THE GENETIC BASIS OF EYESPOT COLOR PATTERN DEVELOPMENT IN BICYCLUS ANYNANA BUTTERFLIES

Abstract

Eyespot patterns of nymphalid butterflies are an example of a novel trait with a single evolutionary origin, yet, the molecular basis of eyespots is still not well understood. I conducted a transcriptome analysis to identify the gene regulatory network associated with eyespot development in Bicyclus anynana. 186 genes were differentially expressed in wing tissues that develop eyespots compared to wing tissues that do not. Many of these genes were involved in wound healing, supporting the previously proposed hypothesis that butterfly eyespots may have originated with the co-option of the wound healing gene regulatory network. In addition, I tested the function of wingless, a gene previously implicated in eyespot development, by down-regulating it in transgenic butterflies via RNAi. Transgenic butterflies showed significant reductions in the size of eyespots and wings, compared to wild-type controls, indicating that wingless is a positive regulator of eyespot and wing development in B. anynana butterflies.