(041217 revised, 041130 created)

Genome Size of Butterflies

Heliconius erato

: Genome size : not described, map length : 2400 cM, n = 21 linkage groups; Tobler et al. (2004)
First generation linkage map of the warningly-colored butterfly Heliconius erato
Genetics. 2004 in press

Colias eurytheme

: Genome size : not described, map length : 2541.7 cM or more, n = 31 chromosomes; Wang B, Porter AH. (2004)
An AFLP-based interspecific linkage map of sympatric, hybridizing Colias butterflies.
Genetics. 2004 Sep;168(1):215-25.

Heliconius melpomene

: Genome size : 292 Mb, map length :1616 cM, n = 21 chromosomes; Jiggins CD, Mavarez J, Beltran M, McMillan WO, Johnston JS, Bermingham E. (2004)
A genetic linkage map of the mimetic butterfly, Heliconius melpomene
Genetics. 2004 Oct 16.

Data from two butterfly species, i.e, Danaus plexippus and Bicyclus anynana, are available now from Animal Genome Size Database by Gregory TR .

Danaus plexippus (Monarch butterfly) --- haploid C-value: 0.29 pg, diploid chromosome number (2n) : t determined.
Bicyclus anynana (African butterfly) --- haploid C-value: 0.49 pg, diploid chromosome number (2n): not determined.

: (after Animal Genome Size Database by Gregory TR)
For all intents and purposes, 1pg = ca. 1 billion base pairs (= 1Gbp = 1000 Mbp).

4.1. Facts and figures about lepidopteran genomes: When compared to the Drosophila genome of 180 Mb (120 Mb euchromatin) in 4 chromosomes, and the 260Mb of A. gambiae in three chromosomes, the genome of Lepidoptera is characterized by a larger size and higher chromosome number, typically about 30. The genome size of Bombyx mori is 530 Mb, of Manduca sexta 500 Mb, and of Heliothines is approximately 400 Mb, comparable to the rice genome. Haploid chromosome numbers in these species range from 31 (H. virescens) to 28 (B. mori). Each represents the equivalent of 2-3 polytene chromosome bands of Drosophila or 3% of the genome, which makes them relatively small packets for construction of physical maps (contigs). Genetic crosses are routinely accomplished in Lepidoptera. Achiasmatic oogenesis in Lepidoptera implies that there is no crossing over in the heterogametic (ZW) females (males are ZZ). Thus linkage is all or none, synteny is easy to detect, and recombination means that genes are on different chromosomes. The GC content of lepidopteran DNA is about 35-40%. A variety of transposable elements are known from Lepidoptera, including some that have proved useful in insect transformation (e.g. piggyBac). The occurrence of repeated sequences has not posed a problem in current sequencing efforts.

(after INTERNATIONAL LEPIDOPTERAN GENOME PROJECT 8/2002)

Danaus plexippus (Monarch butterfly) : オオカバマダラ (マダラチョウ科)
Bicyclus anynana (African butterfly) : ジャノメチョウの一種 (科)
Bicyclus anynana という蝶は普通、後翅に７つ(b)、前翅に２つの目玉模様(d)を持っています。突然変異で、後翅に１つしか目玉模様がないCyclops（サイクロプス（ギ）一つ眼の怪物）(f)、後翅の目玉模様が大きいBigeye（ビッグアイ、でか目）(h)、前翅の目玉模様が４つあるSpotty（スポッティ、斑点）(j)などの場合、翅の成虫原基でディスタル・レス遺伝子の発現も同じようになっています。http://big.big.or.jp/~mastakeu/butterfly.html Drosophila: fruitfly、ショウジョウバエ
Bombyx mori : silkworm, カイコ
A. gambiae: Anopheles gambiae, Malaria Mosquito. ガンビエハマダラカ. マラリアの主要な媒介昆虫
Heliothines :
Manduca sexta : tobaco hornworm moth, タバコスズメガ