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Hellemans S, Hanus R. Termite primary queen - ancestral, but highly specialized eusocial phenotype. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2024; 61:101157. [PMID: 38142979 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2023.101157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Termite eusociality is accompanied by flagrant caste polyphenism manifested by the presence of several sterile (workers and soldiers) and reproductive (imaginal and neotenic kings and queens) caste phenotypes. Imaginal kings and queens are developmentally equivalent to adults of other hemimetabolous insects but display multiple adaptations inherent to their role of eusocial colony founders, such as long lifespan and high fecundity. Herein, we summarize the recent advances in understanding the biology of imaginal (primary) queens as emblematic examples of termite polyphenism acquired during social evolution. We focus on the control of queen development, on dynamics in physiology and fecundity during the queen's life, on new findings about queen fertility signaling, and on proximate mechanisms underlying queen longevity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Hellemans
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan; Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Université libre de Bruxelles, 50 avenue F.D. Roosevelt, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Robert Hanus
- Chemistry of Social Insects, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, 160 00 Prague, Czech Republic.
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2
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Ruhland F, Gabant G, Toussaint T, Nemcic M, Cadène M, Lucas C. Reproductives signature revealed by protein profiling and behavioral bioassays in termite. Sci Rep 2023; 13:7070. [PMID: 37127756 PMCID: PMC10151321 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-33252-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Proteins are known to be social interaction signals in many species in the animal kingdom. Common mediators in mammals and aquatic species, they have seldom been identified as such in insects' behaviors. Yet, they could represent an important component to support social signals in social insects, as the numerous physical contacts between individuals would tend to favor the use of contact compounds in their interactions. However, their role in social interactions is largely unexplored: are they rare or simply underestimated? In this preliminary study, we show that, in the termite Reticulitermes flavipes, polar extracts from reproductives trigger body-shaking of workers (a vibratory behavior involved in reproductives recognition) while extracts from workers do not. Molecular profiling of these cuticular extracts using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry reveals higher protein diversity in reproductives than in workers and a sex-specific composition exclusive to reproductives. While the effects observed with extracts are not as strong as with live termites, these results open up the intriguing possibility that social signaling may not be limited to cuticular hydrocarbons or other non-polar, volatile chemicals as classically accepted. Our results suggest that polar compounds, in particular some of the Cuticular Protein Compounds (CPCs) shown here by MALDI to be specific to reproductives, could play a significant role in insect societies. While this study is preliminary and further comprehensive molecular characterization is needed to correlate the body-shaking triggering effects with a given set of polar compounds, this exploratory study opens new perspectives for understanding the role of polar compounds such as proteins in caste discrimination, fertility signaling, or interspecific insect communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanny Ruhland
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte (UMR7261), CNRS - University of Tours, Tours, France
| | - Guillaume Gabant
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire (UPR 4301), CNRS - University of Orléans, Orléans, France
| | - Timothée Toussaint
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte (UMR7261), CNRS - University of Tours, Tours, France
| | - Matej Nemcic
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire (UPR 4301), CNRS - University of Orléans, Orléans, France
| | - Martine Cadène
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire (UPR 4301), CNRS - University of Orléans, Orléans, France
| | - Christophe Lucas
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte (UMR7261), CNRS - University of Tours, Tours, France.
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3
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Microstructures at the distal tip of ant chemosensory sensilla. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19328. [PMID: 36369461 PMCID: PMC9652420 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-21507-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ants and other eusocial insects emit and receive chemical signals to communicate important information within the colony. In ants, nestmate recognition, task allocation, and reproductive distribution of labor are largely mediated through the detection of cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) that cover the exoskeleton. With their large size and limited volatility, these CHCs are believed to be primarily detected through direct contact with the antennae during behavioral interactions. Here we first use scanning electron microscopy to investigate the unique morphological features of CHC-sensitive basiconic sensilla of two ant species, the black carpenter ant Camponotus pennsylvanicus and the Indian jumping ant Harpegnathos saltator. These basiconic sensilla possess an abundance of small pores typical of most insect olfactory sensilla, but also have a large concave depression at the terminal end. Basiconic sensilla are enriched at the distal segments of the antennae in both species, which aligns with their proposed role in contact chemosensation of CHCs. A survey of these sensilla across additional ant species shows varied microstructures at their tips, but each possess surface textures that would also increase sensory surface area. These unique ant chemosensory sensilla represent yet another example of how specialized structures have evolved to serve the functional requirements of eusocial communication.
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4
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Dolejšová K, Křivánek J, Štáfková J, Horáček N, Havlíčková J, Roy V, Kalinová B, Roy A, Kyjaková P, Hanus R. Identification of a queen primer pheromone in higher termites. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1165. [PMID: 36323794 PMCID: PMC9630296 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04163-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
It is long established that queens of social insects, including termites, maintain their reproductive dominance with queen primer pheromones (QPPs). Yet, the QPP chemistry has only been elucidated in a single species of lower termites. By contrast, the most diversified termite family Termitidae (higher termites), comprising over 70% of termite species, has so far resisted all attempts at QPP identification. Here, we show that the queen- and egg-specific sesquiterpene (3R,6E)-nerolidol acts as the QPP in the higher termite Embiratermes neotenicus. This species has a polygynous breeding system, in which the primary queen is replaced by multiple neotenic queens of parthenogenetic origin. We demonstrate that (3R,6E)-nerolidol suppresses the development of these parthenogenetic queens and thus mimics the presence of mature queen(s). It acts as an airborne signal and may be used to optimize the number of queens, thus being the key regulatory element in the special breeding system of E. neotenicus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klára Dolejšová
- Chemistry of Social Insects, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Křivánek
- Chemistry of Social Insects, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jitka Štáfková
- Chemistry of Social Insects, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Natan Horáček
- Chemistry of Social Insects, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Havlíčková
- Chemistry of Social Insects, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Virginie Roy
- Université Paris Est Créteil, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, INRAE, IRD, iEES Paris, Créteil, France
| | | | - Amit Roy
- Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Pavlína Kyjaková
- Chemistry of Social Insects, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Robert Hanus
- Chemistry of Social Insects, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic.
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5
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Lin S, Werle J, Korb J. Transcriptomic analyses of the termite, Cryptotermes secundus, reveal a gene network underlying a long lifespan and high fecundity. Commun Biol 2021; 4:384. [PMID: 33753888 PMCID: PMC7985136 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-01892-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Organisms are typically characterized by a trade-off between fecundity and longevity. Notable exceptions are social insects. In insect colonies, the reproducing caste (queens) outlive their non-reproducing nestmate workers by orders of magnitude and realize fecundities and lifespans unparalleled among insects. How this is achieved is not understood. Here, we identified a single module of co-expressed genes that characterized queens in the termite species Cryptotermes secundus. It encompassed genes from all essential pathways known to be involved in life-history regulation in solitary model organisms. By manipulating its endocrine component, we tested the recent hypothesis that re-wiring along the nutrient-sensing/endocrine/fecundity axis can account for the reversal of the fecundity/longevity trade-off in social insect queens. Our data from termites do not support this hypothesis. However, they revealed striking links to social communication that offer new avenues to understand the re-modelling of the fecundity/longevity trade-off in social insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silu Lin
- grid.5963.9Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jana Werle
- grid.5963.9Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Judith Korb
- grid.5963.9Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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6
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Souza NM, Schröder ML, Hayes RA, Bello JE, Nahrung HF. Cuticular hydrocarbons of Gonipterus weevils: are there species differences? CHEMOECOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00049-021-00337-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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7
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Mitaka Y, Akino T. A Review of Termite Pheromones: Multifaceted, Context-Dependent, and Rational Chemical Communications. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.595614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Termite colonies, composed of large numbers of siblings, develop an important caste-based division of labor; individuals in these societies interact via intra- or intercaste chemical communications. For more than 50 years, termites have been known to use a variety of pheromones to perform tasks necessary for maintenance of their societies, similar to eusocial hymenopterans. Although trail-following pheromones have been chemically identified in various termites, other types of pheromones have not been elucidated chemically or functionally. In the past decade, however, chemical compositions and biological functions have been successfully identified for several types of termite pheromones; accordingly, the details of the underlying pheromone communications have been gradually revealed. In this review, we summarize both the functions of all termite pheromones identified so far and the chemical interactions among termites and other organisms. Subsequently, we argue how termites developed their sophisticated pheromone communication. We hypothesize that termites have diverted defensive and antimicrobial substances to pheromones associated in caste recognition and caste-specific roles. Furthermore, termites have repeatedly used a pre-existing pheromone or have added supplementary compounds to it in accordance with the social context, leading to multifunctionalization of pre-existing pheromones and emergence of new pheromones. These two mechanisms may enable termites to transmit various context-dependent information with a small number of chemicals, thus resulting in formation of coordinated, complex, and rational chemical communication systems.
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8
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Ruhland F, Moulin M, Choppin M, Meunier J, Lucas C. Reproductives and eggs trigger worker vibration in a subterranean termite. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:5892-5898. [PMID: 32607198 PMCID: PMC7319145 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Revised: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
In insect societies, the presence of reproductives or eggs has been shown to shape several biological traits in the colony members. Social interactions are one of these traits that involve modification of the communication system of the entire colony. Many studies described the role of chemical compounds and dominance behaviors in the presence of reproductive but vibratory behaviors received very few investigations. Yet, vibratory behaviors are ideal candidates, particularly for subterranean species like termites, as they could be quickly transmitted through the substrate and could be very diversified (origin, modulation). Here, we investigated whether the presence of reproductives/eggs affects the vibratory behavior (body-shaking) of workers in the subterranean termite Reticulitermes flavipes. Our results reveal that the presence of reproductives or eggs triggers an increase of workers' body-shaking, independent of their colony of origin after 24 hr. We hypothesize that vibratory communication could be used to transfer information about the presence of reproductives and eggs to the entire colony, suggesting that vibratory behaviors could serve as an important yet neglected mediator of social regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanny Ruhland
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l’Insecte (UMR7261)CNRS – University of ToursToursFrance
| | - Marion Moulin
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l’Insecte (UMR7261)CNRS – University of ToursToursFrance
| | - Marina Choppin
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l’Insecte (UMR7261)CNRS – University of ToursToursFrance
| | - Joël Meunier
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l’Insecte (UMR7261)CNRS – University of ToursToursFrance
| | - Christophe Lucas
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l’Insecte (UMR7261)CNRS – University of ToursToursFrance
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9
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Ala-Honkola O, Kauranen H, Tyukmaeva V, Boetzl FA, Hoikkala A, Schmitt T. Diapause affects cuticular hydrocarbon composition and mating behavior of both sexes in Drosophila montana. INSECT SCIENCE 2020; 27:304-316. [PMID: 30176124 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2018] [Revised: 08/09/2018] [Accepted: 08/19/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Environmental cues, mainly photoperiod and temperature, are known to control female adult reproductive diapause in several insect species. Diapause enhances female survival during adverse conditions and postpones progeny production to the favorable season. Male diapause (a reversible inability to inseminate receptive females) has been studied much less than female diapause. However, if the males maximized their chances to fertilize females while minimizing their energy expenditure, they would be expected to be in diapause at the same time as females. We investigated Drosophila montana male mating behavior under short-day conditions that induce diapause in females and found the males to be reproductively inactive. We also found that males reared under long-day conditions (reproducing individuals) court reproducing postdiapause females, but not diapausing ones. The diapausing flies of both sexes had more long-chain and less short-chain hydrocarbons on their cuticle than the reproducing ones, which presumably increase their survival under stressful conditions, but at the same time decrease their attractiveness. Our study shows that the mating behavior of females and males is well coordinated during and after overwintering and it also gives support to the dual role of insect cuticular hydrocarbons in adaptation and mate choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Outi Ala-Honkola
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyvaskyla, Jyvaskyla, Finland
| | - Hannele Kauranen
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyvaskyla, Jyvaskyla, Finland
| | - Venera Tyukmaeva
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyvaskyla, Jyvaskyla, Finland
| | - Fabian A Boetzl
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Anneli Hoikkala
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyvaskyla, Jyvaskyla, Finland
| | - Thomas Schmitt
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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10
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Havlíčková J, Dolejšová K, Tichý M, Vrkoslav V, Kalinová B, Kyjaková P, Hanus R. (3R,6E)-nerolidol, a fertility-related volatile secreted by the queens of higher termites (Termitidae: Syntermitinae). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 74:251-264. [PMID: 30920958 DOI: 10.1515/znc-2018-0197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 03/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The queens of advanced social insects maintain their reproductive monopoly by using exocrine chemicals. The chemistry of these "queen pheromones" in termites is poorly known. We show that primary queens of four higher termites from the subfamily Syntermitinae (Embiratermes neotenicus, Silvestritermes heyeri, Labiotermes labralis, and Cyrilliotermes angulariceps) emit significant amounts of the sesquiterpene alcohol (E)-nerolidol. It is the dominant analyte in queen body washes; it is present on the surface of eggs, but absent in kings, workers, and soldiers. In E. neotenicus, it is also produced by replacement neotenic queens, in quantities correlated with their fertility. Using newly synthesised (3R,6E)-nerolidol, we demonstrate that the queens of this species produce only the (R) enantiomer. It is distributed over the surface of their abdomen, in internal tissues, and in the haemolymph, as well as in the headspace of the queens. Both (R) and (S) enantiomers are perceived by the antennae of E. neotenicus workers. The naturally occurring (R) enantiomer elicited a significantly larger antennal response, but it did not show any behavioural effect. In spite of technical difficulties encountered in long-term experiments with the studied species, (3R,6E)-nerolidol remains among eventual candidates for the role in queen fertility signalling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Havlíčková
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo n. 2, 16610, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Klára Dolejšová
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo n. 2, 16610, Prague, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Tichý
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo n. 2, 16610, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Vladimír Vrkoslav
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo n. 2, 16610, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Blanka Kalinová
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo n. 2, 16610, Prague, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Pavlína Kyjaková
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo n. 2, 16610, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Robert Hanus
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo n. 2, 16610, Prague, Czech Republic
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11
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Starkey J, Derstine N, Amsalem E. Do Bumble Bees Produce Brood Pheromones? J Chem Ecol 2019; 45:725-734. [PMID: 31471873 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-019-01101-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2019] [Revised: 08/13/2019] [Accepted: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Reproductive division of labor, a defining feature of social insects, is often regulated by a combination of behavioral and chemical means. It is hypothesized that behavioral interactions play a more important role in regulating reproduction of primitive eusocial species, while pheromones are typically used by large sized, advanced eusocial species. Here we examined if worker reproduction in the primitively eusocial species Bombus impatiens is regulated by brood pheromones. We recently demonstrated that worker egg laying in this species is inhibited by young larvae and triggered by pupae. However, the mechanism by which the brood communicates its presence and whether brood or hunger pheromones are involved remain unknown. We found that workers were behaviorally attracted to pupae over larvae or control in a choice experiment, in line with their reproductive interests. However, odors from larvae or pupae were insufficient to inhibit worker reproduction. We further show that the youngest larvae are particularly vulnerable to starvation, however, despite a slight attraction and fewer eggs laid by workers in the presence of starved compared with fed larvae, these effects were insignificant. Our study demonstrates that workers can differentiate between larvae and pupae, but not between starved and fed larvae based on olfactory information. However, these signals alone do not explain the reduction in worker egg laying previously found. Bumble bee workers may use information from multiple sources or rely solely on behavioral interactions with brood and other females to make decisions about reproduction, in line with their small colony size and simple social organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse Starkey
- Department of Entomology, Center for Chemical Ecology, Center for Pollinator Research, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Nathan Derstine
- Department of Entomology, Center for Chemical Ecology, Center for Pollinator Research, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Etya Amsalem
- Department of Entomology, Center for Chemical Ecology, Center for Pollinator Research, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
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12
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Funaro CF, Schal C, Vargo EL. Queen and king recognition in the subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes: Evidence for royal recognition pheromones. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0209810. [PMID: 31145770 PMCID: PMC6542537 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Royal recognition is a central feature of insect societies, allowing them to maintain the reproductive division of labor and regulate colony demography. Queen recognition has been broadly demonstrated and queen recognition pheromones have been identified in social hymenopterans, and in one termite species. Here we describe behaviors that are elicited in workers and soldiers by neotenic queens and kings of the subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes, and demonstrate the chemical basis for the behavior. Workers and soldiers readily perform a lateral or longitudinal shaking behavior upon antennal contact with queens and kings. When royal cuticular chemicals are transferred to live workers or inert glass dummies, they elicit antennation and shaking in a dose-dependent manner. The striking response to reproductives and their cuticular extracts suggests that royal-specific cuticular compounds act as recognition pheromones and that shaking behavior is a clear and measurable queen and king recognition response in this termite species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin F. Funaro
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Coby Schal
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States of America
| | - Edward L. Vargo
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States of America
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13
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Gössinger E. Chemistry of the Secondary Metabolites of Termites. PROGRESS IN THE CHEMISTRY OF ORGANIC NATURAL PRODUCTS 2019; 109:1-384. [PMID: 31637529 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-12858-6_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Isolation, structure determination, synthesis, and biochemistry of the low-molecular-weight compounds of the secretion of exocrine glands of termites are described, with an emphasis on pheromones and defensive compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edda Gössinger
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- , Mistelbach, Austria.
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14
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Machara A, Křivánek J, Dolejšová K, Havlíčková J, Bednárová L, Hanus R, Majer P, Kyjaková P. Identification and Enantiodivergent Synthesis of (5 Z,9 S)-Tetradec-5-en-9-olide, a Queen-Specific Volatile of the Termite Silvestritermes minutus. JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS 2018; 81:2266-2274. [PMID: 30299957 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.8b00632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The queens of social insects differ from sterile colony members in many aspects of their physiology. Besides adaptations linked with their specialization for reproduction and extended lifespan, the queens also invest in the maintenance of their reproductive dominance by producing exocrine chemicals signaling their presence to the nestmates. The knowledge of the chemistry of queen-specific cues in termites is scarce. In addition to the contact recognition based on cuticular hydrocarbons, long-range signals mediated by volatiles are expected to participate in queen signaling, especially in populous colonies of higher termites (Termitidae). In queens of the higher termite Silvestritermes minutus (Syntermitinae), we have detected a previously undescribed volatile. It is present in important quantities on the body surface and in the headspace, ovaries, and body cavity. MS and GC-FTIR data analyses led us to propose the structure of the compound to be a macrolide 10-pentyl-3,4,5,8,9,10-hexahydro-2 H-oxecin-2-one. We performed enantiodivergent syntheses of two possible enantiomers starting from enantiopure ( S)-glycidyl tosylate. The synthetic sequence involved macrolide-closing metathesis quenched with a ruthenium scavenging agent. The absolute and relative configuration of the compound was assigned to be (5 Z,9 S)-tetradec-5-en-9-olide. Identification and preparation of the compound allow for investigation of its biological significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleš Machara
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the CAS , Flemingovo n. 542/2 , 166 10 , Prague 6 , Czech Republic
| | - Jan Křivánek
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the CAS , Flemingovo n. 542/2 , 166 10 , Prague 6 , Czech Republic
| | - Klára Dolejšová
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the CAS , Flemingovo n. 542/2 , 166 10 , Prague 6 , Czech Republic
| | - Jana Havlíčková
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the CAS , Flemingovo n. 542/2 , 166 10 , Prague 6 , Czech Republic
| | - Lucie Bednárová
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the CAS , Flemingovo n. 542/2 , 166 10 , Prague 6 , Czech Republic
| | - Robert Hanus
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the CAS , Flemingovo n. 542/2 , 166 10 , Prague 6 , Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Majer
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the CAS , Flemingovo n. 542/2 , 166 10 , Prague 6 , Czech Republic
| | - Pavlína Kyjaková
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the CAS , Flemingovo n. 542/2 , 166 10 , Prague 6 , Czech Republic
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15
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Yaguchi H, Shigenobu S, Hayashi Y, Miyazaki S, Toga K, Masuoka Y, Maekawa K. A lipocalin protein, Neural Lazarillo, is key to social interactions that promote termite soldier differentiation. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:rspb.2018.0707. [PMID: 30051867 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.0707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 07/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Social communication among castes is a crucial component of insect societies. However, the genes involved in soldier determination through the regulation of inter-individual interactions are largely unknown. In an incipient colony of the damp-wood termite Zootermopsis nevadensis, the first larva to develop into a third instar always differentiates into a soldier via frequent trophallactic feeding from the reproductives. Here, by performing RNA-seq analysis of third instar larvae, a homologue of Neural Lazarillo (named ZnNLaz1) was found to be the most differentially expressed gene in these soldier-destined larvae, compared with worker-destined larvae. This gene encodes a lipocalin protein related to the transport of small hydrophobic molecules. RNAi-induced knockdown of ZnNLaz1 significantly inhibited trophallactic interactions with the queen and decreased the soldier differentiation rates. This protein is localized in the gut, particularly in the internal wall, of soldier-destined larvae, suggesting that it is involved in the integration of social signals from the queen through frequent trophallactic behaviours. Based on molecular phylogenetic analysis, we suggest that a novel function of termite NLaz1 has contributed to social evolution from the cockroach ancestors of termites. These results indicated that a high larval NLaz1 expression is crucial for soldier determination through social communication in termites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hajime Yaguchi
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.,Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Japan
| | - Shuji Shigenobu
- NIBB Core Research Facilities, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Japan
| | | | - Satoshi Miyazaki
- Department of Agri-Production Sciences, Tamagawa University, Machida, Japan
| | - Kouhei Toga
- Department of Biosciences, College of Humanities and Sciences, Nihon University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yudai Masuoka
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.,Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Kiyoto Maekawa
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
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16
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Evolution of Caste-Specific Chemical Profiles in Halictid Bees. J Chem Ecol 2018; 44:827-837. [PMID: 30014321 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-018-0991-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2018] [Revised: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 07/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Chemical communication is crucial for the maintenance of colony organization in eusocial insects and chemical signals are known to mediate important aspects of their social life, including the regulation of reproduction. Sociality is therefore hypothesized to be accompanied by an increase in the complexity of chemical communication. However, little is known about the evolution of odor signals at the transition from solitary living to eusociality. Halictid bees are especially suitable models to study this question as they exhibit considerable variability in social behavior. Here we investigated whether the dissimilarities in cuticle chemical signals in females of different castes and life stages reflect the level of social complexity across halictid bee species. Our hypothesis was that species with a higher social behavior ergo obligate eusocial species possess a more distinct chemical profile between castes or female life stages. We analyzed cuticular chemical profiles of foundresses, breeding females and workers of ancestrally solitary species, facultative and obligate eusocial halictid species. We also tested whether social complexity was associated with a higher investment in chemical signals. Our results revealed higher chemical dissimilarity between castes in obligate than in facultative eusocial species, especially regarding macrocyclic lactones, which were the single common compound class overproduced in queens compared with workers. Chemical dissimilarities were independent of differences in ovarian status in obligate eusocial species but were dependent on ovarian status in facultative eusocial species, which we discuss in an evolutionary framework.
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17
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Funaro CF, Böröczky K, Vargo EL, Schal C. Identification of a queen and king recognition pheromone in the subterranean termite Reticulitermes flavipes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:3888-3893. [PMID: 29555778 PMCID: PMC5899469 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1721419115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemical communication is fundamental to success in social insect colonies. Species-, colony-, and caste-specific blends of cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) and other chemicals have been well documented as pheromones, mediating important behavioral and physiological aspects of social insects. More specifically, royal pheromones used by queens (and kings in termites) enable workers to recognize and care for these vital individuals and maintain the reproductive division of labor. In termites, however, no royal-recognition pheromones have been identified to date. In the current study, solvent extracts of the subterranean termite Reticulitermes flavipes were analyzed to assess differences in cuticular compounds among castes. We identified a royal-specific hydrocarbon-heneicosane-and several previously unreported and highly royal enriched long-chain alkanes. When applied to glass dummies, heneicosane elicited worker behavioral responses identical to those elicited by live termite queens, including increased vibratory shaking and antennation. Further, the behavioral effects of heneicosane were amplified when presented with nestmate termite workers' cuticular extracts, underscoring the importance of chemical context in termite royal recognition. Thus, heneicosane is a royal-recognition pheromone that is active in both queens and kings of R. flavipes The use of heneicosane as a queen and king recognition pheromone by termites suggests that CHCs evolved as royal pheromones ∼150 million years ago, ∼50 million years before their first use as queen-recognition pheromones in social Hymenoptera. We therefore infer that termites and social Hymenoptera convergently evolved the use of these ubiquitous compounds in royal recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin F Funaro
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology and W.M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695;
| | - Katalin Böröczky
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802
| | - Edward L Vargo
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843
| | - Coby Schal
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology and W.M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695;
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18
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Korb J. Chemical Fertility Signaling in Termites: Idiosyncrasies and Commonalities in Comparison with Ants. J Chem Ecol 2018; 44:818-826. [PMID: 29616376 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-018-0952-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2017] [Revised: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Termites evolved eusociality independently from social Hymenoptera. As a common trait, reproductive monopoly is maintained through chemical communication. The queen (and in termites also a king) prevents workers from reproduction by conveying their reproductive status. In termites all soldiers are sterile, but workers' potential to reproduce differs between species. It ranges from totipotency in wood-dwelling lower termites where workers are a transient stage from which all other castes develop, to sterile workers in some higher termites. Intermediate are species in which workers can develop into replacement sexuals within the nest but not into winged sexuals. I summarize the patchy picture about fertility signaling that we currently have for termites, pointing also to potential conflicts over reproduction that differ from those in social Hymenoptera. Recent findings imply that, similar to many social Hymenoptera, wood-dwelling termites that live in confined nests use long-chain cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) as fertility signals. Yet other compounds are important as well, comprising proteinaceous secretions and especially volatiles. For a subterranean termite, two volatiles have been identified as primer pheromones that prevent reproductive differentiation of workers. It requires more data to test whether wood-dwelling termites use CHCs, while species with larger colonies and less confined nests use volatiles, or whether all species rely on multicomponent signals. Ultimately, we need more effort to model and test potential conflicts over reproduction between queens, kings and workers. Here results from social Hymenoptera cannot be transferred to termites as the latter are diploid and commonly inbred. This review illustrates promising future research avenues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Korb
- Evolutionary Biology & Ecology, University of Freiburg, Hauptstrasse 1, D-79104, Freiburg, Germany.
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19
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Wu T, Dhami GK, Thompson GJ. Soldier‐biased gene expression in a subterranean termite implies functional specialization of the defensive caste. Evol Dev 2017; 20:3-16. [DOI: 10.1111/ede.12243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Tian Wu
- Biology DepartmentWestern UniversityLondonOntarioCanada
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20
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Sex-specific inhibition and stimulation of worker-reproductive transition in a termite. Naturwissenschaften 2017; 104:79. [PMID: 28879477 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-017-1501-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2017] [Revised: 08/28/2017] [Accepted: 08/30/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
In social insects, the postembryonic development of individuals exhibits strong phenotypic plasticity in response to the environment, thus generating the caste system. Different from eusocial Hymenoptera, in which queens dominate reproduction and inhibit worker fertility, the primary reproductive caste in termites (kings and queens) can be replaced by neotenic reproductives derived from functionally sterile individuals. Feedback regulation of nestmate differentiation into reproductives has been suggested, but the sex specificity remains inconclusive. In the eastern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes, we tested the hypothesis that neotenic reproductives regulate worker-reproductive transition in a sex-specific manner. With this R. flavipes system, we demonstrate a sex-specific regulatory mechanism with both inhibitory and stimulatory functions. Neotenics inhibit workers of the same sex from differentiating into additional reproductives but stimulate workers of the opposite sex to undergo this transition. Furthermore, this process is not affected by the presence of soldiers. Our results highlight the reproductive plasticity of termites in response to social cues and provide insights into the regulation of reproductive division of labor in a hemimetabolous social insect.
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21
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Smith AA, Liebig J. The evolution of cuticular fertility signals in eusocial insects. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2017; 22:79-84. [PMID: 28805643 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2017.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2017] [Revised: 05/17/2017] [Accepted: 05/19/2017] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
A reproductive division of labor is a definitive characteristic of eusocial insect societies and it requires a means through which colony members can assess the presence and productivity of reproductive individuals. Cuticular hydrocarbons are the primary means of doing so across eusocial hymenopterans. However, recent experimental work presents conflicting views on how these chemical signals function, are interpreted by workers, and evolve. These recent advances include demonstrations of hydrocarbons as evolutionarily conserved 'queen pheromones' and as species-divergent 'fertility signals' used by both queens and workers. In this review, we synthesize conflicting studies into an evolutionary framework suggesting a transition of reproductive communication from cue-like signature mixtures, to learned fertility signals, to innate queen pheromones that evolved across eusocial insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian A Smith
- Research & Collections, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, 11 W. Jones St, Raleigh, NC 27601, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
| | - Jürgen Liebig
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
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22
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Penick CA, Liebig J. A larval ‘princess pheromone’ identifies future ant queens based on their juvenile hormone content. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.03.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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23
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Santos AB, Nascimento FS. Do Distinct Biomes Influence the Cuticular Chemical Profile in Orchid Bees? ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2017; 46:335-342. [PMID: 28334073 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvw169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Cuticular chemical profiles of Euglossa cordata L. males were analyzed to test whether ecological predictors affect their composition and relative proportion. Males were collected in areas of Caatinga and Atlantic Forest from Brazil during two distinct seasonal periods. We found 48 compounds from the cuticular extracts of males, which consisted of hydrocarbons (71.39%), acetates (16.79%), esters (10.5%), alcohols and others (1.31%). We verified that when specimens were separated between biomes, they did not show a qualitative differentiation, but a small quantitative variation of compounds was found between some alkanes. We suggest that these results reflect stability of epicuticular compounds even under variable environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- A B Santos
- Laboratório de Comportamento e Ecologia de Insetos Sociais, Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP), Universidade de São Paulo. Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, CEP 14040-901, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil (; )
| | - F S Nascimento
- Laboratório de Comportamento e Ecologia de Insetos Sociais, Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP), Universidade de São Paulo. Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, CEP 14040-901, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil (; )
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24
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Glastad KM, Gokhale K, Liebig J, Goodisman MAD. The caste- and sex-specific DNA methylome of the termite Zootermopsis nevadensis. Sci Rep 2016; 6:37110. [PMID: 27848993 PMCID: PMC5111047 DOI: 10.1038/srep37110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2016] [Accepted: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic inheritance plays an important role in mediating alternative phenotype in highly social species. In order to gain a greater understanding of epigenetic effects in societies, we investigated DNA methylation in the termite Zootermopsis nevadensis. Termites are the most ancient social insects, and developmentally distinct from highly-studied, hymenopteran social insects. We used replicated bisulfite-sequencing to investigate patterns of DNA methylation in both sexes and among castes of Z. nevadensis. We discovered that Z. nevadensis displayed some of the highest levels of DNA methylation found in insects. We also found strong differences in methylation between castes. Methylated genes tended to be uniformly and highly expressed demonstrating the antiquity of associations between intragenic methylation and gene expression. Differentially methylated genes were more likely to be alternatively spliced than not differentially methylated genes, and possessed considerable enrichment for development-associated functions. We further observed strong overrepresentation of multiple transcription factor binding sites and miRNA profiles associated with differential methylation, providing new insights into the possible function of DNA methylation. Overall, our results show that DNA methylation is widespread and associated with caste differences in termites. More generally, this study provides insights into the function of DNA methylation and the success of insect societies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl M Glastad
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, USA.,School of Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Kaustubh Gokhale
- Department of Environmental Science Policy and Management, University of California, Berkley, 94720, USA
| | - Jürgen Liebig
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA
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25
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Menzel F, Radke R, Foitzik S. Odor diversity decreases with inbreeding in the ant Hypoponera opacior. Evolution 2016; 70:2573-2582. [PMID: 27641363 DOI: 10.1111/evo.13068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2015] [Revised: 08/22/2016] [Accepted: 08/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Reduction in heterozygosity can lead to inbreeding depression. This loss of genetic variability especially affects diverse loci, such as immune genes or those encoding recognition cues. In social insects, nestmates are recognized by their odor, that is their cuticular hydrocarbon profile. Genes underlying hydrocarbon production are thought to be under balancing selection. If so, inbreeding should result in a loss of chemical diversity. We show here that cuticular hydrocarbon diversity decreases with inbreeding. Studying an ant with a facultative inbreeding lifestyle, we found inbred workers to exhibit both a lower number of hydrocarbons and less diverse, that is less evenly proportioned profiles. The association with inbreeding was strong for methyl-branched alkanes, which play a major role in nestmate recognition, and for n-alkanes, whereas unsaturated compounds were unaffected. Shifts in allocation strategies with inbreeding in our focal species indicate that these ants can detect their inbreeding level and use this information to adjust their reproductive strategy. Our study is the first to demonstrate that odor profiles can encode information on inbreeding, with broad implications not only for social insects, but for sexual selection and mate choice in general. Odor profiles may constitute an honest signal of inbreeding, a fitness-relevant trait in many species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Menzel
- Institute of Zoology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Johannes-von-Müller-Weg 6, 55128, Mainz, Germany.
| | - René Radke
- Institute of Zoology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Johannes-von-Müller-Weg 6, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Susanne Foitzik
- Institute of Zoology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Johannes-von-Müller-Weg 6, 55128, Mainz, Germany
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26
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Smith AA, Millar JG, Suarez AV. Comparative analysis of fertility signals and sex-specific cuticular chemical profiles of Odontomachus trap-jaw ants. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 219:419-30. [PMID: 26847561 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.128850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The lipid mixture that coats the insect cuticle contains a number of chemical signals. Mate choice in solitary insects is mediated by sexually dimorphic cuticular chemistry, whereas in eusocial insects, these profiles provide information through which colony members are identified and the fertility status of individuals is assessed. Profiles of queens and workers have been described for a number of eusocial species, but there have been few comparisons of fertility signals among closely related species. Additionally, sexual dimorphism in cuticular lipid profiles has only been reported in two species of ants. This study describes the cuticular chemical profiles of queens, workers and males of three species of Odontomachus trap-jaw ants: O. ruginodis, O. relictus and O. haematodus. These are compared with fertility signals and sexually dimorphic profiles already described from O. brunneus. We report that fertility signals are not conserved within this genus: chemical compounds that distinguish queens from workers vary in number and type among the species. Furthermore, the compounds that were most abundant in cuticular extracts of O. ruginodis queens relative to workers were novel 2,5-dialkyltetrahydrofurans. Bioassays of extracts of O. ruginodis queens indicate that the dialkyltetrahydrofuran and hydrocarbon fractions of the profile are likely to work synergistically in eliciting behavioral responses from workers. In contrast, cuticular lipids that distinguish males from females are more conserved across species, with isomeric and relative abundance variations comprising the main differences among species. Our results provide new insights into how these contact chemical signals may have arisen and evolved within eusocial insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian A Smith
- Research and Collections, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, NC 27601, USA Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Jocelyn G Millar
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Andrew V Suarez
- Departments of Animal Biology and Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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27
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Induction of a reproductive-specific cuticular hydrocarbon profile by a juvenile hormone analog in the termite Zootermopsis nevadensis. CHEMOECOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s00049-016-0219-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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28
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Li G, Liu L, Sun P, Wu Y, Lei C, Chen X, Huang Q. Physiological profiles associated with ceasing growth of unfertilized eggs produced by unmated queens in the subterranean termite Reticulitermes chinensis. Biol Open 2016; 5:756-63. [PMID: 27215326 PMCID: PMC4920186 DOI: 10.1242/bio.017319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In Reticulitermes chinensis, a close relative of R.speratus with asexual queen succession, unfertilized eggs can be produced but do not hatch as larvae. To explain this phenomenon, we analyzed the physiological differences between unfertilized eggs/unmated queens and fertilized eggs/mated queens. Fertilized eggs had significantly lower quantities of five amino acids (Cys, Met, Ile, Leu and Tyr), Ca, protein and cholesterol during development. The higher levels of four trace elements (Na, K, Zn and Fe) in fertilized eggs and their lower levels in mated queens indicated that mated queens might transfer these trace elements to fertilized eggs to aid development. The higher levels of Mn, triglycerides and serotonin in mated queens and higher levels of Mn and glucose in fertilized eggs suggested that these substances are very important for normal ovarian and embryonic growth. The different expression of three reproductive genes (vtg 1, rab 11 and JHE 1) suggested that they might be involved in the regulation of ovarian and embryonic growth. Overall, changes in these physiological indices may substantially affect ovarian and embryonic growth and inhibit development of unfertilized eggs in R. chinensis. Summary: Changes in amino acids, trace elements, nutrient content, serotonin and reproductive genes may substantially affect ovarian and embryonic growth and inhibit development of unfertilized eggs in Reticulitermes chinensis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ganghua Li
- College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China College of Life Science, Hubei Normal University, Huangshi, Hubei 435002, China
| | - Long Liu
- College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Pengdong Sun
- College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Yao Wu
- College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Chaoliang Lei
- College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Xiongwen Chen
- College of Life Science, Hubei Normal University, Huangshi, Hubei 435002, China
| | - Qiuying Huang
- College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
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29
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Korb J. Genes Underlying Reproductive Division of Labor in Termites, with Comparisons to Social Hymenoptera. Front Ecol Evol 2016. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2016.00045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
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30
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Oi CA, van Zweden JS, Oliveira RC, Van Oystaeyen A, Nascimento FS, Wenseleers T. The origin and evolution of social insect queen pheromones: Novel hypotheses and outstanding problems. Bioessays 2015; 37:808-21. [PMID: 25916998 DOI: 10.1002/bies.201400180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Queen pheromones, which signal the presence of a fertile queen and induce daughter workers to remain sterile, are considered to play a key role in regulating the reproductive division of labor of insect societies. Although queen pheromones were long thought to be highly taxon-specific, recent studies have shown that structurally related long-chain hydrocarbons act as conserved queen signals across several independently evolved lineages of social insects. These results imply that social insect queen pheromones are very ancient and likely derived from an ancestral signalling system that was already present in their common solitary ancestors. Based on these new insights, we here review the literature and speculate on what signal precursors social insect queen pheromones may have evolved from. Furthermore, we provide compelling evidence that these pheromones should best be seen as honest signals of fertility as opposed to suppressive agents that chemically sterilize the workers against their own best interests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cintia A Oi
- Department of Biology, Laboratory of Socioecology & Social Evolution, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jelle S van Zweden
- Department of Biology, Laboratory of Socioecology & Social Evolution, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ricardo C Oliveira
- Department of Biology, Laboratory of Socioecology & Social Evolution, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Annette Van Oystaeyen
- Department of Biology, Laboratory of Socioecology & Social Evolution, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Fabio S Nascimento
- Departamento de Biologia da Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Tom Wenseleers
- Department of Biology, Laboratory of Socioecology & Social Evolution, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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31
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Korb J, Poulsen M, Hu H, Li C, Boomsma JJ, Zhang G, Liebig J. A genomic comparison of two termites with different social complexity. Front Genet 2015; 6:9. [PMID: 25788900 PMCID: PMC4348803 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2015.00009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2014] [Accepted: 01/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The termites evolved eusociality and complex societies before the ants, but have been studied much less. The recent publication of the first two termite genomes provides a unique comparative opportunity, particularly because the sequenced termites represent opposite ends of the social complexity spectrum. Zootermopsis nevadensis has simple colonies with totipotent workers that can develop into all castes (dispersing reproductives, nest-inheriting replacement reproductives, and soldiers). In contrast, the fungus-growing termite Macrotermes natalensis belongs to the higher termites and has very large and complex societies with morphologically distinct castes that are life-time sterile. Here we compare key characteristics of genomic architecture, focusing on genes involved in communication, immune defenses, mating biology and symbiosis that were likely important in termite social evolution. We discuss these in relation to what is known about these genes in the ants and outline hypothesis for further testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Korb
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute of Biology I, University of FreiburgFreiburg, Germany
| | - Michael Poulsen
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, Centre for Social Evolution, University of CopenhagenCopenhagen, Denmark
| | - Haofu Hu
- China National Genebank, BGI-ShenzhenShenzhen, China
| | - Cai Li
- China National Genebank, BGI-ShenzhenShenzhen, China
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of CopenhagenCopenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jacobus J. Boomsma
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, Centre for Social Evolution, University of CopenhagenCopenhagen, Denmark
| | - Guojie Zhang
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, Centre for Social Evolution, University of CopenhagenCopenhagen, Denmark
- China National Genebank, BGI-ShenzhenShenzhen, China
| | - Jürgen Liebig
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State UniversityTempe, AZ, USA
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32
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González-Forero M. AN EVOLUTIONARY RESOLUTION OF MANIPULATION CONFLICT. Evolution 2014; 68:2038-51. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.12420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2013] [Accepted: 04/04/2014] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Mauricio González-Forero
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of Tennessee; Knoxville Tennessee 37996-1610
- National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS); Knoxville Tennessee 37996-3410
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Terrapon N, Li C, Robertson HM, Ji L, Meng X, Booth W, Chen Z, Childers CP, Glastad KM, Gokhale K, Gowin J, Gronenberg W, Hermansen RA, Hu H, Hunt BG, Huylmans AK, Khalil SMS, Mitchell RD, Munoz-Torres MC, Mustard JA, Pan H, Reese JT, Scharf ME, Sun F, Vogel H, Xiao J, Yang W, Yang Z, Yang Z, Zhou J, Zhu J, Brent CS, Elsik CG, Goodisman MAD, Liberles DA, Roe RM, Vargo EL, Vilcinskas A, Wang J, Bornberg-Bauer E, Korb J, Zhang G, Liebig J. Molecular traces of alternative social organization in a termite genome. Nat Commun 2014; 5:3636. [PMID: 24845553 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms4636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 268] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2013] [Accepted: 03/13/2014] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Although eusociality evolved independently within several orders of insects, research into the molecular underpinnings of the transition towards social complexity has been confined primarily to Hymenoptera (for example, ants and bees). Here we sequence the genome and stage-specific transcriptomes of the dampwood termite Zootermopsis nevadensis (Blattodea) and compare them with similar data for eusocial Hymenoptera, to better identify commonalities and differences in achieving this significant transition. We show an expansion of genes related to male fertility, with upregulated gene expression in male reproductive individuals reflecting the profound differences in mating biology relative to the Hymenoptera. For several chemoreceptor families, we show divergent numbers of genes, which may correspond to the more claustral lifestyle of these termites. We also show similarities in the number and expression of genes related to caste determination mechanisms. Finally, patterns of DNA methylation and alternative splicing support a hypothesized epigenetic regulation of caste differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Terrapon
- 1] Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Münster D48149, Germany [2] [3]
| | - Cai Li
- 1] China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China [2] Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5-7, Copenhagen 1350, Denmark [3]
| | - Hugh M Robertson
- Department of Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - Lu Ji
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Xuehong Meng
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Warren Booth
- 1] Department of Entomology and W. M Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA [2]
| | - Zhensheng Chen
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | | | - Karl M Glastad
- School of Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA
| | - Kaustubh Gokhale
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA
| | - Johannes Gowin
- 1] Behavioural Biology, University of Osnabrück, Osnabrück D49076, Germany [2]
| | - Wulfila Gronenberg
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA
| | - Russell A Hermansen
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 82071, USA
| | - Haofu Hu
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Brendan G Hunt
- 1] School of Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA [2]
| | - Ann Kathrin Huylmans
- 1] Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Münster D48149, Germany [2]
| | - Sayed M S Khalil
- 1] Department of Entomology and W. M Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA [2] Department of Microbial Molecular Biology, Agricultural Genetic Engineering Research Institute, Giza 12619, Egypt
| | - Robert D Mitchell
- Department of Entomology and W. M Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA
| | - Monica C Munoz-Torres
- Genomics Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Julie A Mustard
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA
| | - Hailin Pan
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Justin T Reese
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, USA
| | - Michael E Scharf
- Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA
| | - Fengming Sun
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Heiko Vogel
- Department of Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena D-07745, Germany
| | - Jin Xiao
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Wei Yang
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Zhikai Yang
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Zuoquan Yang
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Jiajian Zhou
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Jiwei Zhu
- Department of Entomology and W. M Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA
| | - Colin S Brent
- Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture, Maricopa, Arizona 85138, USA
| | - Christine G Elsik
- 1] Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, USA [2] Division of Plant Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, USA
| | | | - David A Liberles
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 82071, USA
| | - R Michael Roe
- Department of Entomology and W. M Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA
| | - Edward L Vargo
- Department of Entomology and W. M Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- Institut für Phytopathologie und Angewandte Zoologie, Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen, Giessen D35390, Germany
| | - Jun Wang
- 1] China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China [2] Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen DK-1165, Denmark [3] Princess Al Jawhara Center of Excellence in the Research of Hereditary Disorders, King Abdulaziz University, 21589 Jeddah, Saudi Arabia [4] Macau University of Science and Technology, Avenida Wai long, Taipa, Macau 999078, China [5] Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Erich Bornberg-Bauer
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Münster D48149, Germany
| | - Judith Korb
- 1] Behavioural Biology, University of Osnabrück, Osnabrück D49076, Germany [2]
| | - Guojie Zhang
- 1] China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China [2] Centre for Social Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jürgen Liebig
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA
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Van Oystaeyen A, Oliveira RC, Holman L, van Zweden JS, Romero C, Oi CA, d'Ettorre P, Khalesi M, Billen J, Wäckers F, Millar JG, Wenseleers T. Conserved class of queen pheromones stops social insect workers from reproducing. Science 2014; 343:287-90. [PMID: 24436417 DOI: 10.1126/science.1244899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 215] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
A major evolutionary transition to eusociality with reproductive division of labor between queens and workers has arisen independently at least 10 times in the ants, bees, and wasps. Pheromones produced by queens are thought to play a key role in regulating this complex social system, but their evolutionary history remains unknown. Here, we identify the first sterility-inducing queen pheromones in a wasp, bumblebee, and desert ant and synthesize existing data on compounds that characterize female fecundity in 64 species of social insects. Our results show that queen pheromones are strikingly conserved across at least three independent origins of eusociality, with wasps, ants, and some bees all appearing to use nonvolatile, saturated hydrocarbons to advertise fecundity and/or suppress worker reproduction. These results suggest that queen pheromones evolved from conserved signals of solitary ancestors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annette Van Oystaeyen
- Laboratory of Socioecology and Social Evolution, Zoological Institute, University of Leuven, Naamsestraat 59-Box 2466, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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35
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van Zweden JS, Bonckaert W, Wenseleers T, d'Ettorre P. QUEEN SIGNALING IN SOCIAL WASPS. Evolution 2013; 68:976-86. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.12314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2013] [Accepted: 10/10/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jelle S. van Zweden
- Centre for Social Evolution; University of Copenhagen; Universitetsparken 15 2100 Copenhagen Denmark
- Laboratory of Socioecology and Social Evolution; KU Leuven; Naamsestraat 59, box 2466 3000 Leuven Belgium
| | - Wim Bonckaert
- Laboratory of Socioecology and Social Evolution; KU Leuven; Naamsestraat 59, box 2466 3000 Leuven Belgium
| | - Tom Wenseleers
- Laboratory of Socioecology and Social Evolution; KU Leuven; Naamsestraat 59, box 2466 3000 Leuven Belgium
| | - Patrizia d'Ettorre
- Centre for Social Evolution; University of Copenhagen; Universitetsparken 15 2100 Copenhagen Denmark
- Laboratoire d'Ethologie Expérimentale et Comparée; Université Paris 13 99 avenue Jean-Baptiste Clément, 93430 Villetaneuse France
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36
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Matsuura K. Multifunctional queen pheromone and maintenance of reproductive harmony in termite colonies. J Chem Ecol 2012; 38:746-54. [PMID: 22623152 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-012-0137-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2012] [Revised: 05/03/2012] [Accepted: 05/08/2012] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Pheromones are likely involved in all social activities of social insects including foraging, sexual behavior, defense, nestmate recognition, and caste regulation. Regulation of the number of fertile queens requires communication between reproductive and non-reproductive individuals. Queen-produced pheromones have long been believed to be the main factor inhibiting the differentiation of new reproductive individuals. However, since the discovery more than 50 years ago of the queen honeybee substance that inhibits the queen-rearing behavior of workers, little progress has been made in the chemical identification of inhibitory queen pheromones in other social insects. The recent identification of a termite queen pheromone and subsequent studies have elucidated the multifaceted roles of volatile pheromones, including functions such as a fertility signal, worker attractant, queen-queen communication signal, and antimicrobial agent. The proximate origin and evolutionary parsimony of the termite queen pheromone also are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenji Matsuura
- Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa Oiwakecho, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan.
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37
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Korb J, Buschmann M, Schafberg S, Liebig J, Bagnères AG. Brood care and social evolution in termites. Proc Biol Sci 2012; 279:2662-71. [PMID: 22398169 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2011.2639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cooperative brood care is assumed to be the common driving factor leading to sociality. While this seems to be true for social Hymenoptera and many cooperatively breeding vertebrates, the importance of brood care for the evolution of eusociality in termites is unclear. A first step in elucidating this problem is an assessment of the ancestral condition in termites. We investigated this by determining the overall level of brood care behaviour across four termite species that cover the phylogenetic diversity of the lower termites. Brood care was low in the three species (all from different families) that had an ancestral wood-dwelling lifestyle of living in a single piece of wood that serves as food and shelter. In the fourth species, a lower termite that evolved outside foraging, brood care was more common. Together with data for higher termites, this suggests that brood care in termites only becomes important when switching from a wood-dwelling to a foraging lifestyle. These results imply that early social evolution in termites was driven by benefits of increased defence, while eusociality in Hymenoptera and cooperative breeding in birds and mammals are primarily based on brood care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Korb
- Behavioural Biology, University of Osnabrueck, Barbarastrasse11, 49076 Osnabrueck, Germany.
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38
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Ishikawa Y, Miura T. Hidden aggression in termite workers: plastic defensive behaviour dependent upon social context. Anim Behav 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2011.12.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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39
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Rosengaus RB, James LT, Hartke TR, Brent CS. Mate preference and disease risk in Zootermopsis angusticollis (Isoptera: Termopsidae). ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2011; 40:1554-1565. [PMID: 22217773 DOI: 10.1603/en11055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Termites face significant and chronic intranidal selection pressures from parasites and pathogens that colonize their nests. They also encounter microbes outside their nest while foraging and during dispersal of winged primary reproductives to establish new colonies. The latter run the additional risk of becoming infected by a mating partner. Indeed, death of reproductives because of disease is a major cause of incipient colony failure and may favor prescreening prospective mates for signs of illness. To determine the role of disease on mate preference in termites, female primary reproductives of the Pacific dampwood termite Zootermopsis angusticollis (Hagen) simultaneously were presented with reproductive males that were either healthy or exhibiting a progression of symptoms associated with infection by the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae (Metchnikoff Sorokin). We compared duration and frequency of female visits to healthy and infected males. In addition, we determined the physiological consequences for females exposed to fungal conidia, either directly or indirectly through their mate. Females showed no preference for healthy rather than infected males. Moreover, only directly-exposed females experienced negative physiological effects, having a reduced chance of survival, gaining less weight, developing fewer functional ovarioles, and producing significantly fewer vitellogenic oocytes than controls. Although there are important fitness-related costs of direct exposure, the lack of mate selection based on disease risk suggests that more imminent ecological pressures (e.g., predators, desiccation) override the need for a careful and time-consuming assessment of a potential mate's health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebeca B Rosengaus
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, 134 Mugar Life Sciences Bldg., 360 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115-5000, USA.
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40
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Menzel F, Schmitt T. Tolerance requires the right smell: first evidence for interspecific selection on chemical recognition cues. Evolution 2011; 66:896-904. [PMID: 22380448 DOI: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2011.01489.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The integument of insects is generally covered with cuticular hydrocarbons (CHC). They serve multiple functions, most prominent among them waterproofing and-especially among social insects-as communication signal. CHC profiles are incredibly diverse within and across species. However, the causes for CHC variation between species, and potential selection pressures that may shape CHC profiles, are hardly understood. Here, we investigated potential selection pressures on ant CHC. We tested the hypotheses that living in association with another species (e.g., parabiosis), and the climate of the ant's habitat, affect CHC composition. We conducted a large-scale comparison of 37 Camponotus species from five continents. Our results demonstrate that closely associated ant species possess significantly longer hydrocarbons and higher proportions of methylbranched alkenes and alkadienes than non- or loosely associated species. In contrast, climatic factors had no effects. This study shows that the need to be tolerated by another species greatly affects CHC profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Menzel
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, CH-3012 Bern, SwitzerlandInstitute of Zoology, University of Mainz, J.-v.-Müller-Weg 6, D-55099 Mainz, GermanyDepartment of Evolutionary Biology and Animal Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Hauptstrasse 1, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany E-mail:
| | - Thomas Schmitt
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, CH-3012 Bern, SwitzerlandInstitute of Zoology, University of Mainz, J.-v.-Müller-Weg 6, D-55099 Mainz, GermanyDepartment of Evolutionary Biology and Animal Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Hauptstrasse 1, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany E-mail:
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41
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Eliyahu D, Ross KG, Haight KL, Keller L, Liebig J. Venom alkaloid and cuticular hydrocarbon profiles are associated with social organization, queen fertility status, and queen genotype in the fire ant Solenopsis invicta. J Chem Ecol 2011; 37:1242-54. [PMID: 22095515 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-011-0037-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2010] [Revised: 10/10/2011] [Accepted: 11/04/2011] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Queens in social insect colonies advertise their presence in the colony to: a) attract workers' attention and care; b) gain acceptance by workers as replacement or supplemental reproductives; c) prevent reproductive development in nestmates. We analyzed the chemical content of whole body surface extracts of adult queens of different developmental and reproductive stages, and of adult workers from monogyne (single colony queen) and polygyne (multiple colony queens) forms of the fire ant Solenopsis invicta. We found that the composition of the most abundant components, venom alkaloids, differed between queens and workers, as well as between reproductive and non-reproductive queens. Additionally, workers of the two forms could be distinguished by alkaloid composition. Finally, sexually mature, non-reproductive queens from polygyne colonies differed in their proportions of cis-piperidine alkaloids, depending on their Gp-9 genotype, although the difference disappeared once they became functional reproductives. Among the unsaturated cuticular hydrocarbons characteristic of queens, there were differences in amounts of alkenes/alkadienes between non-reproductive polygyne queens of different Gp-9 genotypes, between non-reproductive and reproductive queens, and between polygyne and monogyne reproductive queens, with the amounts increasing at a relatively higher rate through reproductive ontogeny in queens bearing the Gp-9 b allele. Given that the genotype-specific piperidine differences reflect differences in rates of reproductive maturation between queens, we speculate that these abundant and unique compounds have been co-opted to serve in fertility signaling, while the cuticular hydrocarbons now play a complementary role in regulation of social organization by signaling queen Gp-9 genotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorit Eliyahu
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, USA
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42
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Cooperation, Conflict, and the Evolution of Queen Pheromones. J Chem Ecol 2011; 37:1263-75. [DOI: 10.1007/s10886-011-0036-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2011] [Revised: 10/16/2011] [Accepted: 10/28/2011] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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43
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44
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Tarver MR, Schmelz EA, Scharf ME. Soldier caste influences on candidate primer pheromone levels and juvenile hormone-dependent caste differentiation in workers of the termite Reticulitermes flavipes. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2011; 57:771-777. [PMID: 21356212 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2011.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2010] [Revised: 02/18/2011] [Accepted: 02/22/2011] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Caste systems and the division of labor they make possible are common underlying features of all social insects. Multiple extrinsic factors have been shown to impact caste composition in social insect colonies. Primer pheromones are one type of extrinsic caste-regulatory factor; they are chemical signaling molecules produced by certain colony members to impact developmental physiology of recipient nestmates. However, only limited evidence exists regarding primer pheromones and their actions in eusocial termites. In previous research we identified two soldier-produced terpenes, γ-cadinene (CAD) and γ-cadinenal (ALD), as candidate primer pheromones of the lower termite Reticulitermes flavipes. In the present study we tested hypotheses related to CAD and ALD action in recipient individuals. We examined the influences of terminally developed soldier termites on (1) CAD and ALD levels and (2) caste differentiation in developmentally totipotent workers. Our findings show CAD and ALD (respectively) are caste stimulatory and inhibitory components of chemical blends present in soldier heads, ALD levels increase significantly (10.9×) in workers only in the presence of soldiers, and soldiers can reduce developmental-hormone response thresholds of workers, presumably via ALD action. These findings provide novel evidence supporting that CAD and ALD are authentic caste-regulatory primer pheromones in Reticulitermes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R Tarver
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
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45
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Costa-Leonardo AM, Haifig I. Pheromones and exocrine glands in Isoptera. VITAMINS AND HORMONES 2010; 83:521-49. [PMID: 20831960 DOI: 10.1016/s0083-6729(10)83021-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
Termites are eusocial insects that have a peculiar and intriguing system of communication using pheromones. The termite pheromones are composed of a blend of chemical substances and they coordinate different social interactions or activities, including foraging, building, mating, defense, and nestmate recognition. Some of these sociochemicals are volatile, spreading in the air, and others are contact pheromones, which are transmitted by trophallaxis and grooming. Among the termite semiochemicals, the most known are alarm, trail, sex pheromones, and hydrocarbons responsible for the recognition of nestmates. The sources of the pheromones are exocrine glands located all over the termite body. The principal exocrine structures considered pheromone-producing glands in Isoptera are the frontal, mandibular, salivary or labial, sternal, and tergal glands. The frontal gland is the source of alarm pheromone and defensive chemicals, but the mandibular secretions have been little studied and their function is not well established in Isoptera. The secretion of salivary glands involves numerous chemical compounds, some of them without pheromonal function. The worker saliva contains a phagostimulating pheromone and probably a building pheromone, while the salivary reservoir of some soldiers contains defensive chemicals. The sternal gland is the only source of trail-following pheromone, whereas sex pheromones are secreted by two glandular sources, the sternal and tergal glands. To date, the termite semiochemicals have indicated that few molecules are involved in their chemical communication, that is, the same compound may be secreted by different glands, different castes and species, and for different functions, depending on the concentration. In addition to the pheromonal parsimony, recent studies also indicate the occurrence of a synergic effect among the compounds involved in the chemical communication of Isoptera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Maria Costa-Leonardo
- Departamento de Biologia, Instituto de Biociências, Unesp—Univ Estadual Paulista, CEP 13506-900, Rio Claro—SP, Brasil
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46
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47
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Identification of a pheromone regulating caste differentiation in termites. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2010; 107:12963-8. [PMID: 20615972 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1004675107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The hallmark of social insects is their caste system: reproduction is primarily monopolized by queens, whereas workers specialize in the other tasks required for colony growth and survival. Pheromones produced by reigning queens have long been believed to be the prime factor inhibiting the differentiation of new reproductive individuals. However, there has been very little progress in the chemical identification of such inhibitory pheromones. Here we report the identification of a volatile inhibitory pheromone produced by female neotenics (secondary queens) that acts directly on target individuals to suppress the differentiation of new female neotenics and identify n-butyl-n-butyrate and 2-methyl-1-butanol as the active components of the inhibitory pheromone. An artificial pheromone blend consisting of these two compounds had a strong inhibitory effect similar to live neotenics. Surprisingly, the same two volatiles are also emitted by eggs, playing a role both as an attractant to workers and an inhibitor of reproductive differentiation. This dual production of an inhibitory pheromone by female reproductives and eggs probably reflects the recruitment of an attractant pheromone as an inhibitory pheromone and may provide a mechanism ensuring honest signaling of reproductive status with a tight coupling between fertility and inhibitory power. Identification of a volatile pheromone regulating caste differentiation in a termite provides insights into the functioning of social insect colonies and opens important avenues for elucidating the developmental pathways leading to reproductive and nonreproductive castes.
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48
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Holman L, Jørgensen CG, Nielsen J, d'Ettorre P. Identification of an ant queen pheromone regulating worker sterility. Proc Biol Sci 2010; 277:3793-800. [PMID: 20591861 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2010.0984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The selective forces that shape and maintain eusocial societies are an enduring puzzle in evolutionary biology. Ordinarily sterile workers can usually reproduce given the right conditions, so the factors regulating reproductive division of labour may provide insight into why eusociality has persisted over evolutionary time. Queen-produced pheromones that affect worker reproduction have been implicated in diverse taxa, including ants, termites, wasps and possibly mole rats, but to date have only been definitively identified in the honeybee. Using the black garden ant Lasius niger, we isolate the first sterility-regulating ant queen pheromone. The pheromone is a cuticular hydrocarbon that comprises the majority of the chemical profile of queens and their eggs, and also affects worker behaviour, by reducing aggression towards objects bearing the pheromone. We further show that the pheromone elicits a strong response in worker antennae and that its production by queens is selectively reduced following an immune challenge. These results suggest that the pheromone has a central role in colony organization and support the hypothesis that worker sterility represents altruistic self-restraint in response to an honest quality signal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke Holman
- Centre for Social Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Hanus R, Vrkoslav V, Hrdý I, Cvacka J, Sobotník J. Beyond cuticular hydrocarbons: evidence of proteinaceous secretion specific to termite kings and queens. Proc Biol Sci 2009; 277:995-1002. [PMID: 19939837 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2009.1857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In 1959, P. Karlson and M. Lüscher introduced the term 'pheromone', broadly used nowadays for various chemicals involved in intraspecific communication. To demonstrate the term, they depicted the situation in termite societies, where king and queen inhibit the reproduction of nest-mates by an unknown chemical substance. Paradoxically, half a century later, neither the source nor the chemical identity of this 'royal' pheromone is known. In this study, we report for the first time the secretion of polar compounds of proteinaceous origin by functional reproductives in three termite species, Prorhinotermes simplex, Reticulitermes santonensis and Kalotermes flavicollis. Aqueous washes of functional reproductives contained sex-specific proteinaceous compounds, virtually absent in non-reproducing stages. Moreover, the presence of these compounds was clearly correlated with the age of reproductives and their reproductive status. We discuss the putative function of these substances in termite caste recognition and regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Hanus
- Infochemicals Research Team, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Flemingovo no. 2, Prague, Czech Republic
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