Luca Livraghi

Hyperdivergent haplotypes control melanic camouflage in a polymorphic moth

This study identifies the ivory:mir-193 locus as a major determinant of melanic color variation in Anticarsia gemmatalis moths, showing that divergent haplotypes and regulatory elements control dark morph pigmentation.

The gene ivory:mir-193 controls scale type differentiation in Heliconius butterflies

The paper identifies ivory:mir-193 as a master regulator of scale type differentiation in Heliconius butterflies, showing it converts Type II scales to Type I and influences Type III scale development through readthrough transcription.

ABCG transporter knockouts alter integument and eye pigmentation with gene-specific effects on viability in butterflies and moths

This study uses CRISPR-Cas9 to knockout ABCG transporter genes in lepidopteran species, revealing tissue-specific roles in pigmentation and viability.

Minos-mediated transgenesis in the pantry moth

The paper demonstrates that Minos transposase can achieve robust germline transgenesis in Lepidoptera, offering an alternative to piggyBac for genetic modification.

Single-nucleus transcriptomics of wing sexual dimorphism and scale cell specialization in sulphur butterflies

This study uses single-nucleus transcriptomics to investigate sex-specific gene expression in wing scale cells of Colias eurytheme butterflies, revealing regulatory mechanisms underlying sexual dimorphism.

Genetic basis of an adaptive polymorphism controlling butterfly silver iridescence

This study identifies the genetic basis of silver iridescence polymorphism in Mormon Fritillary butterflies, linking it to the optix gene and showing evidence of selection and introgression.

The ivory lncRNA regulates seasonal color patterns in buckeye butterflies

The paper identifies ivory, a conserved lncRNA, as the color pattern gene at the cortex locus in buckeye butterflies, showing how cis-regulatory elements of ivory influence seasonal color variation.

A long non-coding RNA at the cortex locus controls adaptive colouration in butterflies

This study identifies a long non-coding RNA, ivory, at the cortex locus that controls adaptive colouration in butterflies by modulating pigmentation patterns through CRISPR mutagenesis.

Cis-regulatory modes of Ultrabithorax inactivation in butterfly forewings

The paper investigates how the Hox gene Ubx is restricted to hindwings in butterflies by analyzing chromatin structures and CRISPR perturbations, revealing silencing and insulating sequences.

Frizzled2 receives the WntA morphogen during butterfly wing pattern formation

The paper shows that WntA and Frizzled2 form a signaling axis that instructs butterfly color patterning, with Fz2 acting as a morphogen receptor and other Frizzleds having distinct roles in wing development.

A butterfly pan-genome reveals a large amount of structural variation underlies the evolution of chromatin accessibility

The paper characterizes structural variation in Heliconius butterfly genomes and links it to chromatin accessibility and cis-regulatory elements.

A macromutation eliminates colour patterning in captive butterflies

The paper identifies a 78kb deletion at the cortex locus as the genetic basis of the ivory mutant phenotype in captive Heliconius butterflies, which is absent in wild populations.