Discordant timing between antennae disruptssun compass orientation in migratory monarchbutterflies

摘要

To navigate during their long-distance migration, monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) use atime-compensated sun compass. The sun compass timing elements reside in light-entrainedcircadian clocks in the antennae. Here we show that either antenna is sufficient for propertime compensation. However, migrants with either antenna painted black (to block lightentrainment) and the other painted clear (to permit light entrainment) display disorientedgroup flight. Remarkably, when the black-painted antenna is removed, re-flown migrants witha single, clear-painted antenna exhibit proper orientation behaviour. molecular correlates ofclock function reveal that period and timeless expression is highly rhythmic in brains and clearpainted antennae, while rhythmic clock gene expression is disrupted in black-painted antennae.our work shows that clock outputs from each antenna are processed and integrated togetherin the monarch time-compensated sun compass circuit. This dual timing system is a novelexample of the regulation of a brain-driven behaviour by paired organs.