The actin cytoskeleton plays multiple roles in structural colour formation in butterfly wing scales.

ABSTRACT: Vivid structural colours in butterflies are caused by photonic nanostructures scattering light. Structural colours evolved for numerous biological signalling functions and have important technological applications. Optically, such structures are well understood, however insight into their development in vivo remains scarce. We show that actin is intimately involved in structural colour formation in butterfly wing scales. Using comparisons between iridescent (structurally coloured) and non-iridescent scales in adult and developing H. sara, we show that iridescent scales have more densely packed actin bundles leading to an increased density of reflective ridges. Super-resolution microscopy across three distantly related butterfly species reveals that actin is repeatedly re-arranged during sc

SUBMITTER: Lloyd VJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11106069 | biostudies-literature | 2024 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature