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Tan L, Wu H, Wang X, Liu Z, Hu J, Zheng X. Regulation of opsin and circadian clock genes on mate-finding behavior of the day-flying red moth, Phauda flammans (Walker). Chronobiol Int 2024:1-14. [PMID: 39046293 DOI: 10.1080/07420528.2024.2382315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024]
Abstract
First, significantly higher mate-finding success was found under light condition than under constant darkness condition in Phauda flammans, a typical diurnal moth. We speculate that mate-finding behavior in P. flammans may be influenced by the light-sensitive opsin genes Long wavelength opsin (PfLW), Ultraviolet opsin (PfUV) and Blue opsin (PfBL), which are potentially regulated by both light-cues and endogenous circadian rhythms. Second, the circadian clock genes Period (PfPer), Timeless (PfTim), Cryptochrome1 (PfCry1), Cryptochrome2 (PfCRY2), Cryptochrome3 (PfCry-like), Clock (PfClk), Cycle (PfCyc), Vrille (PfVri), and Slimb (PfSli) were identified in P. flammans. Third, circadian rhythms in the relative expression levels of opsin and circadian clock genes were demonstrated via quantitative real-time PCR analysis, with peak expression coinciding with the mate-finding peak. Notably, the relative expression of PfLW in males P. flammans was significantly higher than that in females P. flammans at the mate-finding peaks Zeitgeber time (ZT) 8 and ZT 10 under light, while the expression of the opsin gene PfBL showed a similar pattern at ZT 10 under light. Additionally, the expression of the clock gene PfCry-like was significantly higher in males than in females at ZT 8 and ZT 10 under light, while PfPer, PfTim, PfClk and PfCyc exhibited similar male-biased expression patterns at ZT 10 under light. Conversely, PfCry1 and PfVri expression was significantly higher in females than in male at ZT 8 under light. In conclusion, sex differences were detected in the expression of opsin and circadian clock genes, which indicated that light-mediated regulation of these genes may contribute to the daytime mate-finding behavior of P. flammans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liusu Tan
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agric-Environment and Agric-Products Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Haipan Wu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agric-Environment and Agric-Products Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Xiaoyun Wang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agric-Environment and Agric-Products Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Zuojun Liu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agric-Environment and Agric-Products Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Jin Hu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agric-Environment and Agric-Products Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Xialin Zheng
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agric-Environment and Agric-Products Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
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2
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Tiong GJL, Naing L, Ng E, Dion E, Monteiro A. Tympanal ears mediate male-male competition, courtship and mating success in Bicyclus anynana butterflies. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:231386. [PMID: 38545613 PMCID: PMC10966401 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.231386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The presence of intra-specific acoustic communication in diurnal butterflies is not well established. Here, we examined the function of the tympanal ear (Vogel's organ, VO) in the seasonally polyphenic butterfly Bicyclus anynana in the context of sexual signalling. We investigated how the VO and the flanking enlarged veins, which are suggested sound resonance chambers, scale with wing size across sexes and seasonal forms, and how disruptions to the VO alter courtship behaviour and mating outcomes. We found that males have VOs similar in size to females despite having smaller wings, and dry season (DS) male cubital and anal veins do not scale with the wing size. This suggests that the VO plays an important role in males and that cubital and anal veins in DS males may be tuned to amplify specific sound frequencies. Behavioural assays performed with deafened and hearing males of different seasonal forms, in pair and triad settings, showed that deafened DS males, but not wet season males, experienced lower mating success relative to their hearing counterparts. Our study documents a novel function for the wing tympanal membrane in mediating courtship and mating outcomes in diurnal butterflies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Galen J. L. Tiong
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore117543, Republic of Singapore
| | - Lin Naing
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore117543, Republic of Singapore
| | - Edwin Ng
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore117543, Republic of Singapore
| | - Emilie Dion
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore117543, Republic of Singapore
| | - Antónia Monteiro
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore117543, Republic of Singapore
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3
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Wainwright JB, Schofield C, Conway M, Phillips D, Martin-Silverstone E, Brodrick EA, Cicconardi F, How MJ, Roberts NW, Montgomery SH. Multiple axes of visual system diversity in Ithomiini, an ecologically diverse tribe of mimetic butterflies. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:jeb246423. [PMID: 37921078 PMCID: PMC10714147 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
The striking structural variation seen in arthropod visual systems can be explained by the overall quantity and spatio-temporal structure of light within habitats coupled with developmental and physiological constraints. However, little is currently known about how fine-scale variation in visual structures arises across shorter evolutionary and ecological scales. In this study, we characterise patterns of interspecific (between species), intraspecific (between sexes) and intraindividual (between eye regions) variation in the visual system of four ithomiine butterfly species. These species are part of a diverse 26-million-year-old Neotropical radiation where changes in mimetic colouration are associated with fine-scale shifts in ecology, such as microhabitat preference. Using a combination of selection analyses on visual opsin sequences, in vivo ophthalmoscopy, micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), immunohistochemistry, confocal microscopy and neural tracing, we quantify and describe physiological, anatomical and molecular traits involved in visual processing. Using these data, we provide evidence of substantial variation within the visual systems of Ithomiini, including: (i) relaxed selection on visual opsins, perhaps mediated by habitat preference, (ii) interspecific shifts in visual system physiology and anatomy, and (iii) extensive sexual dimorphism, including the complete absence of a butterfly-specific optic neuropil in the males of some species. We conclude that considerable visual system variation can exist within diverse insect radiations, hinting at the evolutionary lability of these systems to rapidly develop specialisations to distinct visual ecologies, with selection acting at the perceptual, processing and molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Benito Wainwright
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Corin Schofield
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Max Conway
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Daniel Phillips
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Elizabeth Martin-Silverstone
- Bristol Palaeobiology Group, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Emelie A. Brodrick
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Francesco Cicconardi
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Martin J. How
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Nicholas W. Roberts
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Stephen H. Montgomery
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
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4
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Lee IHT, Nong W, So WL, Cheung CKH, Xie Y, Baril T, Yip HY, Swale T, Chan SKF, Wei Y, Lo N, Hayward A, Chan TF, Lam HM, Hui JHL. The genome and sex-dependent responses to temperature in the common yellow butterfly, Eurema hecabe. BMC Biol 2023; 21:200. [PMID: 37749565 PMCID: PMC10521528 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01703-1] [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: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) is one of the most geographically widespread insect orders in the world, and its species play important and diverse ecological and applied roles. Climate change is one of the biggest challenges to biodiversity this century, and lepidopterans are vulnerable to climate change. Temperature-dependent gene expression differences are of relevance under the ongoing climate crisis. However, little is known about how climate affects gene expression in lepidopterans and the ecological consequences of this, particularly with respect to genes with biased expression in one of the sexes. The common yellow butterfly, Eurema hecabe (Family Pieridae), is one of the most geographically widespread lepidopterans that can be found in Asia, Africa, and Australia. Nevertheless, what temperature-dependent effects there may be and whether the effects differ between the sexes remain largely unexplored. RESULTS Here, we generated high-quality genomic resources for E. hecabe along with transcriptomes from eight developmental stages. Male and female butterflies were subjected to varying temperatures to assess sex-specific gene expression responses through mRNA and microRNA transcriptomics. We find that there are more temperature-dependent sex-biased genes in females than males, including genes that are involved in a range of biologically important functions, highlighting potential ecological impacts of increased temperatures. Further, by considering available butterfly data on sex-biased gene expression in a comparative genomic framework, we find that the pattern of sex-biased gene expression identified in E. hecabe is highly species-specific, rather than conserved across butterfly species, suggesting that sex-biased gene expression responses to climate change are complex in butterflies. CONCLUSIONS Our study lays the foundation for further understanding of differential responses to environmental stress in a widespread lepidopteran model and demonstrates the potential complexity of sex-specific responses of lepidopterans to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivy H T Lee
- School of Life Sciences, Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, Institute of Environment, Energy and Sustainability, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wenyan Nong
- School of Life Sciences, Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, Institute of Environment, Energy and Sustainability, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wai Lok So
- School of Life Sciences, Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, Institute of Environment, Energy and Sustainability, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chris K H Cheung
- School of Life Sciences, Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, Institute of Environment, Energy and Sustainability, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yichun Xie
- School of Life Sciences, Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, Institute of Environment, Energy and Sustainability, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | | | - Ho Yin Yip
- School of Life Sciences, Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, Institute of Environment, Energy and Sustainability, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | | | - Simon K F Chan
- Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yingying Wei
- Department of Statistics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Nathan Lo
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Ting Fung Chan
- School of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Hon-Ming Lam
- School of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, Institute of Environment, Energy and Sustainability, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jerome H L Hui
- School of Life Sciences, Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, Institute of Environment, Energy and Sustainability, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
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5
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Chen QX, Lyu QH, Chen YW, Song YQ. Phylogenetic implications based on an ultrastructural study with emphasis on the tracheal system of the compound eyes of three species of nymphalid butterflies. ARTHROPOD STRUCTURE & DEVELOPMENT 2023; 72:101230. [PMID: 36706509 DOI: 10.1016/j.asd.2022.101230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Compound eyes are the prominent visual organs of insects and can provide valuable information for the reconstruction of insect phylogeny. Although the largest butterfly family (Nymphalidae) has been well defined, the infrafamilial phylogenetic relationships remain controversial hitherto. In the present study the ultrastructure of the compound eyes of three nymphalids Neptis beroe, Childrena zenobia, and Palaeonympha opalina was investigated using light and transmission electron microscopy in an attempt to seek potentially important phylogenetic characters. The compound eyes of the nymphalids share a tracheal system in a "1-4-8" branching pattern. The eight tracheal subbranches exhibit distinct distribution patterns along the basal retinula cell as follows: the tracheal subbranches of Palaeonympha opaline are close to the rhabdom in the distance from the distalmost part of the basal retinula cell to the rhabdom end, while those of N. beroe and C. zenobia are on the periphery of the retinula along almost the whole basal retinula cell and become close to the rhabdom just at the proximal end of the basal retinula cell. The tracheal structure of the three nymphalids is discussed for their potential phylogenetic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing-Xiao Chen
- Laboratory of Insect Evolution and Systematics, College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan, 471023, China.
| | - Qi-Hui Lyu
- Laboratory of Insect Evolution and Systematics, College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan, 471023, China
| | - Ying-Wu Chen
- Laboratory of Insect Evolution and Systematics, College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan, 471023, China
| | - Yue-Qin Song
- Laboratory of Insect Evolution and Systematics, College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan, 471023, China
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6
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Ilić M, Chen PJ, Pirih P, Meglič A, Prevc J, Yago M, Belušič G, Arikawa K. Simple and complex, sexually dimorphic retinal mosaic of fritillary butterflies. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210276. [PMID: 36058236 PMCID: PMC9441240 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Butterflies have variable sets of spectral photoreceptors that underlie colour vision. The photoreceptor organization may be optimized for the detection of body coloration. Fritillaries (Argynnini) are nymphalid butterflies exhibiting varying degrees of sexual dimorphism in wing coloration. In two sister species, the females have orange (Argynnis paphia) and dark wings (Argynnis sagana), respectively, while the males of both species have orange wings with large patches of pheromone-producing androconia. In spite of the differences in female coloration, the eyes of both species exhibit an identical sexual dimorphism. The female eyeshine is uniform yellow, while the males have a complex retinal mosaic with yellow and red-reflecting ommatidia. We found the basic set of ultraviolet-, blue- and green-peaking photoreceptors in both sexes. Males additionally have three more photoreceptor classes, peaking in green, yellow and red, respectively. The latter is the basal R9, indirectly measured through hyperpolarizations in the green-peaking R1-2. In many nymphalid tribes, including the closely related Heliconiini, the retinal mosaic is complex in both sexes. We hypothesize that the simple mosaic of female Argynnini is a secondary reduction, possibly driven by the use of olfaction for intraspecific recognition, whereas vision remains the primary sense for the task in the males. This article is part of the theme issue 'Understanding colour vision: molecular, physiological, neuronal and behavioural studies in arthropods'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marko Ilić
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Laboratory of Neuroethology, Sokendai - The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, 240-0193 Hayama, Japan
| | - Pei-Ju Chen
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, 11529 Taipei, Taiwan
- Laboratory of Neuroethology, Sokendai - The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, 240-0193 Hayama, Japan
| | - Primož Pirih
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Andrej Meglič
- Eye Hospital, University Medical Centre, Grablovičeva 46, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Jošt Prevc
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Masaya Yago
- The University Museum, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, 113-0033 Tokyo, Japan
| | - Gregor Belušič
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Kentaro Arikawa
- Laboratory of Neuroethology, Sokendai - The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, 240-0193 Hayama, Japan
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Zambre AM, Burns L, Suresh J, Hegeman AD, Snell-Rood EC. Developmental plasticity in multimodal signals: light environment produces novel signalling phenotypes in a butterfly. Biol Lett 2022; 18:20220099. [PMID: 35975631 PMCID: PMC9382452 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2022.0099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Developmental plasticity can alter the expression of sexual signals in novel environments and is therefore thought to play an important role in promoting divergence. Sexual signals, however, are often multimodal and mate choice multivariate. Hence, to understand how developmental plasticity can facilitate divergence, we must assess plasticity across signal components and its cumulative impact on signalling. Here, we examine how developmental plasticity influences different components of cabbage white butterfly Pieris rapae multimodal signals, its effects on their signalling phenotypes and its implications for divergence. To do this, we reared P. rapae caterpillars under two different light environments (low-light and high-light) to simulate conditions experienced by P. rapae colonizing a novel light habitat. We then examined plasticity in both visual (wing coloration) and olfactory (pheromone abundance) components of male sexual signals. We found light environments influenced expression of both visual and olfactory components and resulted in a trade-off between signal modalities. The 'low-light' phenotype had duller wing colours but higher abundance of the pheromone, indole, whereas the 'high-light' phenotype had comparatively brighter wings but lower abundance of indole. These results show that by simultaneously altering expression of different signal components, developmental plasticity can produce multiple signalling phenotypes, which may catalyse divergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amod Mohan Zambre
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Linnea Burns
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Jayanti Suresh
- Department of Horticultural Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Adrian D. Hegeman
- Department of Horticultural Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Emilie C. Snell-Rood
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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8
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Fan Z, Zhang Z, Zhang X, Kong X, Liu F, Zhang S. Five Visual and Olfactory Target Genes for RNAi in Agrilus Planipennis. Front Genet 2022; 13:835324. [PMID: 35186047 PMCID: PMC8855093 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.835324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi) is a widely used technique for gene function researches and recently pest controls. It had been applied in emerald ash borer (EAB Agrilus planipennis) larvae and adults, and achieved significant interference effects, whether by ingesting or microinjecting. Feeding in the phloem and cambial regions, the larvae of A. planipennis are difficult to be controlled by conventional insecticides, so adult stage is the critical stage for EAB control. However, the target genes of adult stage of A. planipennis need to be further screened. Here, we preliminarily screened five potential target genes of vision and olfaction for RNAi in A. planipennis. Three odorant binding proteins (OBPs) and three opsins, which expressed significantly different between newly emerged and sexually mature EABs (OBP5, OBP7, OBP10, LW opsin 1 and UV opsin 2) or highly in sexually mature male EAB (UV opsin 3), were selected as targets to design primers for gene silencing. After dsRNA injection, the gene expression levels were determined by real-time quantitative PCR. We found that the expression levels of five genes were significantly down-regulated, during the 4 days after dsRNA injection. Among these genes, the expression of LW opsin 1 was down-regulated the most, causing a reduction of 99.1% compared with the control treated with EGFP dsRNA, followed by UV opsin 3 (97.4%), UV opsin 2 (97.0%), OBP7 (96.2%), and OBP10 (88.7%). This study provides a basis for further RNAi-based new controlling method development of A. planipennis at adult stage.
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9
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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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10
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Merrill AN, Hirzel GE, Murphy MJ, Imrie R, Westerman EL. Engaging the community in pollinator research: the effect of wing pattern and weather on butterfly behavior. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 61:1039-1054. [PMID: 34196361 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Community science, which engages students and the public in data collection and scientific inquiry, is often integrated into conservation and long-term monitoring efforts. However, it has the potential to also introduce the public to, and be useful for, sensory ecology and other fields of study. Here we describe a community science project that exposes participants to animal behavior and sensory ecology using the rich butterfly community of Northwest Arkansas, USA. Butterflies use visual signals to communicate and to attract mates. Brighter colors can produce stronger signals for mate attraction but can also unintentionally attract negative attention from predators. Environmental conditions such as weather can affect visual signaling as well, by influencing the wavelengths of light available and subsequent signal detection. However, we do not know whether the signals butterflies present correlate broadly with how they behave. In this study, we collaborated with hundreds of students and community members at the University of Arkansas (UARK) and the Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks (BGO) for over 3.5 years to examine relationships among wing pattern, weather, time of day, behavior, and flower choice. We found that both weather and wing color influenced general butterfly behavior. Butterflies were seen feeding more on cloudy days than on sunny or partly cloudy days. Brown butterflies fed or sat more often, while white butterflies flew more often relative to other butterfly colors. We also found that there was an interaction between the effects of weather and wing color on butterfly behavior. Furthermore, butterfly color predicted the choice of flower colors that butterflies visited, though this effect was influenced by observer group (UARK student or BGO participant). These results suggest that flower choice may be associated with butterfly wing pattern, and that different environmental conditions may influence butterfly behavior in wing-pattern-specific ways. They also illustrate one way that public involvement in behavioral studies can facilitate the identification of coarse-scale, community-wide behavioral patterns, and lay the groundwork for future studies of sensory niches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abbigail N Merrill
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR
| | - Grace E Hirzel
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR
| | - Matthew J Murphy
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR
| | - Roslyn Imrie
- Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks, Fayetteville, AR
| | - Erica L Westerman
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR
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11
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Sondhi Y, Ellis EA, Bybee SM, Theobald JC, Kawahara AY. Light environment drives evolution of color vision genes in butterflies and moths. Commun Biol 2021; 4:177. [PMID: 33564115 PMCID: PMC7873203 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-01688-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Opsins, combined with a chromophore, are the primary light-sensing molecules in animals and are crucial for color vision. Throughout animal evolution, duplications and losses of opsin proteins are common, but it is unclear what is driving these gains and losses. Light availability is implicated, and dim environments are often associated with low opsin diversity and loss. Correlations between high opsin diversity and bright environments, however, are tenuous. To test if increased light availability is associated with opsin diversification, we examined diel niche and identified opsins using transcriptomes and genomes of 175 butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera). We found 14 independent opsin duplications associated with bright environments. Estimating their rates of evolution revealed that opsins from diurnal taxa evolve faster-at least 13 amino acids were identified with higher dN/dS rates, with a subset close enough to the chromophore to tune the opsin. These results demonstrate that high light availability increases opsin diversity and evolution rate in Lepidoptera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yash Sondhi
- Department of Biology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.
| | - Emily A Ellis
- McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Seth M Bybee
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
| | - Jamie C Theobald
- Department of Biology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Akito Y Kawahara
- McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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12
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Balamurali GS, Rose S, Somanathan H, Kodandaramaiah U. Complex multi-modal sensory integration and context specificity in colour preferences of a pierid butterfly. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb223271. [PMID: 32414875 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.223271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Innate colour preferences in insects were long considered to be a non-flexible representation of a floral 'search image' guiding them to flowers during initial foraging trips. However, these colour preferences have recently been shown to be modulated by multi-sensory integration of information. Using experiments on the butterfly Catopsilia pomona (common emigrant), we demonstrate that cross-modal integration of information not only affects colour preferences but also colour learning, and in a sex-specific manner. We show that spontaneous colour preference in this species is sexually dimorphic, with males preferring both blue and yellow while females prefer yellow. With minimal training (two training sessions), both males and females learned to associate blue with reward, but females did not learn green. This suggests that the aversion to green, in the context of foraging, is stronger in females than in males, probably because green is used as a cue to find oviposition sites in butterflies. However, females learned green after extensive training (five training sessions). Intriguingly, when a floral odour was present along with green during training, female colour preference during the subsequent choice tests resembled their innate preference (preference for yellow). Our results show that multi-sensory integration of information can influence preference, sensory bias, learning and memory in butterflies, thus modulating their behaviour in a context-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- G S Balamurali
- IISER-TVM Centre for Research and Education in Ecology and Evolution (ICREEE), School of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695551, India
| | - Saloni Rose
- IISER-TVM Centre for Research and Education in Ecology and Evolution (ICREEE), School of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695551, India
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Hema Somanathan
- IISER-TVM Centre for Research and Education in Ecology and Evolution (ICREEE), School of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695551, India
| | - Ullasa Kodandaramaiah
- IISER-TVM Centre for Research and Education in Ecology and Evolution (ICREEE), School of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695551, India
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13
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Dion E, Pui LX, Weber K, Monteiro A. Early-exposure to new sex pheromone blends alters mate preference in female butterflies and in their offspring. Nat Commun 2020; 11:53. [PMID: 31896746 PMCID: PMC6940390 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13801-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
While the diversity of sex pheromone communication systems across insects is well documented, the mechanisms that lead to such diversity are not well understood. Sex pheromones constitute a species-specific system of sexual communication that reinforces interspecific reproductive isolation. When odor blends evolve, the efficacy of male-female communication becomes compromised, unless preference for novel blends also evolves. We explore odor learning as a possible mechanism leading to changes in sex pheromone preferences in the butterfly Bicyclus anynana. Our experiments reveal mating patterns suggesting that mating bias for new blends can develop following a short learning experience, and that this maternal experience impacts the mating outcome of offspring without further exposure. We propose that odor learning can be a key factor in the evolution of sex pheromone blend recognition and in chemosensory speciation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Dion
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117543, Singapore.
| | - Li Xian Pui
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
| | - Katie Weber
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
| | - Antónia Monteiro
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117543, Singapore.
