Combinatorial expression of ebony and tan generates body color variation from nymph through adult stages in the cricket, Gryllus bimaculatus.

ABSTRACT: Insect body colors and patterns change markedly during development in some species as they adapt to their surroundings. The contribution of melanin and sclerotin pigments, both of which are synthesized from dopamine, to cuticle tanning has been well studied. Nevertheless, little is known about how insects alter their body color patterns. To investigate this mechanism, the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus, whose body color patterns change during postembryonic development, was used as a model in this study. We focused on the ebony and tan genes, which encode enzymes that catalyze the synthesis and degradation, respectively, of the precursor of yellow sclerotin N-β-alanyl dopamine (NBAD). Expression of the G. bimaculatus (Gb) ebony and tan transcripts tended to be elevated just after hatching and

SUBMITTER: Inoue S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10194958 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature