Doublesex Mediates the Development of Sex-Specific Pheromone Organs in Bicyclus Butterflies via Multiple Mechanisms.

ABSTRACT: The Bicyclus lineage of satyrid butterflies exhibits male-specific traits, the scent organs, used for chemical communication during courtship. These organs consist of tightly packed brush-like scales (hair-pencils) that rub against scent patches to disperse pheromones, but the evolution and molecular basis of these organ's male-limited development remains unknown. Here, we examine the evolution of the number and location of the scent patches and hair-pencils within 53 species of Bicyclus butterflies, and the involvement of the sex determinant gene doublesex (dsx) in scent organ development in Bicyclus anynana using CRISPR/Cas9. We show that scent patches and hair-pencils arose via multiple, independent gains, in a correlated manner. Further, an initially nonsex-specific Dsx protein express

SUBMITTER: Prakash A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7253200 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature