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Optix and cortex/ivory/mir-193 again: the repeated use of two mimicry hotspot loci

Orteu, Anna, Hornett, Emily, Reynolds, Louise A., Warren, Ian A., Hurst, Gregory D. D., Martin, Simon H. and Jiggins, Chris D. (2024) 'Optix and cortex/ivory/mir-193 again: the repeated use of two mimicry hotspot loci'. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, Vol 291, Issue 2027.

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Abstract

The extent to which evolution is repeatable has been a debated topic among evolutionary biologists. Although rewinding the tape of life perhaps would not lead to the same outcome every time, repeated evolution of analogous genes for similar functions has been extensively reported. Wing phenotypes of butterflies and moths have provided a wealth of examples of gene re-use, with certain ‘hotspot loci’ controlling wing patterns across diverse taxa. Here, we present an example of convergent evolution in the molecular genetic basis of Batesian wing mimicry in two Hypolimnas butterfly species. We show that mimicry is controlled by variation near cortex/ivory/mir-193, a known butterfly hotspot locus. By dissecting the genetic architecture of mimicry in Hypolimnas misippus and Hypolimnas bolina, we present evidence that distinct non-coding regions control the development of white pattern elements in the forewing and hindwing of the two species, suggesting independent evolution, and that no structural variation is found at the locus. Finally, we also show that orange coloration in H. bolina is associated with optix, a well-known patterning gene. Overall, our study once again implicates variation near the hotspot loci cortex/ivory/mir-193 and optix in butterfly wing mimicry and thereby highlights the repeatability of adaptive evolution.

Item Type: Article
Subjects: QU Biochemistry > Genetics > QU 450 General Works
QU Biochemistry > Genetics > QU 500 Genetic phenomena
Faculty: Department: Biological Sciences > Vector Biology Department
Digital Object Identifer (DOI): https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2024.0627
SWORD Depositor: JISC Pubrouter
Depositing User: JISC Pubrouter
Date Deposited: 06 Aug 2024 13:37
Last Modified: 06 Aug 2024 13:38
URI: https://archive.lstmed.ac.uk/id/eprint/24991

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