Key homeobox transcription factors regulate firefly adult light organ development and bioluminescence

Key homeobox transcription factors regulate firefly adult light organ development and bioluminescence | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Key homeobox transcription factors regulate firefly adult light organ development and bioluminescence Xinhua Fu, Xinlei Zhu This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3075235/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 05 Mar, 2024 Read the published version in Nature Communications → Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The fascinating flashing courtship signals of adult fireflies are emitted by unique adult light organs1, 2, 3, which develop quite independently to larval light organs in the pupal stage4. Keys to the development of adult light organs and bioluminescence of the firefly are expression of the luciferase gene, and luciferase transportation to peroxisomes5, 6. Until now these aspects have not been well studied. Here we show key Homeobox transcription factors AlABD-B and AlUNC-4 regulate development of adult light organs and bioluminescence in the firefly. Interference of AlABD-B and AlUNC-4 resulted in destruction of, or non-luminescence of adult light organs. AlABD-B regulated AlUNC-4 and they interact with each other. AlABD-B and AlUNC-4 regulate luciferase gene AlLuc1 and some members of peroxins directly. AlPEX13 and AlPEX14 interacted to assist AlPEX5 to import AlLUC1 into peroxisomes. AlPXMP2 and AlLUC1 interacted, and were involved in import of AlLUC1 into peroxisomes. Our results demonstrate AlABD-B and AlUNC-4 play a decisive role in the development of the adult light organ and bioluminescence by directly regulating expression of luciferase gene and peroxins to import luciferase into peroxisomes. Our research provides an insight into development of adult light organs and flash control of fireflies. Biological sciences/Zoology Biological sciences/Zoology/Entomology Full Text Additional Declarations There is NO Competing Interest. Supplementary Videos are not available with this version. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 05 Mar, 2024 Read the published version in Nature Communications → Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-3075235","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":212616595,"identity":"dccd3d55-9d13-4c27-8bb7-5525d9e35be4","order_by":0,"name":"Xinhua Fu","email":"data:image/png;base64,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","orcid":"","institution":"Huazhong Agricultural University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Xinhua","middleName":"","lastName":"Fu","suffix":""},{"id":212616596,"identity":"a5309f76-0364-41fd-8db1-4a0cb2bc7ace","order_by":1,"name":"Xinlei Zhu","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Firefly Conservation Research Centre","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Xinlei","middleName":"","lastName":"Zhu","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2023-06-17 08:45:57","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-3075235/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3075235/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-45559-7","type":"published","date":"2024-03-05T05:00:00+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":52069250,"identity":"1264ce7f-4fb9-4d4c-b923-ee3ac283fb0f","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-03-06 08:05:27","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":7094481,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Naturecommunicationlightorgan20230617.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3075235/v1_covered_2734d61b-fba5-4146-b800-4e871095a974.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"\u003cp\u003eThere is \u003cstrong\u003eNO\u003c/strong\u003e Competing Interest.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSupplementary Videos are not available with this version.\u003c/p\u003e","formattedTitle":"Key homeobox transcription factors regulate firefly adult light organ development and bioluminescence","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"nature-portfolio","isNatureJournal":true,"hasQc":false,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Nature Portfolio","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":false,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"ejp","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-3075235/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3075235/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"The fascinating flashing courtship signals of adult fireflies are emitted by unique adult light organs1, 2, 3, which develop quite independently to larval light organs in the pupal stage4. 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