272. [PMID: 38240162 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Colour polymorphisms have long served as model systems in evolutionary studies and continue to inform about processes involved in the origin and dynamics of biodiversity. Modern sequencing tools allow for evaluating whether phenotypic differences between morphs reflect genetic differentiation rather than developmental plasticity, and for investigating whether polymorphisms represent intermediate stages of diversification towards speciation. We investigated phenotypic and genetic differentiation between two colour morphs of the butterfly Fabriciana adippe using a combination of ddRAD-sequencing and comparisons of body size, colour patterns and optical properties of bright wing spots. The silvery-spotted adippe form had larger and darker wings and reflected UV light, while the yellow cleodoxa form displayed more green scales and reflected very little UV, showcasing that they constitute distinct and alternative integrated phenotypes. Genomic analyses revealed genetic structuring according to source population, and to colour morph, suggesting that the phenotypic differentiation reflects evolutionary modifications. We report 17 outlier loci associated with colour morph, including ultraviolet-sensitive visual pigment (UVRh1), which is associated with intraspecific communication and mate choice in butterflies. Together with the demonstration that the wings of the adippe (but essentially not the cleodoxa) morph reflect UV light, that UV reflectance is higher in females than males and that morphs differ in wing size, this suggests that these colour morphs might represent genetically integrated phenotypes, possibly adapted to different microhabitats. We propose that non-random mating might contribute to the differentiation and maintenance of the polymorphism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Polic
- Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Yeşerin Yıldırım
- Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Sami Merilaita
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Markus Franzén
- Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Anders Forsman
- Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
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5
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Orteu A, Kucka M, Gordon IJ, Ng’iru I, van der Heijden ESM, Talavera G, Warren IA, Collins S, ffrench-Constant RH, Martins DJ, Chan YF, Jiggins CD, Martin SH. Transposable Element Insertions Are Associated with Batesian Mimicry in the Pantropical Butterfly Hypolimnas misippus. Mol Biol Evol 2024; 41:msae041. [PMID: 38401262 PMCID: PMC10924252 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msae041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Hypolimnas misippus is a Batesian mimic of the toxic African Queen butterfly (Danaus chrysippus). Female H. misippus butterflies use two major wing patterning loci (M and A) to imitate three color morphs of D. chrysippus found in different regions of Africa. In this study, we examine the evolution of the M locus and identify it as an example of adaptive atavism. This phenomenon involves a morphological reversion to an ancestral character that results in an adaptive phenotype. We show that H. misippus has re-evolved an ancestral wing pattern present in other Hypolimnas species, repurposing it for Batesian mimicry of a D. chrysippus morph. Using haplotagging, a linked-read sequencing technology, and our new analytical tool, Wrath, we discover two large transposable element insertions located at the M locus and establish that these insertions are present in the dominant allele responsible for producing mimetic phenotype. By conducting a comparative analysis involving additional Hypolimnas species, we demonstrate that the dominant allele is derived. This suggests that, in the derived allele, the transposable elements disrupt a cis-regulatory element, leading to the reversion to an ancestral phenotype that is then utilized for Batesian mimicry of a distinct model, a different morph of D. chrysippus. Our findings present a compelling instance of convergent evolution and adaptive atavism, in which the same pattern element has independently evolved multiple times in Hypolimnas butterflies, repeatedly playing a role in Batesian mimicry of diverse model species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Orteu
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
- Tree of Life Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, UK
| | - Marek Kucka
- Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ian J Gordon
- Centre of Excellence in Biodiversity, University of Rwanda, Huye, Rwanda
| | - Ivy Ng’iru
- Mpala Research Centre, Nanyuki 10400, Laikipia, Kenya
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF 10 3AX, UK
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Eva S M van der Heijden
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
- Tree of Life Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, UK
| | - Gerard Talavera
- Institut Botànic de Barcelona (IBB), CSIC-CMCNB, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Ian A Warren
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Steve Collins
- African Butterfly Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - Dino J Martins
- Turkana Basin Institute, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | | | - Chris D Jiggins
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Simon H Martin
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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6
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Teng D, Zhang W. The diversification of butterfly wing patterns: progress and prospects. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2024; 61:101137. [PMID: 37922984 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2023.101137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Butterfly wings display rich phenotypic diversity and are associated with complex biological functions, thus serving as an important evolutionary system to address the genetic basis and evolution of phenotypic diversification. We review recent butterfly studies that revealed complex functions underlying diversified wing patterns and describe the genetic and environmental factors involved in wing pattern determinations. These factors lead to inter-specific divergence, genetic polymorphism, and phenotypic plasticity, which in many cases are decided by several key genes. We also summarize the research advances on gene co-option as an important origin of functional complexity and evolutionary novelty. These findings reveal a pattern of evolutionary innovation within a constrained developmental framework during butterfly wing morphogenesis, but further research is required to gain a systematic and comprehensive understanding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dequn Teng
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Medog Biodiversity Observation and Research Station of Tibet Autonomous Region, Nyingchi 860711, China.
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7
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Yang W, Cui J, Chen Y, Wang C, Yin Y, Zhang W, Liu S, Sun C, Li H, Duan Y, Song F, Cai W, Hines HM, Tian L. Genetic Modification of a Hox Locus Drives Mimetic Color Pattern Variation in a Highly Polymorphic Bumble Bee. Mol Biol Evol 2023; 40:msad261. [PMID: 38039153 PMCID: PMC10724181 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msad261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Müllerian mimicry provides natural replicates ideal for exploring mechanisms underlying adaptive phenotypic divergence and convergence, yet the genetic mechanisms underlying mimetic variation remain largely unknown. The current study investigates the genetic basis of mimetic color pattern variation in a highly polymorphic bumble bee, Bombus breviceps (Hymenoptera, Apidae). In South Asia, this species and multiple comimetic species converge onto local Müllerian mimicry patterns by shifting the abdominal setal color from orange to black. Genetic crossing between the orange and black phenotypes suggested the color dimorphism being controlled by a single Mendelian locus, with the orange allele being dominant over black. Genome-wide association suggests that a locus at the intergenic region between 2 abdominal fate-determining Hox genes, abd-A and Abd-B, is associated with the color change. This locus is therefore in the same intergenic region but not the same exact locus as found to drive red black midabdominal variation in a distantly related bumble bee species, Bombus melanopygus. Gene expression analysis and RNA interferences suggest that differential expression of an intergenic long noncoding RNA between abd-A and Abd-B at the onset setal color differentiation may drive the orange black color variation by causing a homeotic shift late in development. Analysis of this same color locus in comimetic species reveals no sequence association with the same color shift, suggesting that mimetic convergence is achieved through distinct genetic routes. Our study establishes Hox regions as genomic hotspots for color pattern evolution in bumble bees and demonstrates how pleiotropic developmental loci can drive adaptive radiations in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanhu Yang
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jixiang Cui
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yuxin Chen
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Chao Wang
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yuanzhi Yin
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Shanlin Liu
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Cheng Sun
- College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Hu Li
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yuange Duan
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Fan Song
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Wanzhi Cai
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Heather M Hines
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Li Tian
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
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8
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Hanly JJ, Loh LS, Mazo-Vargas A, Rivera-Miranda TS, Livraghi L, Tendolkar A, Day CR, Liutikaite N, Earls EA, Corning OBWH, D'Souza N, Hermina-Perez JJ, Mehta C, Ainsworth JA, Rossi M, Papa R, McMillan WO, Perry MW, Martin A. Frizzled2 receives WntA signaling during butterfly wing pattern formation. Development 2023; 150:dev201868. [PMID: 37602496 PMCID: PMC10560568 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
Butterfly color patterns provide visible and biodiverse phenotypic readouts of the patterning processes. Although the secreted ligand WntA has been shown to instruct the color pattern formation in butterflies, its mode of reception remains elusive. Butterfly genomes encode four homologs of the Frizzled-family of Wnt receptors. Here, we show that CRISPR mosaic knockouts of frizzled2 (fz2) phenocopy the color pattern effects of WntA loss of function in multiple nymphalids. Whereas WntA mosaic clones result in intermediate patterns of reduced size, fz2 clones are cell-autonomous, consistent with a morphogen function. Shifts in expression of WntA and fz2 in WntA crispant pupae show that they are under positive and negative feedback, respectively. Fz1 is required for Wnt-independent planar cell polarity in the wing epithelium. Fz3 and Fz4 show phenotypes consistent with Wnt competitive-antagonist functions in vein formation (Fz3 and Fz4), wing margin specification (Fz3), and color patterning in the Discalis and Marginal Band Systems (Fz4). Overall, these data show that the WntA/Frizzled2 morphogen-receptor pair forms a signaling axis that instructs butterfly color patterning and shed light on the functional diversity of insect Frizzled receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph J. Hanly
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Gamboa 0843-03092, Panama
| | - Ling S. Loh
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Anyi Mazo-Vargas
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | | | - Luca Livraghi
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Gamboa 0843-03092, Panama
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Amruta Tendolkar
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Christopher R. Day
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
- Epigenetics and Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Neringa Liutikaite
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Emily A. Earls
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Olaf B. W. H. Corning
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Natalie D'Souza
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - José J. Hermina-Perez
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Caroline Mehta
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Julia A. Ainsworth
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Matteo Rossi
- Division of Evolutionary Biology, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich 80539, Germany
| | - Riccardo Papa
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras, San Juan 00931, Puerto Rico
- Molecular Sciences and Research Center, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan 00931, Puerto Rico
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche della Vita e della Sostenibilità Ambientale, Università di Parma, Parma 43121, Italy
| | - W. Owen McMillan
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Gamboa 0843-03092, Panama
| | - Michael W. Perry
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Arnaud Martin
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Gamboa 0843-03092, Panama
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9
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Hanly JJ, Francescutti CM, Loh LS, Corning OBWH, Long DJ, Nakatani MA, Porter AH, Martin A. Genetics of yellow-orange color variation in a pair of sympatric sulphur butterflies. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112820. [PMID: 37481719 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Continuous color polymorphisms can serve as a tractable model for the genetic and developmental architecture of traits. Here we investigated continuous color variation in Colias eurytheme and Colias philodice, two species of sulphur butterflies that hybridize in sympatry. Using quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis and high-throughput color quantification, we found two interacting large-effect loci affecting orange-to-yellow chromaticity. Knockouts of red Malpighian tubules (red), likely involved in endosomal maturation, result in depigmented wing scales. Additionally, the transcription factor bric-a-brac can act as a modulator of orange pigmentation. We also describe the QTL architecture of other continuously varying traits, together supporting a large-X effect model where the genetic control of species-defining traits is enriched on sex chromosomes. This study sheds light on the range of possible genetic architectures that can underpin a continuously varying trait and illustrates the power of using automated measurement to score phenotypes that are not always conspicuous to the human eye.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph J Hanly
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA; Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Gamboa, Panama.
| | | | - Ling S Loh
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Olaf B W H Corning
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Derek J Long
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Marshall A Nakatani
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Adam H Porter
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA.
| | - Arnaud Martin
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
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10
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Hundsdoerfer AK, Schell T, Patzold F, Wright CJ, Yoshido A, Marec F, Daneck H, Winkler S, Greve C, Podsiadlowski L, Hiller M, Pippel M. High-quality haploid genomes corroborate 29 chromosomes and highly conserved synteny of genes in Hyles hawkmoths (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). BMC Genomics 2023; 24:443. [PMID: 37550607 PMCID: PMC10405479 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09506-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Morphological and traditional genetic studies of the young Pliocene genus Hyles have led to the understanding that despite its importance for taxonomy, phenotypic similarity of wing patterns does not correlate with phylogenetic relationship. To gain insights into various aspects of speciation in the Spurge Hawkmoth (Hyles euphorbiae), we assembled a chromosome-level genome and investigated some of its characteristics. RESULTS The genome of a male H. euphorbiae was sequenced using PacBio and Hi-C data, yielding a 504 Mb assembly (scaffold N50 of 18.2 Mb) with 99.9% of data represented by the 29 largest scaffolds forming the haploid chromosome set. Consistent with this, FISH analysis of the karyotype revealed n = 29 chromosomes and a WZ/ZZ (female/male) sex chromosome system. Estimates of chromosome length based on the karyotype image provided an additional quality metric of assembled chromosome size. Rescaffolding the published male H. vespertilio genome resulted in a high-quality assembly (651 Mb, scaffold N50 of 22 Mb) with 98% of sequence data in the 29 chromosomes. The larger genome size of H. vespertilio (average 1C DNA value of 562 Mb) was accompanied by a proportional increase in repeats from 45% in H. euphorbiae (measured as 472 Mb) to almost 55% in H. vespertilio. Several wing pattern genes were found on the same chromosomes in the two species, with varying amounts and positions of repetitive elements and inversions possibly corrupting their function. CONCLUSIONS Our two-fold comparative genomics approach revealed high gene synteny of the Hyles genomes to other Sphingidae and high correspondence to intact Merian elements, the ancestral linkage groups of Lepidoptera, with the exception of three simple fusion events. We propose a standardized approach for genome taxonomy using nucleotide homology via scaffold chaining as the primary tool combined with Oxford plots based on Merian elements to infer and visualize directionality of chromosomal rearrangements. The identification of wing pattern genes promises future understanding of the evolution of forewing patterns in the genus Hyles, although further sequencing data from more individuals are needed. The genomic data obtained provide additional reliable references for further comparative studies in hawkmoths (Sphingidae).
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna K Hundsdoerfer
- Senckenberg Natural History Collections Dresden, Königsbrücker Landstr. 159, 01109, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Tilman Schell
- LOEWE-Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Frankfurt Am Main, Germany
| | - Franziska Patzold
- Senckenberg Natural History Collections Dresden, Königsbrücker Landstr. 159, 01109, Dresden, Germany
| | | | - Atsuo Yoshido
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Branišovská 31, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - František Marec
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Branišovská 31, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Hana Daneck
- Senckenberg Natural History Collections Dresden, Königsbrücker Landstr. 159, 01109, Dresden, Germany
| | - Sylke Winkler
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstraße 108, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Carola Greve
- LOEWE-Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Frankfurt Am Main, Germany
| | - Lars Podsiadlowski
- Centre for Molecular Biodiversity Research, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change, Adenauerallee 127, 53113, Bonn, Germany
| | - Michael Hiller
- LOEWE-Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Frankfurt Am Main, Germany
| | - Martin Pippel
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstraße 108, 01307, Dresden, Germany
- Center for Systems Biology Dresden, Pfotenhauerstr. 108, 01307, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Husargatan 3, Uppsala, 751 23, Sweden
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11
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Bayala EX, Cisneros I, Massardo D, VanKuren NW, Kronforst MR. Divergent expression of aristaless1 and aristaless2 during embryonic appendage and pupal wing development in butterflies. BMC Biol 2023; 21:104. [PMID: 37170114 PMCID: PMC10173497 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01602-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gene duplication events are critical for the evolution of new gene functions. Aristaless is a major regulator of distinct developmental processes. It is most known for its role during appendage development across animals. However, more recently other distinct biological functions have been described for this gene and its duplicates. Butterflies and moths have two copies of aristaless, aristaless1 (al1) and aristaless2 (al2), as a result of a gene duplication event. Previous work in Heliconius has shown that both copies appear to have novel functions related to wing color patterning. Here we expand our knowledge of the expression profiles associated with both ancestral and novel functions of Al1 across embryogenesis and wing pigmentation. Furthermore, we characterize Al2 expression, providing a comparative framework between gene copies within the same species, allowing us to understand the origin of new functions following gene duplication. RESULTS Our work shows that the expression of both Al1 and Al2 is associated with the ancestral function of sensory appendage (leg, mouth, spines, and eyes) development in embryos. Interestingly, Al1 exhibits higher expression earlier in embryogenesis while the highest levels of Al2 expression are shifted to later stages of embryonic development. Furthermore, Al1 localization appears extranuclear while Al2 co-localizes tightly with nuclei earlier, and then also expands outside the nucleus later in development. Cellular expression of Al1 and Al2 in pupal wings is broadly consistent with patterns observed during embryogenesis. We also describe, for the first time, how Al1 localization appears to correlate with zones of anterior/posterior elongation of the body during embryonic growth, showcasing a possible new function related to Aristaless' previously described role in appendage extension. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our data suggest that while both gene copies play a role in embryogenesis and wing pigmentation, the duplicates have diverged temporally and mechanistically across those functions. Our study helps clarify principles behind sub-functionalization and gene expression evolution associated with developmental functions following gene duplication events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erick X Bayala
- Department of Ecology & Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
| | - Isabella Cisneros
- Department of Ecology & Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Darli Massardo
- Department of Ecology & Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Nicholas W VanKuren
- Department of Ecology & Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Marcus R Kronforst
- Department of Ecology & Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
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12
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Bayala EX, VanKuren N, Massardo D, Kronforst MR. aristaless1 has a dual role in appendage formation and wing color specification during butterfly development. BMC Biol 2023; 21:100. [PMID: 37143075 PMCID: PMC10161628 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01601-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Highly diverse butterfly wing patterns have emerged as a powerful system for understanding the genetic basis of phenotypic variation. While the genetic basis of this pattern variation is being clarified, the precise developmental pathways linking genotype to phenotype are not well understood. The gene aristaless, which plays a role in appendage patterning and extension, has been duplicated in Lepidoptera. One copy, aristaless1, has been shown to control a white/yellow color switch in the butterfly Heliconius cydno, suggesting a novel function associated with color patterning and pigmentation. Here we investigate the developmental basis of al1 in embryos, larvae, and pupae using new antibodies, CRISPR/Cas9, RNAi, qPCR assays of downstream targets, and pharmacological manipulation of an upstream activator. RESULTS We find that Al1 is expressed at the distal tips of developing embryonic appendages consistent with its ancestral role. In developing wings, we observe Al1 accumulation within developing scale cells of white H. cydno during early pupation while yellow scale cells exhibit little Al1 at this time point. Reduced Al1 expression is also associated with yellow scale development in al1 knockouts and knockdowns. We propose that Al1 expression in future white scales might be related to an observed downregulation of the enzyme Cinnabar and other genes that synthesize and transport the yellow pigment, 3-hydroxykynurenine (3-OHK). Finally, we provide evidence that Al1 activation is under the control of Wnt signaling. CONCLUSIONS We propose a model in which high levels of Al1 during early pupation, which are mediated by Wnt, are important for melanic pigmentation and specifying white portions of the wing while reduced levels of Al1 during early pupation promote upregulation of proteins needed to move and synthesize 3-OHK, promoting yellow pigmentation. In addition, we discuss how the ancestral role of aristaless in appendage extension may be relevant in understanding the cellular mechanism behind color patterning in the context of the heterochrony hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erick X Bayala
- Department of Ecology & Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
| | - Nicholas VanKuren
- Department of Ecology & Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Darli Massardo
- Department of Ecology & Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Marcus R Kronforst
- Department of Ecology & Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
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13
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Van Belleghem SM, Ruggieri AA, Concha C, Livraghi L, Hebberecht L, Rivera ES, Ogilvie JG, Hanly JJ, Warren IA, Planas S, Ortiz-Ruiz Y, Reed R, Lewis JJ, Jiggins CD, Counterman BA, McMillan WO, Papa R. High level of novelty under the hood of convergent evolution. Science 2023; 379:1043-1049. [PMID: 36893249 PMCID: PMC11000492 DOI: 10.1126/science.ade0004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
Little is known about the extent to which species use homologous regulatory architectures to achieve phenotypic convergence. By characterizing chromatin accessibility and gene expression in developing wing tissues, we compared the regulatory architecture of convergence between a pair of mimetic butterfly species. Although a handful of color pattern genes are known to be involved in their convergence, our data suggest that different mutational paths underlie the integration of these genes into wing pattern development. This is supported by a large fraction of accessible chromatin being exclusive to each species, including the de novo lineage-specific evolution of a modular optix enhancer. These findings may be explained by a high level of developmental drift and evolutionary contingency that occurs during the independent evolution of mimicry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven M. Van Belleghem
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico
- Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology, Biology Department, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Angelo A. Ruggieri
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico
| | - Carolina Concha
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Republic of Panama
| | - Luca Livraghi
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Republic of Panama
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Laura Hebberecht
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Republic of Panama
- School of Biological Sciences, Bristol University, Bristol, UK
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Edgardo Santiago Rivera
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Republic of Panama
- Department of Biomaterials, Universität Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - James G. Ogilvie
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Republic of Panama
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA
| | - Joseph J. Hanly
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Republic of Panama
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Ian A. Warren
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Silvia Planas
- Molecular Sciences and Research Center, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Yadira Ortiz-Ruiz
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico
- Molecular Sciences and Research Center, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Robert Reed
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - James J. Lewis
- Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | | | | | - W. Owen McMillan
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Republic of Panama
| | - Riccardo Papa
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico
- Molecular Sciences and Research Center, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
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14
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Otaki JM, Nakazato Y. Butterfly Wing Color Pattern Modification Inducers May Act on Chitin in the Apical Extracellular Site: Implications in Morphogenic Signals for Color Pattern Determination. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:1620. [PMID: 36358322 PMCID: PMC9687432 DOI: 10.3390/biology11111620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Butterfly wing color patterns are modified by various treatments, such as temperature shock, injection of chemical inducers, and covering materials on pupal wing tissue. Their mechanisms of action have been enigmatic. Here, we investigated the mechanisms of color pattern modifications usingthe blue pansy butterfly Junoniaorithya. We hypothesized that these modification-inducing treatments act on the pupal cuticle or extracellular matrix (ECM). Mechanical load tests revealed that pupae treated with cold shock or chemical inducers were significantly less rigid, suggesting that these treatments made cuticle formation less efficient. A known chitin inhibitor, FB28 (fluorescent brightener 28), was discovered to efficiently induce modifications. Taking advantage of its fluorescent character, fluorescent signals from FB28 were observed in live pupae in vivo from the apical extracellular side and were concentrated at the pupal cuticle focal spots immediately above the eyespot organizing centers. It was shown that chemical modification inducers and covering materials worked additively. Taken together, various modification-inducing treatments likely act extracellularly on chitin or other polysaccharides to inhibit pupal cuticle formation or ECM function, which probably causes retardation of morphogenic signals. It is likely that an interactive ECM is required for morphogenic signals for color pattern determination to travel long distances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joji M. Otaki
- The BCPH Unit of Molecular Physiology, Department of Chemistry, Biology and Marine Science, Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan
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15
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Ruggieri AA, Livraghi L, Lewis JJ, Evans E, Cicconardi F, Hebberecht L, Ortiz-Ruiz Y, Montgomery SH, Ghezzi A, Rodriguez-Martinez JA, Jiggins CD, McMillan WO, Counterman BA, Papa R, Van Belleghem SM. A butterfly pan-genome reveals that a large amount of structural variation underlies the evolution of chromatin accessibility. Genome Res 2022; 32:1862-1875. [PMID: 36109150 PMCID: PMC9712634 DOI: 10.1101/gr.276839.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Despite insertions and deletions being the most common structural variants (SVs) found across genomes, not much is known about how much these SVs vary within populations and between closely related species, nor their significance in evolution. To address these questions, we characterized the evolution of indel SVs using genome assemblies of three closely related Heliconius butterfly species. Over the relatively short evolutionary timescales investigated, up to 18.0% of the genome was composed of indels between two haplotypes of an individual Heliconius charithonia butterfly and up to 62.7% included lineage-specific SVs between the genomes of the most distant species (11 Mya). Lineage-specific sequences were mostly characterized as transposable elements (TEs) inserted at random throughout the genome and their overall distribution was similarly affected by linked selection as single nucleotide substitutions. Using chromatin accessibility profiles (i.e., ATAC-seq) of head tissue in caterpillars to identify sequences with potential cis-regulatory function, we found that out of the 31,066 identified differences in chromatin accessibility between species, 30.4% were within lineage-specific SVs and 9.4% were characterized as TE insertions. These TE insertions were localized closer to gene transcription start sites than expected at random and were enriched for sites with significant resemblance to several transcription factor binding sites with known function in neuron development in Drosophila We also identified 24 TE insertions with head-specific chromatin accessibility. Our results show high rates of structural genome evolution that were previously overlooked in comparative genomic studies and suggest a high potential for structural variation to serve as raw material for adaptive evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelo A Ruggieri
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras, San Juan PR 00931, Puerto Rico
| | - Luca Livraghi
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092 Panamá, Panama
| | - James J Lewis
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Elizabeth Evans
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras, San Juan PR 00931, Puerto Rico
| | - Francesco Cicconardi
- School of Biological Sciences, Bristol University, Bristol BS8 1QU, United Kingdom
| | - Laura Hebberecht
- School of Biological Sciences, Bristol University, Bristol BS8 1QU, United Kingdom
| | - Yadira Ortiz-Ruiz
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras, San Juan PR 00931, Puerto Rico
- Molecular Sciences and Research Center, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan 00926, Puerto Rico
| | - Stephen H Montgomery
- School of Biological Sciences, Bristol University, Bristol BS8 1QU, United Kingdom
| | - Alfredo Ghezzi
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras, San Juan PR 00931, Puerto Rico
| | | | - Chris D Jiggins
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, United Kingdom
| | - W Owen McMillan
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092 Panamá, Panama
| | - Brian A Counterman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849, USA
| | - Riccardo Papa
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras, San Juan PR 00931, Puerto Rico
- Molecular Sciences and Research Center, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan 00926, Puerto Rico
| | - Steven M Van Belleghem
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras, San Juan PR 00931, Puerto Rico
- Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology, Biology Department, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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16
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Jay P, Leroy M, Le Poul Y, Whibley A, Arias M, Chouteau M, Joron M. Association mapping of colour variation in a butterfly provides evidence that a supergene locks together a cluster of adaptive loci. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210193. [PMID: 35694756 PMCID: PMC9189503 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Supergenes are genetic architectures associated with discrete and concerted variation in multiple traits. It has long been suggested that supergenes control these complex polymorphisms by suppressing recombination between sets of coadapted genes. However, because recombination suppression hinders the dissociation of the individual effects of genes within supergenes, there is still little evidence that supergenes evolve by tightening linkage between coadapted genes. Here, combining a landmark-free phenotyping algorithm with multivariate genome-wide association studies, we dissected the genetic basis of wing pattern variation in the butterfly Heliconius numata. We show that the supergene controlling the striking wing pattern polymorphism displayed by this species contains several independent loci associated with different features of wing patterns. The three chromosomal inversions of this supergene suppress recombination between these loci, supporting the hypothesis that they may have evolved because they captured beneficial combinations of alleles. Some of these loci are, however, associated with colour variations only in a subset of morphs where the phenotype is controlled by derived inversion forms, indicating that they were recruited after the formation of the inversions. Our study shows that supergenes and clusters of adaptive loci in general may form via the evolution of chromosomal rearrangements suppressing recombination between co-adapted loci but also via the subsequent recruitment of linked adaptive mutations. This article is part of the theme issue 'Genomic architecture of supergenes: causes and evolutionary consequences'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Jay
- CEFE, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, 34293 Montpellier cedex 5, France
| | - Manon Leroy
- CEFE, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, 34293 Montpellier cedex 5, France
| | - Yann Le Poul
- CEFE, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, 34293 Montpellier cedex 5, France
| | - Annabel Whibley
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
| | - Mónica Arias
- CIRAD, UMR PHIM, F-34398 Montpellier, France.,PHIM, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Institut Agro, IRD, CEDEX 5, 34398 Montpellier, France
| | - Mathieu Chouteau
- CEFE, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, 34293 Montpellier cedex 5, France.,LEEISA, USR 63456, Université de Guyane, CNRS, IFREMER, 275 route de Montabo, 797334 Cayenne, French Guiana
| | - Mathieu Joron
- CEFE, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, 34293 Montpellier cedex 5, France
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17
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Ansai S, Kitano J. Speciation and adaptation research meets genome editing. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20200516. [PMID: 35634923 PMCID: PMC9149800 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the genetic basis of reproductive isolation and adaptive traits in natural populations is one of the fundamental goals in evolutionary biology. Genome editing technologies based on CRISPR-Cas systems and site-specific recombinases have enabled us to modify a targeted genomic region as desired and thus to conduct functional analyses of target loci, genes and mutations even in non-conventional model organisms. Here, we review the technical properties of genome editing techniques by classifying them into the following applications: targeted gene knock-out for investigating causative gene functions, targeted gene knock-in of marker genes for visualizing expression patterns and protein functions, precise gene replacement for identifying causative alleles and mutations, and targeted chromosomal rearrangement for investigating the functional roles of chromosomal structural variations. We describe examples of their application to demonstrate functional analysis of naturally occurring genetic variations and discuss how these technologies can be applied to speciation and adaptation research. This article is part of the theme issue 'Genetic basis of adaptation and speciation: from loci to causative mutations'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoshi Ansai
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Katahira 2-1-1, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8577, Japan
| | - Jun Kitano
- Ecological Genetics Laboratory, Department of Genomics and Evolutionary Biology, National Institute of Genetics, Yata 1111, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
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18
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Komata S, Lin CP, Fujiwara H. doublesex Controls Both Hindwing and Abdominal Mimicry Traits in the Female-Limited Batesian Mimicry of Papilio memnon. FRONTIERS IN INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 2:929518. [PMID: 38468762 PMCID: PMC10926503 DOI: 10.3389/finsc.2022.929518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Papilio butterflies are known to possess female-limited Batesian mimicry polymorphisms. In Papilio memnon, females have mimetic and non-mimetic forms, whereas males are monomorphic and non-mimetic. Mimetic females are characterized by color patterns and tails in the hindwing and yellow abdomens. Recently, an analysis of whole-genome sequences has shown that an approximately 160 kb region of chromosome 25 is responsible for mimicry and has high diversity between mimetic (A) and non-mimetic (a) alleles (highly diversified region: HDR). The HDR includes three genes, UXT, doublesex (dsx), and Nach-like, but the functions of these genes are unknown. Here, we investigated the function of dsx, a gene involved in sexual differentiation, which is expected to be functionally important for hindwing and abdominal mimetic traits in P. memnon. Expression analysis by reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and RNA sequencing showed that mimetic dsx (dsx-A) was highly expressed in the hindwings in the early pupal stage. In the abdomen, both dsx-A and dsx-a were highly expressed during the early pupal stage. When dsx was knocked down using small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) designed in the common region of dsx-A and dsx-a, a male-like pattern appeared on the hindwings of mimetic and non-mimetic females. Similarly, when dsx was knocked down in the abdomen, the yellow scales characteristic of mimetic females changed to black. Furthermore, when dsx-a was specifically knocked down, the color pattern of the hindwings changed, as in the case of dsx knockdown in non-mimetic females but not mimetic females. These results suggest that dsx-a is involved in color pattern formation on the hindwings of non-mimetic females, whereas dsx-A is involved in hindwing and abdominal mimetic traits. dsx was involved in abdominal and hindwing mimetic traits, but dsx expression patterns in the hindwing and abdomen were different, suggesting that different regulatory mechanisms may exist. Our study is the first to show that the same gene (dsx) regulates both the hindwing and abdominal mimetic traits. This is the first functional analysis of abdominal mimicry in butterflies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinya Komata
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Chung-Ping Lin
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Haruhiko Fujiwara
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan
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19
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McDonald JMC, Reed RD. Patterns of selection across gene regulatory networks. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2022; 145:60-67. [PMID: 35474149 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.03.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Gene regulatory networks (GRNs) are the core engine of organismal development. If we would like to understand the origin and diversification of phenotypes, it is necessary to consider the structure of GRNs in order to reconstruct the links between genetic mutations and phenotypic change. Much of the progress in evolutionary developmental biology, however, has occurred without a nuanced consideration of the evolution of functional relationships between genes, especially in the context of their broader network interactions. Characterizing and comparing GRNs across traits and species in a more detailed way will allow us to determine how network position influences what genes drive adaptive evolution. In this perspective paper, we consider the architecture of developmental GRNs and how positive selection strength may vary across a GRN. We then propose several testable models for these patterns of selection and experimental approaches to test these models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeanne M C McDonald
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States.
| | - Robert D Reed
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States.
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20
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Common Themes and Future Challenges in Understanding Gene Regulatory Network Evolution. Cells 2022; 11:cells11030510. [PMID: 35159319 PMCID: PMC8834487 DOI: 10.3390/cells11030510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A major driving force behind the evolution of species-specific traits and novel structures is alterations in gene regulatory networks (GRNs). Comprehending evolution therefore requires an understanding of the nature of changes in GRN structure and the responsible mechanisms. Here, we review two insect pigmentation GRNs in order to examine common themes in GRN evolution and to reveal some of the challenges associated with investigating changes in GRNs across different evolutionary distances at the molecular level. The pigmentation GRN in Drosophila melanogaster and other drosophilids is a well-defined network for which studies from closely related species illuminate the different ways co-option of regulators can occur. The pigmentation GRN for butterflies of the Heliconius species group is less fully detailed but it is emerging as a useful model for exploring important questions about redundancy and modularity in cis-regulatory systems. Both GRNs serve to highlight the ways in which redeployment of trans-acting factors can lead to GRN rewiring and network co-option. To gain insight into GRN evolution, we discuss the importance of defining GRN architecture at multiple levels both within and between species and of utilizing a range of complementary approaches.
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21
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Huo SM, Zhang YY, Song ZR, Xiong XH, Hong XY. The potential pigmentation-related genes in spider mites revealed by comparative transcriptomes of the red form of Tetranychus urticae. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 30:580-593. [PMID: 34309936 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Colouration in spider mites is due to the presence of carotenoids with diverse colours, including yellows, oranges and reds. Tetranychus urticae has two main colour forms, red and green. Although a ketolase has been implicated in determining the colour, the underlying genetic basis of body colour divergence between the two forms has remained unclear. Based on a combination of comparative transcriptomes and RNA interference, we found that a gene encoding a cytochrome P450 enzyme of the CYP4 clan (CYP389B1) had remarkably high expression in adult females of the red T. urticae, as well as in hybrids obtained by crossing the red and green forms. Down-regulation of this gene by RNA interference resulted in decreased accumulation of red pigment. Up-regulation of the expressions of a scavenger receptor gene (SCARB1) and a mitochondrial glycine transporter (SLC25A38) also strongly contributed to red colour development in adult females. Suppressing the mRNA levels of these genes also resulted in reduced accumulation of red pigment in the three other spider mites with red body colour. Our results provide evidence that the body colour divergence between the two forms is caused by different expressions of pigmentation-related genes, and point to a possible role of a novel cytochrome P450 gene (CYP389B1) in regulating red-orange body colour. These findings expand the number of candidate cytochrome P450 genes involved in endogenous pigmentation and will help to understand their roles in determining colour patterns in mites and other species.
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Affiliation(s)
- S-M Huo
- Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Y-Y Zhang
- Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Z-R Song
- Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - X-H Xiong
- Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - X-Y Hong
- Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
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22
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Piron-Prunier F, Persyn E, Legeai F, McClure M, Meslin C, Robin S, Alves-Carvalho S, Mohammad A, Blugeon C, Jacquin-Joly E, Montagné N, Elias M, Gauthier J. Comparative transcriptome analysis at the onset of speciation in a mimetic butterfly-The Ithomiini Melinaea marsaeus. J Evol Biol 2021; 34:1704-1721. [PMID: 34570954 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Ecological speciation entails divergent selection on specific traits and ultimately on the developmental pathways responsible for these traits. Selection can act on gene sequences but also on regulatory regions responsible for gene expression. Mimetic butterflies are a relevant system for speciation studies because wing colour pattern (WCP) often diverges between closely related taxa and is thought to drive speciation through assortative mating and increased predation on hybrids. Here, we generate the first transcriptomic resources for a mimetic butterfly of the tribe Ithomiini, Melinaea marsaeus, to examine patterns of differential expression between two subspecies and between tissues that express traits that likely drive reproductive isolation; WCP and chemosensory genes. We sequenced whole transcriptomes of three life stages to cover a large catalogue of transcripts, and we investigated differential expression between subspecies in pupal wing discs and antennae. Eighteen known WCP genes were expressed in wing discs and 115 chemosensory genes were expressed in antennae, with a remarkable diversity of chemosensory protein genes. Many transcripts were differentially expressed between subspecies, including two WCP genes and one odorant receptor. Our results suggest that in M. marsaeus the same genes as in other mimetic butterflies are involved in traits causing reproductive isolation, and point at possible candidates for the differences in those traits between subspecies. Differential expression analyses of other developmental stages and body organs and functional studies are needed to confirm and expand these results. Our work provides key resources for comparative genomics in mimetic butterflies, and more generally in Lepidoptera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florence Piron-Prunier
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité, MNHN, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, Paris, France
| | - Emma Persyn
- Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris, Sorbonne Université, INRAE, CNRS, IRD, UPEC, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Fabrice Legeai
- BIPAA, IGEPP, INRAE, Institut Agro, Univ Rennes, Rennes, France.,Univ Rennes, INRIA, CNRS, IRISA, Rennes, France
| | - Melanie McClure
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité, MNHN, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, Paris, France.,Laboratoire Écologie, Évolution,Interactions des Systèmes Amazoniens (LEEISA), Université de Guyane, CNRS, IFREMER, Cayenne, France
| | - Camille Meslin
- Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris, Sorbonne Université, INRAE, CNRS, IRD, UPEC, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Stéphanie Robin
- BIPAA, IGEPP, INRAE, Institut Agro, Univ Rennes, Rennes, France.,Univ Rennes, INRIA, CNRS, IRISA, Rennes, France
| | | | - Ammara Mohammad
- Département de Biologie, Genomics Core Facility, Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), École Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Corinne Blugeon
- Département de Biologie, Genomics Core Facility, Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), École Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Emmanuelle Jacquin-Joly
- Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris, Sorbonne Université, INRAE, CNRS, IRD, UPEC, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Montagné
- Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris, Sorbonne Université, INRAE, CNRS, IRD, UPEC, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Marianne Elias
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité, MNHN, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, Paris, France
| | - Jérémy Gauthier
- Univ Rennes, INRIA, CNRS, IRISA, Rennes, France.,Geneva Natural History Museum, Geneva, Switzerland
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23
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Hill RI. Convergent flight morphology among Müllerian mimic mutualists. Evolution 2021; 75:2460-2479. [PMID: 34431522 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Müllerian mimicry involves a signal mutualism between prey species, shaped by visually hunting predators, and recent work has emphasized the importance of color pattern. Predators respond to more than color pattern, however, and other traits are much less studied. This article examines the hypothesis of convergent evolution in flight-related morphology among eight mimicry complexes composed of 51 butterfly species (Nymphalidae, Danainae, Ithomiini) from a single community in Ecuador. Phylogenetic comparative analyses of 14 variables indicated strong morphological differences between mimicry complexes belonging to three clusters of morphological space ("large yellow transparent," "tiger," and "transparent"), not the eight predicted based on color pattern alone. Analyses found convergence within mimicry complexes, convergence between mimicry complexes within morphospace clusters, and divergence between mimicry complexes from different morphospace clusters. These three clusters differed in size, and body and wing shape, predicting that flight biomechanics also converge (i.e., locomotor mimicry). Potential constraints on evolution of morphological mimicry related to predator discrimination, and evolutionary rates, likely e xplain why flight-related morphology differences were limited to three clusters of morphological space. Finally, the added complexity that flight-related morphology brings to signals between predator and prey indicates that evolutionary switches in color pattern are not all equally likely, potentially limiting the evolution of color patterns if they do not match morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan I Hill
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, 94720.,Current Address: Department of Biological Sciences, University of the Pacific, Stockton, California, 95211
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24
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Ernst DA, Westerman EL. Stage- and sex-specific transcriptome analyses reveal distinctive sensory gene expression patterns in a butterfly. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:584. [PMID: 34340656 PMCID: PMC8327453 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07819-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Animal behavior is largely driven by the information that animals are able to extract and process from their environment. However, the function and organization of sensory systems often change throughout ontogeny, particularly in animals that undergo indirect development. As an initial step toward investigating these ontogenetic changes at the molecular level, we characterized the sensory gene repertoire and examined the expression profiles of genes linked to vision and chemosensation in two life stages of an insect that goes through metamorphosis, the butterfly Bicyclus anynana. Results Using RNA-seq, we compared gene expression in the heads of late fifth instar larvae and newly eclosed adults that were reared under identical conditions. Over 50 % of all expressed genes were differentially expressed between the two developmental stages, with 4,036 genes upregulated in larval heads and 4,348 genes upregulated in adult heads. In larvae, upregulated vision-related genes were biased toward those involved with eye development, while phototransduction genes dominated the vision genes that were upregulated in adults. Moreover, the majority of the chemosensory genes we identified in the B. anynana genome were differentially expressed between larvae and adults, several of which share homology with genes linked to pheromone detection, host plant recognition, and foraging in other species of Lepidoptera. Conclusions These results revealed promising candidates for furthering our understanding of sensory processing and behavior in the disparate developmental stages of butterflies and other animals that undergo metamorphosis. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-021-07819-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Ernst
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, 72701, Fayetteville, AR, USA.