- Yale-NUS-College, 6 College Avenue East, Singapore, 138614, Singapore.
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14
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Wright DS, van Eijk R, Schuart L, Seehausen O, Groothuis TGG, Maan ME. Testing sensory drive speciation in cichlid fish: Linking light conditions to opsin expression, opsin genotype and female mate preference. J Evol Biol 2019; 33:422-434. [PMID: 31820840 PMCID: PMC7187155 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Ecological speciation is facilitated when divergent adaptation has direct effects on selective mating. Divergent sensory adaptation could generate such direct effects, by mediating both ecological performance and mate selection. In aquatic environments, light attenuation creates distinct photic environments, generating divergent selection on visual systems. Consequently, divergent sensory drive has been implicated in the diversification of several fish species. Here, we experimentally test whether divergent visual adaptation explains the divergence of mate preferences in Haplochromine cichlids. Blue and red Pundamilia co‐occur across south‐eastern Lake Victoria. They inhabit different photic conditions and have distinct visual system properties. Previously, we documented that rearing fish under different light conditions influences female preference for blue versus red males. Here, we examine to what extent variation in female mate preference can be explained by variation in visual system properties, testing the causal link between visual perception and preference. We find that our experimental light manipulations influence opsin expression, suggesting a potential role for phenotypic plasticity in optimizing visual performance. However, variation in opsin expression does not explain species differences in female preference. Instead, female preference covaries with allelic variation in the long‐wavelength‐sensitive opsin gene (LWS), when assessed under broad‐spectrum light. Taken together, our study presents evidence for environmental plasticity in opsin expression and confirms the important role of colour perception in shaping female mate preferences in Pundamilia. However, it does not constitute unequivocal evidence for the direct effects of visual adaptation on assortative mating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Shane Wright
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Roel van Eijk
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Lisa Schuart
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.,University of Applied Sciences van Hall Larenstein, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
| | - Ole Seehausen
- Institute of Ecology & Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Department Fish Ecology & Evolution, Eawag, Center for Ecology, Evolution and Biogeochemistry, Kastanienbaum, Switzerland
| | - Ton G G Groothuis
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Martine E Maan
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.,Institute of Ecology & Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Department Fish Ecology & Evolution, Eawag, Center for Ecology, Evolution and Biogeochemistry, Kastanienbaum, Switzerland
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15
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Muller D, Elias B, Collard L, Pels C, Holveck MJ, Nieberding CM. Polyphenism of visual and chemical secondary sexually-selected wing traits in the butterfly Bicyclus anynana: How different is the intermediate phenotype? PLoS One 2019; 14:e0225003. [PMID: 31738776 PMCID: PMC6860419 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0225003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 10/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Polyphenism is a type of phenotypic plasticity supposedly adaptive to drastic and recurrent changes in the environment such as seasonal alternation in temperate and tropical regions. The butterfly Bicyclus anynana shows polyphenism with well-described wet and dry seasonal forms in sub-Saharan Africa, displaying striking morphological, physiological and behavioural differences in response to higher or lower developmental temperatures. During the seasonal transition in the wild, the intermediate phenotype co-occurs with wet and dry phenotypes. In this study, we aimed to characterize the secondary sexually-selected wing traits of the intermediate form to infer its potential fitness compared to wet and dry phenotypes. Among the previously described wing morphological traits, we first showed that the area of the fifth eyespot on the ventral hindwing is the most discriminant trait to identify wet, dry and intermediate phenotypes in both sexes. Second, we characterized the intermediate form for two secondary sexually-selected wing traits: the area and UV reflectance of the dorsal forewing pupil and the composition of the male sex pheromone. We showed that values of these two traits are often between those of the wet and dry phenotypes. Third, we observed increasing male sex pheromone production in ageing dry and wet phenotypes. Our results contrast with previous reports of values for sexually-selected traits in wet and dry seasonal forms, which might be explained by differences in rearing conditions or sample size effects among studies. Wet, dry and intermediate phenotypes display redundant sexually dimorphic traits, including sexually-selected traits that can inform about their developmental temperature in sexual interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doriane Muller
- Group of Evolutionary Ecology and Genetics, Biodiversity Research Centre, Earth and Life Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Benjamin Elias
- Institute of Condensed Matter and Nanosciences, Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Laurent Collard
- Institute of Condensed Matter and Nanosciences, Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Christophe Pels
- Group of Evolutionary Ecology and Genetics, Biodiversity Research Centre, Earth and Life Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Marie-Jeanne Holveck
- Group of Evolutionary Ecology and Genetics, Biodiversity Research Centre, Earth and Life Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Caroline M. Nieberding
- Group of Evolutionary Ecology and Genetics, Biodiversity Research Centre, Earth and Life Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
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16
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Yourick MR, Sandkam BA, Gammerdinger WJ, Escobar-Camacho D, Nandamuri SP, Clark FE, Joyce B, Conte MA, Kocher TD, Carleton KL. Diurnal variation in opsin expression and common housekeeping genes necessitates comprehensive normalization methods for quantitative real-time PCR analyses. Mol Ecol Resour 2019; 19:1447-1460. [PMID: 31325910 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2019] [Revised: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
To determine the visual sensitivities of an organism of interest, quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) is often used to quantify expression of the light-sensitive opsins in the retina. While qRT-PCR is an affordable, high-throughput method for measuring expression, it comes with inherent normalization issues that affect the interpretation of results, especially as opsin expression can vary greatly based on developmental stage, light environment or diurnal cycles. We tested for diurnal cycles of opsin expression over a period of 24 hr at 1-hr increments and examined how normalization affects a data set with fluctuating expression levels using qRT-PCR and transcriptome data from the retinae of the cichlid Pelmatolapia mariae. We compared five methods of normalizing opsin expression relative to (a) the average of three stably expressed housekeeping genes (Ube2z, EF1-α and β-actin), (b) total RNA concentration, (c) GNAT2, (the cone-specific subunit of transducin), (d) total opsin expression and (e) only opsins expressed in the same cone type. Normalizing by proportion of cone type produced the least variation and would be best for removing time-of-day variation. In contrast, normalizing by housekeeping genes produced the highest daily variation in expression and demonstrated that the peak of cone opsin expression was in the late afternoon. A weighted correlation network analysis showed that the expression of different cone opsins follows a very similar daily cycle. With the knowledge of how these normalization methods affect opsin expression data, we make recommendations for designing sampling approaches and quantification methods based upon the scientific question being examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miranda R Yourick
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | | | | | | | | | - Frances E Clark
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Brendan Joyce
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Matthew A Conte
