Project description:This series examines gene expression patterns in the head horns, thoracic horns, and legs of the horned beetles Onthophagus taurus. Expression in each of these tissues was compared to that in common non-appendage reference - abdominal epithelium.
Project description:This series examines gene expression patterns in the head horns, thoracic horns, and legs of the horned beetles Onthophagus taurus. Expression in each of these tissues was compared to that in common non-appendage reference - abdominal epithelium. The series consists of three pair-wise comparisons: head horn versus abdominal epithelium, thoracic horn versus abdominal epithelium and legs versus abdominal epithelium. Each tissue sample was obtained by pooling tissue dissected from four pupae. Samples compared on the same array were derived from tissues dissected from the same four animals. Five independent biological replicates were performed for each comparison with dye flips (three in one direction and two in the opposite direction).
Project description:We sequenced the mRNA of three species of Heliconius butterfly and Eueides isabella in order to identify genes upregulated in the mouthparts tissues. Sequencing libraries were produced for three tissues types (mouthparts, legs and antennae), for one male and one female of each species.
Project description:It is debated to what extent individual regulatory genes might underlie non-gradualistic evolution of complex morphological traits. We have shown that a single regulatory gene, optix, is required for development of all color and iridescence in nymphalid butterfly wings by CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing. To investigate how wing features are controlled by optix, we used mRNA-seq to compare transcript abundance in wild type and optix knockout wings of V. cardui and J. coenia. We generated an average of 269 million reads 36 bp paired-end Nexseq 500 reads from 16 libraries and identified numerous candidate genes including known genes involved in the insect melanin and ommochrome biosynthetic pathways and suspected components potential involved in scale structure.
Project description:The purpose of this experiment was to compare RNA-seq profiles of adult male and female butterfly chemosensory tissues to identify tissue- and sex-specific differences in gustatory and olfactory gene expression. Three biological replicates per sex were produced from individual Heliconius melpomene rosina butterflies. For the antennal libraries, both antennae were used, for the labial palps + proboscis libraries both labial palps and each proboscis was used, and for the leg libraries all six legs were used.
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
