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Dittmann MA, Buczkowski G, Scharf M, Harpur BA. Comparative transcriptomics and phylostratigraphy of Argentine ant odorant receptors. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0307604. [PMID: 39226298 PMCID: PMC11371221 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0307604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Nestmate recognition in ants is regulated through the detection of cuticular hydrocarbons by odorant receptors (ORs) in the antennae. These ORs are crucial for maintaining colony cohesion that allows invasive ant species to dominate colonized environments. In the invasive Argentine ant, Linepithema humile, ORs regulating nestmate recognition are thought to be present in a clade of nine-exon odorant receptors, but the identity of the specific genes remains unknown. We sought to narrow down the list of candidate genes using transcriptomics and phylostratigraphy. Comparative transcriptomic analyses were conducted on the antennae, head, thorax, and legs of Argentine ant workers. We have identified a set of twenty-one nine-exon odorant receptors enriched in the antennae compared to the other tissues, allowing for downstream verification of whether they can detect Argentine ant cuticular hydrocarbons. Further investigation of these ORs could allow us to further understand the mechanisms underlying nestmate recognition and colony cohesion in ants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathew A. Dittmann
- Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States of America
| | - Grzegorz Buczkowski
- Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States of America
| | - Michael Scharf
- University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America
| | - Brock A. Harpur
- Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States of America
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2
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Li R, Song X, Shan S, Hussain Dhiloo K, Wang S, Yin Z, Lu Z, Khashaveh A, Zhang Y. Female-Biased Odorant Receptor MmedOR48 in the Parasitoid Microplitis mediator Broadly Tunes to Plant Volatiles. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2024; 72:17617-17625. [PMID: 39052973 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.4c02737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Odorant receptors (ORs) play a crucial role in insect chemoreception. Here, a female-biased odorant receptor MmedOR48 in parasitoid Microplitis mediator was fully functionally characterized. The qPCR analysis suggested that the expression level of MmedOR48 increased significantly after adult emergence and was expressed much more in the antennae. Moreover, an in situ hybridization assay showed MmedOR48 was extensively located in the olfactory sensory neurons. In two-electrode voltage clamp recordings, recombinant MmedOR48 was broadly tuned to 23 kinds of volatiles, among which five plant aldehyde volatiles excited the strongest current recording values. Subsequent molecular docking analysis coupled with site-directed mutagenesis demonstrated that key amino acid residues Thr142, Gln80, Gln282, and Thr312 together formed the binding site in the active pocket for the typical aldehyde ligands. Furthermore, ligands of MmedOR48 could stimulate electrophysiological activities in female adults of the M. mediator. The main aldehyde ligand, nonanal, aroused significant behavioral preference of M. mediator in females than in males. These findings suggest that MmedOR48 may be involved in the recognition of plant volatiles in M. mediator, which provides valuable insight into understanding the olfactory mechanisms of parasitoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruijun Li
- College of Plant Protection, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding 071000, China
| | - Xuan Song
- College of Plant Protection, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding 071000, China
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Shuang Shan
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Khalid Hussain Dhiloo
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
- Department of Entomology, Faculty of Crop Protection, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam 70060, Pakistan
| | - Shanning Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Environment Friendly Management on Fruit Diseases and Pests in North China, Institute of Plant Protection, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China
| | - Zixuan Yin
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Ziyun Lu
- IPM Center of Hebei Province, Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Northern Region of North China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hebei Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Baoding, Hebei 071000, China
| | - Adel Khashaveh
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yongjun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
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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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4
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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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Antony B, Montagné N, Comte A, Mfarrej S, Jakše J, Capoduro R, Shelke R, Cali K, AlSaleh MA, Persaud K, Pain A, Jacquin-Joly E. Deorphanizing an odorant receptor tuned to palm tree volatile esters in the Asian palm weevil sheds light on the mechanisms of palm tree selection. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 169:104129. [PMID: 38704126 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104129] [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: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
The Asian palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, is a tremendously important agricultural pest primarily adapted to palm trees and causes severe destruction, threatening sustainable palm cultivation worldwide. The host plant selection of this weevil is mainly attributed to the functional specialization of odorant receptors (ORs) that detect palm-derived volatiles. Yet, ligands are known for only two ORs of R. ferrugineus, and we still lack information on the mechanisms of palm tree detection. This study identified a highly expressed antennal R. ferrugineus OR, RferOR2, thanks to newly generated transcriptomic data. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that RferOR2 belongs to the major coleopteran OR group 2A and is closely related to a sister clade containing an R. ferrugineus OR (RferOR41) tuned to the non-host plant volatile and antagonist, α-pinene. Functional characterization of RferOR2 via heterologous expression in Drosophila olfactory neurons revealed that this receptor is tuned to several ecologically relevant palm-emitted odors, most notably ethyl and methyl ester compounds, but not to any of the pheromone compounds tested, including the R. ferrugineus aggregation pheromone. We did not evidence any differential expression of RferOR2 in the antennae of both sexes, suggesting males and females detect these compounds equally. Next, we used the newly identified RferOR2 ligands to demonstrate that including synthetic palm ester volatiles as single compounds and in combinations in pheromone-based mass trapping has a synergistic attractiveness effect to R. ferrugineus aggregation pheromone, resulting in significantly increased weevil catches. Our study identified a key OR from a palm weevil species tuned to several ecologically relevant palm volatiles and represents a significant step forward in understanding the chemosensory mechanisms of host detection in palm weevils. Our study also defines RferOR2 as an essential model for exploring the molecular basis of host detection in other palm weevil species. Finally, our work showed that insect OR deorphanization could aid in identifying novel behaviorally active volatiles that can interfere with weevil host-searching behavior in sustainable pest management applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binu Antony
- King Saud University, Chair of Date Palm Research, Center for Chemical Ecology and Functional Genomics, Department of Plant Protection, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Nicolas Montagné
- INRAE, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, IRD, UPEC, Université Paris Cité, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris, iEES-Paris, 78000, Versailles, France
| | - Arthur Comte
- INRAE, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, IRD, UPEC, Université Paris Cité, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris, iEES-Paris, 78000, Versailles, France
| | - Sara Mfarrej
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Bioscience Programme, BESE Division, Thuwal, Jeddah, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jernej Jakše
- University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Agronomy Department, SI-1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Rémi Capoduro
- INRAE, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, IRD, UPEC, Université Paris Cité, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris, iEES-Paris, 78000, Versailles, France
| | - Rajan Shelke
- Don Bosco College of Agriculture, Agricultural Entomology Department, Sulcorna, Goa, 403705, India
| | - Khasim Cali
- The University of Manchester, Department of Chemical Engineering, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Mohammed Ali AlSaleh
- King Saud University, Chair of Date Palm Research, Center for Chemical Ecology and Functional Genomics, Department of Plant Protection, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Krishna Persaud
- The University of Manchester, Department of Chemical Engineering, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Arnab Pain
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Bioscience Programme, BESE Division, Thuwal, Jeddah, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Emmanuelle Jacquin-Joly
- INRAE, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, IRD, UPEC, Université Paris Cité, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris, iEES-Paris, 78000, Versailles, France
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Balbuena MS, Latorre-Estivalis JM, Farina WM. Identification of chemosensory genes in the stingless bee Tetragonisca fiebrigi. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2024; 14:jkae060. [PMID: 38498593 PMCID: PMC11075565 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkae060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
Reception of chemical information from the environment is crucial for insects' survival and reproduction. The chemosensory reception mainly occurs by the antennae and mouth parts of the insect, when the stimulus contacts the chemoreceptors located within the sensilla. Chemosensory receptor genes have been well-studied in some social hymenopterans such as ants, honeybees, and wasps. However, although stingless bees are the most representative group of eusocial bees, little is known about their odorant, gustatory, and ionotropic receptor genes. Here, we analyze the transcriptome of the proboscis and antennae of the stingless bee Tetragonisca fiebrigi. We identified and annotated 9 gustatory and 15 ionotropic receptors. Regarding the odorant receptors, we identified 204, and we were able to annotate 161 of them. In addition, we compared the chemosensory receptor genes of T. fiebrigi with those annotated for other species of Hymenoptera. We found that T. fiebrigi showed the largest number of odorant receptors compared with other bees. Genetic expansions were identified in the subfamilies 9-exon, which was also expanded in ants and paper wasps; in G02A, including receptors potentially mediating social behavior; and in GUnC, which has been related to pollen and nectar scent detection. Our study provides the first report of chemosensory receptor genes in T. fiebrigi and represents a resource for future molecular and physiological research in this and other stingless bee species.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Sol Balbuena
- Laboratorio de Insectos Sociales, Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE), Universidad de Buenos Aires—CONICET, CABA C1428EGA, Argentina
- Laboratorio de Insectos Sociales, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, CABA C1428EGA, Argentina
| | - Jose M Latorre-Estivalis
- Laboratorio de Insectos Sociales, Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE), Universidad de Buenos Aires—CONICET, CABA C1428EGA, Argentina
- Laboratorio de Insectos Sociales, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, CABA C1428EGA, Argentina
| | - Walter M Farina
- Laboratorio de Insectos Sociales, Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE), Universidad de Buenos Aires—CONICET, CABA C1428EGA, Argentina
- Laboratorio de Insectos Sociales, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, CABA C1428EGA, Argentina
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7
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Chang H, Unni AP, Tom MT, Cao Q, Liu Y, Wang G, Llorca LC, Brase S, Bucks S, Weniger K, Bisch-Knaden S, Hansson BS, Knaden M. Odorant detection in a locust exhibits unusually low redundancy. Curr Biol 2023; 33:5427-5438.e5. [PMID: 38070506 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.11.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Olfactory coding, from insects to humans, is canonically considered to involve considerable across-fiber coding already at the peripheral level, thereby allowing recognition of vast numbers of odor compounds. We show that the migratory locust has evolved an alternative strategy built on highly specific odorant receptors feeding into a complex primary processing center in the brain. By collecting odors from food and different life stages of the locust, we identified 205 ecologically relevant odorants, which we used to deorphanize 48 locust olfactory receptors via ectopic expression in Drosophila. Contrary to the often broadly tuned olfactory receptors of other insects, almost all locust receptors were found to be narrowly tuned to one or very few ligands. Knocking out a single receptor using CRISPR abolished physiological and behavioral responses to the corresponding ligand. We conclude that the locust olfactory system, with most olfactory receptors being narrowly tuned, differs from the so-far described olfactory systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hetan Chang
- Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans Knoell Strasse 8, 07745 Jena, Germany; Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Afairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518120, China
| | - Anjana P Unni
- Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans Knoell Strasse 8, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Megha Treesa Tom
- Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans Knoell Strasse 8, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Qian Cao
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yang Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Guirong Wang
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Afairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518120, China
| | - Lucas Cortés Llorca
- Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans Knoell Strasse 8, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Sabine Brase
- Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans Knoell Strasse 8, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Sascha Bucks
- Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans Knoell Strasse 8, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Kerstin Weniger
- Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans Knoell Strasse 8, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Sonja Bisch-Knaden
- Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans Knoell Strasse 8, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Bill S Hansson
- Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans Knoell Strasse 8, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Markus Knaden
- Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans Knoell Strasse 8, 07745 Jena, Germany.
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Couto A, Marty S, Dawson EH, d'Ettorre P, Sandoz JC, Montgomery SH. Evolution of the neuronal substrate for kin recognition in social Hymenoptera. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:2226-2242. [PMID: 37528574 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
In evolutionary terms, life is about reproduction. Yet, in some species, individuals forgo their own reproduction to support the reproductive efforts of others. Social insect colonies for example, can contain up to a million workers that actively cooperate in tasks such as foraging, brood care and nest defence, but do not produce offspring. In such societies the division of labour is pronounced, and reproduction is restricted to just one or a few individuals, most notably the queen(s). This extreme eusocial organisation exists in only a few mammals, crustaceans and insects, but strikingly, it evolved independently up to nine times in the order Hymenoptera (including ants, bees and wasps). Transitions from a solitary lifestyle to an organised society can occur through natural selection when helpers obtain a fitness benefit from cooperating with kin, owing to the indirect transmission of genes through siblings. However, this process, called kin selection, is vulnerable to parasitism and opportunistic behaviours from unrelated individuals. An ability to distinguish kin from non-kin, and to respond accordingly, could therefore critically facilitate the evolution of eusociality and the maintenance of non-reproductive workers. The question of how the hymenopteran brain has adapted to support this function is therefore a fundamental issue in evolutionary neuroethology. Early neuroanatomical investigations proposed that social Hymenoptera have expanded integrative brain areas due to selection for increased cognitive capabilities in the context of processing social information. Later studies challenged this assumption and instead pointed to an intimate link between higher social organisation and the existence of developed sensory structures involved in recognition and communication. In particular, chemical signalling of social identity, known to be mediated through cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs), may have evolved hand in hand with a specialised chemosensory system in Hymenoptera. Here, we compile the current knowledge on this recognition system, from emitted identity signals, to the molecular and neuronal basis of chemical detection, with particular emphasis on its evolutionary history. Finally, we ask whether the evolution of social behaviour in Hymenoptera could have driven the expansion of their complex olfactory system, or whether the early origin and conservation of an olfactory subsystem dedicated to social recognition could explain the abundance of eusocial species in this insect order. Answering this question will require further comparative studies to provide a comprehensive view on lineage-specific adaptations in the olfactory pathway of Hymenoptera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Couto
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK
- Evolution, Genomes, Behaviour and Ecology (UMR 9191), IDEEV, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, 12 route 128, Gif-sur-Yvette, 91190, France
| | - Simon Marty
- Evolution, Genomes, Behaviour and Ecology (UMR 9191), IDEEV, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, 12 route 128, Gif-sur-Yvette, 91190, France
| | - Erika H Dawson
- Laboratory of Experimental and Comparative Ethology, UR 4443 (LEEC), Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, 99 avenue J.-B. Clément, Villetaneuse, 93430, France
| | - Patrizia d'Ettorre
- Laboratory of Experimental and Comparative Ethology, UR 4443 (LEEC), Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, 99 avenue J.-B. Clément, Villetaneuse, 93430, France
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 103 Boulevard Saint-Michel, Paris, 75005, France
| | - Jean-Christophe Sandoz
- Evolution, Genomes, Behaviour and Ecology (UMR 9191), IDEEV, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, 12 route 128, Gif-sur-Yvette, 91190, France
| | - Stephen H Montgomery
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK
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9
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Caminer MA, Libbrecht R, Majoe M, Ho DV, Baumann P, Foitzik S. Task-specific odorant receptor expression in worker antennae indicates that sensory filters regulate division of labor in ants. Commun Biol 2023; 6:1004. [PMID: 37783732 PMCID: PMC10545721 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05273-4] [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: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Division of labor (DOL) is a characteristic trait of insect societies, where tasks are generally performed by specialized individuals. Inside workers focus on brood or nest care, while others take risks by foraging outside. Theory proposes that workers have different thresholds to perform certain tasks when confronted with task-related stimuli, leading to specialization and consequently DOL. Workers are presumed to vary in their response to task-related cues rather than in how they perceive such information. Here, we test the hypothesis that DOL instead stems from workers varying in their efficiency to detect stimuli of specific tasks. We use transcriptomics to measure mRNA expression levels in the antennae and brain of nurses and foragers of the ant Temnothorax longispinosus. We find seven times as many genes to be differentially expressed between behavioral phenotypes in the antennae compared to the brain. Moreover, half of all odorant receptors are differentially expressed, with an overrepresentation of the 9-exon gene family upregulated in the antennae of nurses. Nurses and foragers thus apparently differ in the perception of their olfactory environment and task-related signals. Our study supports the hypothesis that antennal sensory filters predispose workers to specialize in specific tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcel A Caminer
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
| | - Romain Libbrecht
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte, UMR 7261, CNRS, University of Tours, Tours, France
| | - Megha Majoe
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - David V Ho
- Institute of Developmental and Neurobiology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Peter Baumann
- Institute of Developmental and Neurobiology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Mainz, Germany
| | - Susanne Foitzik
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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10
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Stoldt M, Collin E, Macit MN, Foitzik S. Brain and antennal transcriptomes of host ants reveal potential links between behaviour and the functioning of socially parasitic colonies. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:5170-5185. [PMID: 37540194 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Insect social parasites are characterized by exploiting the hosts' social behaviour. Why exactly hosts direct their caring behaviour towards these parasites and their offspring remains largely unstudied. One hypothesis is that hosts do not perceive their social environment as altered and accept the parasitic colony as their own. We used the ant Leptothorax acervorum, host of the dulotic, obligate social parasite Harpagoxenus sublaevis, to shed light on molecular mechanisms underlying behavioural exploitation by contrasting tissue-specific transcriptomes in young host workers. Host pupae were experimentally (re-)introduced into fragments of their original, another conspecific, heterospecific or parasitic colony. Brain and antennal mRNA was extracted and sequenced from adult ants after they had lived in the experimental colony for at least 50 days after eclosion. The resulting transcriptomes of L. acervorum revealed that ants were indeed affected by their social environment. Host brain transcriptomes were altered by the presence of social parasites, suggesting that the parasitic environment influences brain activity, which may be linked to behavioural changes. Transcriptional activity in the antennae changed most with the presence of unrelated individuals, regardless of whether they were conspecifics or parasites. This suggests early priming of odour perception, which was further supported by sensory perception of odour as an enriched function of differentially expressed genes. Furthermore, gene expression in the antennae, but not in the brain corresponded to ant worker behaviour before sampling. Our study demonstrated that the exploitation of social behaviours by brood parasites correlates with transcriptomic alterations in the central and peripheral nervous systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marah Stoldt
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Erwann Collin
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Maide Nesibe Macit
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Susanne Foitzik
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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11
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Ferguson ST, Bakis I, Edwards ND, Zwiebel LJ. Age and Task Modulate Olfactory Sensitivity in the Florida Carpenter Ant Camponotus floridanus. INSECTS 2023; 14:724. [PMID: 37754692 PMCID: PMC10532128 DOI: 10.3390/insects14090724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Age-related changes in behavior and sensory perception have been observed in a wide variety of animal species. In ants and other eusocial insects, workers often progress through an ordered sequence of olfactory-driven behavioral tasks. Notably, these behaviors are plastic, and workers adapt and rapidly switch tasks in response to changing environmental conditions. In the Florida carpenter ant, smaller minors typically perform most of the work needed to maintain the colony, while the larger majors are specialized for nest defense and rarely engage in these routine tasks. Here, we investigate the effects of age and task group on olfactory responses to a series of odorant blends in minor and major worker castes. Consistent with their respective roles within the colony, we observed significant age-associated shifts in the olfactory responses of minors as they transitioned between behavioral states, whereas the responses of majors remained consistently low regardless of age. Furthermore, we have identified a unitary compound, 3-methylindole, which elicited significantly higher responses and behavioral aversion in minor nurses than in similarly aged foragers suggesting that this compound may play an important role in brood care. Taken together, our results suggest that age- and task-associated shifts in olfactory physiology may play a critical role in the social organization of ant colonies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Laurence J. Zwiebel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; (S.T.F.); (I.B.); (N.D.E.)
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12
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Ferguson ST, Bakis I, Edwards ND, Zwiebel LJ. Age and Task Modulate Olfactory Sensitivity in the Florida Carpenter Ant Camponotus floridanus. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.18.549561. [PMID: 37503123 PMCID: PMC10370051 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.18.549561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Age-related changes in behavior and sensory perception have been observed in a wide variety of animal species. In ants and other eusocial insects, workers often progress through an ordered sequence of olfactory-driven behavioral tasks. Notably, these behaviors are plastic, and workers adapt and rapidly switch tasks in response to changing environmental conditions. In the Florida carpenter ant, smaller minors typically perform most of the work needed to maintain the colony while the larger majors are specialized for nest defense and rarely engage in these routine tasks. Here, we investigate the effects of age and task group on olfactory responses to a series of odorant blends in minor and major worker castes. Consistent with their respective roles within the colony, we observed significant age-associated shifts in the olfactory responses of minors as they transitioned between behavioral states, whereas the responses of majors remained consistently low regardless of age. Furthermore, we identified a unitary compound, 3-methylindole, which elicited significantly higher responses and behavioral aversion in minor nurses than in similarly aged foragers suggesting that this compound may play an important role in brood care. Taken together, our results suggest that age- and task-associated shifts in olfactory physiology may play a critical role in the social organization of ant colonies. Simple Summary Florida carpenter ants ( Camponotus floridanus ) live in colonies comprised of thousands of workers. The smallest workers, known as minors, engage in routine tasks such as nursing and foraging while the largest workers, known as majors, are thought to be soldiers specialized for defending the nest. How ant colonies allocate their workforce to address the dynamic and ever-changing needs of the colonies remains an open question in the field, but current evidence suggests that ant social behavior likely results from a combination of genetic/epigenetic, physiological, and systems-level processes. Here, we extend these studies by investigating the role of olfactory sensitivity in regulating ant behavior. Minor workers exhibited significant shifts in olfactory sensitivity and odor coding as they aged and switched tasks. The olfactory sensitivity of majors, however, remained relatively stable as they aged. From these studies, we also identified a single compound, 3-methylindole, which elicited significantly higher olfactory responses and aversive behavior in nurses compared to foragers, suggesting that this chemical may have a role in brood care. Overall, these studies support the hypothesis that changes in olfactory sensitivity play an important role in regulating social behavior in ants.
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13
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Hart T, Frank DD, Lopes LE, Olivos-Cisneros L, Lacy KD, Trible W, Ritger A, Valdés-Rodríguez S, Kronauer DJC. Sparse and stereotyped encoding implicates a core glomerulus for ant alarm behavior. Cell 2023; 186:3079-3094.e17. [PMID: 37321218 PMCID: PMC10334690 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.05.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Ants communicate via large arrays of pheromones and possess expanded, highly complex olfactory systems, with antennal lobes in the brain comprising up to ∼500 glomeruli. This expansion implies that odors could activate hundreds of glomeruli, which would pose challenges for higher-order processing. To study this problem, we generated transgenic ants expressing the genetically encoded calcium indicator GCaMP in olfactory sensory neurons. Using two-photon imaging, we mapped complete glomerular responses to four ant alarm pheromones. Alarm pheromones robustly activated ≤6 glomeruli, and activity maps for the three pheromones inducing panic alarm in our study species converged on a single glomerulus. These results demonstrate that, rather than using broadly tuned combinatorial encoding, ants employ precise, narrowly tuned, and stereotyped representations of alarm pheromones. The identification of a central sensory hub glomerulus for alarm behavior suggests that a simple neural architecture is sufficient to translate pheromone perception into behavioral outputs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor Hart
- Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.
| | - Dominic D Frank
- Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Lindsey E Lopes
- Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Leonora Olivos-Cisneros
- Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Kip D Lacy
- Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Waring Trible
- Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA; John Harvard Distinguished Science Fellowship Program, Harvard University, 52 Oxford Street, NW Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Amelia Ritger
- Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA; Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Marine Science Research Building, Bldg. 520, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Stephany Valdés-Rodríguez
- Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Daniel J C Kronauer
- Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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Zhang B, Yang RR, Jiang XC, Xu XX, Wang B, Wang GR. Genome-Wide Analysis of the Odorant Receptor Gene Family in Solenopsis invicta, Ooceraea biroi, and Monomorium pharaonis (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24076624. [PMID: 37047591 PMCID: PMC10095046 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Olfactory systems in eusocial insects play a vital role in the discrimination of various chemical cues. Odorant receptors (ORs) are critical for odorant detection, and this family has undergone extensive expansion in ants. In this study, we re-annotated the OR genes from the most destructive invasive ant species Solenopsis invicta and 2 other Formicidae species, Ooceraea biroi and Monomorium pharaonis, with the aim of systematically comparing and analyzing the evolution and the functions of the ORs in ant species, identifying 356, 298, and 306 potential functional ORs, respectively. The evolutionary analysis of these ORs showed that ants had undergone chromosomal rearrangements and that tandem duplication may be the main contributor to the expansion of the OR gene family in S. invicta. Our further analysis revealed that 9-exon ORs had biased chromosome localization patterns in all three ant species and that a 9-exon OR cluster (SinvOR4–8) in S. invicta was under strong positive selection (Ka/Ks = 1.32). Moreover, we identified 5 S. invicta OR genes, namely SinvOR89, SinvOR102, SinvOR352, SinvOR327, and SinvOR135, with high sequence similarity (>70%) to the orthologs in O. biroi and M. pharaonis. An RT-PCR analysis was used to verify the antennal expression levels of these ORs, which showed caste-specific expression. The subsequent analysis of the antennal expression profiles of the ORs of the S. invicta workers from the polygyne and monogyne social forms indicated that SinvOR35 and SinvOR252 were expressed at much higher levels in the monogyne workers than in the polygyne workers and that SinvOR21 was expressed at higher levels in polygyne workers. Our study has contributed to the identification and analysis of the OR gene family in ants and expanded the understanding of the evolution and functions of the ORs in Formicidae species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518120, China
- College of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Rong-Rong Yang
- Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Creation and Application of Guangdong Province, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Xing-Chuan Jiang
- College of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Xiao-Xia Xu
- Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Creation and Application of Guangdong Province, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Bing Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Gui-Rong Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518120, China
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15
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Watanabe H, Ogata S, Nodomi N, Tateishi K, Nishino H, Matsubara R, Ozaki M, Yokohari F. Cuticular hydrocarbon reception by sensory neurons in basiconic sensilla of the Japanese carpenter ant. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1084803. [PMID: 36814868 PMCID: PMC9940637 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1084803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
To maintain the eusociality of a colony, ants recognize subtle differences in colony-specific sets of cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs). The CHCs are received by female-specific antennal basiconic sensilla and processed in specific brain regions. However, it is controversial whether a peripheral or central neural mechanism is mainly responsible for discrimination of CHC blends. In the Japanese carpenter ant, Camponotus japonicus, about 140 sensory neurons (SNs) are co-housed in a single basiconic sensillum and receive colony-specific blends of 18 CHCs. The complexity of this CHC sensory process makes the neural basis of peripheral nestmate recognition difficult to understand. Here, we electrophysiologically recorded responses of single basiconic sensilla to each of 18 synthesized CHCs, and identified CHC responses of each SN co-housed in a single sensillum. Each CHC activated different sets of SNs and each SN was broadly tuned to CHCs. Multiple SNs in a given sensillum fired in synchrony, and the synchronicity of spikes was impaired by treatment with a gap junction inhibitor. These results indicated that SNs in single basiconic sensilla were electrically coupled. Quantitative analysis indicated that the Japanese carpenter ants have the potential to discriminate chemical structures of CHCs based on the combinational patterns of activated SNs. SNs of ants from different colonies exhibited different CHC response spectra. In addition, ants collected from the same colony but bred in separate groups also exhibited different CHC response spectra. These results support the hypothesis that the peripheral sensory mechanism is important for discrimination between nestmate and non-nestmate ants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hidehiro Watanabe
- Department of Earth System Science, Fukuoka University, Fukuoka, Japan,*Correspondence: Hidehiro Watanabe,
| | - Shoji Ogata
- Department of Earth System Science, Fukuoka University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Nonoka Nodomi
- Department of Earth System Science, Fukuoka University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Kosuke Tateishi
- Department of Earth System Science, Fukuoka University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Nishino
- Research Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Ryosuke Matsubara
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
| | - Mamiko Ozaki
- Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan,KYOUSEI Science Center for Life and Nature, Nara Women’s University, Nara, Japan
| | - Fumio Yokohari
- Department of Earth System Science, Fukuoka University, Fukuoka, Japan
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16
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Olfactory and gustatory receptor genes in fig wasps: Evolutionary insights from comparative studies. Gene 2023; 850:146953. [PMID: 36243214 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.146953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 09/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The mechanisms of chemoreception in fig wasps (Hymenoptera, Agaonidae) are of primary importance in their co-evolutionary relationship with the fig trees they pollinate. We used transcriptome sequences of 25 fig wasps in six genera that allowed a comparative approach to the evolution of key molecular components of fig wasp chemoreception: their odorant (OR) and gustatory (GR) receptor genes. In total, we identified 311 ORs and 47 GRs, with each species recording from 5 to 30 OR genes and 1-4 GR genes. 304 OR genes clustered into 18 orthologous groups known to be sensitive to cuticular hydrocarbons (CHC), pheromones, acids, alcohols and a variety of floral scents such as cineole, Linalool, and Heptanone. 45 GR genes clustered into 4 orthologous groups that contain sweet, bitter, CO2 and undocumented receptors. Gene sequences in most orthologous groups varied greatly among species, except for ORco (60.0% conserved) and sweet receptors (30.7% conserved). Strong purifying selection of both odorant and gustatory genes was detected, as shown by low ω values. Signatures of positive selection were detected in loci from both OR and GR orthologous groups. Fig wasps have relatively few olfactory and especially gustatory receptors, reflecting the natural history of the system. Amino acid sequences nonetheless vary significantly between species and are consistent with the phylogenetic relationships among fig wasps. The differences in ORs within some orthologous groups from the same species, but different hosts and from closely related species from one host can reach as low as 49.3% and 9.8% respectively, implying the ORs of fig wasps can evolve rapidly to novel ecological environments. Our results provide a starting point for understanding the molecular basis of the chemosensory systems of fig wasps.
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17
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Johny J, Diallo S, Lukšan O, Shewale M, Kalinová B, Hanus R, Große-Wilde E. Conserved orthology in termite chemosensory gene families. Front Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.1065947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Termites are eusocial insects known to use a variety of pheromones in tasks necessary for maintenance of their societies. As such, olfaction and pheromone communication in termites has been an object of intense study; trail-following pheromones (TFPs) and sex-pairing pheromones (SPPs), for example, have been identified in many termite species. In contrast, the molecular basis of olfactory detection is understudied in the group. Here, we present chemosensory genes of three species of termites belonging to three distinct lineages, Neotermes cubanus (Kalotermitidae), Prorhinotermes simplex (Rhinotermitidae), and Inquilinitermes inquilinus (Termitidae). Using antennal transcriptome screening of termite workers, we identified the chemosensory genes, which allowed us to perform phylogenetic analysis. We found a comparatively large repertoires of odorant receptors (ORs), gustatory receptors (GRs), ionotropic receptors (IRs), odorant binding proteins (OBPs), chemosensory proteins (CSPs), and sensory neuron membrane proteins (SNMPs). The evolutionary analysis of termite chemosensory genes revealed Isoptera-specific expansions with a 1:1 orthologous pattern, indicating the existence of conserved olfactory functions. Our findings on basal eusocial insects will further enhance our understanding of the molecular underpinnings of eusociality and the evolution of olfactory communication in termites.
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18
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Ferguson ST, Bakis I, Edwards ND, Zwiebel LJ. Olfactory sensitivity differentiates morphologically distinct worker castes in Camponotus floridanus. BMC Biol 2023; 21:3. [PMID: 36617574 PMCID: PMC9827628 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-022-01505-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Camponotus floridanus ant colonies are comprised of a single reproductive queen and thousands of sterile female offspring that consist of two morphologically distinct castes: smaller minors and larger majors. Minors perform most of the tasks within the colony, including brood care and food collection, whereas majors have fewer clear roles and have been hypothesized to act as a specialized solider caste associated with colony defense. The allocation of workers to these different tasks depends, in part, on the detection and processing of local information including pheromones and other chemical blends such as cuticular hydrocarbons. However, the role peripheral olfactory sensitivity plays in establishing and maintaining morphologically distinct worker castes and their associated behaviors remains largely unexplored. RESULTS We examined the electrophysiological responses to general odorants, cuticular extracts, and a trail pheromone in adult minor and major C. floridanus workers, revealing that the repertoire of social behaviors is positively correlated with olfactory sensitivity. Minors in particular display primarily excitatory responses to olfactory stimuli, whereas major workers primarily manifest suppressed, sub-solvent responses. The notable exception to this paradigm is that both minors and majors display robust, dose-dependent excitatory responses to conspecific, non-nestmate cuticular extracts. Moreover, while both minors and majors actively aggress non-nestmate foes, the larger and physiologically distinct majors display significantly enhanced capabilities to rapidly subdue and kill their adversaries. CONCLUSIONS Our studies reveal the behavioral repertoire of minors and majors aligns with profound shifts in peripheral olfactory sensitivity and odor coding. The data reported here support the hypothesis that minors are multipotential workers with broad excitatory sensitivity, and majors are dedicated soldiers with a highly specialized olfactory system for distinguishing non-nestmate foes. Overall, we conclude that C. floridanus majors do indeed represent a physiologically and behaviorally specialized soldier caste in which caste-specific olfactory sensitivity plays an important role in task allocation and the regulation of social behavior in ant colonies.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. T. Ferguson
- grid.152326.10000 0001 2264 7217Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235 USA
| | - I. Bakis
- grid.152326.10000 0001 2264 7217Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235 USA
| | - N. D. Edwards
- grid.152326.10000 0001 2264 7217Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235 USA
| | - L. J. Zwiebel
- grid.152326.10000 0001 2264 7217Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235 USA
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19
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Kohlmeier P, Billeter JC. Genetic mechanisms modulating behaviour through plastic chemosensory responses in insects. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:45-60. [PMID: 36239485 PMCID: PMC10092625 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The ability to transition between different behavioural stages is a widespread phenomenon across the animal kingdom. Such behavioural adaptations are often linked to changes in the sensitivity of those neurons that sense chemical cues associated with the respective behaviours. To identify the genetic mechanisms that regulate neuronal sensitivity, and by that behaviour, typically *omics approaches, such as RNA- and protein-sequencing, are applied to sensory organs of individuals displaying differences in behaviour. In this review, we discuss these genetic mechanisms and how they impact neuronal sensitivity, summarize the correlative and functional evidence for their role in regulating behaviour and discuss future directions. As such, this review can help interpret *omics data by providing a comprehensive list of already identified genes and mechanisms that impact behaviour through changes in neuronal sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Kohlmeier
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jean-Christophe Billeter
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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20
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Gellert HR, Halley DC, Sieb ZJ, Smith JC, Pask GM. 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] [MESH Headings] [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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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah R Gellert
- Department of Biology, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT, 05753, USA
| | - Daphné C Halley
- Program in Environmental Studies, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT, 05753, USA
| | - Zackary J Sieb
- Program in Neuroscience, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT, 05753, USA
| | - Jody C Smith
- Sciences Technical Support Services, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT, 05753, USA
| | - Gregory M Pask
- Department of Biology, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT, 05753, USA.
- Program in Neuroscience, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT, 05753, USA.
- Program in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT, 05753, USA.
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21
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Mier P, Fontaine JF, Stoldt M, Libbrecht R, Martelli C, Foitzik S, Andrade-Navarro MA. Annotation and Analysis of 3902 Odorant Receptor Protein Sequences from 21 Insect Species Provide Insights into the Evolution of Odorant Receptor Gene Families in Solitary and Social Insects. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13050919. [PMID: 35627304 PMCID: PMC9141868 DOI: 10.3390/genes13050919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The gene family of insect olfactory receptors (ORs) has expanded greatly over the course of evolution. ORs enable insects to detect volatile chemicals and therefore play an important role in social interactions, enemy and prey recognition, and foraging. The sequences of several thousand ORs are known, but their specific function or their ligands have only been identified for very few of them. To advance the functional characterization of ORs, we have assembled, curated, and aligned the sequences of 3902 ORs from 21 insect species, which we provide as an annotated online resource. Using functionally characterized proteins from the fly Drosophila melanogaster, the mosquito Anopheles gambiae and the ant Harpegnathos saltator, we identified amino acid positions that best predict response to ligands. We examined the conservation of these predicted relevant residues in all OR subfamilies; the results showed that the subfamilies that expanded strongly in social insects had a high degree of conservation in their binding sites. This suggests that the ORs of social insect families are typically finely tuned and exhibit sensitivity to very similar odorants. Our novel approach provides a powerful tool to exploit functional information from a limited number of genes to study the functional evolution of large gene families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Mier
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (iomE), Faculty of Biology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, 55128 Mainz, Germany; (J.-F.F.); (M.S.); (R.L.); (S.F.); (M.A.A.-N.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Jean-Fred Fontaine
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (iomE), Faculty of Biology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, 55128 Mainz, Germany; (J.-F.F.); (M.S.); (R.L.); (S.F.); (M.A.A.-N.)
| | - Marah Stoldt
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (iomE), Faculty of Biology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, 55128 Mainz, Germany; (J.-F.F.); (M.S.); (R.L.); (S.F.); (M.A.A.-N.)
| | - Romain Libbrecht
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (iomE), Faculty of Biology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, 55128 Mainz, Germany; (J.-F.F.); (M.S.); (R.L.); (S.F.); (M.A.A.-N.)
| | - Carlotta Martelli
- Institute of Developmental Biology and Neurobiology (iDN), Faculty of Biology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, 55128 Mainz, Germany;
| | - Susanne Foitzik
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (iomE), Faculty of Biology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, 55128 Mainz, Germany; (J.-F.F.); (M.S.); (R.L.); (S.F.); (M.A.A.-N.)
| | - Miguel A. Andrade-Navarro
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (iomE), Faculty of Biology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, 55128 Mainz, Germany; (J.-F.F.); (M.S.); (R.L.); (S.F.); (M.A.A.-N.)
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22
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Guo H, Gong XL, Li GC, Mo BT, Jiang NJ, Huang LQ, Wang CZ. Functional analysis of pheromone receptor repertoire in the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2022; 78:2052-2064. [PMID: 35124874 DOI: 10.1002/ps.6831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), is a polyphagous moth species that is spreading all around the globe. It uses (Z)-9-tetradecenyl acetate (Z9-14:Ac) and (Z)-7-dodecenyl acetate (Z7-12:Ac) (100:3.9) as essential sex pheromone components. However, our understanding of the molecular basis of pheromone detection of S. frugiperda is still incomplete. RESULTS Herein, we identified six PRs, i.e. SfruOR6, 11, 13, 16, 56, and 62, by transcriptome sequencing. Subsequently, we heterologously expressed them in Drosophila OR67d neurons and determined their response spectra with a large panel of sex pheromones and analogs. Among them, SfruOR13-expressing neurons strongly respond to the major sex pheromone component Z9-14:Ac, but also comparably to (Z,E)-9,12-tetradecadienyl acetate (Z9,E12-14:Ac) and weakly to (Z)-9-dodecenyl acetate (Z9-12:Ac). Both SfruOR56 and SfruOR62 are specifically tuned to the minor sex pheromone component Z7-12:Ac with varying intensities and sensitivities. In addition, SfruOR6 is activated only by Z9,E12-14:Ac, and SfruOR16 by both (Z)-9-tetradecenol (Z9-14:OH) and (Z)-9-tetradecenal (Z9-14:Ald). However, the OR67d neurons expressing SfruOR11 remain silent to all compounds tested, a phenomenon commonly found in the OR11 clade of Noctuidae species. Next, using single sensillum recording, we characterized four sensilla types on the antennae of males, namely A, B, C and D types that are tuned to the ligands of PRs, thereby confirming that S. frugiperda uses both SfruOR56 and SfruOR62 to detect Z7-12:Ac. Finally, using wind tunnel assay, we demonstrate that both Z9,E12-14:Ac and Z9-14:OH act as antagonists to the sex pheromone. CONCLUSION We have deorphanized five PRs and characterized four types of sensilla responsible for the detection of pheromone compounds, providing insights into the peripheral encoding of sex pheromones in S. frugiperda.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xin-Lin Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Guo-Cheng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Bao-Tong Mo
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Nan-Ji Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ling-Qiao Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chen-Zhu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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23
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Pulliainen U, Morandin C, Bos N, Sundström L, Schultner E. Social environment affects sensory gene expression in ant larvae. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 31:1-9. [PMID: 34418191 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Social insects depend on communication to regulate social behaviour. This also applies to their larvae, which are commonly exposed to social interactions and can react to social stimulation. However, how social insect larvae sense their environment is not known. Using RNAseq, we characterized expression of sensory-related genes in larvae of the ant Formica fusca, upon exposure to two social environments: isolation without contact to other individuals, and stimulation via the presence of other developing individuals. Expression of key sensory-related genes was higher following social stimulation, and larvae expressed many of the same sensory-related genes as adult ants and larvae of other insects, including genes belonging to the major insect chemosensory gene families. Our study provides first insights into the molecular changes associated with social information perception in social insect larvae.
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Affiliation(s)
- U Pulliainen
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Tvärminne Zoological Station, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - C Morandin
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Biophore, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - N Bos
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - L Sundström
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Tvärminne Zoological Station, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - E Schultner
- Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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24
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Parisot N, Vargas-Chávez C, Goubert C, Baa-Puyoulet P, Balmand S, Beranger L, Blanc C, Bonnamour A, Boulesteix M, Burlet N, Calevro F, Callaerts P, Chancy T, Charles H, Colella S, Da Silva Barbosa A, Dell'Aglio E, Di Genova A, Febvay G, Gabaldón T, Galvão Ferrarini M, Gerber A, Gillet B, Hubley R, Hughes S, Jacquin-Joly E, Maire J, Marcet-Houben M, Masson F, Meslin C, Montagné N, Moya A, Ribeiro de Vasconcelos AT, Richard G, Rosen J, Sagot MF, Smit AFA, Storer JM, Vincent-Monegat C, Vallier A, Vigneron A, Zaidman-Rémy A, Zamoum W, Vieira C, Rebollo R, Latorre A, Heddi A. The transposable element-rich genome of the cereal pest Sitophilus oryzae. BMC Biol 2021; 19:241. [PMID: 34749730 PMCID: PMC8576890 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-01158-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The rice weevil Sitophilus oryzae is one of the most important agricultural pests, causing extensive damage to cereal in fields and to stored grains. S. oryzae has an intracellular symbiotic relationship (endosymbiosis) with the Gram-negative bacterium Sodalis pierantonius and is a valuable model to decipher host-symbiont molecular interactions. RESULTS We sequenced the Sitophilus oryzae genome using a combination of short and long reads to produce the best assembly for a Curculionidae species to date. We show that S. oryzae has undergone successive bursts of transposable element (TE) amplification, representing 72% of the genome. In addition, we show that many TE families are transcriptionally active, and changes in their expression are associated with insect endosymbiotic state. S. oryzae has undergone a high gene expansion rate, when compared to other beetles. Reconstruction of host-symbiont metabolic networks revealed that, despite its recent association with cereal weevils (30 kyear), S. pierantonius relies on the host for several amino acids and nucleotides to survive and to produce vitamins and essential amino acids required for insect development and cuticle biosynthesis. CONCLUSIONS Here we present the genome of an agricultural pest beetle, which may act as a foundation for pest control. In addition, S. oryzae may be a useful model for endosymbiosis, and studying TE evolution and regulation, along with the impact of TEs on eukaryotic genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Parisot
- Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, INRAE, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Carlos Vargas-Chávez
- Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, INRAE, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SySBio), Universitat de València and Spanish Research Council (CSIC), València, Spain
- Present Address: Institute of Evolutionary Biology (IBE), CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Clément Goubert
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, UMR5558, Université Lyon 1, Université Lyon, Villeurbanne, France
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, 526 Campus Rd, Ithaca, New York, 14853, USA
- Present Address: Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Séverine Balmand
- Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, INRAE, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Louis Beranger
- Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, INRAE, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Caroline Blanc
- Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, INRAE, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Aymeric Bonnamour
- Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, INRAE, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Matthieu Boulesteix
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, UMR5558, Université Lyon 1, Université Lyon, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Nelly Burlet
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, UMR5558, Université Lyon 1, Université Lyon, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Federica Calevro
- Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, INRAE, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Patrick Callaerts
- Department of Human Genetics, Laboratory of Behavioral and Developmental Genetics, KU Leuven, University of Leuven, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Théo Chancy
- Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, INRAE, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Hubert Charles
- Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, INRAE, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
- ERABLE European Team, INRIA, Rhône-Alpes, France
| | - Stefano Colella
- Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, INRAE, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
- Present Address: LSTM, Laboratoire des Symbioses Tropicales et Méditerranéennes, IRD, CIRAD, INRAE, SupAgro, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - André Da Silva Barbosa
- INRAE, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, IRD, UPEC, Université de Paris, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris, Versailles, France
| | - Elisa Dell'Aglio
- Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, INRAE, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Alex Di Genova
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, UMR5558, Université Lyon 1, Université Lyon, Villeurbanne, France
- ERABLE European Team, INRIA, Rhône-Alpes, France
- Instituto de Ciencias de la Ingeniería, Universidad de O'Higgins, Rancagua, Chile
| | - Gérard Febvay
- Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, INRAE, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Toni Gabaldón
- Life Sciences, Barcelona Supercomputing Centre (BSC-CNS), Barcelona, Spain
- Mechanisms of Disease, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB), Barcelona, Spain
- Institut Catalan de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Alexandra Gerber
- Laboratório de Bioinformática, Laboratório Nacional de Computação Científica, Petrópolis, Brazil
| | - Benjamin Gillet
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon (IGFL), Université de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, CNRS UMR 5242, Lyon, France
| | | | - Sandrine Hughes
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon (IGFL), Université de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, CNRS UMR 5242, Lyon, France
| | - Emmanuelle Jacquin-Joly
- INRAE, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, IRD, UPEC, Université de Paris, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris, Versailles, France
| | - Justin Maire
- Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, INRAE, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
- Present Address: School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | | | - Florent Masson
- Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, INRAE, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
- Present Address: Global Health Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Camille Meslin
- INRAE, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, IRD, UPEC, Université de Paris, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris, Versailles, France
| | - Nicolas Montagné
- INRAE, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, IRD, UPEC, Université de Paris, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris, Versailles, France
| | - Andrés Moya
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SySBio), Universitat de València and Spanish Research Council (CSIC), València, Spain
- Foundation for the Promotion of Sanitary and Biomedical Research of Valencian Community (FISABIO), València, Spain
| | | | - Gautier Richard
- IGEPP, INRAE, Institut Agro, Université de Rennes, Domaine de la Motte, 35653, Le Rheu, France
| | - Jeb Rosen
- Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Marie-France Sagot
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, UMR5558, Université Lyon 1, Université Lyon, Villeurbanne, France
- ERABLE European Team, INRIA, Rhône-Alpes, France
| | | | | | | | - Agnès Vallier
- Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, INRAE, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Aurélien Vigneron
- Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, INRAE, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
- Present Address: Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Institute for Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Anna Zaidman-Rémy
- Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, INRAE, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Waël Zamoum
- Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, INRAE, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Cristina Vieira
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, UMR5558, Université Lyon 1, Université Lyon, Villeurbanne, France.
- ERABLE European Team, INRIA, Rhône-Alpes, France.
| | - Rita Rebollo
- Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, INRAE, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France.
| | - Amparo Latorre
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SySBio), Universitat de València and Spanish Research Council (CSIC), València, Spain.
- Foundation for the Promotion of Sanitary and Biomedical Research of Valencian Community (FISABIO), València, Spain.
| | - Abdelaziz Heddi
- Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, INRAE, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France.
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25
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Hou XQ, Yuvaraj JK, Roberts RE, Zhang DD, Unelius CR, Löfstedt C, Andersson MN. Functional Evolution of a Bark Beetle Odorant Receptor Clade Detecting Monoterpenoids of Different Ecological Origins. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 38:4934-4947. [PMID: 34293158 PMCID: PMC8557457 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msab218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Insects detect odors using an array of odorant receptors (ORs), which may expand through gene duplication. How and which new functions may evolve among related ORs within a species remain poorly investigated. We addressed this question by functionally characterizing ORs from the Eurasian spruce bark beetle Ips typographus, in which physiological and behavioral responses to pheromones, volatiles from host and nonhost trees, and fungal symbionts are well described. In contrast, knowledge of OR function is restricted to two receptors detecting the pheromone compounds (S)-(-)-ipsenol (ItypOR46) and (R)-(-)-ipsdienol (ItypOR49). These receptors belong to an Ips-specific OR-lineage comprising seven ItypORs. To gain insight into the functional evolution of related ORs, we characterized the five remaining ORs in this clade using Xenopus oocytes. Two receptors responded primarily to the host tree monoterpenes (+)-3-carene (ItypOR25) and p-cymene (ItypOR27). Two receptors responded to oxygenated monoterpenoids produced in larger relative amounts by the beetle-associated fungi, with ItypOR23 specific for (+)-trans-(1R, 4S)-4-thujanol, and ItypOR29 responding to (+)-isopinocamphone and similar ketones. ItypOR28 responded to the pheromone E-myrcenol from the competitor Ips duplicatus. Overall, the OR responses match well with those of previously characterized olfactory sensory neuron classes except that neurons detecting E-myrcenol have not been identified. The characterized ORs are under strong purifying selection and demonstrate a shared functional property in that they all primarily respond to monoterpenoids. The variation in functional groups among OR ligands and their diverse ecological origins suggest that neofunctionalization has occurred early in the evolution of this OR-lineage following gene duplication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Qing Hou
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | | | | | - Dan-Dan Zhang
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - C Rikard Unelius
- Department of Chemistry and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
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26
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Abstract
Insect odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) are small soluble proteins that have been assigned roles in olfaction, but their other potential functions have not been extensively explored. Using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated disruption of Aedes aegyptiObp10 and Obp22, we demonstrate the pleiotropic contribution of these proteins to multiple processes that are essential for vectorial capacity. Mutant mosquitoes have impaired host-seeking and oviposition behavior, reproduction, and arbovirus transmission. Here, we show that Obp22 is linked to the male-determining sex locus (M) on chromosome 1 and is involved in male reproduction, likely by mediating the development of spermatozoa. Although OBP10 and OBP22 are not involved in flavivirus replication, abolition of these proteins significantly reduces transmission of dengue and Zika viruses through a mechanism affecting secretion of viral particles into the saliva. These results extend our current understanding of the role of insect OBPs in insect reproduction and transmission of human pathogens, making them essential determinants of vectorial capacity.
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27
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Couto A, Arnold G, Ai H, Sandoz JC. Interspecific variation of antennal lobe composition among four hornet species. Sci Rep 2021; 11:20883. [PMID: 34686710 PMCID: PMC8536693 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-00280-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Olfaction is a crucial sensory modality underlying foraging, social and mating behaviors in many insects. Since the olfactory system is at the interface between the animal and its environment, it receives strong evolutionary pressures that promote neuronal adaptations and phenotypic variations across species. Hornets are large eusocial predatory wasps with a highly developed olfactory system, critical for foraging and intra-specific communication. In their natural range, hornet species display contrasting ecologies and olfactory-based behaviors, which might match to adaptive shifts in their olfactory system. The first olfactory processing center of the insect brain, the antennal lobe, is made of morphological and functional units called glomeruli. Using fluorescent staining, confocal microscopy and 3D reconstructions, we compared antennal lobe structure, glomerular numbers and volumes in four hornet species (Vespa crabro, Vespa velutina, Vespa mandarinia and Vespa orientalis) with marked differences in nesting site preferences and predatory behaviors. Despite a conserved organization of their antennal lobe compartments, glomeruli numbers varied strongly between species, including in a subsystem thought to process intraspecific cuticular signals. Moreover, specific adaptations involving enlarged glomeruli appeared in two species, V. crabro and V. mandarinia, but not in the others. We discuss the possible function of these adaptations based on species-specific behavioral differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Couto
- Laboratory Evolution Genomes Behavior and Ecology, CNRS, University Paris-Sud, IRD, Université Paris Saclay, 1 avenue de la Terrasse, 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.,School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Gérard Arnold
- Laboratory Evolution Genomes Behavior and Ecology, CNRS, University Paris-Sud, IRD, Université Paris Saclay, 1 avenue de la Terrasse, 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Hiroyuki Ai
- Department of Earth System Science, Fukuoka University, Fukuoka, 814-0180, Japan
| | - Jean-Christophe Sandoz
- Laboratory Evolution Genomes Behavior and Ecology, CNRS, University Paris-Sud, IRD, Université Paris Saclay, 1 avenue de la Terrasse, 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
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28
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McKenzie SK, Winston ME, Grewe F, Vargas Asensio G, Rodríguez-Hernández N, Rubin BER, Murillo-Cruz C, von Beeren C, Moreau CS, Suen G, Pinto-Tomás AA, Kronauer DJC. The genomic basis of army ant chemosensory adaptations. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:6627-6641. [PMID: 34582590 PMCID: PMC9292994 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Revised: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The evolution of mass raiding has allowed army ants to become dominant arthropod predators in the tropics. Although a century of research has led to many discoveries about behavioural, morphological and physiological adaptations in army ants, almost nothing is known about the molecular basis of army ant biology. Here we report the genome of the iconic New World army ant Eciton burchellii, and show that it is unusually compact, with a reduced gene complement relative to other ants. In contrast to this overall reduction, a particular gene subfamily (9‐exon ORs) expressed predominantly in female antennae is expanded. This subfamily has previously been linked to the recognition of hydrocarbons, key olfactory cues used in insect communication and prey discrimination. Confocal microscopy of the brain showed a corresponding expansion in a putative hydrocarbon response centre within the antennal lobe, while scanning electron microscopy of the antenna revealed a particularly high density of hydrocarbon‐sensitive sensory hairs. E. burchellii shares these features with its predatory and more cryptic relative, the clonal raider ant. By integrating genomic, transcriptomic and anatomical analyses in a comparative context, our work thus provides evidence that army ants and their relatives possess a suite of modifications in the chemosensory system that may be involved in behavioural coordination and prey selection during social predation. It also lays the groundwork for future studies of army ant biology at the molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean K McKenzie
- Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Felix Grewe
- Grainger Bioinformatics Center, Science and Education, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Gabriel Vargas Asensio
- Centro de Investigación en Biología Molecular y Celular (CIBCM), Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica.,Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Natalia Rodríguez-Hernández
- Centro de Investigación en Estructuras Microscópicas (CIEMIC), Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Benjamin E R Rubin
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Catalina Murillo-Cruz
- Centro de Investigación en Estructuras Microscópicas (CIEMIC), Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Christoph von Beeren
- Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA.,Ecological Networks, Department of Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Corrie S Moreau
- Departments of Entomology and Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Garret Suen
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Adrian A Pinto-Tomás
- Centro de Investigación en Biología Molecular y Celular (CIBCM), Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica.,Centro de Investigación en Estructuras Microscópicas (CIEMIC), Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica.,Escuela de Medicina, Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Daniel J C Kronauer
- Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA
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29
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Legan AW, Jernigan CM, Miller SE, Fuchs MF, Sheehan MJ. Expansion and Accelerated Evolution of 9-Exon Odorant Receptors in Polistes Paper Wasps. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 38:3832-3846. [PMID: 34151983 PMCID: PMC8383895 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msab023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Independent origins of sociality in bees and ants are associated with independent expansions of particular odorant receptor (OR) gene subfamilies. In ants, one clade within the OR gene family, the 9-exon subfamily, has dramatically expanded. These receptors detect cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs), key social signaling molecules in insects. It is unclear to what extent 9-exon OR subfamily expansion is associated with the independent evolution of sociality across Hymenoptera, warranting studies of taxa with independently derived social behavior. Here, we describe OR gene family evolution in the northern paper wasp, Polistes fuscatus, and compare it to four additional paper wasp species spanning ∼40 million years of evolutionary divergence. We find 200 putatively functional OR genes in P. fuscatus, matching predictions from neuroanatomy, and more than half of these are in the 9-exon subfamily. Most OR gene expansions are tandemly arrayed at orthologous loci in Polistes genomes, and microsynteny analysis shows species-specific gain and loss of 9-exon ORs within tandem arrays. There is evidence of episodic positive diversifying selection shaping ORs in expanded subfamilies. Values of omega (dN/dS) are higher among 9-exon ORs compared to other OR subfamilies. Within the Polistes OR gene tree, branches in the 9-exon OR clade experience relaxed negative (relaxed purifying) selection relative to other branches in the tree. Patterns of OR evolution within Polistes are consistent with 9-exon OR function in CHC perception by combinatorial coding, with both natural selection and neutral drift contributing to interspecies differences in gene copy number and sequence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew W Legan
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Christopher M Jernigan
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Sara E Miller
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Matthieu F Fuchs
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Michael J Sheehan
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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30
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Guo M, Du L, Chen Q, Feng Y, Zhang J, Zhang X, Tian K, Cao S, Huang T, Jacquin-Joly E, Wang G, Liu Y. Odorant Receptors for Detecting Flowering Plant Cues Are Functionally Conserved across Moths and Butterflies. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 38:1413-1427. [PMID: 33231630 PMCID: PMC8042770 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msaa300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Odorant receptors (ORs) are essential for plant–insect interactions. However, despite the global impacts of Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) as major herbivores and pollinators, little functional data are available about Lepidoptera ORs involved in plant-volatile detection. Here, we initially characterized the plant-volatile-sensing function(s) of 44 ORs from the cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera, and subsequently conducted a large-scale comparative analysis that establishes how most orthologous ORs have functionally diverged among closely related species whereas some rare ORs are functionally conserved. Specifically, our systematic analysis of H. armigera ORs cataloged the wide functional scope of the H. armigera OR repertoire, and also showed that HarmOR42 and its Spodoptera littoralis ortholog are functionally conserved. Pursuing this, we characterized the HarmOR42-orthologous ORs from 11 species across the Glossata suborder and confirmed the HarmOR42 orthologs form a unique OR lineage that has undergone strong purifying selection in Glossata species and whose members are tuned with strong specificity to phenylacetaldehyde, a floral scent component common to most angiosperms. In vivo studies via HarmOR42 knockout support that HarmOR42-related ORs are essential for host-detection by sensing phenylacetaldehyde. Our work also supports that these ORs coevolved with the tube-like proboscis, and has maintained functional stability throughout the long-term coexistence of Lepidoptera with angiosperms. Thus, beyond providing a rich empirical resource for delineating the precise functions of H. armigera ORs, our results enable a comparative analysis of insect ORs that have apparently facilitated and currently sustain the intimate adaptations and ecological interactions among nectar feeding insects and flowering plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengbo Guo
