The evolutionary genetics of highly divergent alleles of the mimicry locus in Papilio dardanus.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The phylogenetic history of genes underlying phenotypic diversity can offer insight into the evolutionary origin of adaptive traits. This is especially true where single genes have large phenotypic effects, for example in determining polymorphic mimicry in butterflies. Here, we characterise the evolutionary history of two candidate genes for the mimicry switch in the polymorphic Batesian mimic Papilio dardanus coding for the transcription factors engrailed and invected.

Results

We show that phased haplotypes associated with the dominant morphs f. poultoni and f. planemoides are phylogenetically highly divergent, in particular at non-synonymous sites. Some non-synonymous changes are shared between the divergent alleles suggesting either convergence or a shared ance

SUBMITTER: Thompson MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4262259 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature