Protruding structures on caterpillars are controlled by ectopic Wnt1 expression.

ABSTRACT: Spine-like or protruding structures, which may be aposematic for predators, are often observed in multiple segments of lepidopteran larvae (caterpillars). For example, the larvae of the Chinese wheel butterfly, Byasa alcinous, display many protrusions on their backs as a warning that they are toxic. Although these protrusions are formed by an integument lined with single-layered epidermal cells, the molecular mechanisms underlying their formation have remained unclear. In this study, we focused on a spontaneous mutant of the silkworm, Bombyx mori, Knobbed, which shows similar protrusions to B. alcinous and demonstrates that Wnt1 plays a crucial role in the formation of protrusion structures. Using both transgene expression and RNAi-based knockdown approaches, we showed that Wnt1 designates

SUBMITTER: Edayoshi M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4376876 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature