Chromosomal rearrangements maintain a polymorphic supergene controlling butterfly mimicry

Mathieu Joron (), Lise Frezal, Robert T. Jones, Nicola L. Chamberlain, Siu F. Lee, Christoph R. Haag, Annabel Whibley, Michel Becuwe, Simon W. Baxter, Laura Ferguson, Paul A. Wilkinson, Camilo Salazar, Claire Davidson, Richard Clark, Michael A. Quail, Helen Beasley, Rebecca Glithero, Christine Lloyd, Sarah Sims, Matthew C. Jones, Jane Rogers, Chris D. Jiggins and Richard H. ffrench-Constant
Additional contact information
Mathieu Joron: CNRS UMR 7205, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, CP50, 45 Rue Buffon
Lise Frezal: CNRS UMR 7205, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, CP50, 45 Rue Buffon
Robert T. Jones: Centre for Ecology and Conservation, School of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn
Nicola L. Chamberlain: Centre for Ecology and Conservation, School of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn
Siu F. Lee: Bio21 Institute, University of Melbourne
Christoph R. Haag: Ecology and Evolution, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 10
Annabel Whibley: CNRS UMR 7205, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, CP50, 45 Rue Buffon
Michel Becuwe: Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Ashworth Laboratories, King’s Buildings
Simon W. Baxter: University of Cambridge
Laura Ferguson: University of Cambridge
Paul A. Wilkinson: Centre for Ecology and Conservation, School of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn
Camilo Salazar: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, NAOS island, Causeway Amador
Claire Davidson: The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton
Richard Clark: The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton
Michael A. Quail: The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton
Helen Beasley: The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton
Rebecca Glithero: The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton
Christine Lloyd: The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton
Sarah Sims: The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton
Matthew C. Jones: The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton
Jane Rogers: The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton
Chris D. Jiggins: University of Cambridge
Richard H. ffrench-Constant: Centre for Ecology and Conservation, School of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn

Nature, 2011, vol. 477, issue 7363, 203-206

Abstract: Evolution of supergenes The toxic butterfly Heliconius numata, found in forests across South America, mimics the wing patterns of several species of another family of toxic butterflies, Melinaea sp., in order to deter predators more effectively. This example of Müllerian mimicry is under the control of a classic 'supergene', a tight gene cluster usually inherited as a single unit. H. numata is particularly adept at mimicry, able to copy as many as seven different wing patterns. A study of the individual wing-pattern morphs in H. numata shows that different genomic rearrangements at the single supergene P locus tighten the genetic linkage between loci that are otherwise free to recombine in other closely related species. The resulting supergene acts as a simple switch that once thrown, selects which one of a range of complex adaptive phenotypes the butterfly displays.

Date: 2011
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DOI: 10.1038/nature10341

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