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.,Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture (Shenzhen Branch), Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lixiao Du
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qiuyan Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yilu Feng
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaxuan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ke Tian
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Song Cao
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Tianyu Huang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Emmanuelle Jacquin-Joly
- INRAE, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, IRD, UPEC, Université de Paris, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris, Versailles, France
| | - Guirong Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.,Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture (Shenzhen Branch), Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yang Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
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31
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Fouks B, Brand P, Nguyen HN, Herman J, Camara F, Ence D, Hagen DE, Hoff KJ, Nachweide S, Romoth L, Walden KKO, Guigo R, Stanke M, Narzisi G, Yandell M, Robertson HM, Koeniger N, Chantawannakul P, Schatz MC, Worley KC, Robinson GE, Elsik CG, Rueppell O. The genomic basis of evolutionary differentiation among honey bees. Genome Res 2021; 31:1203-1215. [PMID: 33947700 PMCID: PMC8256857 DOI: 10.1101/gr.272310.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
In contrast to the western honey bee, Apis mellifera, other honey bee species have been largely neglected despite their importance and diversity. The genetic basis of the evolutionary diversification of honey bees remains largely unknown. Here, we provide a genome-wide comparison of three honey bee species, each representing one of the three subgenera of honey bees, namely the dwarf (Apis florea), giant (A. dorsata), and cavity-nesting (A. mellifera) honey bees with bumblebees as an outgroup. Our analyses resolve the phylogeny of honey bees with the dwarf honey bees diverging first. We find that evolution of increased eusocial complexity in Apis proceeds via increases in the complexity of gene regulation, which is in agreement with previous studies. However, this process seems to be related to pathways other than transcriptional control. Positive selection patterns across Apis reveal a trade-off between maintaining genome stability and generating genetic diversity, with a rapidly evolving piRNA pathway leading to genomes depleted of transposable elements, and a rapidly evolving DNA repair pathway associated with high recombination rates in all Apis species. Diversification within Apis is accompanied by positive selection in several genes whose putative functions present candidate mechanisms for lineage-specific adaptations, such as migration, immunity, and nesting behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bertrand Fouks
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina 27403, USA
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, Molecular Evolution and Bioinformatics, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Philipp Brand
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, Center for Population Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California 95161, USA
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Hung N Nguyen
- MU Institute for Data Science and Informatics, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, USA
| | - Jacob Herman
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina 27403, USA
| | - Francisco Camara
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Daniel Ence
- School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
| | - Darren E Hagen
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078, USA
| | - Katharina J Hoff
- University of Greifswald, Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science, Bioinformatics Group, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
- University of Greifswald, Center for Functional Genomics of Microbes, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Stefanie Nachweide
- University of Greifswald, Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science, Bioinformatics Group, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Lars Romoth
- University of Greifswald, Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science, Bioinformatics Group, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Kimberly K O Walden
- Department of Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - Roderic Guigo
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), 08002 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mario Stanke
- University of Greifswald, Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science, Bioinformatics Group, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
- University of Greifswald, Center for Functional Genomics of Microbes, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | | | - Mark Yandell
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
- Utah Center for Genetic Discovery, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
| | - Hugh M Robertson
- Department of Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - Nikolaus Koeniger
- Department of Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology (Zoology II), University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Panuwan Chantawannakul
- Environmental Science Research Center (ESRC) and Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Michael C Schatz
- Departments of Computer Science and Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, USA
| | - Kim C Worley
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Gene E Robinson
- Department of Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - Christine G Elsik
- MU Institute for Data Science and Informatics, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, USA
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, USA
- Division of Plant Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, USA
| | - Olav Rueppell
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina 27403, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
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32
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Sung JY, Harris OK, Hensley NM, Chemero AP, Morehouse NI. Beyond cognitive templates: re-examining template metaphors used for animal recognition and navigation. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 61:825-841. [PMID: 33970266 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The term 'cognitive template' originated from work in human-based cognitive science to describe a literal, stored, neural representation used in recognition tasks. As the study of cognition has expanded to non-human animals, the term has diffused to describe a wider range of animal cognitive tools and strategies that guide action through the recognition of and discrimination between external states. One potential reason for this non-standardized meaning and variable employment is that researchers interested in the broad range of animal recognition tasks enjoy the simplicity of the cognitive template concept and have allowed it to become shorthand for many dissimilar or unknown neural processes without deep scrutiny of how this metaphor might comport with underlying neurophysiology. We review the functional evidence for cognitive templates in fields such as perception, navigation, communication, and learning, highlighting any neural correlates identified by these studies. We find that the concept of cognitive templates has facilitated valuable exploration at the interface between animal behavior and cognition, but the quest for a literal template has failed to attain mechanistic support at the level of neurophysiology. This may be the result of a misled search for a single physical locus for the 'template' itself. We argue that recognition and discrimination processes are best treated as emergent and, as such, may not be physically localized within single structures of the brain. Rather, current evidence suggests that such tasks are accomplished through synergies between multiple distributed processes in animal nervous systems. We thus advocate for researchers to move towards a more ecological, process-oriented conception, especially when discussing the neural underpinnings of recognition-based cognitive tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny Y Sung
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati
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33
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Abstract
Social behavior is one of the most fascinating and complex behaviors in humans and animals. A fundamental process of social behavior is communication among individuals. It relies on the capability of the nervous system to sense, process, and interpret various signals (e.g., pheromones) and respond with appropriate decisions and actions. Eusocial insects, including ants, some bees, some wasps, and termites, display intriguing cooperative social behavior. Recent advances in genetic and genomic studies have revealed key genes that are involved in pheromone synthesis, chemosensory perception, and physiological and behavioral responses to varied pheromones. In this review, we highlight the genes and pathways that regulate queen pheromone-mediated social communication, discuss the evolutionary changes in genetic systems, and outline prospects of functional studies in sociobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Yan
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA
- Center for Smell and Taste, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32610, USA
| | - Jürgen Liebig
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA
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34
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Ferguson ST, Bakis I, Zwiebel LJ. Advances in the Study of Olfaction in Eusocial Ants. INSECTS 2021; 12:252. [PMID: 33802783 PMCID: PMC8002415 DOI: 10.3390/insects12030252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Over the past decade, spurred in part by the sequencing of the first ant genomes, there have been major advances in the field of olfactory myrmecology. With the discovery of a significant expansion of the odorant receptor gene family, considerable efforts have been directed toward understanding the olfactory basis of complex social behaviors in ant colonies. Here, we review recent pivotal studies that have begun to reveal insights into the development of the olfactory system as well as how olfactory stimuli are peripherally and centrally encoded. Despite significant biological and technical impediments, substantial progress has been achieved in the application of gene editing and other molecular techniques that notably distinguish the complex olfactory system of ants from other well-studied insect model systems, such as the fruit fly. In doing so, we hope to draw attention not only to these studies but also to critical knowledge gaps that will serve as a compass for future research endeavors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Laurence J. Zwiebel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; (S.T.F.); (I.B.)
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35
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Hartke J, Waldvogel A, Sprenger PP, Schmitt T, Menzel F, Pfenninger M, Feldmeyer B. Little parallelism in genomic signatures of local adaptation in two sympatric, cryptic sister species. J Evol Biol 2021; 34:937-952. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Juliane Hartke
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre Frankfurt am Main Germany
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution Johannes‐Gutenberg‐University Mainz Mainz Germany
| | - Ann‐Marie Waldvogel
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre Frankfurt am Main Germany
- Institute for Zoology University of Cologne Cologne Germany
| | - Philipp P. Sprenger
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution Johannes‐Gutenberg‐University Mainz Mainz Germany
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocentre, Am Hubland University of Würzburg Würzburg Germany
| | - Thomas Schmitt
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocentre, Am Hubland University of Würzburg Würzburg Germany
| | - Florian Menzel
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution Johannes‐Gutenberg‐University Mainz Mainz Germany
| | - Markus Pfenninger
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre Frankfurt am Main Germany
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution Johannes‐Gutenberg‐University Mainz Mainz Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE‐TBG) Frankfurt am Main Germany
| | - Barbara Feldmeyer
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre Frankfurt am Main Germany
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36
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Obiero GF, Pauli T, Geuverink E, Veenendaal R, Niehuis O, Große-Wilde E. Chemoreceptor Diversity in Apoid Wasps and Its Reduction during the Evolution of the Pollen-Collecting Lifestyle of Bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea). Genome Biol Evol 2021; 13:6117318. [PMID: 33484563 PMCID: PMC8011036 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evaa269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemoreceptors help insects to interact with their environment, to detect and assess food sources and oviposition sites, and to aid in intra- and interspecific communication. In Hymenoptera, species of eusocial lineages possess large chemoreceptor gene repertoires compared with solitary species, possibly because of their additional need to recognize nest-mates and caste. However, a critical piece of information missing so far has been the size of chemoreceptor gene repertoires of solitary apoid wasps. Apoid wasps are a paraphyletic group of almost exclusively solitary Hymenoptera phylogenetically positioned between ant and bee, both of which include eusocial species. We report the chemosensory-related gene repertoire sizes of three apoid wasps: Ampulex compressa, Cerceris arenaria, and Psenulus fuscipennis. We annotated genes encoding odorant (ORs), gustatory, and ionotropic receptors and chemosensory soluble proteins and odorant-binding proteins in transcriptomes of chemosensory tissues of the above three species and in early draft genomes of two species, A. compressa and C. arenaria. Our analyses revealed that apoid wasps possess larger OR repertoires than any bee lineage, that the last common ancestor of Apoidea possessed a considerably larger OR repertoire (∼160) than previously estimated (73), and that the expansion of OR genes in eusocial bees was less extensive than previously assumed. Intriguingly, the evolution of pollen-collecting behavior in the stem lineage of bees was associated with a notable loss of OR gene diversity. Thus, our results support the view that herbivorous Hymenoptera tend to possess smaller OR repertoires than carnivorous, parasitoid, or kleptoparasitic species.
