Project description:An immobile pupal phase in butterfly metamorphosis is central for the production of an airborne adult from the earlier caterpillar feeding stage. Extensive body plan re-organization occurs within the pupal case that is entirely dependent upon nutrients accumulated during caterpillar growth, and sensitive to external environmental conditions. Here, we use DNA and RNA sequencing of a laboratory butterfly population to produce a time course dataset describing changes in DNA methylation and in the transcriptome during progression from the 5th instar caterpillar larval stage through to the latest stage of pupation when the mature butterfly is about to eclose from the pupal case.
Project description:An immobile pupal phase in butterfly metamorphosis is central for the production of an airborne adult from the earlier caterpillar feeding stage. Extensive body plan re-organization occurs within the pupal case that is entirely dependent upon nutrients accumulated during caterpillar growth, and sensitive to external environmental conditions. Here, we use DNA and RNA sequencing of a laboratory butterfly population to produce a time course dataset describing changes in DNA methylation and in the transcriptome during progression from the 5th instar caterpillar larval stage through to the latest stage of pupation when the mature butterfly is about to eclose from the pupal case.
Project description:Butterfly wing patterns are an important model for studying the genetic basis of morphological evolution. Here we used RNA-seq expression profiling in the butterfly Vanessa cardui to characterize the transcriptional basis of wing pigmentation. This approach identified numerous candidate genes including known and suspected components of the insect melanin and ommochrome biosynthetic pathways.
Project description:Background: We studied the chromatin accessibility landscsape in wings during butterfly metamorphosis, and investigate which transcription factors might be driving changes in accessibility Methods: We sequencing the Junonia coenia genome, and we studied chromatin accessibility using ATAC seq in multiple stages of wing development in both forewings and hindwings. For sites showing a large change in accessibility, we investigate which motifs are enriched, and correlate this with changes in gene expression of associated transcription factors. We confirm promising candidates with ChIP-seq Results: We find a highly dynamic landscape, with multiple peaks showing a double increase in accessibility throughout development. We show that transcription factor spineless, but not ecdysone receptor, is highly predictive of opening sites Conclusions: This work provides a characterization of the chromatin dynamics of insect wing metamorphosis, identifies novel candidate chromatin remodeling factors in insects, and provides the first genome assembly of the model butterfly Junonia coenia, with gene and cis-regulatory element annotations
Project description:Background: We studied the chromatin accessibility landscsape in wings during butterfly metamorphosis, and investigate which transcription factors might be driving changes in accessibility Methods: We sequencing the Junonia coenia genome, and we studied chromatin accessibility using ATAC seq in multiple stages of wing development in both forewings and hindwings. For sites showing a large change in accessibility, we investigate which motifs are enriched, and correlate this with changes in gene expression of associated transcription factors. We confirm promising candidates with ChIP-seq Results: We find a highly dynamic landscape, with multiple peaks showing a double increase in accessibility throughout development. We show that transcription factor spineless, but not ecdysone receptor, is highly predictive of opening sites Conclusions: This work provides a characterization of the chromatin dynamics of insect wing metamorphosis, identifies novel candidate chromatin remodeling factors in insects, and provides the first genome assembly of the model butterfly Junonia coenia, with gene and cis-regulatory element annotations