| | - Erica L Westerman
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, 72701, Fayetteville, AR, USA
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25
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Van Belleghem SM, Lewis JJ, Rivera ES, Papa R. Heliconius butterflies: a window into the evolution and development of diversity. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2021; 69:72-81. [PMID: 33714874 PMCID: PMC8364860 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2021.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Butterflies have become prominent models for studying the evolution and development of phenotypic variation. In Heliconius, extraordinary within species divergence and between species convergence in wing color patterns has driven decades of comparative genetic studies. However, connecting genetic patterns of diversification to the molecular mechanisms of adaptation has remained elusive. Recent studies are bridging this gap between genome and function and have driven substantial advances in deciphering the genetic architecture of diversification in Heliconius. While only a handful of large-effect genes were initially identified in the diversification of Heliconius color patterns, recent experiments have begun to unravel the underlying gene regulatory networks and how these have evolved. These results reveal an evolutionary story of many interacting loci and partly independent genetic architectures that underlie convergent evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - James J Lewis
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA; Baker Institute for Animal Health, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Edgardo S Rivera
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico; Chairs of Biomaterials, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Bayern, Germany
| | - Riccardo Papa
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico; Molecular Sciences and Research Center, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
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26
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Livraghi L, Hanly JJ, Van Bellghem SM, Montejo-Kovacevich G, van der Heijden ESM, Loh LS, Ren A, Warren IA, Lewis JJ, Concha C, Hebberecht L, Wright CJ, Walker JM, Foley J, Goldberg ZH, Arenas-Castro H, Salazar C, Perry MW, Papa R, Martin A, McMillan WO, Jiggins CD. Cortex cis-regulatory switches establish scale colour identity and pattern diversity in Heliconius. eLife 2021; 10:e68549. [PMID: 34280087 PMCID: PMC8289415 DOI: 10.7554/elife.68549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In Heliconius butterflies, wing colour pattern diversity and scale types are controlled by a few genes of large effect that regulate colour pattern switches between morphs and species across a large mimetic radiation. One of these genes, cortex, has been repeatedly associated with colour pattern evolution in butterflies. Here we carried out CRISPR knockouts in multiple Heliconius species and show that cortex is a major determinant of scale cell identity. Chromatin accessibility profiling and introgression scans identified cis-regulatory regions associated with discrete phenotypic switches. CRISPR perturbation of these regions in black hindwing genotypes recreated a yellow bar, revealing their spatially limited activity. In the H. melpomene/timareta lineage, the candidate CRE from yellow-barred phenotype morphs is interrupted by a transposable element, suggesting that cis-regulatory structural variation underlies these mimetic adaptations. Our work shows that cortex functionally controls scale colour fate and that its cis-regulatory regions control a phenotypic switch in a modular and pattern-specific fashion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Livraghi
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing St.CambridgeUnited Kingdom
- Smithsonian Tropical Research InstituteGamboaPanama
| | - Joseph J Hanly
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing St.CambridgeUnited Kingdom
- Smithsonian Tropical Research InstituteGamboaPanama
- The George Washington University Department of Biological Sciences, Science and Engineering HallWashingtonUnited States
| | - Steven M Van Bellghem
- Department of Biology, Centre for Applied Tropical Ecology and Conservation, University of Puerto RicoRio PiedrasPuerto Rico
| | | | - Eva SM van der Heijden
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing St.CambridgeUnited Kingdom
- Smithsonian Tropical Research InstituteGamboaPanama
| | - Ling Sheng Loh
- The George Washington University Department of Biological Sciences, Science and Engineering HallWashingtonUnited States
| | - Anna Ren
- The George Washington University Department of Biological Sciences, Science and Engineering HallWashingtonUnited States
| | - Ian A Warren
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing St.CambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - James J Lewis
- Baker Institute for Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell UniversityIthacaUnited States
| | | | - Laura Hebberecht
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing St.CambridgeUnited Kingdom
- Smithsonian Tropical Research InstituteGamboaPanama
| | - Charlotte J Wright
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing St.CambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Jonah M Walker
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing St.CambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | | | - Zachary H Goldberg
- Cell & Developmental Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, UC San DiegoLa JollaUnited States
| | | | - Camilo Salazar
- Biology Program, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Universidad del RosarioBogotáColombia
| | - Michael W Perry
- Cell & Developmental Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, UC San DiegoLa JollaUnited States
| | - Riccardo Papa
- Department of Biology, Centre for Applied Tropical Ecology and Conservation, University of Puerto RicoRio PiedrasPuerto Rico
| | - Arnaud Martin
- The George Washington University Department of Biological Sciences, Science and Engineering HallWashingtonUnited States
| | | | - Chris D Jiggins
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing St.CambridgeUnited Kingdom
- Smithsonian Tropical Research InstituteGamboaPanama
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27
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Kozak KM, Joron M, McMillan WO, Jiggins CD. Rampant Genome-Wide Admixture across the Heliconius Radiation. Genome Biol Evol 2021; 13:evab099. [PMID: 33944917 PMCID: PMC8283734 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evab099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
How frequent is gene flow between species? The pattern of evolution is typically portrayed as a phylogenetic tree, yet gene flow between good species may be an important mechanism in diversification, spreading adaptive traits and leading to a complex pattern of phylogenetic incongruence. This process has thus far been studied mainly among a few closely related species, or in geographically restricted areas such as islands, but not on the scale of a continental radiation. Using a genomic representation of 40 out of 47 species in the genus, we demonstrate that admixture has played a role throughout the evolution of the charismatic Neotropical butterflies Heliconius. Modeling of phylogenetic networks based on the exome uncovers up to 13 instances of interspecific gene flow. Admixture is detected among the relatives of Heliconius erato, as well as between the ancient lineages leading to modern clades. Interspecific gene flow played a role throughout the evolution of the genus, although the process has been most frequent in the clade of Heliconius melpomene and relatives. We identify Heliconius hecalesia and relatives as putative hybrids, including new evidence for introgression at the loci controlling the mimetic wing patterns. Models accounting for interspecific gene flow yield a more complete picture of the radiation as a network, which will improve our ability to study trait evolution in a realistic comparative framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krzysztof M Kozak
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panamá, Panamá
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Mathieu Joron
- Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE), CNRS, Université de Montpellier, Université Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, EPHE, IRD, France
| | | | - Chris D Jiggins
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panamá, Panamá
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
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28
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Westerman EL, Bowman SEJ, Davidson B, Davis MC, Larson ER, Sanford CPJ. Deploying Big Data to Crack the Genotype to Phenotype Code. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 60:385-396. [PMID: 32492136 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icaa055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanistically connecting genotypes to phenotypes is a longstanding and central mission of biology. Deciphering these connections will unite questions and datasets across all scales from molecules to ecosystems. Although high-throughput sequencing has provided a rich platform on which to launch this effort, tools for deciphering mechanisms further along the genome to phenome pipeline remain limited. Machine learning approaches and other emerging computational tools hold the promise of augmenting human efforts to overcome these obstacles. This vision paper is the result of a Reintegrating Biology Workshop, bringing together the perspectives of integrative and comparative biologists to survey challenges and opportunities in cracking the genotype to phenotype code and thereby generating predictive frameworks across biological scales. Key recommendations include promoting the development of minimum "best practices" for the experimental design and collection of data; fostering sustained and long-term data repositories; promoting programs that recruit, train, and retain a diversity of talent; and providing funding to effectively support these highly cross-disciplinary efforts. We follow this discussion by highlighting a few specific transformative research opportunities that will be advanced by these efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica L Westerman
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Sarah E J Bowman
- High-Throughput Crystallization Screening Center, Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
| | - Bradley Davidson
- Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA 19081, USA
| | - Marcus C Davis
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA 22807, USA
| | - Eric R Larson
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Christopher P J Sanford
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA 30144, USA
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29
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Mullen SP, VanKuren NW, Zhang W, Nallu S, Kristiansen EB, Wuyun Q, Liu K, Hill RI, Briscoe AD, Kronforst MR. Disentangling Population History and Character Evolution among Hybridizing Lineages. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 37:1295-1305. [PMID: 31930401 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msaa004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the origin and maintenance of adaptive phenotypic novelty is a central goal of evolutionary biology. However, both hybridization and incomplete lineage sorting can lead to genealogical discordance between the regions of the genome underlying adaptive traits and the remainder of the genome, decoupling inferences about character evolution from population history. Here, to disentangle these effects, we investigated the evolutionary origins and maintenance of Batesian mimicry between North American admiral butterflies (Limenitis arthemis) and their chemically defended model (Battus philenor) using a combination of de novo genome sequencing, whole-genome resequencing, and statistical introgression mapping. Our results suggest that balancing selection, arising from geographic variation in the presence or absence of the unpalatable model, has maintained two deeply divergent color patterning haplotypes that have been repeatedly sieved among distinct mimetic and nonmimetic lineages of Limenitis via introgressive hybridization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean P Mullen
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA
| | | | - Wei Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Sumitha Nallu
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | | | - Qiqige Wuyun
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
| | - Kevin Liu
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
| | - Ryan I Hill
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA
| | - Adriana D Briscoe
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA
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30
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Maisonneuve L, Chouteau M, Joron M, Llaurens V. Evolution and genetic architecture of disassortative mating at a locus under heterozygote advantage. Evolution 2020; 75:149-165. [PMID: 33210282 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The evolution of mate choice is a major topic in evolutionary biology because it is thought to be a key factor in trait and species diversification. Here, we aim at uncovering the ecological conditions and genetic architecture enabling the puzzling evolution of disassortative mating based on adaptive traits. This rare form of mate choice is observed for some polymorphic traits but theoretical predictions on the emergence and persistence of this behavior are largely lacking. Thus, we developed a mathematical model to specifically understand the evolution of disassortative mating based on mimetic color pattern in the polymorphic butterfly Heliconius numata. We confirm that heterozygote advantage favors the evolution of disassortative mating and show that disassortative mating is more likely to emerge if at least one allele at the trait locus is free from any recessive deleterious mutations. We modeled different possible genetic architectures underlying mate choice behavior, such as self-referencing alleles, or specific preference or rejection alleles. Our results showed that self-referencing or rejection alleles linked to the color pattern locus enable the emergence of disassortative mating. However, rejection alleles allow the emergence of disassortative mating only when the color pattern and preference loci are tightly linked.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludovic Maisonneuve
- Institut de Systematique, Evolution, Biodiversité (UMR7205), Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne-Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, CP50, 57 rue Cuvier, Paris, 75005, France
| | - Mathieu Chouteau
- Laboratoire Ecologie, Evolution, Interactions Des Systèmes Amazoniens (LEEISA), USR 3456, Université De Guyane, IFREMER, CNRS Guyane, 275 route de Montabo, 97334 Cayenne, French Guiana
| | - Mathieu Joron
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Univ Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, Montpellier, France
| | - Violaine Llaurens
- Institut de Systematique, Evolution, Biodiversité (UMR7205), Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne-Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, CP50, 57 rue Cuvier, Paris, 75005, France
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31
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Luo M, Finet C, Cong H, Wei HY, Chung H. The evolution of insect metallothioneins. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20202189. [PMID: 33109013 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Metallothioneins (MTs) are a family of cysteine-rich metal-binding proteins that are important in the chelating and detoxification of toxic heavy metals. Until now, the short length and the low sequence complexity of MTs have hindered the inference of robust phylogenies, hampering the study of their evolution. To address this longstanding question, we applied an iterative BLAST search pipeline that allowed us to build a unique dataset of more than 300 MT sequences in insects. By combining phylogenetics and synteny analysis, we reconstructed the evolutionary history of MTs in insects. We show that the MT content in insects has been shaped by lineage-specific tandem duplications from a single ancestral MT. Strikingly, we also uncovered a sixth MT, MtnF, in the model organism Drosophila melanogaster. MtnF evolves faster than other MTs and is characterized by a non-canonical length and higher cysteine content. Our methodological framework not only paves the way for future studies on heavy metal detoxification but can also allow us to identify other previously unidentified genes and other low complexity genomic features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Luo
