Chromatin accessibility profiling provides insights into larval cuticle color and adult longevity in butterflies

• DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2021.117
• Publication Date: 2021-08-17T01:26:49Z
• Authors: Wen-Ting Wan; ; ; Zhi-Wei Dong; Yan-Dong Ren; Jie Yang; Xiang-Yu Pan; Jin-Wu He; Zhou Chang; Wei Liu; Gui-Chun Liu; Ruo-Ping Zhao; Ping Hu; Chu-Yang Mao; Jun Li; Wen Wang; Xue-Yan Li
• Keywords: Developmental Biology

Butterflies are diverse in virtually all aspects of their ontogeny, including morphology, life history, and behavior. However, the developmental regulatory mechanisms underlying important phenotypic traits butterflies at different stages remain unknown. Here, we investigated profiles based on transposase accessible chromatin sequencing (ATAC-seq) three two representative species (<i>Papilio xuthus</i> <i>Kallima inachus</i>). Results indicated that 15%–47% open peaks appeared associated genes located 3 kb upstream (i.e., promoter region) transcription start site (TSS). Comparative analysis accessibility is a dynamic process with differentially (DA) show functions corresponding to traits. Interestingly, black color pattern <i>P. 4th instar larvae may be attributed peak-related involved melanogenesis pathway. Furthermore, many longevity 5th pupae showed TSS, which contribute overwintering diapause observed <i>K. inachus</i> adults. Combined RNA-seq analysis, our data demonstrated several enriched pathways also exhibit higher expression, confirming expression closely related This study offers new insights into larval cuticle adult provides resource for investigating butterfly ontogeny.