The regulation of a pigmentation gene in the formation of complex color patterns in Drosophila abdomens.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-19-2022

Publication Title

PLoS One

Abstract

Changes in the control of developmental gene expression patterns have been implicated in the evolution of animal morphology. However, the genetic mechanisms underlying complex morphological traits remain largely unknown. Here we investigated the molecular mechanisms that induce the pigmentation gene yellow in a complex color pattern on the abdomen of Drosophila guttifera. We show that at least five developmental genes may collectively activate one cis-regulatory module of yellow in distinct spot rows and a dark shade to assemble the complete abdominal pigment pattern of Drosophila guttifera. One of these genes, wingless, may play a conserved role in the early phase of spot pattern development in several species of the quinaria group. Our findings shed light on the evolution of complex animal color patterns through modular changes of gene expression patterns.

Volume

17

Issue

12

First Page

e0279061

DOI

10.1371/journal.pone.0279061

ISSN

1932-6203

PubMed ID

36534652

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