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Thomas D Kocher
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Karen L Carleton
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
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17
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van Bergen E, Beldade P. Seasonal plasticity in anti-predatory strategies: Matching of color and color preference for effective crypsis. Evol Lett 2019; 3:313-320. [PMID: 31171986 PMCID: PMC6546441 DOI: 10.1002/evl3.113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Effective anti-predatory strategies typically require matching appearance and behavior in prey, and there are many compelling examples of behavioral repertoires that enhance the effectiveness of morphological defenses. When protective adult morphology is induced by developmental environmental conditions predictive of future predation risk, adult behavior should be adjusted accordingly to maximize predator avoidance. While behavior is typically strongly affected by the adult environment, developmental plasticity in adult behavior-mediated by the same pre-adult environmental cues that affect morphology-could ensure an effective match between anti-predatory morphology and behavior. The coordination of environmentally induced responses may be especially important in populations exposed to predictable environmental fluctuations (e.g., seasonality). Here, we studied early and late life environmental effects on a suite of traits expected to work together for effective crypsis. We focused on wing color and background color preference in Bicyclus anynana, a model of developmental plasticity that relies on crypsis as a seasonal strategy for predator avoidance. Using a full-factorial design, we disentangled effects of developmental and adult ambient temperature on both appearance and behavior. We showed that developmental conditions affect both adult color and color preference, with temperatures that simulate natural dry season conditions leading to browner butterflies with a perching preference for brown backgrounds. This effect was stronger in females, especially when butterflies were tested at lower ambient temperatures. In contrast to the expectation that motionlessness enhances crypsis, we found no support for our hypothesis that the browner dry-season butterflies would be less active. We argue that the integration of developmental plasticity for morphological and behavioral traits might improve the effectiveness of seasonal anti-predatory strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik van Bergen
- Instituto Gulbenkian de CiênciaOeirasPortugal
- Current address: Research Centre for Ecological Change, Faculty of Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - Patrícia Beldade
- Instituto Gulbenkian de CiênciaOeirasPortugal
- UMR5174 ‐ CNRS, Evolution et Diversité BiologiqueUniversité Paul SabatierToulouseFrance
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18
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Balamurali GS, Edison A, Somanathan H, Kodandaramaiah U. Spontaneous colour preferences and colour learning in the fruit-feeding butterfly, Mycalesis mineus. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-019-2648-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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19
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Catalán A, Macias-Muñoz A, Briscoe AD. Evolution of Sex-Biased Gene Expression and Dosage Compensation in the Eye and Brain of Heliconius Butterflies. Mol Biol Evol 2018; 35:2120-2134. [DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msy111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ana Catalán
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA
- Section of Evolutionary Biology, Department of Biology II, Ludwig Maximilians Universität, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Aide Macias-Muñoz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA
| | - Adriana D Briscoe
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA
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20
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Liu YJ, Yan S, Shen ZJ, Li Z, Zhang XF, Liu XM, Zhang QW, Liu XX. The expression of three opsin genes and phototactic behavior of Spodoptera exigua (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae): Evidence for visual function of opsin in phototaxis. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2018; 96:27-35. [PMID: 29625217 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2018.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2018] [Revised: 03/26/2018] [Accepted: 03/27/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Phototaxis in nocturnal moths is widely utilized to control pest populations in practical production. However, as an elusive behavior, phototactic behavior is still not well understood. Determination of whether the opsin gene plays a key role in phototaxis is an interesting topic. This study was conducted to analyze expression levels and biological importance of three opsin genes (Se-uv, Se-bl, and Se-lw) and phototactic behavior of Spodoptera exigua. The three opsin genes exhibited higher expression levels during daytime, excluding Se-bl in females, whose expression tended to increase at night. And cycling of opsin gene levels tended to be upregulated at night, although the magnitude of increase in females was lower than that in males exposed to constant darkness. The results of western blotting were consistent with those of qRT-PCR. Furthermore, opsin gene expression was not influenced by light exposure during the scotophase, excluding Se-uv in males, and tended to be downregulated by starvation in females and copulation in both female and male moths. To determine the relationship between opsin gene expression and phototactic behavior, Se-lw was knocked down by RNA interference. Moths with one opsin gene knocked down showed enhanced expression of the other two opsin genes, which may play important roles in compensation in vision. The Se-lw-knockdown moths exhibited reduced phototactic efficiency to green light, suggesting that Se-LW contributes to phototaxis, and increases phototactic efficiency to green light. Our finding provides a sound theoretical basis for further investigation of visual expression pattern and phototactic mechanisms in nocturnal moths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Jun Liu
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Shuo Yan
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Zhong-Jian Shen
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Zhen Li
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Xin-Fang Zhang
- Changli Institute of Pomology, Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Hebei, 066600, China
| | - Xiao-Ming Liu
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Qing-Wen Zhang
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Xiao-Xia Liu
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
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21
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Shimmura T, Nakayama T, Shinomiya A, Yoshimura T. Seasonal changes in color perception. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2018; 260:171-174. [PMID: 29288672 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2017.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2017] [Accepted: 12/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
In temperate zones, organisms experience dynamic fluctuations in environment including changes in color. To cope with such seasonal changes in the environment, organisms adapt their physiology and behavior. Although color perception has been believed to be fixed throughout life, there is increasing evidence for the alteration in opsin gene expression induced by environmental stimuli in a number of animals. Very recently, dynamic seasonal plasticity in color perception has been reported in the seasonally breeding medaka fish. Interestingly, seasonal changes in human color perception have also been reported. Therefore, plasticity of color perception, induced by environmental stimuli, might be a common phenomenon across various species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsuyoshi Shimmura
- Division of Seasonal Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan; Department of Basic Biology, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Hayama 240-0193, Japan
| | - Tomoya Nakayama
- Division of Seasonal Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan; Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601, Japan
| | - Ai Shinomiya
- Division of Seasonal Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan; Department of Basic Biology, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Hayama 240-0193, Japan
| | - Takashi Yoshimura
- Division of Seasonal Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan; Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601, Japan; Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601, Japan.
