English (United Kingdom)

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/featured_content/oa?rat=en

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/highlighted_journal/

Global: Zendy Tools annual

Presents the keyphrase highlighting as premium feature

Keyphrase Highlighting

Presents the summarisation as premium feature

Summarisation

Insights

Presents the pdf analysis as premium feature

PDF Analysis

Presents the zaia usage as premium feature

ZAIA

Global: Zendy Tools monthly

Global: Zendy Plus monthly

Presents the access of premium content as premium feature

Premium Content

Global: Zendy Plus annual

Global: Zendy Free Plan

Background  Antennae are multi-segmented appendages and main odor-sensing organs in insects. In Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies), antennal morphologies have diversified according to their ecological requirements. While diurnal butterflies have simple, rod-shaped antennae, nocturnal moths have antennae with protrusions or lateral branches on each antennal segment for high-sensitive pheromone detection. A previous study on the  Bombyx mori  (silk moth) antenna, forming two lateral branches per segment, during metamorphosis has revealed the dramatic change in expression of antennal patterning genes to segmentally reiterated, branch-associated pattern and abundant proliferation of cells contributing almost all the dorsal half of the lateral branch. Thus, localized cell proliferation possibly controlled by the branch-associated expression of antennal patterning genes is implicated in lateral branch formation. Yet, actual gene function in lateral branch formation in  Bombyx mori  and evolutionary mechanism of various antennal morphologies in Lepidoptera remain elusive.    Results  We investigated the function of several genes and signaling specifically in lateral branch formation in  Bombyx mori  by the electroporation-mediated incorporation of siRNAs or morpholino oligomers. Knock down of  aristaless , a homeobox gene expressed specifically in the region of abundant cell proliferation within each antennal segment, during metamorphosis resulted in missing or substantial shortening of lateral branches, indicating its importance for lateral branch formation.  aristaless  expression during metamorphosis was lost by knock down of  Distal-less  and WNT signaling but derepressed by knock down of Notch signaling, suggesting the strict determination of the  aristaless  expression domain within each antennal segment by the combinatorial action of them. In addition, analyses of pupal  aristaless  expression in antennae with various morphologies of several lepidopteran species revealed that the  aristaless  expression pattern has a striking correlation with antennal shapes, whereas the segmentally reiterated expression pattern was observed irrespective of antennal morphologies.    Conclusions  Our results presented here indicate the significance of  aristaless  function in lateral branch formation in  B. mori  and imply that the diversification in the  aristaless  expression pattern within each antennal segment during metamorphosis is one of the significant determinants of antennal morphologies. According to these findings, we propose a mechanism underlying development and evolution of lepidopteran antennae with various morphologies.    Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (10.1186/s12862-018-1124-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The pivotal role of aristaless in development and evolution of diverse antennal morphologies in moths and butterflies