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Affiliation(s)
- George F Obiero
- Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany.,School of Biological and Life Sciences, The Technical University of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Thomas Pauli
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute of Biology I (Zoology), Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Elzemiek Geuverink
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Oliver Niehuis
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute of Biology I (Zoology), Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ewald Große-Wilde
- Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany.,EXTEMIT-K, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Praha-Suchdol, Czech Republic
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37
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Basu S, Clark RE, Fu Z, Lee BW, Crowder DW. Insect alarm pheromones in response to predators: Ecological trade-offs and molecular mechanisms. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 128:103514. [PMID: 33359575 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2020.103514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Insect alarm pheromones are chemical substances that are synthesized and released in response to predators to reduce predation risk. Alarm pheromones can also be perceived by predators, who take advantage of alarm cues to locate prey. While selection favors evolution of alarm pheromone signals that are not easily detectable by predators, predator evolution selects for better prey detection ability. Here, we review the diversity of alarm signals, and consider the behavioral and ecological conditions under which they have evolved. We show that components of alarm pheromones are similar across many insects, although aphids exhibit different behavioral responses to alarm cues compared to social insects. The effects of alarm pheromones on prey behavior depend on factors such as the concentration of pheromones and the density of conspecifics. We also discuss the molecular mechanisms of alarm pheromone perception underlying the evolutionary arms race between predators and prey, and the function of olfactory proteins and receptors in particular. Our review provides a novel synthesis of the diversity and function of insect alarm pheromones, while suggesting avenues that might better allow researchers to exploit population-level responses to alarm signaling for the sustainable management of pests and vector-borne pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saumik Basu
- Department of Entomology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA.
| | - Robert E Clark
- Department of Entomology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Zhen Fu
- Department of Entomology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA; Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Benjamin W Lee
- Department of Entomology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - David W Crowder
- Department of Entomology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
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38
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Chen H, Lahey Z, Talamas EJ, Johnson NF. Identification and expression of chemosensory receptor genes in the egg parasitoid Trissolcus basalis. COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY D-GENOMICS & PROTEOMICS 2020; 37:100758. [PMID: 33202309 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbd.2020.100758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Parasitic wasps largely rely on chemosenses to locate resources. Understanding the evolution of their chemoreceptors can help elucidate the mechanisms underlying host adaptation and speciation. Trissolcus basalis is a biological control agent of the southern green stink bug, a pantropical pest, and is ideal for investigating the evolution of chemoreceptors. We identified 34 gustatory receptors, 170 odorant receptors, one odorant co-receptor, and 23 ionotropic receptors. Comparison with other Hymenoptera revealed species-specific expansions of 21 Grs and 53 Ors. Most of these Or expansions have 9 exons. Gender- and tissue-specific analyses showed that 5 Grs and 54 Ors are expressed only in antennae in both sexes, 66 Ors in female antennae only, and 4 Ors in male antennae alone. The identification and expression profile of chemosensory receptor genes in T. basalis helps in understanding the link between the evolution of chemoreceptors and speciation in parasitic wasps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huayan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences/School of Ecology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University, 1315 Kinnear Road, Columbus, OH 43212, USA.
| | - Zachary Lahey
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, 1315 Kinnear Road, Columbus, OH 43212, USA.
| | - Elijah J Talamas
- Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University, 1315 Kinnear Road, Columbus, OH 43212, USA; Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, The Doyle Conner Building, 1911 SW 34th St, Gainesville, Florida 32608, USA.
| | - Norman F Johnson
- Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University, 1315 Kinnear Road, Columbus, OH 43212, USA; Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, 1315 Kinnear Road, Columbus, OH 43212, USA.
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39
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Wanchoo A, Zhang W, Ortiz-Urquiza A, Boswell J, Xia Y, Keyhani NO. Red Imported Fire Ant ( Solenopsis invicta) Chemosensory Proteins Are Expressed in Tissue, Developmental, and Caste-Specific Patterns. Front Physiol 2020; 11:585883. [PMID: 33192598 PMCID: PMC7646262 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.585883] [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: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, is a eusocial invasive insect that has spread worldwide. Chemosensory proteins (CSPs) are ligand-binding proteins that participate in a diverse range of physiological processes that include olfaction and chemical transport. Here, we performed a systematic survey of the expression of the 21 gene S. invicta CSP family that includes at least two groups of apparent S. invicta-specific gene expansions. These data revealed caste, tissue, and developmental stage-specific differential expression of the SiCSPs. In general, moderate to high SiCSP expression was seen in worker antennae and abdomen tissues with lower expression in head/thorax regions. Male and female alates showed high antennal expression of fewer SiCSPs, with the female alate thorax showing comparatively high SiCSP expression. SiCSP expression was lower in male alates tissues compared to workers and female alates, albeit with some highly expressed SiCSPs. SiCSP expression was low during development including in eggs, larvae (early and late instars), and pupae. Global analyses revealed examples of conserved, divergent, and convergent SiCSP expression patterns linked to phylogenetic relationships. The developmental and caste-specific variation seen in SiCSP expression patterns suggests specific functional diversification of CSPs that may translate into differential chemical recognition and communication among individuals and/or reflect other cellular roles of CSPs. Our results support a model for CSPs acting as general ligand carriers involved in a wide range of physiological processes beyond olfaction. As compared to the expression patterns of the S. invicta odorant binding proteins (OBPs), an inverse correlation between SiOBP and SiCSP expression was seen, suggesting potential complementary and/or compensatory functions between these two classes of ligand carriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arun Wanchoo
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.,Genetic Engineering Research Center, School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Almudena Ortiz-Urquiza
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.,Department of Biosciences, College of Science, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom
| | - John Boswell
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Yuxian Xia
- Genetic Engineering Research Center, School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Nemat O Keyhani
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
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Yan H, Jafari S, Pask G, Zhou X, Reinberg D, Desplan C. Evolution, developmental expression and function of odorant receptors in insects. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb208215. [PMID: 32034042 PMCID: PMC7790194 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.208215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Animals rely on their chemosensory system to discriminate among a very large number of attractive or repulsive chemical cues in the environment, which is essential to respond with proper action. The olfactory sensory systems in insects share significant similarities with those of vertebrates, although they also exhibit dramatic differences, such as the molecular nature of the odorant receptors (ORs): insect ORs function as heteromeric ion channels with a common Orco subunit, unlike the G-protein-coupled olfactory receptors found in vertebrates. Remarkable progress has recently been made in understanding the evolution, development and function of insect odorant receptor neurons (ORNs). These studies have uncovered the diversity of olfactory sensory systems among insect species, including in eusocial insects that rely extensively on olfactory sensing of pheromones for social communication. However, further studies, notably functional analyses, are needed to improve our understanding of the origins of the Orco-OR system, the mechanisms of ORN fate determination, and the extraordinary diversity of behavioral responses to chemical cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Yan
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
- Center for Smell and Taste (UFCST), University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Shadi Jafari
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Gregory Pask
- Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA
| | - Xiaofan Zhou
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, 510642 Guangzhou, China
| | - Danny Reinberg
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, 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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41
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Mitchell RF, Schneider TM, Schwartz AM, Andersson MN, McKenna DD. The diversity and evolution of odorant receptors in beetles (Coleoptera). INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 29:77-91. [PMID: 31381201 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2019] [Revised: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The insect odorant receptors (ORs) are amongst the largest gene families in insect genomes and the primary means by which insects recognize volatile compounds. The evolution of ORs is thus instrumental in explaining the chemical ecology of insects and as a model of evolutionary biology. However, although ORs have been described from numerous insect species, their analysis within and amongst the insect orders has been hindered by a combination of limited genomic information and a tendency of the OR family toward rapid divergence, gain, and loss. We addressed these issues in the insect order Coleoptera through a targeted genomic annotation effort that included 1181 ORs from one species of the sister order Strepsiptera and 10 species representing the four coleopteran suborders. The numbers of ORs in each species varied from hundreds to fewer than 10, but coleopteran ORs could nevertheless be represented within a scheme of nine monophyletic subfamilies. We observed many radiations and losses of genes amongst OR subfamilies, and the diversity of ORs appeared to parallel the host breadth of the study species. However, some small lineages of ORs persisted amongst many coleopteran families, suggesting receptors of key function that underlie the olfactory ecology of beetles.
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Affiliation(s)
- R F Mitchell
- Department of Biology, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, Oshkosh, WI, USA
| | - T M Schneider
- Department of Biology, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, Oshkosh, WI, USA
| | - A M Schwartz
- Department of Biology, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, Oshkosh, WI, USA
| | - M N Andersson
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - D D McKenna
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA
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42
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Ferguson ST, Park KY, Ruff AA, Bakis I, Zwiebel LJ. Odor coding of nestmate recognition in the eusocial ant Camponotus floridanus. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb215400. [PMID: 31900348 PMCID: PMC7033718 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.215400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
In eusocial ants, aggressive behaviors require the ability to discriminate between chemical signatures such as cuticular hydrocarbons that distinguish nestmate friends from non-nestmate foes. It has been suggested that a mismatch between a chemical signature (label) and the internal, neuronal representation of the colony odor (template) leads to aggression between non-nestmates. Moreover, a definitive demonstration that odorant receptors are responsible for the processing of the chemical signals that regulate nestmate recognition has thus far been lacking. To address these issues, we have developed an aggression-based bioassay incorporating highly selective modulators that target odorant receptor functionality to characterize their role in nestmate recognition in the formicine ant Camponotus floridanus Electrophysiological studies were used to show that exposure to either a volatilized antagonist or an agonist eliminated or dramatically altered signaling, respectively. Administration of these compounds to adult workers significantly reduced aggression between non-nestmates without altering aggression levels between nestmates. These studies provide direct evidence that odorant receptors are indeed necessary and sufficient for mediating aggression towards non-nestmates. Furthermore, our observations support a hypothesis in which rejection of non-nestmates depends on the precise decoding of chemical signatures present on non-nestmates as opposed to the absence of any information or the active acceptance of familiar signatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen T Ferguson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, 465 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Kyu Young Park
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, 465 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Alexandra A Ruff
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, 465 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Isaac Bakis
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, 465 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Laurence J Zwiebel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, 465 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
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43
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He P, Wang MM, Wang H, Ma YF, Yang S, Li SB, Li XG, Li S, Zhang F, Wang Q, Ran HN, Yang GQ, Dewer Y, He M. Genome-wide identification of chemosensory receptor genes in the small brown planthopper, Laodelphax striatellus. Genomics 2019; 112:2034-2040. [PMID: 31765823 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2019.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Revised: 11/17/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The small brown planthopper (SBPH), Laodelphax striatellus is one of the major insect pests of rice, but little is known about the molecular-level means by which it locates its hosts. SBPH host-seeking behavior heavily relies on chemosensory receptors (CRs). In this study, we utilized genome analysis of the SBPH to identify 169 CRs, including: 133 odorant receptors (ORs), 13 gustatory receptors (GRs) and 23 ionotropic receptors (IRs). The phylogenetic relationships of OR genes from three rice planthoppers and other insect species revealed that the odorant co-receptor (Orco) clade is the most conserved group. Among the candidate GRs, two sugar receptors and five fructose receptors have been identified but no carbon dioxide receptors investigated. Furthermore, we identified homologs of the three highly conserved IR co-receptors. The obtained results will provide us with precious information needed to better understand the interaction between insect pests and crop plants required for effective crop protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng He
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, Guiyang 550025, PR China.
| | - Mei-Mei Wang
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, Guiyang 550025, PR China
| | - Hong Wang
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, Guiyang 550025, PR China
| | - Yu-Feng Ma
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, Guiyang 550025, PR China
| | - Song Yang
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, Guiyang 550025, PR China
| | - Shao-Bing Li
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, Guiyang 550025, PR China
| | - Xuan-Gang Li
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, Guiyang 550025, PR China
| | - Shuo Li
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, PR China; School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, PR China
| | - Fan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Research, College of Life Science, Shandong Normal University, 88 East Wenhua Road, Jinan 250014, PR China
| | - Qing Wang
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, Guiyang 550025, PR China
| | - Hui-Nu Ran
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, Guiyang 550025, PR China
| | - Gui-Qing Yang
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, Guiyang 550025, PR China
| | - Youssef Dewer
- Bioassay Research Department, Central Agricultural Pesticide Laboratory, Sabahia Plant Protection Research Station, Agricultural Research Center, Alexandria 21616, Egypt
| | - Ming He
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, Guiyang 550025, PR China.
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44
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Jiang H, Du K, Gan X, Yang L, He S. Massive Loss of Olfactory Receptors But Not Trace Amine-Associated Receptors in the World's Deepest-Living Fish ( Pseudoliparis swirei). Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:E910. [PMID: 31717379 PMCID: PMC6895882 DOI: 10.3390/genes10110910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Revised: 11/02/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Olfactory receptor repertoires show highly dynamic evolution associated with ecological adaptations in different species. The Mariana snailfish (Pseudoliparis swirei) living below a depth of 6000 m in the Mariana Trench evolved degraded vision and occupies a specific feeding habitat in a dark, low-food environment. However, whether such adaptations involve adaptive changes in the chemosensory receptor repertoire is not known. Here, we conducted a comparative analysis of the olfactory receptor (OR) and trace amine-associated receptor (TAAR) gene repertoires in nine teleosts with a focus on the evolutionary divergence between the Mariana snailfish and its shallow-sea relative, Tanaka's snailfish (Liparis tanakae). We found many fewer functional OR genes and a significantly higher fraction of pseudogenes in the Mariana snailfish, but the numbers of functional TAAR genes in the two species were comparable. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the expansion patterns of the gene families were shared by the two species, but that Mariana snailfish underwent massive gene losses in its OR repertoire. Despite an overall decreased size in OR subfamilies and a reduced number of TAAR subfamilies in the Mariana snailfish, expansion of certain subfamilies was observed. Selective pressure analysis indicated greatly relaxed selective strength in ORs but a slightly enhanced selective strength in TAARs of Mariana snailfish. Overall, our study reveals simplified but specific OR and TAAR repertoires in the Mariana snailfish shaped by natural selection with respect to ecological adaptations in the hadal environment. This is the first study on the chemosensation evolution in vertebrates living in the hadal zone, which could provide new insights into evolutionary adaptation to the hadal environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haifeng Jiang
- The Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; (H.J.); (K.D.); (X.G.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Heilongjiang River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Harbin 150070, China
| | - Kang Du
- The Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; (H.J.); (K.D.); (X.G.)
| | - Xiaoni Gan
- The Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; (H.J.); (K.D.); (X.G.)
- Institute of Deep Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Liandong Yang
- The Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; (H.J.); (K.D.); (X.G.)
| | - Shunping He
- Institute of Deep Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
- Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
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45
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Phenotypic Plasticity of Nest-Mate Recognition Cues in Formica exsecta Ants. J Chem Ecol 2019; 45:735-740. [PMID: 31475301 PMCID: PMC6754345 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-019-01103-2] [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: 07/10/2019] [Revised: 08/17/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
It is well established that many ant species have evolved qualitatively distinct species-specific chemical profile that are stable over large geographical distances. Within these species profiles quantitative variations in the chemical profile allows distinct colony-specific odours to arise (chemotypes) that are shared by all colony members. This help maintains social cohesion, including defence of their colonies against all intruders, including con-specifics. How these colony -level chemotypes are maintained among nest-mates has long been debated. The two main theories are; each ant is able to biochemically adjust its chemical profile to ‘match’ that of its nest-mates and or the queen, or all nest-mates share their individually generated chemical profile via trophollaxis resulting in an average nest-mate profile. This ‘mixing’ idea is better known as the Gestalt model. Unfortunately, it has been very difficult to experimentally test these two ideas in a single experimental design. However, it is now possible using the ant Formica exsecta because the compounds used in nest-mate recognition compounds are known. We demonstrate that workers adjust their profile to ‘match’ the dominant chemical profile within that colony, hence maintaining the colony-specific chemotype and indicates that a ‘gestalt’ mechanism, i.e. profile mixing, plays no or only a minor role.
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46
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Hou Q, Xu L, Liu G, Pang X, Wang X, Zhang Y, You M, Ni Z, Zhao Z, Liang R. Plant-mediated gene silencing of an essential olfactory-related Gqα gene enhances resistance to grain aphid in common wheat in greenhouse and field. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2019; 75:1718-1725. [PMID: 30525312 DOI: 10.1002/ps.5292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2018] [Revised: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 12/01/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Grain aphid (Sitobion avenae F.) is a dominant pest that limits cereal crop production around the globe. Gq proteins have important roles in signal transduction in insect olfaction. Plant-mediated RNA interference (RNAi) has been widely studied in insect control, but its application for the control wheat aphid in the field requires further study. Here, we used double-stranded (ds)RNA feeding to verify the potential of selected Gqα fragments for host-mediated RNAi, and then evaluated the effect of RNAi on aphid olfaction in transgenic wheat in the greenhouse and field. RESULTS Gqα gene was expressed in the aphid life cycle, and a 540 bp fragment shared 98.1% similarity with the reported sequence. dsGqα feeding reduced the expression of Gqα, and both reproduction and molting in the grain aphid. Feeding transgenic lines in the greenhouse downregulated expression of aphid Gqα, and significantly reduced reproduction and molting numbers. Furthermore, our field results indicate that transgenic lines have lower aphid numbers and higher 1000-grain weight than an unsprayed wild-type control. CONCLUSION Plant-mediated silencing of an essential olfactory-related Gqα gene could enhance resistance to grain aphid in common wheat in both the greenhouse and the field. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiling Hou
- Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE)/Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Lanjie Xu
- Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE)/Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Guoyu Liu
- Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE)/Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaomeng Pang
- Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE)/Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE)/Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yufeng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE)/Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Mingshan You
- Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE)/Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhongfu Ni
- Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE)/Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhangwu Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE)/Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Rongqi Liang
- Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE)/Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
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47
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Robertson HM. Molecular Evolution of the Major Arthropod Chemoreceptor Gene Families. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY 2019; 64:227-242. [PMID: 30312552 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ento-020117-043322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
The evolutionary origins of the three major families of chemoreceptors in arthropods-the odorant receptor (OR), gustatory receptor (GR), and ionotropic receptor (IR) families-occurred at the base of the Insecta, Animalia, and Protostomia, respectively. Comparison of receptor family sizes across arthropods reveals a generally positive correlation with their widely disparate complexity of chemical ecology. Closely related species reveal the ongoing processes of gene family evolution, including gene duplication, divergence, pseudogenization, and loss, that mediate these larger patterns. Sets of paralogous receptors within species reveal positive selection on amino acids in regions likely to contribute to ligand binding and specificity. Ligands of many ORs and some GRs and IRs have been identified; however, ligand identification for many more chemoreceptors is needed, as are structures for the OR/GR superfamily, to improve our understanding of the molecular evolution of these ecologically important receptors in arthropods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugh M Robertson
- Department of Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA;
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48
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Fleischer J, Krieger J. Insect Pheromone Receptors - Key Elements in Sensing Intraspecific Chemical Signals. Front Cell Neurosci 2018; 12:425. [PMID: 30515079 PMCID: PMC6255830 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2018.00425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2018] [Accepted: 10/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Pheromones are chemicals that serve intraspecific communication. In animals, the ability to detect and discriminate pheromones in a complex chemical environment substantially contributes to the survival of the species. Insects widely use pheromones to attract mating partners, to alarm conspecifics or to mark paths to rich food sources. The various functional roles of pheromones for insects are reflected by the chemical diversity of pheromonal compounds. The precise detection of the relevant intraspecific signals is accomplished by specialized chemosensory neurons housed in hair-like sensilla located on the surface of body appendages. Current data indicate that the extraordinary sensitivity and selectivity of the pheromone-responsive neurons (PRNs) is largely based on specific pheromone receptors (PRs) residing in their ciliary membrane. Besides these key elements, proper ligand-induced responses of PR-expressing neurons appear to generally require a putative co-receptor, the so-called "sensory neuron membrane protein 1" (SNMP1). Regarding the PR-mediated chemo-electrical signal transduction processes in insect PRNs, ionotropic as well as metabotropic mechanisms may be involved. In this review, we summarize and discuss current knowledge on the peripheral detection of pheromones in the olfactory system of insects with a focus on PRs and their specific role in the recognition and transduction of volatile intraspecific chemical signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jörg Fleischer
- Department of Animal Physiology, Institute of Biology/Zoology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Jürgen Krieger
- Department of Animal Physiology, Institute of Biology/Zoology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
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49
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Bastin F, Couto A, Larcher V, Phiancharoen M, Koeniger G, Koeniger N, Sandoz JC. Marked interspecific differences in the neuroanatomy of the male olfactory system of honey bees (genus Apis). J Comp Neurol 2018; 526:3020-3034. [PMID: 30417379 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24513] [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: 02/14/2018] [Revised: 07/12/2018] [Accepted: 07/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
All honey bee species (genus Apis) display a striking mating behavior with the formation of male (drone) congregations, in which virgin queens mate with many drones. Bees' mating behavior relies on olfactory communication involving queen-but also drone pheromones. To explore the evolution of olfactory communication in Apis, we analyzed the neuroanatomical organization of the antennal lobe (primary olfactory center) in the drones of five species from the three main lineages (open-air nesting species: dwarf honey bees Apis florea and giant honey bees Apis dorsata; cavity-nesting species: Apis mellifera, Apis kochevnikovi, and Apis cerana) and from three populations of A. cerana (Borneo, Thailand, and Japan). In addition to differences in the overall number of morphological units, the glomeruli, our data reveal marked differences in the number and position of macroglomeruli, enlarged units putatively dedicated to sex pheromone processing. Dwarf and giant honey bee species possess two macroglomeruli while cavity-nesting bees present three or four macroglomeruli, suggesting an increase in the complexity of sex communication during evolution in the genus Apis. The three A. cerana populations showed differing absolute numbers of glomeruli but the same three macroglomeruli. Overall, we identified six different macroglomeruli in the genus Apis. One of these (called MGb), which is dedicated to the detection of the major queen compound 9-ODA in A. mellifera, was conserved in all species. We discuss the implications of these results for our understanding of sex communication in honey bees and propose a putative scenario of antennal lobe evolution in the Apis genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Bastin
- Evolution, Genomes, Behavior and Ecology, CNRS (UMR 9191), Univ Paris-Sud, IRD, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Antoine Couto
- Evolution, Genomes, Behavior and Ecology, CNRS (UMR 9191), Univ Paris-Sud, IRD, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Virginie Larcher
- Evolution, Genomes, Behavior and Ecology, CNRS (UMR 9191), Univ Paris-Sud, IRD, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Mananya Phiancharoen
- Ratchaburi Campus, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Gudrun Koeniger
- Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology (Zoology II), Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Nikolaus Koeniger
- Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology (Zoology II), Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jean-Christophe Sandoz
- Evolution, Genomes, Behavior and Ecology, CNRS (UMR 9191), Univ Paris-Sud, IRD, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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50
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Cohanim AB, Amsalem E, Saad R, Shoemaker D, Privman E. Evolution of Olfactory Functions on the Fire Ant Social Chromosome. Genome Biol Evol 2018; 10:2947-2960. [PMID: 30239696 PMCID: PMC6279166 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evy204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the molecular evolutionary basis of social behavior is a major challenge in evolutionary biology. Social insects evolved a complex language of chemical signals to coordinate thousands of individuals. In the fire ant Solenopsis invicta, chemical signals are involved in the determination of a polymorphic social organization. Single-queen (monogyne) or multiqueen (polygyne) social structure is determined by the "social chromosome," a nonrecombining region containing ∼504 genes with two distinct haplotypes, SB and Sb. Monogyne queens are always SBB, while polygyne queens are always SBb. Workers discriminate monogyne from polygyne queens based on olfactory cues. Here, we took an evolutionary genomics approach to search for candidate genes in the social chromosome that could be responsible for this discrimination. We compared the SB and Sb haplotypes and analyzed the evolutionary rates since their divergence. Notably, we identified a cluster of 23 odorant receptors in the nonrecombining region of the social chromosome that stands out in terms of nonsynonymous changes in both haplotypes. The cluster includes twelve genes formed by recent Solenopsis-specific duplications. We found evidence for positive selection on several tree branches and significant differences between the SB and Sb haplotypes of these genes. The most dramatic difference is the complete deletion of two of these genes in Sb. These results suggest that the evolution of polygyne social organization involved adaptations in olfactory genes and opens the way for functional studies of the molecular mechanisms underlying social behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir B Cohanim
- Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Israel
| | - Etya Amsalem
- Department of Entomology, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University
| | - Rana Saad
- Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Israel
| | - DeWayne Shoemaker
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, University of Tennessee
| | - Eyal Privman
- Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Israel
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