<Emphasis Type="Italic">Decapentaplegic</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">dpp</Emphasis>) regulates the growth of a morphological novelty,beetle horns |
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Authors: | Bethany R Wasik Armin P Moczek |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Biology, Indiana University, 915 E. Third Street, Myers Hall 150, Bloomington, IN 47405–7107, USA |
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Abstract: | Studies focusing on the development of morphological novelties suggest that patterning genes underlying traditional appendage
development (i.e. mouthparts, legs, and wings) also play important roles in patterning novel morphological structures. In
this study, we examine whether the expression and function of a member of the TGF-β signaling pathway, decapentaplegic (dpp), promotes development of a morphologically novel structure: beetle horns. Beetle horns are complex secondary sexual structures
that develop in the head and/or prothorax, lack obvious homology to other insect outgrowths, and vary remarkably between species
and sexes. We studied dpp expression through in situ hybridization, performed functional analyses with RNA interference, and gathered allometric measurements
to determine the role of dpp during both pronotal and head horn development in both sexes of two morphologically dissimilar species in the Onthophagus genus, Onthophagus binodis and Onthophagus sagittarius. Our findings show that in addition to affecting growth and patterning of traditional appendages, dpp regulates beetle horn growth and remodeling. |
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