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.,College of Agronomy, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, People's Republic of China
| | - Cédric Finet
- Yale-NUS College, 16 College Avenue West, Singapore 138527, Republic of Singapore
| | - Haosu Cong
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Hong-Yi Wei
- College of Agronomy, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, People's Republic of China
| | - Henry Chung
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.,Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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32
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Bainbridge HE, Brien MN, Morochz C, Salazar PA, Rastas P, Nadeau NJ. Limited genetic parallels underlie convergent evolution of quantitative pattern variation in mimetic butterflies. J Evol Biol 2020; 33:1516-1529. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Hannah E. Bainbridge
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences The University of Sheffield Sheffield UK
| | - Melanie N. Brien
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences The University of Sheffield Sheffield UK
| | - Carlos Morochz
- Biology & Research Department Mashpi Lodge Mashpi Ecuador
| | - Patricio A. Salazar
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences The University of Sheffield Sheffield UK
| | - Pasi Rastas
- Institute of Biotechnology University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
| | - Nicola J. Nadeau
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences The University of Sheffield Sheffield UK
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33
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Rossi M, Hausmann AE, Thurman TJ, Montgomery SH, Papa R, Jiggins CD, McMillan WO, Merrill RM. Visual mate preference evolution during butterfly speciation is linked to neural processing genes. Nat Commun 2020; 11:4763. [PMID: 32958765 PMCID: PMC7506007 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18609-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Many animal species remain separate not because their individuals fail to produce viable hybrids but because they "choose" not to mate. However, we still know very little of the genetic mechanisms underlying changes in these mate preference behaviours. Heliconius butterflies display bright warning patterns, which they also use to recognize conspecifics. Here, we couple QTL for divergence in visual preference behaviours with population genomic and gene expression analyses of neural tissue (central brain, optic lobes and ommatidia) across development in two sympatric Heliconius species. Within a region containing 200 genes, we identify five genes that are strongly associated with divergent visual preferences. Three of these have previously been implicated in key components of neural signalling (specifically an ionotropic glutamate receptor and two regucalcins), and overall our candidates suggest shifts in behaviour involve changes in visual integration or processing. This would allow preference evolution without altering perception of the wider environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Rossi
- Division of Evolutionary Biology, LMU, Munich, Germany.
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Panama.
| | | | - Timothy J Thurman
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Panama
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Montana, USA
| | | | - Riccardo Papa
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Panama
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Molecular Sciences and Research Center, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Chris D Jiggins
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Panama
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - W Owen McMillan
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Panama
| | - Richard M Merrill
- Division of Evolutionary Biology, LMU, Munich, Germany.
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Panama.
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Lewis JJ, Van Belleghem SM. Mechanisms of Change: A Population-Based Perspective on the Roles of Modularity and Pleiotropy in Diversification. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
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35
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McMillan WO, Livraghi L, Concha C, Hanly JJ. From Patterning Genes to Process: Unraveling the Gene Regulatory Networks That Pattern Heliconius Wings. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
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36
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Massardo D, VanKuren NW, Nallu S, Ramos RR, Ribeiro PG, Silva-Brandão KL, Brandão MM, Lion MB, Freitas AVL, Cardoso MZ, Kronforst MR. The roles of hybridization and habitat fragmentation in the evolution of Brazil's enigmatic longwing butterflies, Heliconius nattereri and H. hermathena. BMC Biol 2020; 18:84. [PMID: 32620168 PMCID: PMC7334841 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-020-00797-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Heliconius butterflies are widely distributed across the Neotropics and have evolved a stunning array of wing color patterns that mediate Müllerian mimicry and mating behavior. Their rapid radiation has been strongly influenced by hybridization, which has created new species and allowed sharing of color patterning alleles between mimetic species pairs. While these processes have frequently been observed in widespread species with contiguous distributions, many Heliconius species inhabit patchy or rare habitats that may strongly influence the origin and spread of species and color patterns. Here, we assess the effects of historical population fragmentation and unique biology on the origins, genetic health, and color pattern evolution of two rare and sparsely distributed Brazilian butterflies, Heliconius hermathena and Heliconius nattereri. RESULTS We assembled genomes and re-sequenced whole genomes of eight H. nattereri and 71 H. hermathena individuals. These species harbor little genetic diversity, skewed site frequency spectra, and high deleterious mutation loads consistent with recent population bottlenecks. Heliconius hermathena consists of discrete, strongly isolated populations that likely arose from a single population that dispersed after the last glacial maximum. Despite having a unique color pattern combination that suggested a hybrid origin, we found no genome-wide evidence that H. hermathena is a hybrid species. However, H. hermathena mimicry evolved via introgression, from co-mimetic Heliconius erato, of a small genomic region upstream of the color patterning gene cortex. CONCLUSIONS Heliconius hermathena and H. nattereri population fragmentation, potentially driven by historical climate change and recent deforestation, has significantly reduced the genetic health of these rare species. Our results contribute to a growing body of evidence that introgression of color patterning alleles between co-mimetic species appears to be a general feature of Heliconius evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darli Massardo
- Department of Ecology & Evolution, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Nicholas W VanKuren
- Department of Ecology & Evolution, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Sumitha Nallu
- Department of Ecology & Evolution, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Renato R Ramos
- Departamento de Biologia Animal e Museu de Zoologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Pedro G Ribeiro
- Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Karina L Silva-Brandão
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, Santo André, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcelo M Brandão
- Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Marília B Lion
- Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
| | - André V L Freitas
- Departamento de Biologia Animal e Museu de Zoologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Márcio Z Cardoso
- Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
| | - Marcus R Kronforst
- Department of Ecology & Evolution, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
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37
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Curran EV, Stankowski S, Pardo‐Diaz C, Salazar C, Linares M, Nadeau NJ. Müllerian mimicry of a quantitative trait despite contrasting levels of genomic divergence and selection. Mol Ecol 2020; 29:2016-2030. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.15460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Revised: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Emma V. Curran
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences University of Sheffield Sheffield UK
| | - Sean Stankowski
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences University of Sheffield Sheffield UK
| | - Carolina Pardo‐Diaz
- Biology Program Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics Universidad del Rosario Bogota Colombia
| | - Camilo Salazar
- Biology Program Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics Universidad del Rosario Bogota Colombia
| | - Mauricio Linares
- Biology Program Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics Universidad del Rosario Bogota Colombia
| | - Nicola J. Nadeau
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences University of Sheffield Sheffield UK
- The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Panama City Republic of Panama
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38
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Orteu A, Jiggins CD. The genomics of coloration provides insights into adaptive evolution. Nat Rev Genet 2020; 21:461-475. [PMID: 32382123 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-020-0234-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Coloration is an easily quantifiable visual trait that has proven to be a highly tractable system for genetic analysis and for studying adaptive evolution. The application of genomic approaches to evolutionary studies of coloration is providing new insight into the genetic architectures underlying colour traits, including the importance of large-effect mutations and supergenes, the role of development in shaping genetic variation and the origins of adaptive variation, which often involves adaptive introgression. Improved knowledge of the genetic basis of traits can facilitate field studies of natural selection and sexual selection, making it possible for strong selection and its influence on the genome to be demonstrated in wild populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Orteu
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Chris D Jiggins
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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39
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Rivera-Colón AG, Westerman EL, Van Belleghem SM, Monteiro A, Papa R. Multiple Loci Control Eyespot Number Variation on the Hindwings of Bicyclus anynana Butterflies. Genetics 2020; 214:1059-1078. [PMID: 32019848 PMCID: PMC7153931 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.120.303059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2019] [Accepted: 12/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The underlying genetic changes that regulate the appearance and disappearance of repeated traits, or serial homologs, remain poorly understood. One hypothesis is that variation in genomic regions flanking master regulatory genes, also known as input-output genes, controls variation in trait number, making the locus of evolution almost predictable. Another hypothesis implicates genetic variation in up- or downstream loci of master control genes. Here, we use the butterfly Bicyclus anynana, a species that exhibits natural variation in eyespot number on the dorsal hindwing, to test these two hypotheses. We first estimated the heritability of dorsal hindwing eyespot number by breeding multiple butterfly families differing in eyespot number and regressing eyespot numbers of offspring on midparent values. We then estimated the number and identity of independent genetic loci contributing to eyespot number variation by performing a genome-wide association study with restriction site-associated DNA sequencing from multiple individuals varying in number of eyespots sampled across a freely breeding laboratory population. We found that dorsal hindwing eyespot number has a moderately high heritability of ∼0.50 and is characterized by a polygenic architecture. Previously identified genomic regions involved in eyespot development, and novel ones, display high association with dorsal hindwing eyespot number, suggesting that homolog number variation is likely determined by regulatory changes at multiple loci that build the trait, and not by variation at single master regulators or input-output genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angel G Rivera-Colón
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois 61801
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, San Juan, 00925, Puerto Rico
| | - Erica L Westerman
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701
| | - Steven M Van Belleghem
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, San Juan, 00925, Puerto Rico
| | - Antónia Monteiro
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117543
- Yale-NUS College, Singapore 138609
| | - Riccardo Papa
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, San Juan, 00925, Puerto Rico
- Molecular Sciences and Research Center, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, 00926, Puerto Rico
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40
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Otaki JM. Butterfly eyespot color pattern formation requires physical contact of the pupal wing epithelium with extracellular materials for morphogenic signal propagation. BMC DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2020; 20:6. [PMID: 32234033 PMCID: PMC7110832 DOI: 10.1186/s12861-020-00211-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Eyespot color pattern formation on butterfly wings is sensitive to physical damage and physical distortion as well as physical contact with materials on the surface of wing epithelial tissue at the pupal stage. Contact-mediated eyespot color pattern changes may imply a developmental role of the extracellular matrix in morphogenic signal propagation. Here, we examined eyespot responses to various contact materials, focusing on the hindwing posterior eyespots of the blue pansy butterfly, Junonia orithya. RESULTS Contact with various materials, including both nonbiological and biological materials, induced eyespot enlargement, reduction, or no change in eyespot size, and each material was characterized by a unique response profile. For example, silicone glassine paper almost always induced a considerable reduction, while glass plates most frequently induced enlargement, and plastic plates generally produced no change. The biological materials tested here (fibronectin, polylysine, collagen type I, and gelatin) resulted in various responses, but polylysine induced more cases of enlargement, similar to glass plates. The response profile of the materials was not readily predictable from the chemical composition of the materials but was significantly correlated with the water contact angle (water repellency) of the material surface, suggesting that the surface physical chemistry of materials is a determinant of eyespot size. When the proximal side of a prospective eyespot was covered with a size-reducing material (silicone glassine paper) and the distal side and the organizer were covered with a material that rarely induced size reduction (plastic film), the proximal side of the eyespot was reduced in size in comparison with the distal side, suggesting that signal propagation but not organizer activity was inhibited by silicone glassine paper. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that physical contact with an appropriate hydrophobic surface is required for morphogenic signals from organizers to propagate normally. The binding of the apical surface of the epithelium with an opposing surface may provide mechanical support for signal propagation. In addition to conventional molecular morphogens, there is a possibility that mechanical distortion of the epithelium that is propagated mechanically serves as a nonmolecular morphogen to induce subsequent molecular changes, in accordance with the distortion hypothesis for butterfly wing color pattern formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joji M Otaki
- The BCPH Unit of Molecular Physiology, Department of Chemistry, Biology and Marine Science, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, 903-0213, Japan.
