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Paul M. Brakefield - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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to mate or not to mate the evolution of reproductive diapause facilitates insect radiation into african savannahs in the late miocene
Journal of Animal Ecology, 2020Co-Authors: Sridhar Halali, Steve C Collins, Paul M. Brakefield, Oskar BrattstromAbstract:Many tropical environments experience cyclical seasonal changes, frequently with pronounced wet and dry seasons, leading to a highly uneven temporal distribution of resources. Short-lived animals inhabiting such environments often show season-specific adaptations to cope with alternating selection pressures. African Bicyclus butterflies show strong seasonal polyphenism in a suite of phenotypic and life-history traits, and their adults are thought to undergo reproductive diapause associated with the lack of available larval host plants during the dry season. Using 3 years of longitudinal field data for three species in Malawi, dissections demonstrated that one forest species reproduces continuously, whereas two savannah species undergo reproductive diapause in the dry season, either with or without pre-diapause mating. Using additional data from field-collected and museum samples, we then documented the same three mating strategies for a further 37 species. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that the ancestral state was a non-diapausing forest species, and that habitat preference and mating strategy evolved in a correlated fashion. Bicyclus butterflies underwent rapid diversification during the Late Miocene, coinciding with expansions into more open savannah habitat. We conclude that the ability to undergo reproductive diapause was a key trait that facilitated colonization and eventual radiation into savannahs in the Late Miocene.
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to mate or not to mate the evolution of reproductive diapause facilitates insect radiation into african savannahs in the late miocene
bioRxiv, 2019Co-Authors: Sridhar Halali, Steve C Collins, Paul M. Brakefield, Oskar BrattstromAbstract:Many tropical environments experience cyclical seasonal changes, frequently with pronounced wet and dry seasons, leading to a highly uneven temporal distribution of resources. Short-lived animals inhabiting such environments often show season-specific adaptations to cope with alternating selection pressures. African Bicyclus butterflies show strong seasonal polyphenism in a suite of phenotypic and life-history traits, and their adults are thought to undergo reproductive diapause associated with the lack of available larval host plants during the dry season. Using three years of longitudinal field data for three species in Malawi, dissections demonstrated that one forest species reproduces continuously whereas two savannah species undergo reproductive diapause in the dry season, either with or without pre-diapause mating. Using additional data from field-collected and museum samples, we then documented the same three mating strategies for a further 37 species. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that the ancestral state was a non-diapausing forest species, and that habitat preference and mating strategy evolved in a correlated fashion. Bicyclus butterflies underwent rapid diversification during the Late Miocene, coinciding with expansions into more open savannah habitat. We conclude that the ability to undergo reproductive diapause was a key trait that facilitated colonization and eventual radiation into savannahs in the Late Miocene.
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expanded molecular phylogeny of the genus Bicyclus lepidoptera nymphalidae shows the importance of increased sampling for detecting semi cryptic species and highlights potentials for future studies
Systematics and Biodiversity, 2017Co-Authors: Kwaku Adusepoku, Paul M. Brakefield, Niklas Wahlberg, Oskar BrattstromAbstract:The genus Bicyclus is one of the largest groups of African butterflies, but due to the generally cryptic nature and seasonal variation of adult wing patterns, there has been a lot of systematic confusion. With a large research community working with the model species Bicyclus anynana there has been increasing interest in the evolutionary history of the genus. A previous phylogeny started to unravel interesting patterns, but only included 61% of the then known species. With a range of new species having been described in the last decade there has been a need for an updated phylogeny for the genus. We present the most complete phylogeny of Bicyclus yet, including 93% of the currently 103 recognized species and make a range of taxonomic revisions. We revise the status of four previous subspecies and synonymized taxa that in the light of the new genetic data are raised to species level. We also subsume two subspecies and describe a new species, Bicyclus collinsi sp. nov., based on both genetic and morphologic...
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differentiation in putative male sex pheromone components across and within populations of the african butterfly Bicyclus anynana as a potential driver of reproductive isolation
Ecology and Evolution, 2016Co-Authors: Paul Bacquet, Oskar Brattstrom, Maaike A De Jong, Freerk Molleman, George Lognay, Christer Löfstedt, Stephanie Heuskin, Honglei Wang, Paul M. Brakefield, Alain VanderpoortenAbstract:Sexual traits are often the most divergent characters among closely related species, suggesting an important role of sexual traits in speciation. However, to prove this, we need to show that sexual trait differences accumulate before or during the speciation process, rather than being a consequence of it. Here, we contrast patterns of divergence among putative male sex pheromone (pMSP) composition and the genetic structure inferred from variation in the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase 1 and nuclear CAD loci in the African butterfly Bicyclus anynana (Butler, 1879) to determine whether the evolution of “pheromonal dialects” occurs before or after the differentiation process. We observed differences in abundance of some shared pMSP components as well as differences in the composition of the pMSP among B. anynana populations. In addition, B. anynana individuals from Kenya displayed differences in the pMSP composition within a single population that appeared not associated with genetic differences. These differences in pMSP composition both between and within B. anynana populations were as large as those found between different Bicyclus species. Our results suggest that “pheromonal dialects” evolved within and among populations of B. anynana and may therefore act as precursors of an ongoing speciation process.
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Location and sampling details of field-collected butterflies
2016Co-Authors: Maaike De Jong, Patricia Beldade, Paul M. Brakefield, Steve Collins, Bas ZwaanAbstract:This file contains detailed location information and sample numbers of the six wild Bicyclus anynana populations of the study, including location names, location coordinates, sampling date, and the number of female and male samples per population
Oskar Brattstrom - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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to mate or not to mate the evolution of reproductive diapause facilitates insect radiation into african savannahs in the late miocene
Journal of Animal Ecology, 2020Co-Authors: Sridhar Halali, Steve C Collins, Paul M. Brakefield, Oskar BrattstromAbstract:Many tropical environments experience cyclical seasonal changes, frequently with pronounced wet and dry seasons, leading to a highly uneven temporal distribution of resources. Short-lived animals inhabiting such environments often show season-specific adaptations to cope with alternating selection pressures. African Bicyclus butterflies show strong seasonal polyphenism in a suite of phenotypic and life-history traits, and their adults are thought to undergo reproductive diapause associated with the lack of available larval host plants during the dry season. Using 3 years of longitudinal field data for three species in Malawi, dissections demonstrated that one forest species reproduces continuously, whereas two savannah species undergo reproductive diapause in the dry season, either with or without pre-diapause mating. Using additional data from field-collected and museum samples, we then documented the same three mating strategies for a further 37 species. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that the ancestral state was a non-diapausing forest species, and that habitat preference and mating strategy evolved in a correlated fashion. Bicyclus butterflies underwent rapid diversification during the Late Miocene, coinciding with expansions into more open savannah habitat. We conclude that the ability to undergo reproductive diapause was a key trait that facilitated colonization and eventual radiation into savannahs in the Late Miocene.
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to mate or not to mate the evolution of reproductive diapause facilitates insect radiation into african savannahs in the late miocene
bioRxiv, 2019Co-Authors: Sridhar Halali, Steve C Collins, Paul M. Brakefield, Oskar BrattstromAbstract:Many tropical environments experience cyclical seasonal changes, frequently with pronounced wet and dry seasons, leading to a highly uneven temporal distribution of resources. Short-lived animals inhabiting such environments often show season-specific adaptations to cope with alternating selection pressures. African Bicyclus butterflies show strong seasonal polyphenism in a suite of phenotypic and life-history traits, and their adults are thought to undergo reproductive diapause associated with the lack of available larval host plants during the dry season. Using three years of longitudinal field data for three species in Malawi, dissections demonstrated that one forest species reproduces continuously whereas two savannah species undergo reproductive diapause in the dry season, either with or without pre-diapause mating. Using additional data from field-collected and museum samples, we then documented the same three mating strategies for a further 37 species. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that the ancestral state was a non-diapausing forest species, and that habitat preference and mating strategy evolved in a correlated fashion. Bicyclus butterflies underwent rapid diversification during the Late Miocene, coinciding with expansions into more open savannah habitat. We conclude that the ability to undergo reproductive diapause was a key trait that facilitated colonization and eventual radiation into savannahs in the Late Miocene.
