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Genetic and peripheral visual system changes underlie evolving butterfly mate preference

View ORCID ProfileNicholas W. VanKuren, View ORCID ProfileNathan P. Buerkle, View ORCID ProfileErica L. Westerman, Alexandria K. Im, View ORCID ProfileDarli Massardo, Laura M. Southcott, Wei Lu, View ORCID ProfileStephanie E. Palmer, View ORCID ProfileMarcus R. Kronforst
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.04.25.489404
Nicholas W. VanKuren
1Department of Ecology & Evolution, The University of Chicago, Chicago IL 60637
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Nathan P. Buerkle
2Department of Organismal Biology & Anatomy, The University of Chicago, Chicago IL 60637
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Erica L. Westerman
1Department of Ecology & Evolution, The University of Chicago, Chicago IL 60637
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Alexandria K. Im
1Department of Ecology & Evolution, The University of Chicago, Chicago IL 60637
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Darli Massardo
1Department of Ecology & Evolution, The University of Chicago, Chicago IL 60637
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Laura M. Southcott
1Department of Ecology & Evolution, The University of Chicago, Chicago IL 60637
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Wei Lu
1Department of Ecology & Evolution, The University of Chicago, Chicago IL 60637
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Stephanie E. Palmer
2Department of Organismal Biology & Anatomy, The University of Chicago, Chicago IL 60637
3Department of Physics, The University of Chicago, Chicago IL 60637
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  • For correspondence: sepalmer@uchicago.edu mkronforst@uchicago.edu
Marcus R. Kronforst
1Department of Ecology & Evolution, The University of Chicago, Chicago IL 60637
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  • ORCID record for Marcus R. Kronforst
  • For correspondence: sepalmer@uchicago.edu mkronforst@uchicago.edu
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Abstract

Many studies have linked genetic variation to behavior, but less is known about how that variation alters the neural circuits that drive behavior. We investigated the genetic and neurobiological basis of courtship preference variation in Heliconius butterflies, which use vision to identify appropriate mates based on wing color patterns. We found that Heliconius cydno preference variation was strongly associated with genetic variation and differential expression of senseless-2, a gene predominantly expressed in the eye. Further measurements of photoreceptor sensitivities revealed differences in inter-photoreceptor inhibition of ultraviolet-sensitive cells corresponding to courtship preference variation. Our results reveal a genetic basis for preference/cue co-evolution, suggest a link between sens-2 and visual system variation, and support the idea that changing peripheral neural computations can significantly alter essential behaviors.

Summary Genetic and expression variation of senseless-2 and inter-photoreceptor inhibition predict visual mate preference in a clade of diverse butterflies.

Competing Interest Statement

The authors have declared no competing interest.

Copyright 
The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY-NC 4.0 International license.
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Posted April 26, 2022.
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Genetic and peripheral visual system changes underlie evolving butterfly mate preference
Nicholas W. VanKuren, Nathan P. Buerkle, Erica L. Westerman, Alexandria K. Im, Darli Massardo, Laura M. Southcott, Wei Lu, Stephanie E. Palmer, Marcus R. Kronforst
bioRxiv 2022.04.25.489404; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.04.25.489404
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Genetic and peripheral visual system changes underlie evolving butterfly mate preference
Nicholas W. VanKuren, Nathan P. Buerkle, Erica L. Westerman, Alexandria K. Im, Darli Massardo, Laura M. Southcott, Wei Lu, Stephanie E. Palmer, Marcus R. Kronforst
bioRxiv 2022.04.25.489404; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.04.25.489404

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