Understanding the fate of the hungry caterpillar: Transcriptional and DNA methylation programs during metamorphosis of the butterfly Bicyclus anynana (methylation).

An immobile pupal phase in butterfly metamorphosis is central for the production of an airborne adult from the earlier caterpillar feeding stage. Extensive body plan re-organization occurs within the pupal case that is entirely dependent upon nutrients accumulated during caterpillar growth, and sensitive to external environmental conditions. Here, we use DNA and RNA sequencing of a laboratory butterfly population to produce a time course dataset describing changes in DNA methylation and in the transcriptome during progression from the 5th instar caterpillar larval stage through to the latest stage of pupation when the mature butterfly is about to eclose from the pupal case. Overall design: Genomic DNA methylation profiling of whole organism samples taken in triplicate at five consecutive time points: L5 (5th instar larva), P0 (the day entering pupation), P2 (2 days into pupation), P4 (4 days into pupation), and P6 (6 days into pupation, where the mature butterfly is about to emerge).