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Figure 5 | BMC Genomics

Figure 5

From: Transcriptome analysis reveals novel patterning and pigmentation genes underlying Heliconius butterfly wing pattern variation

Figure 5

Mean gene expression levels for the major genes in the ommochrome pathway. The putative ommochrome pathway based on D. melanogaster and derived from Reed et al. [59] is inset. In this pathway tryptophan or external 3-OH-kynurenine may enter the cell through a transporter, tryptophan is enzymatically processed to the 3-OH-kynurenine precursor, and this precursor is hypothesized to be shunted into a pigment granule potentially involving eye ommochrome transporters white and scarlet. Molecules imparting orange/red and yellow pigmentation are indicated in color. Asterisks indicate stages with significant differential expression in the charts and enzymes with differential expression in the pathway. white, scarlet, and potentially karmoisin are the transporters identified from D. melanogaster eyes and play an uncertain role in the butterfly ommochrome pathway. We propose alternative transporters may be involved (monocarboxylate transporter, alternative ABC transporters). Y-axis gene expression is in log2 microarray intensities. Abbreviations and other style follows Figure 4.

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