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Wu J, Wang J, Wang Y, Hassan A. Same-sex Pairs Retain Their Reproductive Capacity as a Potential Opportunity for Individual Reproductive Success in Termites. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2023; 23:9. [PMID: 36757064 PMCID: PMC9909647 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/ieac073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
In eusocial termites, successful pairing is an essential element of dispersal and distribution after the departure of alates from natal colonies. Two situations could arise during the pairing process: mixed-sex pairs and same-sex pairs. However, most previous studies focused on mixed-sex pairs, overlooking groups formed by same-sex pairings, especially potential fecundity (the total number of oocytes or ovarioles), oogenesis and the development stage of oocytes of females in female-female pairs, and spermatogenesis and testis development of males in male-male pairs. In this study, through experimentation, we investigated the reproductive ability of virgin dealates based on various pairing types as mentioned above. We found that the life spans of virgin dealates can cover 1 yr or even more when they establish a nest with a partner, which is more than 10-fold longer than the life span of individuals establishing a colony alone. After 1 yr of pairing, the potential fecundity of virgin same sex dealates did not degenerate significantly compared with newly emerged dealates, including the number of ovarioles, size of testis, oogenesis, and the development stage of the oocytes. Moreover, when individuals of same-sex pairings experimentally changed into mixed-sex pairs after 1 yr, the eggs produced in the colony hatched into larvae. These findings suggest that dealates which through same-sex pairs retain fecundity after 1 yr have more reproductive potential than dealates that failed to pair with heterosexuals, shedding light on the ecological significance of homosexual behaviors in terms of the successful extension and fecundity of eusocial termites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Wu
- Applied Research Center for Life Science, Xi’an International University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710077, China
- College of Medicine, Xi’an International University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710077, China
| | | | - Yonghui Wang
- College of Engineering, Xi’an International University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710077, China
| | - Ali Hassan
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, Hubei, China
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Wu J, Xu H, Hassan A, Huang Q. Interspecific Hybridization between the Two Sympatric Termite Reticulitermes Species under Laboratory Conditions. INSECTS 2019; 11:insects11010014. [PMID: 31877914 PMCID: PMC7022586 DOI: 10.3390/insects11010014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Revised: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Closely related species have similar reproductive behaviors and recognition systems, which contribute to interspecific interactions. However, few studies have explored interspecific reproduction choice and mating in termites. We investigated whether hybridization between two sympatric termites, Reticulitermes flaviceps and R. chinensis, occurs under laboratory conditions. We found that frequencies of acceptance were significantly higher than those of agonism between interspecific partners. There were no significant differences in frequencies of tandem and mating behaviors between intraspecific and interspecific partners. However, the allogrooming frequencies of interspecific partners were significantly higher than intraspecific partners. There were no significant differences in the duration of tandem, allogrooming, or mating behavior at each time between conspecific partners and heterospecfic partners. Genotyping analyses further showed that both intraspecific and interspecific mating were able to produce offspring. We conclude that interspecific hybridization does occur between two termite Reticulitermes species under laboratory conditions.
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Sun P, Li G, Jian J, Liu L, Chen J, Yu S, Xu H, Lei C, Zhou X, Huang Q. Transcriptomic and Functional Analyses of Phenotypic Plasticity in a Higher Termite, Macrotermes barneyi Light. Front Genet 2019; 10:964. [PMID: 31681415 PMCID: PMC6797822 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.00964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Eusocial termites have a complex caste system, which leads to the division of labor. Previous studies offered some insight into the caste differentiation in lower termites; however, few studies were focusing on the molecular mechanisms of higher termites with sophisticated societies. Comparative transcriptomic analyses of five immature castes of a higher termite, Macrotermes barneyi Light, suggest that phenotypic plasticity is modulated by an array of transcriptional changes, including differentially expressed genes (e.g., caste-biased genes Vtg and TnC), co-expression networks (e.g., genes associated with nymph reproduction), and alternative splicing (e.g., events related to muscle development in presoldiers). Transcriptional (RT-PCR and RT-qPCR) and functional (in vivo RNAi) validation studies reveal multiple molecular mechanisms contributing to the phenotypic plasticity in eusocial termites. Molecular mechanisms governing the phenotypic plasticity in M. barneyi could be a rule rather than an exception in the evolution of sociality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengdong Sun
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ganghua Li
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jianbo Jian
- Marine Biology Institute, Shantou University, Shantou, China
| | - Long Liu
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Junhui Chen
- School of Bioscience and Bioengineering, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fermentation and Enzyme Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuxin Yu
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Huan Xu
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Chaoliang Lei
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xuguo Zhou
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Qiuying Huang
- Hubei Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management Key Laboratory, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
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Mizumoto N, Yashiro T, Matsuura K. Male same-sex pairing as an adaptive strategy for future reproduction in termites. Anim Behav 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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