Author: Brakefield, P.M.; Gates, J.; Keys, D.; Kesbeke, F.; Wijngaarden, P.J.; Monteiro, A.; French, V.; Carroll, S.B.
Description: The developmental and genetic bases for the formation, plasticity and diversity of eyespot patterns in butterflies are examined. Eyespot pattern mutants, regulatory gene expression, and transplants of the eyespot developmental organizer demonstrate that eyespot position, number, size and colour are determined progressively in a developmental pathway largely uncoupled from those regulating other wing-pattern elements and body structures. Species comparisons and selection experiments suggest that the evolution of eyespot patterns can occur rapidly through modulation of different stages of this pathway, and requires only single, or very few, changes in regulatory genes.
Subject Headings: Adaptation, Biological; Animals; Biological Evolution; Body Patterning; Butterflies/genetics/growth & development/metabolism; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Genes, Insect; Genes, Regulator; Homeodomain Proteins/genetics/metabolism; Insect Proteins/genetics/metabolism; Larva/genetics/growth & development/metabolism; Mutation; Phenotype; Pigmentation; Seasons; Signal Transduction; Species Specificity; Transcription Factors/genetics/metabolism; Wings, Animal/anatomy & histology/growth & development/metabolism/transplantation
Keywords: Development, plasticity and evolution of butterfly eyespot patterns
Publication year: 1996
Journal or book title: Nature
Volume: 384
Issue: 6606
Pages: 236-242
Find the full text : https://www.nature.com/articles/384236a0
Find more like this one (cited by): https://scholar.google.com/scholar?cites=5811504092025500211&as_sdt=1000005&sciodt=0,16&hl=en
Type: Journal Article
Serial number: 2507