Project description:We apply developmental and single cell gene expression analysis to fetal skin of domestic cats, together with genetic characterization of Mendelian color variation, to identify when, where, and how, during fetal development, felid color patterns are established. Prior to the appearance of hair follicle placodes, we identify changes in epidermal thickness that represent a signature of color pattern establishment, and that are preceded by a pre-pattern of gene expression in which the secreted Wnt inhibitor encoded by Dickkopf 4 (Dkk4) plays a central role. We also demonstrate that mutations in Dkk4 underlie the Ticked pattern mutation in cats. Our results bring molecular understanding to how the leopard got its spots, suggest that similar mechanisms underlie periodic color pattern and periodic hair follicle spacing, and provide a genomic framework to explore natural selection for diverse pattern types in wild felids.
Project description:Many animals exhibit typical color patterns that have been linked to key adaptive functions, yet the developmental mechanisms establishing these crucial designs remain unclear. Here, we surveyed color distribution in the plumage across a large number of passerine finches. Despite extreme apparent pattern diversity, we identified a small set of conserved color regions whose combinatory association can explain all observed patterns. We found these domains are instructed by signals from embryonic somites and lateral plate mesoderm, and through profiling and comparative analyses, produced a molecular map marking putative color domains in the developing skin. This revealed cryptic pre-patterning common to differently colored species, uncovering a simple molecular landscape underlying extensive color pattern variation.
Project description:We investigated gene expression levels in Heliconius erato butterflies with divergent wing patterns across a 656KB genomic interval linked to the red color pattern wing polymorphism. This included comparison of expression between two H. erato color pattern populations (H. e. petiverana and a H.e. etylus x H. himera hybrid) across three sections of the forewing that differed in pigmentation (the basal, mid, and distal wing sections) and five different stages of pupal development (Day 1, 3, 5 pupae and ommochrome and melanin pigmentation stages). These results allowed us to determine whether certain genes in this interval were differentially expressed between the wing pattern elements, and, therefore, potentially responsible for adaptive color pattern variation in these butterflies.
Project description:We know very little about the genetic basis for color and color-pattern in squamate reptiles - a group with over 10,000 species of snakes and lizards. Using transcriptomic comparisons between orange, yellow and white tissues from an anole lizard, we identified 6 color and 7 color-pattern candidate genes in squamates that are conserved across other vertebrates like mammals, birds or fish. Among color genes, we identified the first candidate gene for converting yellow xanthophylls to red ketocarotenoids in squamates, and a sex-linked protein that transports carotenoids from the bloodstream into the pigment cells. A new model for the genetics of coloration in squamates informed by our data suggests that the genes and associated pathways underlying both color and color-pattern are broadly conserved across vertebrates.
Project description:We investigated gene expression levels in Heliconius erato butterflies with divergent wing patterns across a 656KB genomic interval linked to the red color pattern wing polymorphism. This included comparison of expression between two H. erato color pattern populations (H. e. petiverana and a H.e. etylus x H. himera hybrid) across three sections of the forewing that differed in pigmentation (the basal, mid, and distal wing sections) and five different stages of pupal development (Day 1, 3, 5 pupae and ommochrome and melanin pigmentation stages). These results allowed us to determine whether certain genes in this interval were differentially expressed between the wing pattern elements, and, therefore, potentially responsible for adaptive color pattern variation in these butterflies. Forewings from a total of 29 individuals, covering three biological replicates of five developmental time points for each of the two H. erato distinct phenotypes were dissected, with the only exception being that there were only two replicates of the day 1 hybrid phenotype. Individuals were reared at 25˚C and dissected at the following stages: a) day 1 = 12 hr after pupation; b) day 3 = 60 hr after pupation; c) day 5 = 108 hr after pupation; d) early ommochrome = ~ 156 hr after pupation when red scales in forewing partially mature, showing a pale orange color; and e) early melanin = ~ 180 hr after pupation melanic scales begin to turn black and are present primarily at the center of the wing. Using wing veins as landmarks, each forewing was cut into three sections corresponding to the color pattern boundaries: basal (F1), middle (F2), and apical (F3). A eight custom-designed Roche NimbleGen 12x135K format microarrays with probes spanning a 656,307bp genomic region (Roche NimbleGen Inc., Madison, Wisconsin, United States) were used to hybridize double stranded cDNA from 87 tissue samples. Repetitive sequence elements found more than five times across all currently available H. erato genomic sequences, including the probed region as well as additional genomic BAC sequences, were masked from the tiling region. The remaining unmasked non-repetitive genomic sequences were tiled using 60 bp probes staggered every 13 bp on average, with slight modifications to ensure probe quality, for a total of 48,547 probes. Microarry design and printing was performed by Roche NimbleGen. cDNA labeling, hybridization, and array scanning was performed by the City of Hope Microarray Facility (Duarte, California, United States). In addition to the probes from the red color pattern intervals, the arrays also include 40,763 probes across two other genomic intervals not addressed in this study, 45,046 probes representing 12450 transcripts from a recent transcriptome assembly at 1-6X coverage, and 3248 random probes. Results from the transcriptome and other color pattern intervals will be published separately, however, we analyzed all probes together for array normalization and quality control.
Project description:Aposematic color pattern mimicry in Heliconius butterflies provides a well-known example of adaptation via selection on a few genes of large effect. To understand how selection at individual genes can drive the evolution of complex traits, we functionally characterized five novel enhancers of the color pattern gene, optix. In Heliconius erato we found that wing pattern enhancers are largely ancestral, pleiotropic, functionally interdependent, and introgressed between populations. Remarkably, many of these enhancers are also associated with regional pattern variation in the distantly related co-mimics Heliconius melpomene and Heliconius timareta. Our findings provide a case study of how parallel co-evolution of ancient, multifunctional regulatory elements can facilitate the rapid diversification of complex phenotypes, and provide a counterpoint to many widespread assumptions of cis-regulatory evolution.
Project description:Aposematic color pattern mimicry in Heliconius butterflies provides a well-known example of adaptation via selection on a few genes of large effect. To understand how selection at individual genes can drive the evolution of complex traits, we functionally characterized five novel enhancers of the color pattern gene, optix. In Heliconius erato we found that wing pattern enhancers are largely ancestral, pleiotropic, functionally interdependent, and introgressed between populations. Remarkably, many of these enhancers are also associated with regional pattern variation in the distantly related co-mimics Heliconius melpomene and Heliconius timareta. Our findings provide a case study of how parallel co-evolution of ancient, multifunctional regulatory elements can facilitate the rapid diversification of complex phenotypes, and provide a counterpoint to many widespread assumptions of cis-regulatory evolution.
Project description:Aposematic color pattern mimicry in Heliconius butterflies provides a well-known example of adaptation via selection on a few genes of large effect. To understand how selection at individual genes can drive the evolution of complex traits, we functionally characterized five novel enhancers of the color pattern gene, optix. In Heliconius erato we found that wing pattern enhancers are largely ancestral, pleiotropic, functionally interdependent, and introgressed between populations. Remarkably, many of these enhancers are also associated with regional pattern variation in the distantly related co-mimics Heliconius melpomene and Heliconius timareta. Our findings provide a case study of how parallel co-evolution of ancient, multifunctional regulatory elements can facilitate the rapid diversification of complex phenotypes, and provide a counterpoint to many widespread assumptions of cis-regulatory evolution.