Diversification of complex butterfly wing patterns by repeated regulatory evolution of a Wnt ligand
ORCID
Dr. Ryan Hill: 0000-0001-8513-6545
Document Type
Article
Publication Title
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Department
Biological Sciences
ISSN
0027-8424
Volume
109
Issue
31
DOI
10.1073/pnas.1204800109
First Page
12632
Last Page
12637
Publication Date
July 2012
Abstract
Although animals display a rich variety of shapes and patterns, the genetic changes that explain how complex forms arise are still unclear. Here we take advantage of the extensive diversity of Heliconius butterflies to identify a gene that causes adaptive variation of black wing patterns within and between species. Linkage mapping in two species groups, gene-expression analysis in seven species, and pharmacological treatments all indicate that cis-regulatory evolution of the WntA ligand underpins discrete changes in color pattern features across the Heliconius genus. These results illustrate how the direct modulation of morphogen sources can generate a wide array of unique morphologies, thus providing a link between natural genetic variation, pattern formation, and adaptation.
Recommended Citation
Martin, A.,
Papa, R.,
Nadeau, N.,
Hill, R. I.,
Counterman, B.,
Halder, G.,
Jiggins, C.,
Kronforst, M.,
Long, A.,
McMillan, W.,
&
Reed, R.
(2012).
Diversification of complex butterfly wing patterns by repeated regulatory evolution of a Wnt ligand.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 109(31), 12632–12637.
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1204800109
https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/cop-facarticles/506
