One of the areas of research in the Monteiro Lab at the National University of Singapore is to understand the origin of novel traits such as eyespot patterns on the wings of butterflies. One hypothesis on the origin of eyespots is that eyespots originated from precursor elements called spots. This is my take on the evolution of eyespots from spot precursors.
Two proteins dancing the night away.
Many biological patterns such as the stripes of zebras and fishes have been attributed to Turing patterns via morphogen gradients. Such morphogen gradients have also been identified in the creation of butterfly wing patterns and compartments. Based on this concept, this is my morphogen forest where the shape and heights of the trees are determined by morphogens.
Proteins fold into specific 3-dimensional formations that are important for their biological functions. When their 3-d structures change, it therefore impacts on their functions. Researchers often induce such conformational changes to study protein functions. This is a fun take on the conformational change of a turnip crinkle virus induced by the end of the year holiday season.
The development of organisms is dependent on genes. These genes work through gene regulatory networks which are hierarchical networks of genes that activate and/or repress each other, thereby leading to the creation of different behaviors and phenotypes. Research in the Monteiro lab at the National University of Singapore is trying to identify the gene regulatory networks that led to the creation of novel traits such as the eyespots in butterflies. This is a hypothetical gene regulatory network of the eyespots.