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Wolbachia in the Genus Bicyclus: a Forgotten Player
Microbial Ecology, 2018Co-Authors: Anne Duplouy, Oskar BrattstromAbstract:Bicyclus butterflies are key species for studies of wing pattern development, phenotypic plasticity, speciation and the genetics of Lepidoptera. One of the key endosymbionts in butterflies, the alpha-Proteobacterium Wolbachia pipientis , is affecting many of these biological processes; however, Bicyclus butterflies have not been investigated systematically as hosts to Wolbachia . In this study, we screen for Wolbachia infection in several Bicyclus species from natural populations across Africa as well as two laboratory populations. Out of the 24 species tested, 19 were found to be infected, and no double infection was found, but both A- and B-supergroup strains colonise this butterfly group. We also show that many of the Wolbachia strains identified in Bicyclus butterflies belong to the ST19 clonal complex. We discuss the importance of our results in regard to routinely screening for Wolbachia when using Bicyclus butterflies as the study organism of research in eco-evolutionary biology.
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expanded molecular phylogeny of the genus Bicyclus lepidoptera nymphalidae shows the importance of increased sampling for detecting semi cryptic species and highlights potentials for future studies
Systematics and Biodiversity, 2017Co-Authors: Kwaku Adusepoku, Paul M. Brakefield, Niklas Wahlberg, Oskar BrattstromAbstract:The genus Bicyclus is one of the largest groups of African butterflies, but due to the generally cryptic nature and seasonal variation of adult wing patterns, there has been a lot of systematic confusion. With a large research community working with the model species Bicyclus anynana there has been increasing interest in the evolutionary history of the genus. A previous phylogeny started to unravel interesting patterns, but only included 61% of the then known species. With a range of new species having been described in the last decade there has been a need for an updated phylogeny for the genus. We present the most complete phylogeny of Bicyclus yet, including 93% of the currently 103 recognized species and make a range of taxonomic revisions. We revise the status of four previous subspecies and synonymized taxa that in the light of the new genetic data are raised to species level. We also subsume two subspecies and describe a new species, Bicyclus collinsi sp. nov., based on both genetic and morphologic...
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differentiation in putative male sex pheromone components across and within populations of the african butterfly Bicyclus anynana as a potential driver of reproductive isolation
Ecology and Evolution, 2016Co-Authors: Paul Bacquet, Oskar Brattstrom, Maaike A De Jong, Freerk Molleman, George Lognay, Christer Löfstedt, Stephanie Heuskin, Honglei Wang, Paul M. Brakefield, Alain VanderpoortenAbstract:Sexual traits are often the most divergent characters among closely related species, suggesting an important role of sexual traits in speciation. However, to prove this, we need to show that sexual trait differences accumulate before or during the speciation process, rather than being a consequence of it. Here, we contrast patterns of divergence among putative male sex pheromone (pMSP) composition and the genetic structure inferred from variation in the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase 1 and nuclear CAD loci in the African butterfly Bicyclus anynana (Butler, 1879) to determine whether the evolution of “pheromonal dialects” occurs before or after the differentiation process. We observed differences in abundance of some shared pMSP components as well as differences in the composition of the pMSP among B. anynana populations. In addition, B. anynana individuals from Kenya displayed differences in the pMSP composition within a single population that appeared not associated with genetic differences. These differences in pMSP composition both between and within B. anynana populations were as large as those found between different Bicyclus species. Our results suggest that “pheromonal dialects” evolved within and among populations of B. anynana and may therefore act as precursors of an ongoing speciation process.
Jack J Windig - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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genetic correlations and reaction norms in wing pattern of the tropical butterfly Bicyclus anynana
Heredity, 1994Co-Authors: Jack J WindigAbstract:Genetic correlations and reaction norms in wing pattern of the tropical butterfly Bicyclus anynana
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An Artificial Diet for Butterflies, Including Bicyclus Species, and its Effect on Development Period, Weight and Wing Pattern
1992Co-Authors: Paul M. Brakefield, Graham J. Holloway, Stans Kofman, Jack J WindigAbstract:A semi-artificial diet based on bean flour suitable for the laboratory rearing of butterflies is described. The effect of the diet on development period, pupal weight and wing colour pattern was examined. Butterflies of the species Bicyclus anynana reared on living maize plants developed faster and were heavier, but there was no significant effect of diet on colour pattern.
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Seasonal Polyphenism in Bicyclus Safitza: a Continuous Reaction Norm
Netherlands Journal of Zoology, 1991Co-Authors: Jack J WindigAbstract:The tropical butterfly Bicyclus safitza has a dry season and a wet season form. In the laboratory different forms (both dry, wet and intermediates) can be induced by different temperatures. The continuous reaction norm in the laboratory is not expressed in the field because of the discrete environment. This plasticity is similar in two Malawian populations. Developmental time and not temperature per se seems to be the factor determining the wing pattern. The amount of a chemical, synthesized or denatured at a constant rate in the larval stage, is hypothesized to determine the phenotype and to serve as a genotype-environment-phenotype-mapping-function (GEPMF). It is argued from an evolutionary viewpoint that development time will be the determination factor for plasticity in other organisms as well.
Antónia Monteiro - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Doublesex Mediates the Development of Sex-Specific Pheromone Organs in Bicyclus Butterflies via Multiple Mechanisms.
Molecular biology and evolution, 2020Co-Authors: Anupama Prakash, Antónia MonteiroAbstract:The Bicyclus lineage of satyrid butterflies exhibits male-specific traits, the scent organs, used for chemical communication during courtship. These organs consist of tightly packed brush-like scales (hair-pencils) that rub against scent patches to disperse pheromones, but the evolution and molecular basis of these organ's male-limited development remains unknown. Here, we examine the evolution of the number and location of the scent patches and hair-pencils within 53 species of Bicyclus butterflies, and the involvement of the sex determinant gene doublesex (dsx) in scent organ development in Bicyclus anynana using CRISPR/Cas9. We show that scent patches and hair-pencils arose via multiple, independent gains, in a correlated manner. Further, an initially nonsex-specific Dsx protein expression pattern in developing wing discs becomes male-specific and spatially refined to areas that develop the scent patches. Functional perturbations of dsx show that this gene activates patch development in males whereas hair-pencils develop in both sexes without Dsx input. Dsx in females is, instead, required to repress hair-pencils whereas Dsx in males regulates minor aspects of its development. These findings suggest that the patches and hair-pencils evolve as correlated composite organs presumably due to their functional integration. Divergence in the function of dsx isoforms occurred across the sexes, where the male isoform promotes patch development in males and the female isoform represses hair-pencil development in females, both leading to the development of male-limited traits. Furthermore, evolution in number of patches in males is due to the evolution of spatial regulation of dsx.
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Doublesex mediates the development of sex-specific pheromone organs in Bicyclus butterflies via multiple mechanisms
2019Co-Authors: Anupama Prakash, Antónia MonteiroAbstract:The Bicyclus lineage of satyrid butterflies exhibits male-specific traits, the scent organ complex, used for chemical communication during courtship. This complex consists of tightly packed brush-like scales (hair-pencils) that rub against scent patches to disperse pheromones, but the evolution and molecular basis of the organ9s male-limited development remains unknown. Here, we examine the evolution of the number and location of the scent patches and hair-pencils within 53 species of Bicyclus butterflies, and the involvement of the sex determinant gene doublesex ( dsx ) in scent organ development in Bicyclus anynana using CRISPR/Cas9. We show that scent patches and hair-pencils arose via multiple, independent gains, in a correlated manner. Further, an initially non-sex-specific Dsx protein expression pattern in developing wing discs becomes male-specific and spatially refined to areas that develop the scent organ complex over the course of development. Functional perturbations of dsx show that this gene is required for male patch development whereas hair-pencils can develop in both sexes without Dsx input. Dsx in females is, instead, required to repress hair-pencils. These findings suggest that the patches and hair-pencils evolve as correlated composite organs that are sex-limited via the spatial regulation of dsx . Divergence in the function of dsx isoforms occurs in both sexes, where the male isoform promotes patch development in males and the female isoform represses hair-pencil development in females, both leading to the development of male-limited traits. Furthermore, evolution in number and location of patches, but not of hair-pencils, appears to be regulated by spatial regulation of dsx .
