Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
Yale-NUS College, Singapore.
Proc Biol Sci. 2018 Feb 28;285(1873). doi: 10.1098/rspb.2017.2685.
Butterflies have evolved different colour patterns on their dorsal and ventral wing surfaces to serve different signalling functions, yet the developmental mechanisms controlling surface-specific patterning are still unknown. Here, we mutate both copies of the transcription factor in butterflies using CRISPR/Cas9 and show that expressed dorsally, functions both as a repressor and modifier of ventral wing colour patterns, as well as a promoter of dorsal sexual ornaments in males. We propose that the surface-specific diversification of wing patterns in butterflies proceeded via the co-option of or its downstream effectors into various gene regulatory networks involved in the differentiation of discrete wing traits. Further, interactions between and sex-specific factors such as may have contributed to the origin of sexually dimorphic surface-specific patterns. Finally, we discuss the evolution of eyespot number diversity in the family Nymphalidae within the context of developmental constraints due to regulation.
蝴蝶的背部和腹部翅膀表面进化出不同的颜色图案，以起到不同的信号传递功能，但控制表面特定图案形成的发育机制尚不清楚。在这里，我们使用 CRISPR/Cas9 技术使蝴蝶中 的两个拷贝都发生突变，结果表明，背部表达的 既可以作为腹部翅膀颜色图案的抑制因子和修饰因子，也可以作为雄性背部性装饰物的启动子。我们提出，蝴蝶翅膀图案的表面特异性多样化是通过将 或其下游效应物共同纳入各种参与离散翅膀特征分化的基因调控网络而进行的。此外， 和性别特异性因子（如 ）之间的相互作用可能促成了性二型表面特异性图案的起源。最后，我们讨论了由于 调控导致的发育限制下，眼斑数量多样性在蛱蝶科中的进化。