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41
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Gauthier J, de Silva DL, Gompert Z, Whibley A, Houssin C, Le Poul Y, McClure M, Lemaitre C, Legeai F, Mallet J, Elias M. Contrasting genomic and phenotypic outcomes of hybridization between pairs of mimetic butterfly taxa across a suture zone. Mol Ecol 2020; 29:1328-1343. [PMID: 32145112 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2019] [Revised: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Hybrid zones, whereby divergent lineages come into contact and eventually hybridize, can provide insights on the mechanisms involved in population differentiation and reproductive isolation, and ultimately speciation. Suture zones offer the opportunity to compare these processes across multiple species. In this paper we use reduced-complexity genomic data to compare the genetic and phenotypic structure and hybridization patterns of two mimetic butterfly species, Ithomia salapia and Oleria onega (Nymphalidae: Ithomiini), each consisting of a pair of lineages differentiated for their wing colour pattern and that come into contact in the Andean foothills of Peru. Despite similarities in their life history, we highlight major differences, both at the genomic and phenotypic level, between the two species. These differences include the presence of hybrids, variations in wing phenotype, and genomic patterns of introgression and differentiation. In I. salapia, the two lineages appear to hybridize only rarely, whereas in O. onega the hybrids are not only more common, but also genetically and phenotypically more variable. We also detected loci statistically associated with wing colour pattern variation, but in both species these loci were not over-represented among the candidate barrier loci, suggesting that traits other than wing colour pattern may be important for reproductive isolation. Our results contrast with the genomic patterns observed between hybridizing lineages in the mimetic Heliconius butterflies, and call for a broader investigation into the genomics of speciation in Ithomiini - the largest radiation of mimetic butterflies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jérémy Gauthier
- Inria, CNRS, IRISA, University Rennes, Rennes, France.,Geneva Natural History Museum, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Donna Lisa de Silva
- Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité, CNRS, MNHN, EPHE, Sorbonne Université, Université des Antilles, Paris, France
| | | | - Annabel Whibley
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Céline Houssin
- Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité, CNRS, MNHN, EPHE, Sorbonne Université, Université des Antilles, Paris, France
| | - Yann Le Poul
- Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité, CNRS, MNHN, EPHE, Sorbonne Université, Université des Antilles, Paris, France.,Fakultat für Biologie, Biozentrum, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Melanie McClure
- Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité, CNRS, MNHN, EPHE, Sorbonne Université, Université des Antilles, Paris, France
| | | | | | - James Mallet
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Marianne Elias
- Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité, CNRS, MNHN, EPHE, Sorbonne Université, Université des Antilles, Paris, France
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42
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VanKuren NW, Massardo D, Nallu S, Kronforst MR. Butterfly Mimicry Polymorphisms Highlight Phylogenetic Limits of Gene Reuse in the Evolution of Diverse Adaptations. Mol Biol Evol 2020; 36:2842-2853. [PMID: 31504750 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msz194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Some genes have repeatedly been found to control diverse adaptations in a wide variety of organisms. Such gene reuse reveals not only the diversity of phenotypes these unique genes control but also the composition of developmental gene networks and the genetic routes available to and taken by organisms during adaptation. However, the causes of gene reuse remain unclear. A small number of large-effect Mendelian loci control a huge diversity of mimetic butterfly wing color patterns, but reasons for their reuse are difficult to identify because the genetic basis of mimicry has primarily been studied in two systems with correlated factors: female-limited Batesian mimicry in Papilio swallowtails (Papilionidae) and non-sex-limited Müllerian mimicry in Heliconius longwings (Nymphalidae). Here, we break the correlation between phylogenetic relationship and sex-limited mimicry by identifying loci controlling female-limited mimicry polymorphism Hypolimnas misippus (Nymphalidae) and non-sex-limited mimicry polymorphism in Papilio clytia (Papilionidae). The Papilio clytia polymorphism is controlled by the genome region containing the gene cortex, the classic P supergene in Heliconius numata, and loci controlling color pattern variation across Lepidoptera. In contrast, female-limited mimicry polymorphism in Hypolimnas misippus is associated with a locus not previously implicated in color patterning. Thus, although many species repeatedly converged on cortex and its neighboring genes over 120 My of evolution of diverse color patterns, female-limited mimicry polymorphisms each evolved using a different gene. Our results support conclusions that gene reuse occurs mainly within ∼10 My and highlight the puzzling diversity of genes controlling seemingly complex female-limited mimicry polymorphisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Darli Massardo
- Department of Ecology & Evolution, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Sumitha Nallu
- Department of Ecology & Evolution, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Marcus R Kronforst
- Department of Ecology & Evolution, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
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43
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Martin SH, Singh KS, Gordon IJ, Omufwoko KS, Collins S, Warren IA, Munby H, Brattström O, Traut W, Martins DJ, Smith DAS, Jiggins CD, Bass C, ffrench-Constant RH. Whole-chromosome hitchhiking driven by a male-killing endosymbiont. PLoS Biol 2020; 18:e3000610. [PMID: 32108180 PMCID: PMC7046192 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Neo-sex chromosomes are found in many taxa, but the forces driving their emergence and spread are poorly understood. The female-specific neo-W chromosome of the African monarch (or queen) butterfly Danaus chrysippus presents an intriguing case study because it is restricted to a single 'contact zone' population, involves a putative colour patterning supergene, and co-occurs with infection by the male-killing endosymbiont Spiroplasma. We investigated the origin and evolution of this system using whole genome sequencing. We first identify the 'BC supergene', a broad region of suppressed recombination across nearly half a chromosome, which links two colour patterning loci. Association analysis suggests that the genes yellow and arrow in this region control the forewing colour pattern differences between D. chrysippus subspecies. We then show that the same chromosome has recently formed a neo-W that has spread through the contact zone within approximately 2,200 years. We also assembled the genome of the male-killing Spiroplasma, and find that it shows perfect genealogical congruence with the neo-W, suggesting that the neo-W has hitchhiked to high frequency as the male-killer has spread through the population. The complete absence of female crossing-over in the Lepidoptera causes whole-chromosome hitchhiking of a single neo-W haplotype, carrying a single allele of the BC supergene and dragging multiple non-synonymous mutations to high frequency. This has created a population of infected females that all carry the same recessive colour patterning allele, making the phenotypes of each successive generation highly dependent on uninfected male immigrants. Our findings show how hitchhiking can occur between the physically unlinked genomes of host and endosymbiont, with dramatic consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon H. Martin
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Kumar Saurabh Singh
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, United Kingdom
| | - Ian J. Gordon
- Center of Excellence in Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management, University of Rwanda, Huye, Rwanda
| | - Kennedy Saitoti Omufwoko
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, United States of America
- Mpala Research Centre, Nanyuki, Kenya
| | - Steve Collins
- African Butterfly Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Ian A. Warren
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Hannah Munby
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Oskar Brattström
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Walther Traut
- Institut für Biologie, Universität Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Dino J. Martins
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, United States of America
- Mpala Research Centre, Nanyuki, Kenya
| | | | - Chris D. Jiggins
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Chris Bass
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, United Kingdom
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44
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Moest M, Van Belleghem SM, James JE, Salazar C, Martin SH, Barker SL, Moreira GRP, Mérot C, Joron M, Nadeau NJ, Steiner FM, Jiggins CD. Selective sweeps on novel and introgressed variation shape mimicry loci in a butterfly adaptive radiation. PLoS Biol 2020; 18:e3000597. [PMID: 32027643 PMCID: PMC7029882 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2019] [Revised: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural selection leaves distinct signatures in the genome that can reveal the targets and history of adaptive evolution. By analysing high-coverage genome sequence data from 4 major colour pattern loci sampled from nearly 600 individuals in 53 populations, we show pervasive selection on wing patterns in the Heliconius adaptive radiation. The strongest signatures correspond to loci with the greatest phenotypic effects, consistent with visual selection by predators, and are found in colour patterns with geographically restricted distributions. These recent sweeps are similar between co-mimics and indicate colour pattern turn-over events despite strong stabilising selection. Using simulations, we compare sweep signatures expected under classic hard sweeps with those resulting from adaptive introgression, an important aspect of mimicry evolution in Heliconius butterflies. Simulated recipient populations show a distinct 'volcano' pattern with peaks of increased genetic diversity around the selected target, characteristic of sweeps of introgressed variation and consistent with diversity patterns found in some populations. Our genomic data reveal a surprisingly dynamic history of colour pattern selection and co-evolution in this adaptive radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Moest
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Steven M. Van Belleghem
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico
| | - Jennifer E. James
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Camilo Salazar
- Biology Program, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Universidad del Rosario, Bogota D.C., Colombia
| | - Simon H. Martin
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah L. Barker
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Gilson R. P. Moreira
- Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Claire Mérot
- IBIS, Department of Biology, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Mathieu Joron
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, UMR 5175 CNRS—Université de Montpellier—Université Paul Valéry Montpellier—EPHE, Montpellier, France
