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Updated: Dec 21, 2025
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Changes in gene expression during female reproductive development in a color polymorphic insect.
Beatriz Willink1,2, Mary Catherine Duryea3, Christopher Wheat4
1Department of Biology, Evolutionary Ecology Unit, Ecology Building, Lund University, Lund, 223-62, Sweden.
Summary
Sexual conflict drives female color polymorphism in damselflies by altering gene expression during development. The male-mimic morph exhibits accelerated development due to differential gene regulation.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary genetics
- Developmental biology
- Insect biology
Background:
- Pleiotropy and epistasis are crucial for complex phenotypes in polymorphic species.
- Female color polymorphism in Ischnura elegans damselflies is maintained by sexual conflict and male harassment.
- Understanding gene expression during ontogeny is key to explaining phenotypic divergence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate gene expression changes during the ontogenetic color development of three female morphs in Ischnura elegans.
- To identify genetic mechanisms underlying the accelerated development of the male-mimic morph.
- To explore the role of sexual conflict in shaping gene expression profiles related to color polymorphism.
Main Methods:
- Transcriptome sequencing and de novo assembly were used to analyze gene expression.
- Gene expression levels were quantified across different developmental stages.
- Differential gene regulation was analyzed, focusing on reproductive development and signaling pathways.
Main Results:
- All three female morphs downregulated gene expression during early color development.
- Morphs showed increasing differentiation during sexual maturation and adult coloration.
- The male-mimic morph displayed accelerated (heterochronic) development compared to other morphs.
- Differential regulation of genes involved in ecdysone signaling and sexual differentiation was observed in the male-mimic.
Conclusions:
- Sexual conflict has not only maintained female color polymorphism but also influenced the evolution of gene expression during color development.
- Accelerated development in the male-mimic morph is linked to differential regulation of key developmental genes.
- The study highlights the interplay between sexual conflict, developmental timing, and gene expression in creating phenotypic diversity.
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