Some genes have repeatedly been found to control diverse adaptations in a wide variety of organisms. Such gene reuse reveals not only the diversity of phenotypes these unique genes control but also the composition of developmental gene networks and the genetic routes available to and taken by organisms during adaptation. However, the causes of gene reuse remain unclear. A small number of large-effect Mendelian loci control a huge diversity of mimetic butterfly wing color patterns, but reasons for their reuse are difficult to identify because the genetic basis of mimicry has primarily been studied in two systems with correlated factors: female-limited Batesian mimicry in Papilio swallowtails (Papilionidae) and non-sex-limited Müllerian mimicry in Heliconius longwings (Nymphalidae). Here, we break the correlation between phylogenetic relationship and sex-limited mimicry by identifying loci controlling female-limited mimicry polymorphism Hypolimnas misippus (Nymphalidae) and non-sex-limited mimicry polymorphism in Papilio clytia (Papilionidae). The Papilio clytia polymorphism is controlled by the genome region containing the gene cortex, the classic P supergene in Heliconius numata, and loci controlling color pattern variation across Lepidoptera. In contrast, female-limited mimicry polymorphism in Hypolimnas misippus is associated with a locus not previously implicated in color patterning. Thus, although many species repeatedly converged on cortex and its neighboring genes over 120 My of evolution of diverse color patterns, female-limited mimicry polymorphisms each evolved using a different gene. Our results support conclusions that gene reuse occurs mainly within ∼10 My and highlight the puzzling diversity of genes controlling seemingly complex female-limited mimicry polymorphisms.

中文翻译：

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蝴蝶拟态多态性突出了多种适应进化中基因重用​​的系统发育限制。

反复发现一些基因可控制多种生物体中的多种适应。这种基因重用不仅揭示了这些独特基因控制的表型的多样性，而且揭示了发育基因网络的组成以及适应过程中有机体可利用的遗传途径。但是，基因重用的原因尚不清楚。少量的大型孟德尔基因座控制着大量模仿蝴蝶翅膀的颜色模式，但很难确定其重复使用的原因，因为主要是在两个具有相关因素的系统中研究了模仿的遗传基础： Papilio燕尾（Papilionidae）的拟态和Heliconius longwings（Nymphalidae）的非性别限制的Müllerian拟态。这里，我们通过确定控制女性有限拟态多态性Hypolimnas misippus（Nymphalidae）和非性别有限拟态多态性（Papilio clytia（Papilionidae））的基因座，打破了系统发育关系与性别有限拟态之间的相关性。凤蝶的多态性受包含基因皮层，Heliconius numata中经典的P超基因和控制鳞翅目的颜色模式变化的基因座的基因组区域控制。相反，Hypolimnas misippus中女性有限的拟态多态性与先前未涉及颜色图案的基因座相关。因此，尽管许多物种在超过120 My的不同颜色模式演变过程中反复收敛于皮质及其邻近基因，但雌性限制的拟态多态性均使用不同的基因进化。