The Developmental Architecture of Wing Pattern Variation in Heliconius Erato

研究综述：本项目将为新热带蝴蝶Helconius Erato开发一种基因芯片，并用它来研究翅膀图案发育过程中基因表达的时空模式。赫利柯斯·埃拉托在其鲜艳的翅膀图案中经历了非凡的适应性辐射，是研究选择、适应和形态分化的重要生态和进化模型。这项研究将确定基因表达的差异如何与H.Erato地理小种内和地理小种之间的色素差异相关，以及不同颜色模式元素的基因表达模式在发育过程中如何变化。这项工作有望发现参与模式形成的新基因，并为理解基因调控相互作用的变化如何导致形态多样化以及这些相互作用在进化辐射期间如何被修改奠定基础。在更广泛的层面上，赫利诺斯的翅膀模式形成和进化是一个很好的模式系统，用于概念化更复杂的形态特征的形成和多样化的发育机制。此外，由于蝴蝶翅膀模式形成的遗传网络可能很简单，该系统可以为根据基因表达数据进行基因调控网络的逆向工程提供一个强大的模型。该项目是波多黎各大学和杜克大学研究人员之间的协同合作，将促进未被充分代表的群体更广泛地参与科学，特别是在本科生一级。此外，鉴于其视觉上令人惊叹的图案和显著的进化辐射，赫利柯乌斯蝴蝶是促进一般保护和教育努力的优秀模型。

Summary of research:This project will develop a gene chip for the Neotropical butterfly Heliconius erato and use it to study the temporal and spatial patterning of gene expression during wing pattern development. Heliconius erato has undergone an extraordinary adaptive radiation in its vividly colored wing patterns and is an important ecological and evolutionary model for studying selection, adaptation and morphological differentiation. This research will determine how differences in gene expression are correlated with differences in pigmentation both within and between geographic races of H. erato, and how gene expression patterns for different elements of the color pattern change during development. This work is expected to uncover new genes involved in pattern formation and lays the groundwork for understanding how changes in genetic regulatory interactions cause morphological diversification and about how these interactions are modified during an evolutionary radiation. On a more general level, wing pattern formation and evolution in Heliconius is an excellent model system for conceptualizing the developmental mechanisms underlying the formation and diversification of more complex morphological traits. In addition, because the genetic networks underlying wing pattern formation in butterflies may be simple, this system could provide a powerful model for reverse engineering of genetic regulatory networks from gene expression data. This project is a synergistic collaboration between researchers at the University of Puerto Rico and Duke University and will promote a broader participation of underrepresented groups in science, particularly at the undergraduate level. Furthermore, given their visually stunning patterns and remarkable evolutionary radiation, Heliconius butterflies are excellent models to promote general conservation and educational efforts.