| | - Nicola J. Nadeau
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | | | - Chris D. Jiggins
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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45
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Banerjee TD, Monteiro A. Molecular mechanisms underlying simplification of venation patterns in holometabolous insects. Development 2020; 147:dev.196394. [DOI: 10.1242/dev.196394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
How mechanisms of pattern formation evolve has remained a central research theme in the field of evolutionary and developmental biology. The mechanism of wing vein differentiation in Drosophila is a classic text-book example of pattern formation using a system of positional-information, yet very little is known about how species with a different number of veins pattern their wings, and how insect venation patterns evolved. Here, we examine the expression pattern of genes previously implicated in vein differentiation in Drosophila in two butterfly species with more complex venation Bicyclus anynana and Pieris canidia. We also test the function of some of these genes in B. anynana. We identify both conserved as well as new domains of decapentaplegic, engrailed, invected, spalt, optix, wingless, armadillo, blistered, and rhomboid gene expression in butterflies, and propose how the simplified venation in Drosophila might have evolved via loss of decapentaplegic, spalt and optix gene expression domains, silencing of vein inducing programs at Spalt-expression boundaries, and changes in gene expression of vein maintenance genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tirtha Das Banerjee
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Antónia Monteiro
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Yale-NUS College, Singapore
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Hines HM, Rahman SR. Evolutionary genetics in insect phenotypic radiations: the value of a comparative genomic approach. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2019; 36:90-95. [PMID: 31541856 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2019.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2019] [Revised: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Expanding genome sequencing and transgenic technologies are enabling the discovery of genes driving phenotypic diversity across insect taxa. Limitations in downstream functional genetic approaches, however, have been an obstacle for developing non-model systems for evolutionary genetics. Phenotypically diverse radiations, such as those exhibiting convergence and divergence as a result of mimicry, are ideal for evolutionary genetics as they can lead to insights using comparative genomic approaches alone. The varied and repeated instances of phenotypes in highly polymorphic systems allow assessment of whether similar loci are repeatedly targeted by selection and can inform how alleles sort across lineages. Comparative genomics of these taxa can be used to decipher components of gene regulatory networks, dissect regulatory regions, and validate genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather M Hines
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, 208 Mueller Laboratory, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
| | - Sarthok Rasique Rahman
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, 208 Mueller Laboratory, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
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Interplay between Developmental Flexibility and Determinism in the Evolution of Mimetic Heliconius Wing Patterns. Curr Biol 2019; 29:3996-4009.e4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Revised: 08/26/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Saenko SV, Chouteau M, Piron-Prunier F, Blugeon C, Joron M, Llaurens V. Unravelling the genes forming the wing pattern supergene in the polymorphic butterfly Heliconius numata. EvoDevo 2019; 10:16. [PMID: 31406559 PMCID: PMC6686539 DOI: 10.1186/s13227-019-0129-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Unravelling the genetic basis of polymorphic characters is central to our understanding of the origins and diversification of living organisms. Recently, supergenes have been implicated in a wide range of complex polymorphisms, from adaptive colouration in butterflies and fish to reproductive strategies in birds and plants. The concept of a supergene is now a hot topic in biology, and identification of its functional elements is needed to shed light on the evolution of highly divergent adaptive traits. Here, we apply different gene expression analyses to study the supergene P that controls polymorphism of mimetic wing colour patterns in the neotropical butterfly Heliconius numata. Results We performed de novo transcriptome assembly and differential expression analyses using high-throughput Illumina RNA sequencing on developing wing discs of different H. numata morphs. Within the P interval, 30 and 17 of the 191 transcripts were expressed differentially in prepupae and day-1 pupae, respectively. Among these is the gene cortex, known to play a role in wing pattern formation in Heliconius and other Lepidoptera. Our in situ hybridization experiments confirmed the relationship between cortex expression and adult wing patterns. Conclusions This study found the majority of genes in the P interval to be expressed in the developing wing discs during the critical stages of colour pattern formation, and detect drastic changes in expression patterns in multiple genes associated with structural variants. The patterns of expression of cortex only partially recapitulate the variation in adult phenotype, suggesting that the remaining phenotypic variation could be controlled by other genes within the P interval. Although functional studies on cortex are now needed to determine its exact developmental role, our results are in accordance with the classical supergene hypothesis, whereby several genes inherited together due to tight linkage control a major developmental switch. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13227-019-0129-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne V Saenko
- 1Institut de Systématique, Evolution et Biodiversité, UMR 7205 (CNRS, MNHN, Sorbonne Université, EPHE), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle CP50, 57 rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Mathieu Chouteau
- 2Laboratoire Ecologie, Evolution, Interactions Des Systèmes Amazoniens (LEEISA), USR 3456, CNRS Guyane, Université De Guyane, 275 route de Montabo, 97334 Cayenne, French Guiana
| | - Florence Piron-Prunier
- 1Institut de Systématique, Evolution et Biodiversité, UMR 7205 (CNRS, MNHN, Sorbonne Université, EPHE), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle CP50, 57 rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Corinne Blugeon
- Genomic Facility, Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole normale superieure (IBENS), École normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Université Paris, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Mathieu Joron
- 4Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, UMR 5175 CNRS-Université de Montpellier, École Pratique des Hautes Études, Université Paul Valéry, 34293 Montpellier 5, France
| | - Violaine Llaurens
- 1Institut de Systématique, Evolution et Biodiversité, UMR 7205 (CNRS, MNHN, Sorbonne Université, EPHE), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle CP50, 57 rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France
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Morris J, Navarro N, Rastas P, Rawlins LD, Sammy J, Mallet J, Dasmahapatra KK. The genetic architecture of adaptation: convergence and pleiotropy in Heliconius wing pattern evolution. Heredity (Edinb) 2019; 123:138-152. [PMID: 30670842 PMCID: PMC6781118 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-018-0180-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2018] [Revised: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 12/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Unravelling the genetic basis of adaptive traits is a major challenge in evolutionary biology. Doing so informs our understanding of evolution towards an adaptive optimum, the distribution of locus effect sizes, and the influence of genetic architecture on the evolvability of a trait. In the Müllerian co-mimics Heliconius melpomene and Heliconius erato some Mendelian loci affecting mimicry shifts are well known. However, several phenotypes in H. melpomene remain to be mapped, and the quantitative genetics of colour pattern variation has rarely been analysed. Here we use quantitative trait loci (QTL) analyses of crosses between H. melpomene races from Peru and Suriname to map, for the first time, the control of the broken band phenotype to WntA and identify a ~100 kb region controlling this variation. Additionally, we map variation in basal forewing red-orange pigmentation to a locus centred around the gene ventral veins lacking (vvl). The locus also appears to affect medial band shape variation as it was previously known to do in H. erato. This adds to the list of homologous regions controlling convergent phenotypes between these two species. Finally we show that Heliconius wing-patterning genes are strikingly pleiotropic among wing pattern traits. Our results demonstrate how genetic architecture can shape, aid and constrain adaptive evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jake Morris
- Department of Biology, University of York, Heslington, YO10 5DD, UK.
| | - Nicolas Navarro
- EPHE, PSL University, 21000, Dijon, France
- Biogéosciences, UMR CNRS 6282, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 21000, Dijon, France
| | - Pasi Rastas
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Lauren D Rawlins
- Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, Heslington, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Joshua Sammy
- Department of Biology, University of York, Heslington, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - James Mallet
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
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Iijima T, Yoda S, Fujiwara H. The mimetic wing pattern of Papilio polytes butterflies is regulated by a doublesex-orchestrated gene network. Commun Biol 2019; 2:257. [PMID: 31312726 PMCID: PMC6620351 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-019-0510-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2018] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The swallowtail butterfly Papilio polytes is sexually dimorphic and exhibits female-limited Batesian mimicry. This species also has two female forms, a non-mimetic form with male-like wing patterns, and a mimetic form resembling an unpalatable model, Pachliopta aristolochiae. The mimicry locus H constitutes a dimorphic Mendelian 'supergene', including a transcription factor gene doublesex (dsx). However, how the mimetic-type dsx (dsx-H) orchestrates the downstream gene network and causes the mimetic traits remains unclear. Here we performed RNA-seq-based gene screening and found that Wnt1 and Wnt6 are up-regulated by dsx-H during the early pupal stage and are involved in the red/white pigmentation and patterning of mimetic female wings. In contrast, a homeobox gene abdominal-A is repressed by dsx-H and involved in the non-mimetic colouration pattern. These findings suggest that dual regulation by dsx-H, induction of mimetic gene networks and repression of non-mimetic gene networks, is essential for the switch from non-mimetic to mimetic pattern in mimetic female wings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuro Iijima
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8562 Japan
| | - Shinichi Yoda
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8562 Japan
| | - Haruhiko Fujiwara
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8562 Japan
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