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VanKuren NW, Sheikh SI, Massardo D, Lu W, Kronforst MR. Supergene evolution via gain of auto-regulation. bioRxiv 2024:2024.01.09.574839. [PMID: 38260248 PMCID: PMC10802445 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.09.574839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
The development of complex phenotypes requires the coordinated action of many genes across space and time, yet many species have evolved the ability to develop multiple discrete, alternate phenotypes1-3. Such polymorphisms are often controlled by supergenes, sets of tightly-linked mutations in one or more loci that function together to produce a complex phenotype4. Although theories of supergene evolution are well-established, the mutations that cause functional differences between supergene alleles remain essentially unknown. doublesex is the master regulator of insect sexual differentiation but functions as a supergene in multiple Papilio swallowtail butterflies, where divergent dsx alleles control development of discrete non-mimetic or mimetic female wing color patterns5-7. Here we demonstrate that the functional elements of the mimetic allele in Papilio alphenor are six new cis-regulatory elements (CREs) spread across 150 kb that are bound by DSX itself. Our findings provide experimental support to classic supergene theory and suggest that the evolution of auto-regulation may provide a simple route to supergene origination and to the co-option of pleiotropic genes into new developmental roles.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sofia I. Sheikh
- Department of Ecology & Evolution, The University of Chicago, Chicago IL USA
| | - Darli Massardo
- Department of Ecology & Evolution, The University of Chicago, Chicago IL USA
| | - Wei Lu
- Department of Ecology & Evolution, The University of Chicago, Chicago IL USA
| | - Marcus R. Kronforst
- Department of Ecology & Evolution, The University of Chicago, Chicago IL USA
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Hanly JJ, Loh LS, Mazo-Vargas A, Rivera-Miranda TS, Livraghi L, Tendolkar A, Day CR, Liutikaite N, Earls EA, Corning OBWH, D'Souza N, Hermina-Perez JJ, Mehta C, Ainsworth JA, Rossi M, Papa R, McMillan WO, Perry MW, Martin A. Frizzled2 receives WntA signaling during butterfly wing pattern formation. Development 2023; 150:dev201868. [PMID: 37602496 PMCID: PMC10560568 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
Butterfly color patterns provide visible and biodiverse phenotypic readouts of the patterning processes. Although the secreted ligand WntA has been shown to instruct the color pattern formation in butterflies, its mode of reception remains elusive. Butterfly genomes encode four homologs of the Frizzled-family of Wnt receptors. Here, we show that CRISPR mosaic knockouts of frizzled2 (fz2) phenocopy the color pattern effects of WntA loss of function in multiple nymphalids. Whereas WntA mosaic clones result in intermediate patterns of reduced size, fz2 clones are cell-autonomous, consistent with a morphogen function. Shifts in expression of WntA and fz2 in WntA crispant pupae show that they are under positive and negative feedback, respectively. Fz1 is required for Wnt-independent planar cell polarity in the wing epithelium. Fz3 and Fz4 show phenotypes consistent with Wnt competitive-antagonist functions in vein formation (Fz3 and Fz4), wing margin specification (Fz3), and color patterning in the Discalis and Marginal Band Systems (Fz4). Overall, these data show that the WntA/Frizzled2 morphogen-receptor pair forms a signaling axis that instructs butterfly color patterning and shed light on the functional diversity of insect Frizzled receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph J. Hanly
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Gamboa 0843-03092, Panama
| | - Ling S. Loh
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Anyi Mazo-Vargas
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | | | - Luca Livraghi
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Gamboa 0843-03092, Panama
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Amruta Tendolkar
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Christopher R. Day
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
- Epigenetics and Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Neringa Liutikaite
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Emily A. Earls
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Olaf B. W. H. Corning
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Natalie D'Souza
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - José J. Hermina-Perez
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Caroline Mehta
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Julia A. Ainsworth
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Matteo Rossi
- Division of Evolutionary Biology, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich 80539, Germany
| | - Riccardo Papa
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras, San Juan 00931, Puerto Rico
- Molecular Sciences and Research Center, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan 00931, Puerto Rico
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche della Vita e della Sostenibilità Ambientale, Università di Parma, Parma 43121, Italy
| | - W. Owen McMillan
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Gamboa 0843-03092, Panama
| | - Michael W. Perry
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Arnaud Martin
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Gamboa 0843-03092, Panama
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