Leiden University Scholarly Publications

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Oostra, V. (2013)

Hormonal and transcriptional mechanisms underlying developmental plasticity of life histories in a seasonal butterfly

Doctoral Thesis
Temporal variation in abiotic and biotic variables such as temperature, rainfall, food availability or predation pressure profoundly affects the abilities of organisms to survive and reproduce successfully. Most organisms are remarkably flexible in the face of such heterogeneity in habitat quality, and display phenotypic plasticity in response to environmental variation, i.e. the production of alternative phenotypes from a single genotype, dependent on the experienced environment. The aftrotropical butterfly Bicyclus anynana expresses alternative adult life histories in its habitat's wet and dry seasons, including reproductive timing and lifespan. This thesis aims to increase insight into the hormonal and transcriptional patterns that underlie life history plasticity in B. anynana. The first question is how the environment experienced during development induces the two adult seasonal forms via conserved hormonal pathways. The second major question covered in this thesis is what...Show moreTemporal variation in abiotic and biotic variables such as temperature, rainfall, food availability or predation pressure profoundly affects the abilities of organisms to survive and reproduce successfully. Most organisms are remarkably flexible in the face of such heterogeneity in habitat quality, and display phenotypic plasticity in response to environmental variation, i.e. the production of alternative phenotypes from a single genotype, dependent on the experienced environment. The aftrotropical butterfly Bicyclus anynana expresses alternative adult life histories in its habitat's wet and dry seasons, including reproductive timing and lifespan. This thesis aims to increase insight into the hormonal and transcriptional patterns that underlie life history plasticity in B. anynana. The first question is how the environment experienced during development induces the two adult seasonal forms via conserved hormonal pathways. The second major question covered in this thesis is what transcriptional changes in the adult are associated with the seasonal forms, and how ageing differs between the seasons. Together, these data contribute to a better mechanistic understanding of plastic responses as adaptation to environmental variation, and provide starting points for research into mechanisms linking development and ageing in humans, and how events during early development can affect lifespan and human health.Show less
Ecological developmental biology
Evolutionary constraints
Ecdysone
Polyphenism
Aging
Bicyclus anynana
Gene regulation
Hormonal regulation
Seasonal adaptation
Phenotypic plasticity
All authors
Oostra, V.
Supervisor
Zwaan, B.J.; Brakefield, P.M.
Qualification
Doctor (dr.)
Awarding Institution
Faculty of Science, Leiden University
Date
2013-06-26
ISBN (print)
9789461822925

Funding

Sponsorship
The research described in this thesis was supported by and carried out in the context of the EU-funded Network of Excellence LifeSpan (FP6 / 036894), with additional support by IDEAL (FP7/2007-2011/259679). The printing of this thesis was financially supported by the J.E. Jurriaanse Stichting, Rotterdam.