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原文標題：Neighboring genes shaping a single adaptive mimetic trait
摘要 [原文網址]
The colorful wing patterns of Heliconius butterflies represent an excellent system in which to study the genetic and developmental control of adaptation and convergence. Using qRT-PCR and in situ hybridization on developing wings of the co-mimic species Heliconius melpomene andHeliconius erato, we have profiled the expression of three candidate genes located in the genomic locus controlling red color pattern variation. We found convergent domains of gene expression in H. melpomene and H. erato associated with red wing elements in the two genes optix andkinesin. During early pupal development of both species, the expression of optix perfectly associated with all red pattern elements whereas that of kinesin was specifically correlated with the presence of the red forewing band. These results provide evidence for the use of these two tightly linked patterning genes, acting together to create convergent wing phenotypes in Heliconius and constituting a hotspot of adaptation.
毒蝶的擬態斑紋是已經知道由一個supergene所調控，而這個supergene的序列也大致上已經定序完成，哪個基因與哪個斑紋的連結也大致清楚，但其中基因相對表現，或如何表現的資料還不是太多。這個文章討論兩個共擬態的毒蝶H. melpomene與H. erato的演化發育基因如何調控擬態的斑紋，這類的毒蝶的擬態斑紋有幾個主要的類型，主要是翅上紅色與黃色的斑紋與表現，稍微有一些不一樣就會被天擇掉，或是被認為加入另一個擬態群。
文中找出了三個可能調控斑紋的基因，分別是optix, kinesin與bves，結果發現兩種蝴蝶中，在蛹的早期，optix與所有紅色的斑紋表現都有關，而kinesin只與後翅的紅色斑紋有關，bve則表現量不高，或與這個擬態斑紋的表現關連性較低。
Wrote by Chia-Hsuan Wei
