Transcriptomic exploration of the Coleopteran wings reveals insight into the evolution of novel structures associated with the beetle elytron.

ABSTRACT: The acquisition of novel traits is central to organismal evolution, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying this process are elusive. The beetle forewings (elytra) are evolutionarily modified to serve as a protective shield, providing a unique opportunity to study these mechanisms. In the past, the orthologs of genes within the wing gene network from Drosophila studies served as the starting point when studying the evolution of elytra (candidate genes). Although effective, candidate gene lists are finite and only explore genes conserved across species. To go beyond candidate genes, we used RNA sequencing and explored the wing transcriptomes of two Coleopteran species, the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum) and the Japanese stag beetle (Dorcus hopei). Our analysis revealed sets of genes

SUBMITTER: Linz DM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10107685 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature