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Brülhart J, Süß A, Oettler J, Heinze J, Schultner E. Sex- and caste-specific developmental responses to juvenile hormone in an ant with maternal caste determination. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb247396. [PMID: 38779857 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.247396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Juvenile hormone is considered to be a master regulator of polyphenism in social insects. In the ant Cardiocondyla obscurior, whether a female egg develops into a queen or a worker is determined maternally and caste-specific differentiation occurs in embryos, so that queens and workers can be distinguished in a non-invasive manner from late embryogenesis onwards. This ant also exhibits two male morphs - winged and wingless males. Here, we used topical treatment with juvenile hormone III and its synthetic analogue methoprene, a method that influences caste determination and differentiation in some ant species, to investigate whether hormone manipulation affects the development and growth of male, queen- and worker-destined embryos and larvae. We found no effect of hormone treatment on female caste ratios or body sizes in any of the treated stages, even though individuals reacted to heightened hormone availability with increased expression of krüppel-homolog 1, a conserved JH first-response gene. In contrast, hormone treatment resulted in the emergence of significantly larger males, although male morph fate was not affected. These results show that in C. obscurior, maternal caste determination leads to irreversible and highly canalized caste-specific development and growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeanne Brülhart
- Zoologie/Evolutionsbiologie, Universität Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Anja Süß
- Zoologie/Evolutionsbiologie, Universität Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Jan Oettler
- Zoologie/Evolutionsbiologie, Universität Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Jürgen Heinze
- Zoologie/Evolutionsbiologie, Universität Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Eva Schultner
- Zoologie/Evolutionsbiologie, Universität Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
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2
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Sieriebriennikov B, Sieber KR, Kolumba O, Mlejnek J, Jafari S, Yan H. Orco-dependent survival of odorant receptor neurons in ants. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadk9000. [PMID: 38848359 PMCID: PMC11160473 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adk9000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Olfaction is essential for complex social behavior in insects. To discriminate complex social cues, ants evolved an expanded number of odorant receptor (Or) genes. Mutations in the obligate odorant co-receptor gene orco lead to the loss of ~80% of the antennal lobe glomeruli in the jumping ant Harpegnathos saltator. However, the cellular mechanism remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate massive apoptosis of odorant receptor neurons (ORNs) in the mid to late stages of pupal development, possibly due to ER stress in the absence of Orco. Further bulk and single-nucleus transcriptome analysis shows that, although most orco-expressing ORNs die in orco mutants, a small proportion of them survive: They express ionotropic receptor (Ir) genes that form IR complexes. In addition, we found that some Or genes are expressed in mechanosensory neurons and nonneuronal cells, possibly due to leaky regulation from nearby non-Or genes. Our findings provide a comprehensive overview of ORN development and Or expression in H. saltator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bogdan Sieriebriennikov
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Kayli R. Sieber
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
- Center for Smell and Taste, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Olena Kolumba
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
- New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Jakub Mlejnek
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Shadi Jafari
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Hua Yan
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
- Center for Smell and Taste, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
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3
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Carmona-Aldana F, Yong LW, Reinberg D, Desplan C. Phenomenon of reproductive plasticity in ants. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2024; 63:101197. [PMID: 38583769 PMCID: PMC11139587 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2024.101197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Ant colonies are organized in castes with distinct behaviors that together allow the colony to strive. Reproduction relies on one or a few queens that stay in the nest producing eggs, while females of the worker caste do not reproduce and instead engage in colony maintenance and brood caretaking. Yet, in spite of this clear separation of functions, workers can become reproductive under defined circumstances. Here, we review the context in which workers become reproductive, exhibiting asexual or sexual reproduction depending on the species. Remarkably, the activation of reproduction in these workers can be quite stable, with changes that include behavior and a dramatic extension of lifespan. We compare these changes between species that do or do not have a queen caste. We discuss how the mechanisms underlying reproductive plasticity include changes in hormonal functions and in epigenetic configurations. Further studies are warranted to elucidate not only how reproductive functions have been gradually restricted to the queen caste during evolution but also how reproductive plasticity remains possible in workers of some species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Luok Wen Yong
- Department of Biology, New York University, NY 10003, USA
| | - Danny Reinberg
- Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33124, USA.
| | - Claude Desplan
- Department of Biology, New York University, NY 10003, USA; Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, Abu Dhabi 51133, United Arab Emirates.
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4
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Negroni MA, LeBoeuf AC. Social administration of juvenile hormone to larvae increases body size and nutritional needs for pupation. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:231471. [PMID: 38126067 PMCID: PMC10731321 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.231471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Social insects often display extreme variation in body size and morphology within the same colony. In many species, adult morphology is socially regulated by workers during larval development. While larval nutrition may play a role in this regulation, it is often difficult to identify precisely what larvae receive from rearing workers, especially when larvae are fed through social regurgitation. Across insects, juvenile hormone is a major regulator of development. In the ant Camponotus floridanus, this hormone is present in the socially regurgitated fluid of workers. We investigated the role the social transfer of juvenile hormone in the social regulation of development. To do this, we administered an artificial regurgitate to larvae through a newly developed handfeeding method that was or was not supplemented with juvenile hormone. Orally administered juvenile hormone increased the nutritional needs of larvae, allowing them to reach a larger size at pupation. Instead of causing them to grow faster, the juvenile hormone treatment extended larval developmental time, allowing them to accumulate resources over a longer period. Handfeeding ant larvae with juvenile hormone resulted in larger adult workers after metamorphosis, suggesting a role for socially transferred juvenile hormone in the colony-level regulation of worker size over colony maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo A. Negroni
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 10, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Adria C. LeBoeuf
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 10, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, UK
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5
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Sorek M, Berger SL. Neuromodulators and neuroepigenetics of social behavior in ants. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2023; 1528:5-12. [PMID: 37581481 PMCID: PMC10592194 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.15055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
Eusocial insects exemplify a remarkable system of division of labor within the same colony. This behavioral range, which is sometimes accompanied by morphological or physiological differences, provides an opportunity to study the relationship between complex behaviors and their underlying molecular mechanisms. This is especially true in ants because certain genera have an elaborate caste system and can dramatically change their stereotypical behavior over their lifetime. Recent studies experimentally alter ant behavior over short times, thus opening the study of underlying plasticity pathways. The molecular underpinnings of these behaviors are neuromodulators as well as the regulation of chromatin. Here, we concisely review the current understanding of the relationship between neuromodulators, epigenetics, and social behavior in ants. We discuss future directions in light of experimental limitations of the ant system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matan Sorek
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Shelley L. Berger
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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6
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da Silva RC, do Nascimento FS, Wenseleers T, Oi CA. Juvenile hormone modulates hydrocarbon expression and reproduction in the german wasp Vespula germanica. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.1024580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Juvenile hormone (JH) affects multiple physiological traits in insects. In social insects, besides development, JH has been demonstrated to influence caste determination and the production of chemical compounds. In social wasps, JH triggers behavioral maturation, gonadotropic effects, and hydrocarbon modulation. Here, we investigated whether JH displays the same function in fertility and fertility cue production in females of the German wasp Vespula germanica, previously shown in the related species Vespula vulgaris. By experimentally treating workers with JH-analog, an anti-JH, and acetone solvent control, we tested whether JH modulates the cuticular chemical expression (CHCs), the Dufour’s gland chemical composition, and hence the compounds found over the egg’s surface. Additionally, we explored whether JH has a gonadotropic effect on workers. Workers treated with the JH-analog acquired a chemical profile that was intermediate between the queen and other treated workers. Interestingly, the same pattern was also seen in the Dufour’s glands and eggs, although more subtle. Furthermore, workers treated with the JH-analog were more fertile when compared to the controls, supporting the fact that JH acts as a gonadotropic hormone. Our results indicate a similar function of JH in societies of related wasp species V. germanica and V. vulgaris.
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7
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Qiu B, Dai X, Li P, Larsen RS, Li R, Price AL, Ding G, Texada MJ, Zhang X, Zuo D, Gao Q, Jiang W, Wen T, Pontieri L, Guo C, Rewitz K, Li Q, Liu W, Boomsma JJ, Zhang G. Canalized gene expression during development mediates caste differentiation in ants. Nat Ecol Evol 2022; 6:1753-1765. [PMID: 36192540 PMCID: PMC9630140 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-022-01884-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Ant colonies are higher-level organisms consisting of specialized reproductive and non-reproductive individuals that differentiate early in development, similar to germ-soma segregation in bilateral Metazoa. Analogous to diverging cell lines, developmental differentiation of individual ants has often been considered in epigenetic terms but the sets of genes that determine caste phenotypes throughout larval and pupal development remain unknown. Here, we reconstruct the individual developmental trajectories of two ant species, Monomorium pharaonis and Acromyrmex echinatior, after obtaining >1,400 whole-genome transcriptomes. Using a new backward prediction algorithm, we show that caste phenotypes can be accurately predicted by genome-wide transcriptome profiling. We find that caste differentiation is increasingly canalized from early development onwards, particularly in germline individuals (gynes/queens) and that the juvenile hormone signalling pathway plays a key role in this process by regulating body mass divergence between castes. We quantified gene-specific canalization levels and found that canalized genes with gyne/queen-biased expression were enriched for ovary and wing functions while canalized genes with worker-biased expression were enriched in brain and behavioural functions. Suppression in gyne larvae of Freja, a highly canalized gyne-biased ovary gene, disturbed pupal development by inducing non-adaptive intermediate phenotypes between gynes and workers. Our results are consistent with natural selection actively maintaining canalized caste phenotypes while securing robustness in the life cycle ontogeny of ant colonies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bitao Qiu
- Villum Center for Biodiversity Genomics, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
- Centre for Social Evolution, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Xueqin Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | | | - Rasmus Stenbak Larsen
- Villum Center for Biodiversity Genomics, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ruyan Li
- Villum Center for Biodiversity Genomics, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Alivia Lee Price
- Villum Center for Biodiversity Genomics, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Guo Ding
- Villum Center for Biodiversity Genomics, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Michael James Texada
- Section for Cell and Neurobiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Xiafang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Dashuang Zuo
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Qionghua Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agric-Environment and Agric-Products Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | | | | | - Luigi Pontieri
- Villum Center for Biodiversity Genomics, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Kim Rewitz
- Section for Cell and Neurobiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Qiye Li
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Weiwei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Jacobus J Boomsma
- Centre for Social Evolution, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Guojie Zhang
- Villum Center for Biodiversity Genomics, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.
- Evolutionary and Organismal Biology Research Center, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
- Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Shangcheng District, Hangzhou, China.
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8
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Hierarchy Establishment from Nonlinear Social Interactions and Metabolic Costs: An Application to Harpegnathos saltator. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/app12094239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Social hierarchies are ubiquitous in social groups such as human societies and social insect colonies; however, the factors that maintain these hierarchies are less clear. Motivated by the shared reproductive hierarchy of the ant species Harpegnathos saltator, we have developed simple compartmental nonlinear differential equations to explore how key life-history and metabolic rate parameters may impact and determine its colony size and the length of its shared hierarchy. Our modeling approach incorporates nonlinear social interactions and metabolic theory. The results from the proposed model, which were linked with limited data, show that: (1) the proportion of reproductive individuals decreases over colony growth; (2) an increase in mortality rates can diminish colony size but may also increase the proportion of reproductive individuals; and (3) the metabolic rates have a major impact in the colony size and structure of a shared hierarchy.
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9
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Weyna A, Romiguier J, Mullon C. Hybridization enables the fixation of selfish queen genotypes in eusocial colonies. Evol Lett 2021; 5:582-594. [PMID: 34917398 PMCID: PMC8645202 DOI: 10.1002/evl3.253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
A eusocial colony typically consists of two main castes: queens that reproduce and sterile workers that help them. This division of labor, however, is vulnerable to genetic elements that favor the development of their carriers into queens. Several factors, such as intracolonial relatedness, can modulate the spread of such caste‐biasing genotypes. Here we investigate the effects of a notable yet understudied ecological setting: where larvae produced by hybridization develop into sterile workers. Using mathematical modeling, we show that the coevolution of hybridization with caste determination readily triggers an evolutionary arms race between nonhybrid larvae that increasingly develop into queens, and queens that increasingly hybridize to produce workers. Even where hybridization reduces worker function and colony fitness, this race can lead to the loss of developmental plasticity and to genetically hard‐wired caste determination. Overall, our results may help understand the repeated evolution toward remarkable reproductive systems (e.g., social hybridogenesis) observed in several ant species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur Weyna
- Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution (UMR 5554) University of Montpellier, CNRS Montpellier 34000 France
| | - Jonathan Romiguier
- Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution (UMR 5554) University of Montpellier, CNRS Montpellier 34000 France
| | - Charles Mullon
- Department of Ecology and Evolution University of Lausanne Lausanne 1015 Switzerland
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10
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Penick CA, Ghaninia M, Haight KL, Opachaloemphan C, Yan H, Reinberg D, Liebig J. Reversible plasticity in brain size, behaviour and physiology characterizes caste transitions in a socially flexible ant ( Harpegnathos saltator). Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20210141. [PMID: 33849311 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.0141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic plasticity allows organisms to respond to changing environments throughout their lifetime, but these changes are rarely reversible. Exceptions occur in relatively long-lived vertebrate species that exhibit seasonal plasticity in brain size, although similar changes have not been identified in short-lived species, such as insects. Here, we investigate brain plasticity in reproductive workers of the ant Harpegnathos saltator. Unlike most ant species, workers of H. saltator are capable of sexual reproduction, and they compete in a dominance tournament to establish a group of reproductive workers, termed 'gamergates'. We demonstrated that, compared to foragers, gamergates exhibited a 19% reduction in brain volume in addition to significant differences in behaviour, ovarian status, venom production, cuticular hydrocarbon profile, and expression profiles of related genes. In experimentally manipulated gamergates, 6-8 weeks after being reverted back to non-reproductive status their phenotypes shifted to the forager phenotype across all traits we measured, including brain volume, a trait in which changes were previously shown to be irreversible in honeybees and Drosophila. Brain plasticity in H. saltator is therefore more similar to that found in some long-lived vertebrates that display reversible changes in brain volume throughout their lifetimes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clint A Penick
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA 30144, USA.,School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Majid Ghaninia
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Kevin L Haight
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Comzit Opachaloemphan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Hua Yan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.,Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.,Center for Smell and Taste, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Danny Reinberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Jürgen Liebig
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
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11
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Hanna L, Abouheif E. The origin of wing polyphenism in ants: An eco-evo-devo perspective. Curr Top Dev Biol 2021; 141:279-336. [PMID: 33602491 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2020.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The evolution of eusociality, where solitary individuals integrate into a single colony, is a major transition in individuality. In ants, the origin of eusociality coincided with the origin of a wing polyphenism approximately 160 million years ago, giving rise to colonies with winged queens and wingless workers. As a consequence, both eusociality and wing polyphenism are nearly universal features of all ants. Here, we synthesize fossil, ecological, developmental, and evolutionary data in an attempt to understand the factors that contributed to the origin of wing polyphenism in ants. We propose multiple models and hypotheses to explain how wing polyphenism is orchestrated at multiple levels, from environmental cues to gene networks. Furthermore, we argue that the origin of wing polyphenism enabled the subsequent evolution of morphological diversity across the ants. We finally conclude by outlining several outstanding questions for future work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Hanna
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Ehab Abouheif
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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12
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Tobing MC, Kuswardani RA, Fudholi A. Biological aspects of Myopopone castanea on it's prey Oryctes rhinoceros larvae. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 125:104089. [PMID: 32687849 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2020.104089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Ants are social insects with some significant roles in the ecosystem, including acting as predators for various insect pests. Myopopone castanea ants is a predatorfor the larvae of Oryctes rhinoceros pest. The existence of a similar niche of life between M. castanea ants and O. rhinoceros larvae opens an excellent opportunity to utilize these ants as biological agents. The research was conducted to study some aspects biology of M. castanea so that later it can be applied to mass rearing of natural enemies in the laboratory. The study was conducted by maintaining 50 eggs of M. castanea ant. Then, the eggs placed on two pieces of decayed palm oil stem together with twenty individual worker ants and ten individual end instar larvae. It needs five replications for the experiment. The results showed that egg stadia length was 13.8 days. It found five instars within M. castanea ant larvae with varying lengths of each stage. It takes 17.2 days for worker ant pupae to go through stadia pupa and 17.9 days for female ant pupae. The survival rate of M. castanea ant life from eggs until imago is 56.4%, which means that from several groups of eggs laid by queen ants, only about half have succeeded in becoming ant imago.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryani Cyccu Tobing
- Program Study of Agrotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Padang Bulan, Medan 20155, Indonesia.
| | - Retna Astuti Kuswardani
- Program Study of Agrotechnology, Facultyof Agriculture, Universitas Medan Area, Medan, Indonesia
| | - Ahmad Fudholi
- Solar Energy Research Institute, University of Kebangsaan, Malaysia
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13
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Taylor BA, Reuter M, Sumner S. Patterns of reproductive differentiation and reproductive plasticity in the major evolutionary transition to superorganismality. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2019; 34:40-47. [PMID: 31247416 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2019.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Revised: 02/05/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Major evolutionary transitions in individuality are characterised by the formation of new levels of biological complexity from the cooperation of previously independent lower-level units. The evolution of superorganismality in insects is one such major transition, and is characterised by an extreme division of reproductive labour between ancestrally autonomous units, in the form of queen and worker castes. Here, we discuss the nature of plasticity in the emergence of castes across the major transition to superorganismality in insects. We identify key changes in plasticity which act at different levels of selection: a loss of reproductivity plasticity at the individual level is matched by a gain in plasticity at the colony level. Taking multi-level selection into consideration has important implications for formulating testable hypotheses regarding the nature of plasticity in a major transition from a lower to a higher level of biological complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin A Taylor
- Centre for Biodiversity & Environment Research, Department of Genetics, Evolution & Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Max Reuter
- Department of Genetics, Evolution & Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Seirian Sumner
- Centre for Biodiversity & Environment Research, Department of Genetics, Evolution & Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom.
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14
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Miura T. Juvenile hormone as a physiological regulator mediating phenotypic plasticity in pancrustaceans. Dev Growth Differ 2018; 61:85-96. [PMID: 30467834 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Revised: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Phenotypic plasticity and polyphenism, in which phenotypes can be changed depending on environmental conditions, are common in insects. Several studies focusing on physiological, developmental, and molecular processes underlying the plastic responses have revealed that similar endocrine mechanisms using juvenile hormone (JH) are used to coordinate the flexible developmental processes. This review discusses accumulated knowledge on the caste polyphenism in social insects (especially termites), the wing and the reproductive polyphenisms in aphids, and the nutritional polyphenism and sexual dimorphism in stag beetles. For the comparison with non-insect arthropods, extensive studies on the inducible defense (and reproductive polyphenism) in daphnids (crustacean) are also addressed. In all the cases, JH (and methyl farnesoate in daphnids) plays a central role in mediating environmental stimuli with morphogenetic processes. Since the synthetic pathways for juvenoids, i.e., the mevalonate pathway and downstream pathways to sesquiterpenoids, are conserved across pancrustacean lineages (crustaceans and hexapods including insects), the evolution of developmental regulation by juvenoids that control molting (ecdysis) and metamorphosis is suggested to have occurred in the ancestral arthropods. The discontinuous postembryonic development (i.e., molting) and the regulatory physiological factors (juvenoids) would have enabled plastic developmental systems observed in many arthropod lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toru Miura
- Misaki Marine Biological Station, School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Miura, Kanagawa, Japan
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Opachaloemphan C, Yan H, Leibholz A, Desplan C, Reinberg D. Recent Advances in Behavioral (Epi)Genetics in Eusocial Insects. Annu Rev Genet 2018; 52:489-510. [PMID: 30208294 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genet-120116-024456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Eusocial insects live in societies in which distinct family members serve specific roles in maintaining the colony and advancing the reproductive ability of a few select individuals. Given the genetic similarity of all colony members, the diversity of morphologies and behaviors is surprising. Social communication relies on pheromones and olfaction, as shown by mutants of orco, the universal odorant receptor coreceptor, and through electrophysiological analysis of neuronal responses to pheromones. Additionally, neurohormonal factors and epigenetic regulators play a key role in caste-specific behavior, such as foraging and caste switching. These studies start to allow an understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying social behavior and provide a technological foundation for future studies of eusocial insects. In this review, we highlight recent findings in eusocial insects that advance our understanding of genetic and epigenetic regulations of social behavior and provide perspectives on future studies using cutting-edge technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Comzit Opachaloemphan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; ,
| | - Hua Yan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; , .,Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA; .,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | | | - Claude Desplan
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA; ,
| | - Danny Reinberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; , .,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
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Trible W, Kronauer DJC. Caste development and evolution in ants: it's all about size. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 220:53-62. [PMID: 28057828 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.145292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Female ants display a wide variety of morphological castes, including workers, soldiers, ergatoid (worker-like) queens and queens. Alternative caste development within a species arises from a variable array of genetic and environmental factors. Castes themselves are also variable across species and have been repeatedly gained and lost throughout the evolutionary history of ants. Here, we propose a simple theory of caste development and evolution. We propose that female morphology varies as a function of size, such that larger individuals possess more queen-like traits. Thus, the diverse mechanisms that influence caste development are simply mechanisms that affect size in ants. Each caste-associated trait has a unique relationship with size, producing a phenotypic space that permits some combinations of worker- and queen-like traits, but not others. We propose that castes are gained and lost by modifying the regions of this phenotypic space that are realized within a species. These modifications can result from changing the size-frequency distribution of individuals within a species, or by changing the association of tissue growth and size. We hope this synthesis will help unify the literature on caste in ants, and facilitate the discovery of molecular mechanisms underlying caste development and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waring Trible
- Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Daniel J C Kronauer
- Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
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Yan H, Opachaloemphan C, Mancini G, Yang H, Gallitto M, Mlejnek J, Leibholz A, Haight K, Ghaninia M, Huo L, Perry M, Slone J, Zhou X, Traficante M, Penick CA, Dolezal K, Gokhale K, Stevens K, Fetter-Pruneda I, Bonasio R, Zwiebel LJ, Berger SL, Liebig J, Reinberg D, Desplan C. An Engineered orco Mutation Produces Aberrant Social Behavior and Defective Neural Development in Ants. Cell 2017; 170:736-747.e9. [PMID: 28802043 PMCID: PMC5587193 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2017.06.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2017] [Revised: 05/25/2017] [Accepted: 06/30/2017] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Ants exhibit cooperative behaviors and advanced forms of sociality that depend on pheromone-mediated communication. Odorant receptor neurons (ORNs) express specific odorant receptors (ORs) encoded by a dramatically expanded gene family in ants. In most eusocial insects, only the queen can transmit genetic information, restricting genetic studies. In contrast, workers in Harpegnathos saltator ants can be converted into gamergates (pseudoqueens) that can found entire colonies. This feature facilitated CRISPR-Cas9 generation of germline mutations in orco, the gene that encodes the obligate co-receptor of all ORs. orco mutations should significantly impact olfaction. We demonstrate striking functions of Orco in odorant perception, reproductive physiology, and social behavior plasticity. Surprisingly, unlike in other insects, loss of OR functionality also dramatically impairs development of the antennal lobe to which ORNs project. Therefore, the development of genetics in Harpegnathos establishes this ant species as a model organism to study the complexity of eusociality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Yan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Comzit Opachaloemphan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Giacomo Mancini
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Huan Yang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Matthew Gallitto
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Jakub Mlejnek
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | | | - Kevin Haight
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Majid Ghaninia
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Lucy Huo
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Michael Perry
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Jesse Slone
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Xiaofan Zhou
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Maria Traficante
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Clint A Penick
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Kelly Dolezal
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Kaustubh Gokhale
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Kelsey Stevens
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Ingrid Fetter-Pruneda
- Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Roberto Bonasio
- Penn Epigenetics Institute, Departments of Cell and Developmental Biology, Genetics, and Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Laurence J Zwiebel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Shelley L Berger
- Penn Epigenetics Institute, Departments of Cell and Developmental Biology, Genetics, and Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Jürgen Liebig
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA.
| | - Danny Reinberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
| | - Claude Desplan
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA.
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Jandt JM, Suryanarayanan S, Hermanson JC, Jeanne RL, Toth AL. Maternal and nourishment factors interact to influence offspring developmental trajectories in social wasps. Proc Biol Sci 2017; 284:20170651. [PMID: 28637858 PMCID: PMC5489728 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.0651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2017] [Accepted: 05/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The social and nutritional environments during early development have the potential to affect offspring traits, but the mechanisms and molecular underpinnings of these effects remain elusive. We used Polistes fuscatus paper wasps to dissect how maternally controlled factors (vibrational signals and nourishment) interact to induce different caste developmental trajectories in female offspring, leading to worker or reproductive (gyne) traits. We established a set of caste phenotype biomarkers in P. fuscatus females, finding that gyne-destined individuals had high expression of three caste-related genes hypothesized to have roles in diapause and mitochondrial metabolism. We then experimentally manipulated maternal vibrational signals (via artificial 'antennal drumming') and nourishment levels (via restricted foraging). We found that these caste-related biomarker genes were responsive to drumming, nourishment level or their interaction. Our results provide a striking example of the potent influence of maternal and nutritional effects in influencing transcriptional activity and developmental outcomes in offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M Jandt
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | | | - John C Hermanson
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- USDA Forest Service, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Robert L Jeanne
- Department of Zoology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Amy L Toth
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
- Department of Entomology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