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crispr cas9 mediated genome editing in Bicyclus anynana butterflies
Methods and protocols, 2018Co-Authors: Tirtha Das Banerjee, Antónia MonteiroAbstract:CRISPR-Cas9 is revolutionizing the field of genome editing in non-model organisms. The robustness, ease of use, replicability and affordability of the technology has resulted in its widespread adoption among researchers. The African butterfly Bicyclus anynana is an emerging model lepidopteran species in the field of evo-devo, with a sequenced genome and amenable to germ line transformation. However, efficient genome editing tools to accelerate the pace of functional genetic research in this species have only recently become available with CRISPR-Cas9 technology. Here, we provide a detailed explanation of the CRISPR-Cas9 protocol we follow in the lab. The technique has been successfully implemented to knock-out genes associated with eyespot development and melanin pigmentation.
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Melanin Pathway Genes Regulate Color and Morphology of Butterfly Wing Scales
Elsevier, 2018Co-Authors: Yuji Matsuoka, Antónia MonteiroAbstract:Summary: The cuticular skeleton of a butterfly wing scale cell is an exquisitely finely sculpted material that can contain pigments, produce structural colors, or both. While cuticle rigidity and pigmentation depend on the products of the melanin pathway, little is known about whether genes in this pathway also play a role in the development of specific scale morphologies. Here, we use CRISPR/Cas9 to show that knockout mutations in five genes that function in the melanin pathway affect both the fine structure and the coloration of the wing scales. Most dramatically, mutations in the yellow gene lead to extra horizontal laminae on the surface of scales, whereas mutations in DDC gene lead to taller and sheet-like vertical laminae throughout each scale. We identify genes affecting the development of color and scale morphology, the regulation and pleiotropic effects of which may be important in creating and limiting the diversity of the structural and pigmentary colors observed in butterflies. : Matsuoka and Monteiro discover that deletions of the yellow and DDC melanin genes alter both the color and the morphology of Bicyclus anynana wing scales. This study identifies genes that regulate the intricate morphology of wing scales. Keywords: scale development, Bicyclus anynana, melanin, butterfly, cytoskeleton, structural color, chiti
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Bicyclus_anynana_transcriptome.fasta
2016Co-Authors: Aide Macias-muñoz, Antónia Monteiro, Gilbert Smith, Adriana D. BriscoeAbstract:Bicyclus anynana de novo transcriptome created using Trinity. The assembly was made using four trimmed and parsed RNA-Seq libraries: 1 dry season female, 1 wet season female, 1 dry season male, and 1 wet season male
Patricia Beldade - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Saenko_data archive
2016Co-Authors: Patricia Beldade, Maria A. Jerónimo, Suzanne V. SaenkoAbstract:This file contains phenotypes and genotypes of Bicyclus anynana individuals used in the analysis of linkage between melanine and Ba_black, and Chocolate and Ba_CSAD loci
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Location and sampling details of field-collected butterflies
2016Co-Authors: Maaike De Jong, Patricia Beldade, Paul M. Brakefield, Steve Collins, Bas ZwaanAbstract:This file contains detailed location information and sample numbers of the six wild Bicyclus anynana populations of the study, including location names, location coordinates, sampling date, and the number of female and male samples per population
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transcriptomics of olfactory communication mediated by male sex pheromone in Bicyclus anynana
8th international symposium “Eco-evolutionary dynamics” Urban Ecology and Evolution, 2015Co-Authors: Caroline Nieberding, Alok Arun, Véronique Baumlé, Celine Noirot, Christophe Klopp, Patricia BeldadeAbstract:Transcriptomics of olfactory communication mediated by male sex pheromone in Bicyclus anynana. 8th international symposium “Eco-evolutionary dynamics”, Urban Ecology and Evolution, Antwerp, Belgium, February 4th. Celine Noirot et Christophe klopp
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generating phenotypic variation prospects from evo devo research on Bicyclus anynana wing patterns
Evolution & Development, 2005Co-Authors: Paul M. Brakefield, Patricia Beldade, Anthony D LongAbstract:Summary Understanding the generation of phenotypic variation is an important challenge for modern evolutionary biology, and butterfly wing patterns are an exciting system that can shed some light on this issue. Here, we report on recent advances in the genetics of Bicyclus anynana butterflies. This system provides the potential for a fully integrated study of the evolutionary and developmental processes underlying diversity in morphology.