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22
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Bhardwaj S, Prudic KL, Bear A, Dasgupta M, Wasik BR, Tong X, Cheong WF, Wenk MR, Monteiro A. Sex Differences in 20-Hydroxyecdysone Hormone Levels Control Sexual Dimorphism in Bicyclus anynana Wing Patterns. Mol Biol Evol 2018; 35:465-472. [PMID: 29165628 PMCID: PMC5850599 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msx301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In contrast to the important role of hormones in the development of sexual traits in vertebrates (Cox RM, Stenquist DS, Calsbeek R. 2009. Testosterone, growth and the evolution of sexual size dimorphism. J Evol Biol. 22(8):1586-1598.), the differentiation of these traits in insects is attributed almost exclusively to cell-autonomous mechanisms controlled by members of the sex determination pathway (Verhulst EC, van de Zande L. 2015. Double nexus - doublesex is the connecting element in sex determination. Brief Funct Genomics 14(6):396-406.), such as doublesex. Although hormones can shape the development of sexual traits in insects, variation in hormone levels are not conclusively known to cause dimorphism in these traits (Prakash A, Monteiro A. 2016. Molecular mechanisms of secondary sexual trait development in insects. Curr Opin Insect Sci. 17:40-48.). Here, we show that butterflies use sex-specific differences in 20-hydroxyecdysone hormone titers to create sexually dimorphic wing ornaments. Females of the dry season (DS) form of Bicyclus anynana display a larger sexual ornament on their wings than males, whereas in the wet season form both sexes have similarly sized ornaments (Prudic KL, Jeon C, Cao H, Monteiro A. 2011. Developmental plasticity in sexual roles of butterfly species drives mutual sexual ornamentation. Science 331(6013):73-75.). High levels of circulating 20-hydroxyecdysone during larval development in DS females and wet season forms cause proliferation of the cells fated to give rise to this wing ornament, and results in sexual dimorphism in the DS forms. This study advances our understanding of how the environment regulates sex-specific patterns of plasticity of sexual ornaments and conclusively shows that hormones can play a role in the development of secondary sexual traits in insects, just like they do in vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivam Bhardwaj
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kathleen L Prudic
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT
| | - Ashley Bear
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT
| | - Mainak Dasgupta
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Bethany R Wasik
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT
- Cornell University Press, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
| | - Xiaoling Tong
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Beibei District, Chongqing, China
| | - Wei Fun Cheong
- Department of Biochemistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Markus R Wenk
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biochemistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Antónia Monteiro
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT
- Yale-NUS College, Singapore
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23
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Collantes-Alegre JM, Mattenberger F, Barberà M, Martínez-Torres D. Characterisation, analysis of expression and localisation of the opsin gene repertoire from the perspective of photoperiodism in the aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2018; 104:48-59. [PMID: 29203177 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2017.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2017] [Revised: 10/19/2017] [Accepted: 11/30/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Organisms exhibit a wide range of seasonal responses as adaptions to predictable annual changes in their environment. These changes are originally caused by the effect of the Earth's cycles around the sun and its axial tilt. Examples of seasonal responses include floration, migration, reproduction and diapause. In temperate climate zones, the most robust variable to predict seasons is the length of the day (i.e. the photoperiod). The first step to trigger photoperiodic driven responses involves measuring the duration of the light-dark phases, but the molecular clockwork performing this task is poorly characterized. Photopigments such as opsins are known to participate in light perception, being part of the machinery in charge of providing information about the luminous state of the surroundings. Aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) are paradigmatic photoperiodic insects, exhibiting a strong induction to diapause when the light regime mimics autumn conditions. The availability of the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) genome has facilitated molecular approaches to understand the effect of light stimulus in the photoperiodic induction process. We have identified, experimentally validated and characterized the expression of the full opsin gene repertoire in the pea aphid. Among identified opsin genes in A. pisum, arthropsin is absent in most insects sequenced to date (except for dragonflies and two other hemipterans) but also present in a crustacean, an onychophoran and chelicerates. We have quantified the expression of these genes in aphids exposed to different photoperiodic conditions and at different times of the day and localized their transcripts in the aphid brain. Clear differences in expression patterns were found, thus relating opsin expression with the photoperiodic response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Mariano Collantes-Alegre
- Institut de Biologia Integrativa de Sistemes, Parc Científic Universitat de València, C/Catedrático José Beltrán n° 2, 46980 Paterna, València, Spain
| | - Florian Mattenberger
- Institut de Biologia Integrativa de Sistemes, Parc Científic Universitat de València, C/Catedrático José Beltrán n° 2, 46980 Paterna, València, Spain; Department of Abiotic Stress, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Valencia 46022, Spain
| | - Miquel Barberà
- Institut de Biologia Integrativa de Sistemes, Parc Científic Universitat de València, C/Catedrático José Beltrán n° 2, 46980 Paterna, València, Spain
| | - David Martínez-Torres
- Institut de Biologia Integrativa de Sistemes, Parc Científic Universitat de València, C/Catedrático José Beltrán n° 2, 46980 Paterna, València, Spain.
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Lebhardt F, Desplan C. Retinal perception and ecological significance of color vision in insects. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2017; 24:75-83. [PMID: 29208227 PMCID: PMC5726413 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2017.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Accepted: 09/12/2017] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Color vision relies on the ability to discriminate different wavelengths and is often improved in insects that inhabit well-lit, spectrally rich environments. Although the Opsin proteins themselves are sensitive to specific wavelength ranges, other factors can alter and further restrict the sensitivity of photoreceptors to allow for finer color discrimination and thereby more informed decisions while interacting with the environment. The ability to discriminate colors differs between insects that exhibit different life styles, between female and male eyes of the same species, and between regions of the same eye, depending on the requirements of intraspecific communication and ecological demands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fleur Lebhardt
- Department of Biology, New York University, NY 10003, USA
| | - Claude Desplan
- Department of Biology, New York University, NY 10003, USA.
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25
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Wound healing, calcium signaling, and other novel pathways are associated with the formation of butterfly eyespots. BMC Genomics 2017; 18:788. [PMID: 29037153 PMCID: PMC5644175 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-017-4175-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 10/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background One hypothesis surrounding the origin of novel traits is that they originate from the co-option of pre-existing genes or larger gene regulatory networks into novel developmental contexts. Insights into a trait’s evolutionary origins can, thus, be gained via identification of the genes underlying trait development, and exploring whether those genes also function in other developmental contexts. Here we investigate the set of genes associated with the development of eyespot color patterns, a trait that originated once within the Nymphalid family of butterflies. Although several genes associated with eyespot development have been identified, the eyespot gene regulatory network remains largely unknown. Results In this study, next-generation sequencing and transcriptome analyses were used to identify a large set of genes associated with eyespot development of Bicyclus anynana butterflies, at 3-6 h after pupation, prior to the differentiation of the color rings. Eyespot-associated genes were identified by comparing the transcriptomes of homologous micro-dissected wing tissues that either develop or do not develop eyespots in wild-type and a mutant line of butterflies, Spotty, with extra eyespots. Overall, 186 genes were significantly up and down-regulated in wing tissues that develop eyespots compared to wing tissues that do not. Many of the differentially expressed genes have yet to be annotated. New signaling pathways, including the Toll, Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF), extracellular signal–regulated kinase (ERK) and/or Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathways are associated for the first time with eyespot development. In addition, several genes involved in wound healing and calcium signaling were also found to be associated with eyespots. Conclusions Overall, this study provides the identity of many new genes and signaling pathways associated with eyespots, and suggests that the ancient wound healing gene regulatory network may have been co-opted to cells at the center of the pattern to aid in eyespot origins. New transcription factors that may be providing different identities to distinct wing sectors, and genes with sexually dimorphic expression in the eyespots were also identified. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-017-4175-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Ng SY, Bhardwaj S, Monteiro A. Males Become Choosier in Response to Manipulations of Female Wing Ornaments in Dry Season Bicyclus anynana Butterflies. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2017; 17:3934672. [PMID: 28973485 PMCID: PMC5501498 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/iex053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2016] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Male investment towards reproduction is substantial in some species, and this leads to the evolution of choosy males. Male choice is often directed towards female phenotypes that are good indicators of fecundity such as body size, age, or virgin status, and often acts in the same direction as fecundity selection. In insects, only a few examples exist where male choice is directed towards female ornaments as proxies Butler of female quality. Here, we use dry season males of the sex-role reversed butterfly species Bicyclus anynana to test for differences in male choosiness and investment towards females of varying attractiveness using ornament-manipulations. Male reproductive investment in this species is in the form of a nuptial gift, a spermatophore, given to females upon mating. Males were placed in cages with either wild-type ornamented females or with nonornamented females (center of the dorsal forewing eyespots painted over), and time to mating, duration of mating, and longevity of males and females after a single mating were measured. Ornament manipulations consisted of blocking the UV-reflective scales in the center of the dorsal forewing eyespots of females, a known sexual ornament. Males displayed lower latency to mate and longer mating durations with ornamented females. The longer mating duration did not, however, translate in the transfer of a nuptial gift that increased female longevity or reduced male longevity. Instead, we propose that longer mating durations with ornamented females may represent increased mate guarding behavior or increased sperm transfer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swit Yee Ng
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543 (; ; )
| | - Shivam Bhardwaj
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543 (; ; )
| | - Antónia Monteiro
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543 (; ; )
- Yale-NUS College, 10 College Avenue West, Singapore 138609, Singapore, Singapore ()
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27
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Liu Z, Wang X, Lei C, Zhu F. Sensory genes identification with head transcriptome of the migratory armyworm, Mythimna separata. Sci Rep 2017; 7:46033. [PMID: 28387246 PMCID: PMC5384095 DOI: 10.1038/srep46033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2016] [Accepted: 03/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensory system plays important roles in a wide array of insect’s behavior and physiological events, including the host landing and locating, feeding, flying, sex responding, mating and oviposition which happen independently and in sequence. The armyworm Mythimna separata (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) of migratory insect is destructive for alimentarn crop and economic crop throughout the world. Here we present the high throughput sequencing of the head transcriptome and identify members of the major sensory genes which are crucial for armyworm’s success worldwide, including 8 opsins, 22 chemosensory proteins, 50 odorant binding proteins, 60 odorant receptors, 8 gustatory receptors, 24 ionotropic receptors, and 2 sensory neuron membrane proteins. It is worth noting that a duplication of the LW opsin gene exists in this insect. Several genes were clustered with functionally validated genes, such as Co-receptors of OR and IR, PBPs, PRs, CO2 GRs, bitter GRs and sweet GRs, were also identified. The transcriptome gene library provided the basis for further studies that elucidate the fundamental molecular mechanism of biology and control in M. separata. Our research exhibits the first comprehensive catalogue of the sensory genes fundamental for success and distribution in M. separata, which are potential novel targets for pest control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenxing Liu
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Xiaoyun Wang
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Chaoliang Lei
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Fen Zhu
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
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28
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Steroid hormone signaling during development has a latent effect on adult male sexual behavior in the butterfly Bicyclus anynana. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0174403. [PMID: 28328961 PMCID: PMC5362226 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0174403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2016] [Accepted: 03/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well established that steroid hormones regulate sexual behavior in vertebrates via organizational and activational effects. However, whether the organizational/activational paradigm applies more broadly to the sexual behavior of other animals such as insects is not well established. Here we describe the hormonal regulation of a sexual behavior in the seasonally polyphenic butterfly Bicyclus anynana is consistent with the characteristics of an organizational effect. By measuring hormone titer levels, quantifying hormone receptor gene expression in the brain, and performing hormone manipulations, we demonstrate steroid hormone signaling early in pupal development has a latent effect on adult male sexual behavior in B. anynana. These findings suggest the organizational/activational paradigm may be more highly conserved across animal taxa than previously thought.
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29
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Dion E, Monteiro A, Yew JY. Phenotypic plasticity in sex pheromone production in Bicyclus anynana butterflies. Sci Rep 2016; 6:39002. [PMID: 27966579 PMCID: PMC5155268 DOI: 10.1038/srep39002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2016] [Accepted: 11/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic plasticity refers to the environmental control of phenotypes. Cues experienced during development (developmental plasticity) or during adulthood (acclimatization) can both affect adult phenotypes. Phenotypic plasticity has been described in many traits but examples of developmental plasticity in physiological traits, in particular, remain scarce. We examined developmental plasticity and acclimatization in pheromone production in the butterfly Bicyclus anynana in response to rearing temperature. B. anynana lives in the African tropics where warm rearing temperatures of the wet season produce active males that court and females that choose, whereas cooler temperatures of the dry season lead to choosy less active males and courting females. We hypothesized that if male pheromone production is costly, it should be reduced in the dry season form. After describing the ultrastructure of pheromone producing cells, we showed that dry season males produced significantly less sex pheromones than wet season males, partly due to acclimatization and partly due to developmental plasticity. Variation in levels of one of the compounds is associated with differential regulation of a pheromone biosynthetic enzyme gene. This plasticity might be an adaptation to minimize pheromone production costs during the stressful dry season.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Dion
- Department of Biological Sciences, 14 Science Drive 4, National University of Singapore, 117543, Singapore.,Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, 118173, Singapore
| | - Antónia Monteiro
- Department of Biological Sciences, 14 Science Drive 4, National University of Singapore, 117543, Singapore.,Yale-NUS College, 6 College Avenue East, 138614, Singapore
| | - Joanne Y Yew
- Pacific Biosciences Research Center, 1993 East West Road, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
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30
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Abstract
Environmental and genetic influences cause individuals of a species to differ in size. As they do so, organ size and shape are scaled to available resources whilst maintaining function. The scaling of entire organs has been investigated extensively but scaling within organs remains poorly understood. By making use of the structure of the insect compound eye, we show that different regions of an organ can respond differentially to changes in body size. Wood ant (Formica rufa) compound eyes contain facets of different diameters in different regions. When the animal body size changes, lens diameters from different regions can increase or decrease in size either at the same rate (a ‘grade’ shift) or at different rates (a ‘slope’ shift). These options are not mutually exclusive, and we demonstrate that both types of scaling apply to different regions of the same eye. This demonstrates that different regions within a single organ can use different rules to govern their scaling, responding differently to their developmental environment. Thus, the control of scaling is more nuanced than previously appreciated, diverse responses occurring even among homologous cells within a single organ. Such fine control provides a rich substrate for the diversification of organ morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig D Perl
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QG, UK
| | - Jeremy E Niven
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QG, UK
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31
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Manwaring KF, Whiting MF, Wilcox E, Bybee SM. A study of common scorpionfly (Mecoptera: Panorpidae) visual systems reveals the expression of a single opsin. ORG DIVERS EVOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s13127-015-0241-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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32
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Westerman E, Monteiro A. Rearing Temperature Influences Adult Response to Changes in Mating Status. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0146546. [PMID: 26863319 PMCID: PMC4749170 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0146546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2015] [Accepted: 12/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Rearing environment can have an impact on adult behavior, but it is less clear how rearing environment influences adult behavior plasticity. Here we explore the effect of rearing temperature on adult mating behavior plasticity in the butterfly Bicyclus anynana, a species that has evolved two seasonal forms in response to seasonal changes in temperature. These seasonal forms differ in both morphology and behavior. Females are the choosy sex in cohorts reared at warm temperatures (WS butterflies), and males are the choosy sex in cohorts reared at cooler temperatures (DS butterflies). Rearing temperature also influences mating benefits and costs. In DS butterflies, mated females live longer than virgin females, and mated males live shorter than virgin males. No such benefits or costs to mating are present in WS butterflies. Given that choosiness and mating costs are rearing temperature dependent in B. anynana, we hypothesized that temperature may also impact male and female incentives to remate in the event that benefits and costs of second matings are similar to those of first matings. We first examined whether lifespan was affected by number of matings. We found that two matings did not significantly increase lifespan for either WS or DS butterflies relative to single matings. However, both sexes of WS but not DS butterflies experienced decreased longevity when mated to a non-virgin relative to a virgin. We next observed pairs of WS and DS butterflies and documented changes in mating behavior in response to changes in the mating status of their partner. WS but not DS butterflies changed their mating behavior in response to the mating status of their partner. These results suggest that rearing temperature influences adult mating behavior plasticity in B. anynana. This developmentally controlled behavioral plasticity may be adaptive, as lifespan depends on the partner’s mating status in one seasonal form, but not in the other.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica Westerman
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Ecology & Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Antónia Monteiro
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
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33
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McCulloch KJ, Osorio D, Briscoe AD. Sexual dimorphism in the compound eye of Heliconius erato: a nymphalid butterfly with at least five spectral classes of photoreceptor. J Exp Biol 2016; 219:2377-87. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.136523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2015] [Accepted: 05/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Most butterfly families expand the number of spectrally-distinct photoreceptors in their compound eye by opsin gene duplications together with lateral filter pigments, however most nymphalid genera have limited diversity, with only three or four spectral types of photoreceptor. Here we examine the spatial pattern of opsin expression and photoreceptor spectral sensitivities in Heliconius erato, a nymphalid with duplicate ultraviolet opsin genes, UVRh1 and UVRh2. We find that the H. erato compound eye is sexually dimorphic. Females express the two UV opsin proteins in separate photoreceptors, but males do not express UVRh1. Intracellular recordings confirmed that females have three short wavelength-sensitive photoreceptors (λmax=356 nm, ∼390 nm and 470 nm), while males have two (λmax=390 nm and ∼470 nm). We also found two long wavelength-sensitive photoreceptors (green, λmax ∼555 nm, and red, λmax ∼600 nm), which express the same LW opsin. The red cell's shifted sensitivity is probably due to perirhabdomal filtering pigments. Sexual dimorphism of the UV-absorbing rhodopsins may reflect the females' need to discriminate conspecifics from co-mimics. Red-green color vision may be used to detect differences in red coloration on Heliconius wings, or for host-plant identification. Among nymphalids so far investigated, only H. erato is known to possess five spectral classes of photoreceptor; sexual dimorphism of the eye via suppression of one class of opsin (here UVRh1 in males) has not—to our knowledge—been reported in any animal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle J. McCulloch
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, 321 Steinhaus Hall, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Daniel Osorio
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, BN1 9QG, United Kingdom
| | - Adriana D. Briscoe
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, 321 Steinhaus Hall, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
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Macias-Muñoz A, Smith G, Monteiro A, Briscoe AD. Transcriptome-Wide Differential Gene Expression in Bicyclus anynana Butterflies: Female Vision-Related Genes Are More Plastic. Mol Biol Evol 2015; 33:79-92. [PMID: 26371082 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msv197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Vision is energetically costly to maintain. Consequently, over time many cave-adapted species downregulate the expression of vision genes or even lose their eyes and associated eye genes entirely. Alternatively, organisms that live in fluctuating environments, with different requirements for vision at different times, may evolve phenotypic plasticity for expression of vision genes. Here, we use a global transcriptomic and candidate gene approach to compare gene expression in the heads of a polyphenic butterfly. Bicyclus anynana have two seasonal forms that display sexual dimorphism and plasticity in eye morphology, and female-specific plasticity in opsin gene expression. Nonchoosy dry season females downregulate opsin expression, consistent with the high physiological cost of vision. To identify other genes associated with sexually dimorphic and seasonally plastic differences in vision, we analyzed RNA-sequencing data from whole head tissues. We identified two eye development genes (klarsicht and warts homologs) and an eye pigment biosynthesis gene (henna) differentially expressed between seasonal forms. By comparing sex-specific expression across seasonal forms, we found that klarsicht, warts, henna, and another eye development gene (domeless) were plastic in a female-specific manner. In a male-only analysis, white (w) was differentially expressed between seasonal forms. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction confirmed that warts and white are expressed in eyes only, whereas klarsicht, henna and domeless are expressed in both eyes and brain. We find that differential expression of eye development and eye pigment genes is associated with divergent eye phenotypes in B. anynana seasonal forms, and that there is a larger effect of season on female vision-related genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aide Macias-Muñoz
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action
| | - Gilbert Smith
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action
| | - Antónia Monteiro
- Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore Yale-NUS College, Singapore
| | - Adriana D Briscoe
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action
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35
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Prudic KL, Stoehr AM, Wasik BR, Monteiro A. Eyespots deflect predator attack increasing fitness and promoting the evolution of phenotypic plasticity. Proc Biol Sci 2015; 282:20141531. [PMID: 25392465 PMCID: PMC4262162 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2014.1531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Some eyespots are thought to deflect attack away from the vulnerable body, yet there is limited empirical evidence for this function and its adaptive advantage. Here, we demonstrate the conspicuous ventral hindwing eyespots found on Bicyclus anynana butterflies protect against invertebrate predators, specifically praying mantids. Wet season (WS) butterflies with larger, brighter eyespots were easier for mantids to detect, but more difficult to capture compared to dry season (DS) butterflies with small, dull eyespots. Mantids attacked the wing eyespots of WS butterflies more frequently resulting in greater butterfly survival and reproductive success. With a reciprocal eyespot transplant, we demonstrated the fitness benefits of eyespots were independent of butterfly behaviour. Regardless of whether the butterfly was WS or DS, large marginal eyespots pasted on the hindwings increased butterfly survival and successful oviposition during predation encounters. In previous studies, DS B. anynana experienced delayed detection by vertebrate predators, but both forms suffered low survival once detected. Our results suggest predator abundance, identity and phenology may all be important selective forces for B. anynana. Thus, reciprocal selection between invertebrate and vertebrate predators across seasons may contribute to the evolution of the B. anynana polyphenism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen L Prudic
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Andrew M Stoehr
- Department of Biology, Butler University, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Bethany R Wasik
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Antónia Monteiro
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore NUS-Yale College, Singapore
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36
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Yan S, Zhu J, Zhu W, Zhang X, Li Z, Liu X, Zhang Q. The expression of three opsin genes from the compound eye of Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is regulated by a circadian clock, light conditions and nutritional status. PLoS One 2014; 9:e111683. [PMID: 25353953 PMCID: PMC4213014 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0111683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2014] [Accepted: 10/02/2014] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Visual genes may become inactive in species that inhabit poor light environments, and the function and regulation of opsin components in nocturnal moths are interesting topics. In this study, we cloned the ultraviolet (UV), blue (BL) and long-wavelength-sensitive (LW) opsin genes from the compound eye of the cotton bollworm and then measured their mRNA levels using quantitative real-time PCR. The mRNA levels fluctuated over a daily cycle, which might be an adaptation of a nocturnal lifestyle, and were dependent on a circadian clock. Cycling of opsin mRNA levels was disturbed by constant light or constant darkness, and the UV opsin gene was up-regulated after light exposure. Furthermore, the opsin genes tended to be down-regulated upon starvation. Thus, this study illustrates that opsin gene expression is determined by multiple endogenous and exogenous factors and is adapted to the need for nocturnal vision, suggesting that color vision may play an important role in the sensory ecology of nocturnal moths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Yan
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Jialin Zhu
- Beijing Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Weilong Zhu
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Xinfang Zhang
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Zhen Li
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoxia Liu
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, P.R. China
- * E-mail: (XXL); (QWZ)
| | - Qingwen Zhang
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, P.R. China
- * E-mail: (XXL); (QWZ)
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