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19
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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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20
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Oliveira RC, Vollet-Neto A, Akemi Oi C, van Zweden JS, Nascimento F, Sullivan Brent C, Wenseleers T. Hormonal pleiotropy helps maintain queen signal honesty in a highly eusocial wasp. Sci Rep 2017; 7:1654. [PMID: 28490760 PMCID: PMC5431770 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-01794-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2016] [Accepted: 04/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
In insect societies, both queens and workers produce chemicals that reliably signal caste membership and reproductive status. The mechanisms that help to maintain the honesty of such queen and fertility signals, however, remain poorly studied. Here we test if queen signal honesty could be based on the shared endocrine control of queen fertility and the production of specific signals. In support of this “hormonal pleiotropy” hypothesis, we find that in the common wasp, application of methoprene (a juveline hormone analogue) caused workers to acquire a queen-like cuticular hydrocarbon profile, resulting in the overproduction of known queen pheromones as well as some compounds typically linked to worker fertility. By contrast, administration of precocene-I (a JH inhibitor) had a tendency to have the opposite effect. Furthermore, a clear gonadotropic effect of JH in queens was suggested by the fact that circulating levels of JH were ca. 2 orders of magnitude higher in queens than those in workers and virgin, non-egg-laying queens, even if methoprene or precocene treatment did not affect the ovary development of workers. Overall, these results suggest that queen signal honesty in this system is maintained by queen fertility and queen signal production being under shared endocrine control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Caliari Oliveira
- Laboratory of Socioecology and Social Evolution, Zoological Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Ayrton Vollet-Neto
- Laboratory of Socioecology and Social Evolution, Zoological Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Cintia Akemi Oi
- Laboratory of Socioecology and Social Evolution, Zoological Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jelle S van Zweden
- Laboratory of Socioecology and Social Evolution, Zoological Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Fabio Nascimento
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Tom Wenseleers
- Laboratory of Socioecology and Social Evolution, Zoological Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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21
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Toga K, Hanmoto S, Suzuki R, Watanabe D, Miura T, Maekawa K. Sexual difference in juvenile-hormone titer in workers leads to sex-biased soldier differentiation in termites. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2016; 87:63-70. [PMID: 26868724 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2016.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2015] [Revised: 02/01/2016] [Accepted: 02/06/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
In termites, the soldier caste, with its specialized defensive morphology, is one of the most important characteristics for sociality. Most of the basal termite species have both male and female soldiers, and the soldier sex ratio is almost equal or only slightly biased. However, in the apical lineages (especially family Termitidae), there are many species that have soldiers with strongly biased sex ratio. Generally in termites, since high juvenile hormone (JH) titer is required for soldier differentiation from a worker via a presoldier stage, it was hypothesized that the biased soldier-sex ratio was caused by differences in JH sensitivity and/or JH titer between male and female workers. Therefore, we focused on the presoldier differentiation and the worker JH titer in species with only male soldiers (Nasutitermes takasagoensis) and with both male and female soldiers (Reticulitermes speratus) in natural conditions. In the former species, there are four types of workers; male minor, male medium, female medium and female major workers, and presoldiers differentiate from male minor workers. First, we tried to artificially induce presoldiers from male and female workers. In N. takasagoensis, the presoldier differentiation rate and mortality was significantly higher in male minor workers. Morphological analyses showed that both male and female induced presoldiers possessed normal soldier-specific morphologies. It was suggested that female workers, from which soldiers do not differentiate under natural conditions, also maintained the physiological and developmental potential for soldier differentiation. In R. speratus, however, no differences were observed in solder differentiation rate and mortality between male and female workers. Second, the JH titers of each sex/type of workers were quantified by high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in two different seasons (April and December). The results showed that, in N. takasagoensis, JH titer in male minor workers was consistently higher than those in other worker types. In R. speratus, in contrast, there were no significant differences in JH titers between male and female workers. These results suggested that, in N. takasagoensis, male minor workers maintain JH titers at a high level throughout a year, and this may cause the male-biased presoldier differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kouhei Toga
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan; Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Shutaro Hanmoto
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Ryutaro Suzuki
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Dai Watanabe
- Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Toru Miura
- Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Kiyoto Maekawa
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
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English S, Browning LE, Raihani NJ. Developmental plasticity and social specialization in cooperative societies. Anim Behav 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Schrader L, Simola DF, Heinze J, Oettler J. Sphingolipids, Transcription Factors, and Conserved Toolkit Genes: Developmental Plasticity in the Ant Cardiocondyla obscurior. Mol Biol Evol 2015; 32:1474-86. [PMID: 25725431 PMCID: PMC4615751 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msv039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Developmental plasticity allows for the remarkable morphological specialization of individuals into castes in eusocial species of Hymenoptera. Developmental trajectories that lead to alternative caste fates are typically determined by specific environmental stimuli that induce larvae to express and maintain distinct gene expression patterns. Although most eusocial species express two castes, queens and workers, the ant Cardiocondyla obscurior expresses diphenic females and males; this provides a unique system with four discrete phenotypes to study the genomic basis of developmental plasticity in ants. We sequenced and analyzed the transcriptomes of 28 individual C. obscurior larvae of known developmental trajectory, providing the first in-depth analysis of gene expression in eusocial insect larvae. Clustering and transcription factor binding site analyses revealed that different transcription factors and functionally distinct sets of genes are recruited during larval development to induce the four alternative trajectories. In particular, we found complex patterns of gene regulation pertaining to sphingolipid metabolism, a conserved molecular pathway involved in development, obesity, and aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Schrader
- Department for Zoology/Evolutionary Biology, Institut für Zoologie, Universität Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Daniel F Simola
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania
| | - Jürgen Heinze
- Department for Zoology/Evolutionary Biology, Institut für Zoologie, Universität Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Jan Oettler
- Department for Zoology/Evolutionary Biology, Institut für Zoologie, Universität Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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Yan H, Bonasio R, Simola DF, Liebig J, Berger SL, Reinberg D. DNA methylation in social insects: how epigenetics can control behavior and longevity. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY 2015; 60:435-52. [PMID: 25341091 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ento-010814-020803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
In eusocial insects, genetically identical individuals can exhibit striking differences in behavior and longevity. The molecular basis of such phenotypic plasticity is of great interest to the scientific community. DNA methylation, as well as other epigenetic signals, plays an important role in modulating gene expression and can therefore establish, sustain, and alter organism-level phenotypes, including behavior and life span. Unlike DNA methylation in mammals, DNA methylation in insects, including eusocial insects, is enriched in gene bodies of actively expressed genes. Recent investigations have revealed the important role of gene body methylation in regulating gene expression in response to intrinsic and environmental factors. In this review, we summarize recent advances in DNA methylation research and discuss its significance in our understanding of the epigenetic underpinnings of behavior and longevity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Yan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology and
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Abstract
Understanding the molecular basis of how behavioural states are established, maintained and altered by environmental cues is an area of considerable and growing interest. Epigenetic processes, including methylation of DNA and post-translational modification of histones, dynamically modulate activity-dependent gene expression in neurons and can therefore have important regulatory roles in shaping behavioural responses to environmental cues. Several eusocial insect species - with their unique displays of behavioural plasticity due to age, morphology and social context - have emerged as models to investigate the genetic and epigenetic underpinnings of animal social behaviour. This Review summarizes recent studies in the epigenetics of social behaviour and offers perspectives on emerging trends and prospects for establishing genetic tools in eusocial insects.
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Roux J, Privman E, Moretti S, Daub JT, Robinson-Rechavi M, Keller L. Patterns of positive selection in seven ant genomes. Mol Biol Evol 2014; 31:1661-85. [PMID: 24782441 PMCID: PMC4069625 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msu141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The evolution of ants is marked by remarkable adaptations that allowed the development of very complex social systems. To identify how ant-specific adaptations are associated with patterns of molecular evolution, we searched for signs of positive selection on amino-acid changes in proteins. We identified 24 functional categories of genes which were enriched for positively selected genes in the ant lineage. We also reanalyzed genome-wide data sets in bees and flies with the same methodology to check whether positive selection was specific to ants or also present in other insects. Notably, genes implicated in immunity were enriched for positively selected genes in the three lineages, ruling out the hypothesis that the evolution of hygienic behaviors in social insects caused a major relaxation of selective pressure on immune genes. Our scan also indicated that genes implicated in neurogenesis and olfaction started to undergo increased positive selection before the evolution of sociality in Hymenoptera. Finally, the comparison between these three lineages allowed us to pinpoint molecular evolution patterns that were specific to the ant lineage. In particular, there was ant-specific recurrent positive selection on genes with mitochondrial functions, suggesting that mitochondrial activity was improved during the evolution of this lineage. This might have been an important step toward the evolution of extreme lifespan that is a hallmark of ants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Roux
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, SwitzerlandSIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Eyal Privman
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, SwitzerlandSIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sébastien Moretti
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, SwitzerlandSIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, SwitzerlandVital-IT Group, SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Josephine T Daub
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, SwitzerlandSIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, SwitzerlandCMPG, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Marc Robinson-Rechavi
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, SwitzerlandSIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Laurent Keller
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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